On this page
In the summer of 2017, I decided to start a YouTube channel. Fast forward to now, and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made.
Like everybody does I started from the ground up: with 0 subscribers and 0 views. It took a year and a half for me to reach 100,000 subscribers - which in all honesty I didn't think would ever be possible, and now I have over a million subscribers.
If you'd like to do the same - start up a YouTube channel, have a creative outlet, build an audience online and create a business from doing so, then I reckon this page you're looking for.
📕 Getting Started
The best way to get started is by learning what you can about YouTube. To fast forward the process I have two courses which will help: my SkillShare class on video editing, which is free if you take out a two month free trial over there and the Part Time YouTuber Academy - my own course where I break down how to grow from 0 to 100,000 subscribers.
Ali Abdaal
The Part Time YouTuber Academy is a four week live, interactive course where you'll have classes with me every week. It works on a cohort basis, but the link above (and this one here) goes into way more detail about how it works.
🎥 My Videos
Over on YouTube I regularly talk about different aspects of my channel: tech, how much money I make from YouTube AdSense, Q&As. I've linked a couple to get you started (and if you're starting from the ground up, I'd jump into the 'How To Film YouTube Videos Using Your Phone' first, which I've linked below).
🎬 YouTube Gear
If you're thinking of starting a YouTube channel, my advice is always to start today.
You don't have to wait for a fancy camera to start filming; it gives you a chance to suss out your direction. When you can though I do recommend taking the quality of your videos more seriously and to do that, I'd take a look at your video quality, light, sound and framing so your content stands out.
📷 Here's Where I'd Recommend Starting
My camera gear has changed a bit over the years, mainly as I prioritised upgrading when I was able to. I'd start with kit that's easier for you to access, your phone or a reasonable 'point and shoot' and from there, potentially take it up a notch.
Camera
The Sony A6500 is a great place to start. If you're looking for something under £500, the Sony A6000 is still capable of decent performance (and I actually mention that one here, in my Recommended Tech for Students video)
Microphone
I can't stress enough how important sound is on YouTube. The in-built microphones in cameras aren't always the best, especially if you're vlogging outside so I'd recommend getting the Rode Videomicro.
Lighting
I'd start off with a simple set-up here, something that'll enable you to record even on dull days. Making sure you're well lit will take your videos up a gear, so I'd recommend you could start with something simple like the Godox SL60W. (You'll also need a soft box and a light stand to support that too).
📷 The Kit I Have Now
I realised quite early on that I wanted to invest in my kit and it was one of the best decisions I made.
Camera
Up until recently, my workhorse was the Sony A7 III and it works great with a Sony 24mm F/1.4 G-Master. It served me well over the last few years - it's a great piece of kit but just as a heads up, it doesn't have a flip screen (so I now use it as my overhead camera).
I'm currently using the Sony A7s III and it's a solid piece of kit - it's super fast, compact and is something I use nearly every single day.
Lenses
As I use full-frame cameras (A7siii and A7iii), I have full-frame lenses. If I could only use one lens forever, it'd have to be the Sony 16-35mm f2.8 GM.
Microphone
I've also recently upgraded my microphone to this Rodemic.
If you'd like more detail on the kit I use - especially my progression throughout the years and all of my recommended accessories and lenses, I cover this in detail in the Part Time YouTuber Academy. You can find out more about it by clicking on the below link.
👍 If This is Helpful
You might also want to check out these pages too:
Productivity - being able to increase my output over the last few years has really helped me balance everything. I started my YouTube channel when I was still at university and for two years, I worked full-time for the NHS (National Health Service in the UK) and still uploaded on my channel three times a week.
Book Summaries - I take notes on all of the books I read and some of these have inspired me with my YouTube journey, even though none of them are specifically about YouTube itself (and honestly, I cannot recommend the Kindle Paperweight enough).