There’s no doubt that YouTube is a powerful platform for businesses of all sizes. But, what are the best ways to make use of it? We’ll be discussing 20 creative ideas you can start on YouTube that are great Small Business Ideas for Beginners.
YouTube as an Industry in 2023
YouTube video content is growing in popularity as a source of entertainment and a way to make money. According to recent estimates, YouTube channels can make on average about $18 per 1,000 ad views. This means a YouTuber can make about $3 to $5 per 1,000 video views, which is based on the rate of ads that were actually viewed.
Why You Should Consider Starting a YouTube Business
Starting a YouTube business can be a great way for small business owners to promote their businesses and grow their customer base. It can also be a great way to connect with customers and share personal life moments. Here are 5 reasons to start a YouTube business in 2023.
- Connect with customers. Sharing video content from your YouTube account allows you to post videos showing customers who you are and what your business is all about.
- Share your story. Customers want to know the story behind a small business, and YouTube can be a great way to tell that story.
- Build customer loyalty. A YouTube business can help build customer loyalty by providing customers with an inside look at the business and its owner.
- Promote your products and services. YouTube is a great platform to promote your products and services. You can create a product demonstration video, unboxing video, and more.
- Grow your customer base. A YouTube business can help you reach a wider audience and grow your customer base.
Read More: How Much Money Do YouTubers Make?
Selecting the Best YouTube Business Ideas: Our Methodology
When considering business ideas related to YouTube, it’s essential to focus on aspects that cater to the platform’s unique dynamics and audience. Here’s an evaluation of key criteria along with their importance scale:
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- Content Originality and Creativity
- Importance: Essential (10/10)
Unique and creative content is crucial to stand out in the vast YouTube landscape.
- Importance: Essential (10/10)
- Audience Engagement and Market Demand
- Importance: High (9/10)
Understanding and engaging with the target audience, and catering to market demand is vital for channel growth.
- Importance: High (9/10)
- Consistency and Content Quality
- Importance: Essential (10/10)
Regular uploading of high-quality content is key to retaining and growing the audience.
- Importance: Essential (10/10)
- Monetization Potential and Revenue Streams
- Importance: High (9/10)
Identifying viable revenue streams, including ads, sponsorships, and merchandise, is crucial for profitability.
- Importance: High (9/10)
- SEO and Discoverability
- Importance: High (9/10)
Optimizing content for YouTube’s search engine is critical for increasing visibility and attracting new subscribers.
- Importance: High (9/10)
- Branding and Channel Identity
- Importance: High (9/10)
A strong, consistent brand identity helps in building a loyal viewer base.
- Importance: High (9/10)
- Community Building and Interaction
- Importance: High (9/10)
Fostering a community and interacting with viewers can significantly boost channel loyalty and growth.
- Importance: High (9/10)
- Adaptability to Trends and Analytics
- Importance: High (9/10)
Adapting content based on trends and analytical insights is important for staying relevant.
- Importance: High (9/10)
- Technical Skills and Equipment Quality
- Importance: Moderate to High (8/10)
Good technical skills and quality equipment enhance the production value of videos.
- Importance: Moderate to High (8/10)
- Compliance with YouTube Policies and Guidelines
- Importance: Essential (10/10)
Adhering to YouTube’s policies and guidelines is non-negotiable to avoid penalties or channel termination.
- Importance: Essential (10/10)
Top YouTube Business Ideas
There are lots of great ideas you can do on YouTube that have the potential to bring in a lot of YouTube viewers when you upload videos. Here are some of the top ideas you can start a business around on YouTube:
1. Video Content Creator
You would be responsible for creating engaging and entertaining videos that capture the attention of your audience. This could involve anything from vlogs, how-to videos, comedy sketches, or other videos like animation or short films.
2. Vlogger
Vlogging is simply creating full video blogs about your life or interests. You could discuss anything from current affairs to makeup tips on your YouTube channel.
3. Video Editor
If you’re good with editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro, then you could start offering services for editing videos. Business owners would be willing to pay someone to edit their video footage for them. For example, you can add their business name and business email to their video.
4. Social Media Influencer
Here you would use your social media accounts on social media platforms like YouTube to promote products or brands that you love. Featured channels can be very profitable, but you have to stay active.
5. Gamer
This is a popular idea as there are many YouTube users and gamers out there who would love to watch others play. As a gamer, make sure you have an awesome channel banner.
6. Reviewer
If you’re passionate about a particular topic, then you could start a review channel reviewing products, a business website, movies, TV shows, video games, or anything else you can think of.
7. Cooking Show
If you enjoy cooking and have some great recipes, then you could start your own cooking show and record yourself cooking the food.
8. Travel Show
You could film your travels and then upload the video footage onto YouTube. This would be a great way to share your experiences with others and inspire them to travel as well.
9. Show Off Your Dancing
You can film yourself dancing to popular songs. This would be a great way to show off your dancing skills, get people moving and sharing trending content.
10. Be a Prankster
If you’re good at pranking people, then you could start a channel where you upload prank videos to entertain your viewers and make them laugh.
Read More: How to Start a YouTube Channel
More Business Opportunities Making YouTube Videos
If you’re looking to start making money through YouTube, it’s important to create a business account so you can monetize your video footage and start earning revenue. Here are more ideas to earn money.
11. eCommerce Marketer
You can start a channel to promote your eCommerce business. This is a great way to reach new customers, make your business stand out, and increase sales.
12. Infoproduct Marketer
You can share your expertise on YouTube and create and sell info products, such as eBooks, online courses, and webinars. This is a great way to generate email marketing leads and build your brand.
13. Affiliate Marketer
Diving into affiliate marketing can be a lucrative endeavor for YouTube creators. Essentially, it involves endorsing products and services relevant to your niche. By placing affiliate links in your video descriptions, you can earn a commission every time a viewer makes a purchase using your link.
It’s imperative, however, to maintain transparency and disclose to your audience that you’re using affiliate links. By doing so, you build trust and credibility. Choosing products that align with your channel’s theme ensures relevancy and increases the likelihood of conversions.
With the right strategy, your YouTube channel can be a powerful platform for affiliate marketing, helping you diversify your income streams.
14. How-To Tutorial Video Creator
The digital age has seen a surge in people seeking online tutorials. As a How-To Tutorial Video Creator on YouTube, you are positioned to address this demand. By producing informative, clear, and engaging content, you can guide your audience through complex processes or teach new skills.
If your tutorial revolves around a product or service, you can collaborate with brands or use affiliate links to generate revenue. However, always ensure the content is genuine and prioritizes the educational aspect. Authenticity is key.
When viewers trust you and find value in your content, they are more likely to return, boosting your viewership and potential earnings.
15. Testing Products
The concept of testing and reviewing products on YouTube has gained immense popularity in recent years. Viewers value genuine feedback before making purchasing decisions.
By starting a product testing channel, you can provide honest reviews, helping your audience make informed choices. Brands often collaborate with YouTubers, providing them with products for review or even compensating them for their efforts.
It’s crucial to maintain honesty and integrity; always disclose if a product was provided for free or if you’re being paid for a review. This transparency solidifies viewer trust. Over time, as your channel grows, you can establish yourself as an authority in product reviews, leading to more opportunities and revenue.
16. YouTube Keyword Research
This business doesn’t involve creating videos. Instead, you would offer keyword research services to YouTubers in order to help their videos rank.
17. Musician
You can use YouTube to market your musical talents to your existing audience and new viewers and make money from your performances.
18. Magician
You can use YouTube to showcase your magical talents and earn income from your videos or sell tickets to live shows.
19. Makeup Artist
With a makeup artist business, you can make videos giving makeup tips and selling the products you use in the videos. You can also offer makeup services to other YouTubers.
20. Motivational Speaker
You can use YouTube to share your motivational message and earn income from this business from speaking engagements or selling products.
Read More: Top YouTube Influencers
YouTube Business Ideas Summary
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Video Content Creator | Create engaging videos: vlogs, how-tos, sketches, animations, short films. |
| Vlogger | Create video blogs about personal life or interests. |
| Video Editor | Offer video editing services, especially to businesses. |
| Social Media Influencer | Promote products or brands on platforms like YouTube. |
| Gamer | Play and showcase video games on YouTube. |
| Reviewer | Review products, websites, movies, TV shows, video games, etc. |
| Cooking Show | Record cooking sessions and share recipes. |
| Travel Show | Share travel experiences through videos. |
| Show Off Your Dancing | Dance to popular songs and share videos. |
| Be a Prankster | Create and share prank videos. |
| eCommerce Marketer | Promote an eCommerce business via YouTube. |
| Infoproduct Marketer | Share expertise, sell info products like eBooks, courses. |
| Affiliate Marketer | Promote and earn commission from product/service sales. |
| How-To Tutorial Video Creator | Create instructional videos, potentially promoting related products/services. |
| Testing Products | Get paid to test and review products. |
| YouTube Keyword Research | Offer keyword research services to help YouTubers rank videos. |
| Musician | Showcase musical talents and monetize performances. |
| Magician | Share magical performances, potentially selling show tickets. |
| Makeup Artist | Offer makeup tips, promote and sell makeup products, offer services to other YouTubers. |
| Motivational Speaker | Share motivational content and monetize via speaking engagements or product sales. |
How Do You Start a YouTube Business?
To start a YouTube business, you’ll need to visit YouTube’s homepage and create a YouTube account. Click “Sign In” at the top right corner of your screen. On the next page, click “Create account” and follow the on-screen instructions. Make sure to have a high-quality profile picture and channel icon. And make sure to have a channel trailer and channel description with relevant keywords so your viewers get to know what your channel is about.
What Are the Most Popular YouTube Topics?
The Youtube Creators Academy lists the following as the most popular video topics on YouTube:
- Gaming
- Entertainment
- Sports
- Beauty and Fashion
- Music
- Science and Technology
- Travel
- Food
What is the Best YouTube Business?
The best YouTube business is being a social media influencer because you can make a living by doing what you love – making videos. You can also be your own boss, set your own hours, and work from anywhere in the world. When you become popular, you’ll have brands clamoring to work with you, which can lead to some pretty sweet sponsorship deals.
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