• by TJ Leonard , May 23, 2019

Does anyone know what it truly takes to become a successful YouTuber? As it turns out, it takes an incredible amount of skill -- and not just in video production. We surveyed 400+ YouTubers and learned about their goals and challenges.

Between planning content, creating thumbnails to increase clicks, and crafting effective metadata, YouTubers might actually be the world’s best marketers. Don’t believe me? Let me break it down for you.

YouTubers are primed for the ad copy world. Have you ever tried to write titles that will increase clicks, or scripts that will encourage people to comment? Being able to optimize direct-response copy is a necessary skill for anyone looking to have a role in advertising, and successful YouTubers just so happen to have that skill. The YouTubers we spoke with say that optimizing titles is absolutely crucial to a successful video, and they start owning that skill early on.

YouTubers will crush video marketing goals. A whopping 94% of YouTubers surveyed say that they monetize their videos. In order to reach the monetization point and maximize earnings, YouTubers use tools to keep a pulse on performance. They track KPIs like view count, subscribers, and watch time. In addition to knowing the ins and outs of YouTube Analytics, many are experts with platforms like Social Blade, TubeBuddy — and of course, Google Analytics.

YouTubers get SEO. A creative video and powerful keywords go hand in hand. Yes, YouTubers have a solid grasp on keyword research, but SEO goes beyond knowing how to tag. The most successful YouTubers have cracked the surfacing algorithm and are using that knowledge to get discovered in search and the related videos section. Just like video performance, they know what SEO metrics to watch — like traffic sources and click-through rate.

YouTubers know how to engage with visuals.  Creating catchy thumbnails is just as important as nailing your titles. The best YouTubers know that it’s not as simple as choosing a good-looking frame from the video. They understand that before you can engage with awesome content, you have to get people to click. So they put on their designer hat to incorporate bold text and imagery that stands out.

YouTubers can communicate with partners. The most successful YouTubers have gained the attention of advertisers. These influencers are spokespeople, and most of them are their own agents. From negotiating rates to meeting deliverables, they've developed the project management and communication skills necessary to work with big brands and agencies effectively.

Increasing saturation of the influencer space means influencers not only have to work harder, but they must find additional sources of revenue. Virginia Messina, founder of Blue Monkey Studio, says, “The influencer world as we know is going to end soon. So we keep putting effort into building our skills as producers, project managers, graphic designers, filmmakers, etc.”

So when the influencer bubble bursts, YouTubers will have plenty of career opportunities. This might ease the minds of some of those influencer parents who think their kids are just wasting time on the internet.