20 Essentials Every New Creator Should Own

Essential YouTube Equipment For Starting Your Channel - What Do You Really Need?

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Check out our most updated guide on this topic: YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners .

The first thing to make sure of before starting a YouTube channel is having all that you need to record and upload high-quality videos regularly. That doesn’t mean you have to take out a loan and spend thousands to purchase a brand new camera and all other gadgets that professional filmmakers use.

The smartest way to get started is to go through a list of necessary equipment for YouTube and check whether or not you already own some of it. Once your channel starts growing, you can then start thinking about whether you want to invest in upgraded equipment. Here is a quick overview of all items that you need to start entertaining your online audience and gaining subscribers to your YouTube channel:

• Your YouTube Camera
• Microphones and Audio
• Lighting Gear for YouTube
• Tripods and Camera Stands
• Smartphone Camera Gear

YouTube Cameras

The short version: Use whatever you already have, even if it’s your phone or webcam. It’s nice to have sharp, fine-tuned, 4K footage, but viewers will forgive lower visual quality if your content is good.

The long version: You will need a camera, but there are a lot of different devices you can use including DSLRs, point and shoots, webcams, and your smartphone.

Your choice of camera will have a tremendous impact on the visual quality of your content and might drive your decisions regarding other pieces of equipment. However, you shouldn’t feel obliged to work with a top-notch camera from day one, especially since cheaper options can produce great results if used the right way.

On one end of the spectrum, you have basic smartphone cameras and web cameras, which are easy to come by and simple to operate. These days, high-end phones come equipped with quite powerful cameras that are more than sufficient for the needs of the average YouTuber. Better webcams can also do the job, although high-performance webcam models can get pretty expensive too. It is probably wise to resist the urge to start broadcasting with the built-in camera in your laptop and at least get a webcam or use your phone, but your computer’s camera is still always an option. Not having a better camera should never stop you from making YouTube videos.

If you already have a DSLR camera then it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it. You have far more freedom to adjust the settings and achieve a professional look for your videos with a DSLR, but that does mean it’ll take some time to become an expert at using it. Ultra-high resolution is not required for YouTube, but it certainly won’t hurt to have additional sharpness and more detail in the scene. If you’re shopping for a DSLR, look for one with a flip screen that allows you to quickly check what your viewers see.

YouTube Microphone and Audio

The short version: Audio quality is extremely important. If you can buy either a new camera or an external microphone, but not both, it might be better to go for the microphone. Click here for advice on upping your audio quality without an external microphone.

The long version: Sound capturing is every bit as important for your success as your video feed. In fact, poor audio can be even more damaging to your subscriber count than grainy video, since people won’t spend their time listening to something they have to put effort into understanding.

Again, most YouTube video makers have a limited budget at their disposal, so professional microphones are mostly off the table. However, investing in a directional microphone (‘shotgun mic’) that can pick up your voice clearly and without background noise is certainly a smart move. Such microphones can be pointed towards you while you speak, and since most YouTubers sit still while doing their shows there won’t be too much need for in-session adjustments.

If you’re not ready to invest in a shotgun mic, you can also find very inexpensive (often under $20) LAV mics. These small microphones can be pinned to your shirt, which allows them to record very clear dialogue because they’re so close to your mouth.

Lights for YouTube

The short version: You need as much light as you can get. Lighting kits can be affordable on Amazon, but you can also achieve a great look using daylight/windows and ‘daylight’ lightbulbs.

The long version: If you’ve ever tried to make a video indoors, you already know that it’s necessary to have additional light. Often just filming with the normal lights in a room will cause your footage to look dark and grainy, and possibly be tinted orange. To overcome these problems you need to increase the amount of light you have available.

Sometimes, it is enough to film near windows and/or bring more household lamps into your filming area. For any household lamps or lighting fixtures you use, make sure to put in white or ‘daylight’ lightbulbs instead of using the orange/tungsten bulbs that you might have for everyday use (this is how you avoid tinting things orange).

If you have the budget available to get some lighting equipment, you can find softbox lights or LED panel lights available fairly inexpensively online. Softbox lights are great because they provide even, diffused, light.

Another useful piece of lighting equipment to have is a reflector. A reflector is usually a piece of white, silver, or gold fabric stretched over a frame. You can use it to bounce light from one light source back towards yourself (this is a great way to fill shadows cast by your main light). Reflectors tend to be inexpensive, but you can also use white cardboard or tinfoil in place of purchasing a reflector.

Tripods and Camera Stands

The short version: You need something to hold your camera. If you mostly film in your own home that can be a desk or a stack of books, but if you make a lot of videos while you’re on the go you probably need a tripod or gimbal. Heavier cameras need heavier tripods.

The long version: While handheld cameras can deliver solid results for vloggers and casual streamers, viewers do expect reasonably stable footage. For many types of videos, the camera needs to be completely still and flatly positioned on a horizontal plane. Tripods and camera stands can cost very little, so it’s a good idea to look into getting some kind of stabilizer.

When you are choosing a tripod, pay attention to how much it weighs. If the camera that needs to be mounted on it is very heavy (like some DSLR models), you want to ensure that the structure itself weighs enough not to be easily tipped over. Too thin tripods can put your camera at risk, and that’s the last thing you want. Smaller cameras such as GoPros are more flexible in this regard and can be placed on a wider range of tripods.

Even if you are using a phone or a webcam to record YouTube videos, you should consider mounting the device on a stable stand. It is possible to find mini tripods ideal for smartphones for as little as $10. These tripods are small enough to carry in your pocket, so you will be prepared to start making a video no matter where your adventures take you. If you are using a web camera, you should attach it to the stand so that it won’t move accidentally after you touch the surface it is placed on.

Smartphone Camera Gear

The short version: There’s a lot of gear out there designed with smartphone photos and videos in mind, including clip-on lenses, tripod mounts, phone-mounted LED lights, and inexpensive microphones that plug into the audio jack.

The long version: Recording your videos with a mobile phone can be a good decision. It all depends on the phone you have and the range of add-ons and apps that you complement it with. Almost every high-end model released in the past five years can shoot videos in 1080p or higher. Some can even produce 4K footage. If you perfect your smartphone filming technique, your YouTube videos could look as if they were made with pro equipment.

On the flip side, smartphone cameras typically perform poorly in low light. It is possible to download an app that lets you play around with settings to overcome this, but a phone-mounted LED light is probably a better solution. An external microphone might also be a necessity, but there are some good (inexpensive) options that can simply be plugged in through the headphone jack.

Another common downside of smartphone cameras is that most of them use digital zoom, which is vastly inferior to optical zoom. If you intend to shoot anything that’s further away than a few feet, you need a clip-on lens that goes on top of the built-in camera. This inexpensive device will give you a lot of freedom to work in space, and allow you to make spectacular shots even without high-end YouTube equipment.

Equipment with Easy-to-Use Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Check out our most updated guide on this topic: YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners .

The first thing to make sure of before starting a YouTube channel is having all that you need to record and upload high-quality videos regularly. That doesn’t mean you have to take out a loan and spend thousands to purchase a brand new camera and all other gadgets that professional filmmakers use.

The smartest way to get started is to go through a list of necessary equipment for YouTube and check whether or not you already own some of it. Once your channel starts growing, you can then start thinking about whether you want to invest in upgraded equipment. Here is a quick overview of all items that you need to start entertaining your online audience and gaining subscribers to your YouTube channel:

• Your YouTube Camera
• Microphones and Audio
• Lighting Gear for YouTube
• Tripods and Camera Stands
• Smartphone Camera Gear

YouTube Cameras

The short version: Use whatever you already have, even if it’s your phone or webcam. It’s nice to have sharp, fine-tuned, 4K footage, but viewers will forgive lower visual quality if your content is good.

The long version: You will need a camera, but there are a lot of different devices you can use including DSLRs, point and shoots, webcams, and your smartphone.

Your choice of camera will have a tremendous impact on the visual quality of your content and might drive your decisions regarding other pieces of equipment. However, you shouldn’t feel obliged to work with a top-notch camera from day one, especially since cheaper options can produce great results if used the right way.

On one end of the spectrum, you have basic smartphone cameras and web cameras, which are easy to come by and simple to operate. These days, high-end phones come equipped with quite powerful cameras that are more than sufficient for the needs of the average YouTuber. Better webcams can also do the job, although high-performance webcam models can get pretty expensive too. It is probably wise to resist the urge to start broadcasting with the built-in camera in your laptop and at least get a webcam or use your phone, but your computer’s camera is still always an option. Not having a better camera should never stop you from making YouTube videos.

If you already have a DSLR camera then it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it. You have far more freedom to adjust the settings and achieve a professional look for your videos with a DSLR, but that does mean it’ll take some time to become an expert at using it. Ultra-high resolution is not required for YouTube, but it certainly won’t hurt to have additional sharpness and more detail in the scene. If you’re shopping for a DSLR, look for one with a flip screen that allows you to quickly check what your viewers see.

YouTube Microphone and Audio

The short version: Audio quality is extremely important. If you can buy either a new camera or an external microphone, but not both, it might be better to go for the microphone. Click here for advice on upping your audio quality without an external microphone.

The long version: Sound capturing is every bit as important for your success as your video feed. In fact, poor audio can be even more damaging to your subscriber count than grainy video, since people won’t spend their time listening to something they have to put effort into understanding.

Again, most YouTube video makers have a limited budget at their disposal, so professional microphones are mostly off the table. However, investing in a directional microphone (‘shotgun mic’) that can pick up your voice clearly and without background noise is certainly a smart move. Such microphones can be pointed towards you while you speak, and since most YouTubers sit still while doing their shows there won’t be too much need for in-session adjustments.

If you’re not ready to invest in a shotgun mic, you can also find very inexpensive (often under $20) LAV mics. These small microphones can be pinned to your shirt, which allows them to record very clear dialogue because they’re so close to your mouth.

Lights for YouTube

The short version: You need as much light as you can get. Lighting kits can be affordable on Amazon, but you can also achieve a great look using daylight/windows and ‘daylight’ lightbulbs.

The long version: If you’ve ever tried to make a video indoors, you already know that it’s necessary to have additional light. Often just filming with the normal lights in a room will cause your footage to look dark and grainy, and possibly be tinted orange. To overcome these problems you need to increase the amount of light you have available.

Sometimes, it is enough to film near windows and/or bring more household lamps into your filming area. For any household lamps or lighting fixtures you use, make sure to put in white or ‘daylight’ lightbulbs instead of using the orange/tungsten bulbs that you might have for everyday use (this is how you avoid tinting things orange).

If you have the budget available to get some lighting equipment, you can find softbox lights or LED panel lights available fairly inexpensively online. Softbox lights are great because they provide even, diffused, light.

Another useful piece of lighting equipment to have is a reflector. A reflector is usually a piece of white, silver, or gold fabric stretched over a frame. You can use it to bounce light from one light source back towards yourself (this is a great way to fill shadows cast by your main light). Reflectors tend to be inexpensive, but you can also use white cardboard or tinfoil in place of purchasing a reflector.

Tripods and Camera Stands

The short version: You need something to hold your camera. If you mostly film in your own home that can be a desk or a stack of books, but if you make a lot of videos while you’re on the go you probably need a tripod or gimbal. Heavier cameras need heavier tripods.

The long version: While handheld cameras can deliver solid results for vloggers and casual streamers, viewers do expect reasonably stable footage. For many types of videos, the camera needs to be completely still and flatly positioned on a horizontal plane. Tripods and camera stands can cost very little, so it’s a good idea to look into getting some kind of stabilizer.

When you are choosing a tripod, pay attention to how much it weighs. If the camera that needs to be mounted on it is very heavy (like some DSLR models), you want to ensure that the structure itself weighs enough not to be easily tipped over. Too thin tripods can put your camera at risk, and that’s the last thing you want. Smaller cameras such as GoPros are more flexible in this regard and can be placed on a wider range of tripods.

Even if you are using a phone or a webcam to record YouTube videos, you should consider mounting the device on a stable stand. It is possible to find mini tripods ideal for smartphones for as little as $10. These tripods are small enough to carry in your pocket, so you will be prepared to start making a video no matter where your adventures take you. If you are using a web camera, you should attach it to the stand so that it won’t move accidentally after you touch the surface it is placed on.

Smartphone Camera Gear

The short version: There’s a lot of gear out there designed with smartphone photos and videos in mind, including clip-on lenses, tripod mounts, phone-mounted LED lights, and inexpensive microphones that plug into the audio jack.

The long version: Recording your videos with a mobile phone can be a good decision. It all depends on the phone you have and the range of add-ons and apps that you complement it with. Almost every high-end model released in the past five years can shoot videos in 1080p or higher. Some can even produce 4K footage. If you perfect your smartphone filming technique, your YouTube videos could look as if they were made with pro equipment.

On the flip side, smartphone cameras typically perform poorly in low light. It is possible to download an app that lets you play around with settings to overcome this, but a phone-mounted LED light is probably a better solution. An external microphone might also be a necessity, but there are some good (inexpensive) options that can simply be plugged in through the headphone jack.

Another common downside of smartphone cameras is that most of them use digital zoom, which is vastly inferior to optical zoom. If you intend to shoot anything that’s further away than a few feet, you need a clip-on lens that goes on top of the built-in camera. This inexpensive device will give you a lot of freedom to work in space, and allow you to make spectacular shots even without high-end YouTube equipment.

Equipment with Easy-to-Use Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Check out our most updated guide on this topic: YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners .

The first thing to make sure of before starting a YouTube channel is having all that you need to record and upload high-quality videos regularly. That doesn’t mean you have to take out a loan and spend thousands to purchase a brand new camera and all other gadgets that professional filmmakers use.

The smartest way to get started is to go through a list of necessary equipment for YouTube and check whether or not you already own some of it. Once your channel starts growing, you can then start thinking about whether you want to invest in upgraded equipment. Here is a quick overview of all items that you need to start entertaining your online audience and gaining subscribers to your YouTube channel:

• Your YouTube Camera
• Microphones and Audio
• Lighting Gear for YouTube
• Tripods and Camera Stands
• Smartphone Camera Gear

YouTube Cameras

The short version: Use whatever you already have, even if it’s your phone or webcam. It’s nice to have sharp, fine-tuned, 4K footage, but viewers will forgive lower visual quality if your content is good.

The long version: You will need a camera, but there are a lot of different devices you can use including DSLRs, point and shoots, webcams, and your smartphone.

Your choice of camera will have a tremendous impact on the visual quality of your content and might drive your decisions regarding other pieces of equipment. However, you shouldn’t feel obliged to work with a top-notch camera from day one, especially since cheaper options can produce great results if used the right way.

On one end of the spectrum, you have basic smartphone cameras and web cameras, which are easy to come by and simple to operate. These days, high-end phones come equipped with quite powerful cameras that are more than sufficient for the needs of the average YouTuber. Better webcams can also do the job, although high-performance webcam models can get pretty expensive too. It is probably wise to resist the urge to start broadcasting with the built-in camera in your laptop and at least get a webcam or use your phone, but your computer’s camera is still always an option. Not having a better camera should never stop you from making YouTube videos.

If you already have a DSLR camera then it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it. You have far more freedom to adjust the settings and achieve a professional look for your videos with a DSLR, but that does mean it’ll take some time to become an expert at using it. Ultra-high resolution is not required for YouTube, but it certainly won’t hurt to have additional sharpness and more detail in the scene. If you’re shopping for a DSLR, look for one with a flip screen that allows you to quickly check what your viewers see.

YouTube Microphone and Audio

The short version: Audio quality is extremely important. If you can buy either a new camera or an external microphone, but not both, it might be better to go for the microphone. Click here for advice on upping your audio quality without an external microphone.

The long version: Sound capturing is every bit as important for your success as your video feed. In fact, poor audio can be even more damaging to your subscriber count than grainy video, since people won’t spend their time listening to something they have to put effort into understanding.

Again, most YouTube video makers have a limited budget at their disposal, so professional microphones are mostly off the table. However, investing in a directional microphone (‘shotgun mic’) that can pick up your voice clearly and without background noise is certainly a smart move. Such microphones can be pointed towards you while you speak, and since most YouTubers sit still while doing their shows there won’t be too much need for in-session adjustments.

If you’re not ready to invest in a shotgun mic, you can also find very inexpensive (often under $20) LAV mics. These small microphones can be pinned to your shirt, which allows them to record very clear dialogue because they’re so close to your mouth.

Lights for YouTube

The short version: You need as much light as you can get. Lighting kits can be affordable on Amazon, but you can also achieve a great look using daylight/windows and ‘daylight’ lightbulbs.

The long version: If you’ve ever tried to make a video indoors, you already know that it’s necessary to have additional light. Often just filming with the normal lights in a room will cause your footage to look dark and grainy, and possibly be tinted orange. To overcome these problems you need to increase the amount of light you have available.

Sometimes, it is enough to film near windows and/or bring more household lamps into your filming area. For any household lamps or lighting fixtures you use, make sure to put in white or ‘daylight’ lightbulbs instead of using the orange/tungsten bulbs that you might have for everyday use (this is how you avoid tinting things orange).

If you have the budget available to get some lighting equipment, you can find softbox lights or LED panel lights available fairly inexpensively online. Softbox lights are great because they provide even, diffused, light.

Another useful piece of lighting equipment to have is a reflector. A reflector is usually a piece of white, silver, or gold fabric stretched over a frame. You can use it to bounce light from one light source back towards yourself (this is a great way to fill shadows cast by your main light). Reflectors tend to be inexpensive, but you can also use white cardboard or tinfoil in place of purchasing a reflector.

Tripods and Camera Stands

The short version: You need something to hold your camera. If you mostly film in your own home that can be a desk or a stack of books, but if you make a lot of videos while you’re on the go you probably need a tripod or gimbal. Heavier cameras need heavier tripods.

The long version: While handheld cameras can deliver solid results for vloggers and casual streamers, viewers do expect reasonably stable footage. For many types of videos, the camera needs to be completely still and flatly positioned on a horizontal plane. Tripods and camera stands can cost very little, so it’s a good idea to look into getting some kind of stabilizer.

When you are choosing a tripod, pay attention to how much it weighs. If the camera that needs to be mounted on it is very heavy (like some DSLR models), you want to ensure that the structure itself weighs enough not to be easily tipped over. Too thin tripods can put your camera at risk, and that’s the last thing you want. Smaller cameras such as GoPros are more flexible in this regard and can be placed on a wider range of tripods.

Even if you are using a phone or a webcam to record YouTube videos, you should consider mounting the device on a stable stand. It is possible to find mini tripods ideal for smartphones for as little as $10. These tripods are small enough to carry in your pocket, so you will be prepared to start making a video no matter where your adventures take you. If you are using a web camera, you should attach it to the stand so that it won’t move accidentally after you touch the surface it is placed on.

Smartphone Camera Gear

The short version: There’s a lot of gear out there designed with smartphone photos and videos in mind, including clip-on lenses, tripod mounts, phone-mounted LED lights, and inexpensive microphones that plug into the audio jack.

The long version: Recording your videos with a mobile phone can be a good decision. It all depends on the phone you have and the range of add-ons and apps that you complement it with. Almost every high-end model released in the past five years can shoot videos in 1080p or higher. Some can even produce 4K footage. If you perfect your smartphone filming technique, your YouTube videos could look as if they were made with pro equipment.

On the flip side, smartphone cameras typically perform poorly in low light. It is possible to download an app that lets you play around with settings to overcome this, but a phone-mounted LED light is probably a better solution. An external microphone might also be a necessity, but there are some good (inexpensive) options that can simply be plugged in through the headphone jack.

Another common downside of smartphone cameras is that most of them use digital zoom, which is vastly inferior to optical zoom. If you intend to shoot anything that’s further away than a few feet, you need a clip-on lens that goes on top of the built-in camera. This inexpensive device will give you a lot of freedom to work in space, and allow you to make spectacular shots even without high-end YouTube equipment.

Equipment with Easy-to-Use Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Check out our most updated guide on this topic: YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners .

The first thing to make sure of before starting a YouTube channel is having all that you need to record and upload high-quality videos regularly. That doesn’t mean you have to take out a loan and spend thousands to purchase a brand new camera and all other gadgets that professional filmmakers use.

The smartest way to get started is to go through a list of necessary equipment for YouTube and check whether or not you already own some of it. Once your channel starts growing, you can then start thinking about whether you want to invest in upgraded equipment. Here is a quick overview of all items that you need to start entertaining your online audience and gaining subscribers to your YouTube channel:

• Your YouTube Camera
• Microphones and Audio
• Lighting Gear for YouTube
• Tripods and Camera Stands
• Smartphone Camera Gear

YouTube Cameras

The short version: Use whatever you already have, even if it’s your phone or webcam. It’s nice to have sharp, fine-tuned, 4K footage, but viewers will forgive lower visual quality if your content is good.

The long version: You will need a camera, but there are a lot of different devices you can use including DSLRs, point and shoots, webcams, and your smartphone.

Your choice of camera will have a tremendous impact on the visual quality of your content and might drive your decisions regarding other pieces of equipment. However, you shouldn’t feel obliged to work with a top-notch camera from day one, especially since cheaper options can produce great results if used the right way.

On one end of the spectrum, you have basic smartphone cameras and web cameras, which are easy to come by and simple to operate. These days, high-end phones come equipped with quite powerful cameras that are more than sufficient for the needs of the average YouTuber. Better webcams can also do the job, although high-performance webcam models can get pretty expensive too. It is probably wise to resist the urge to start broadcasting with the built-in camera in your laptop and at least get a webcam or use your phone, but your computer’s camera is still always an option. Not having a better camera should never stop you from making YouTube videos.

If you already have a DSLR camera then it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it. You have far more freedom to adjust the settings and achieve a professional look for your videos with a DSLR, but that does mean it’ll take some time to become an expert at using it. Ultra-high resolution is not required for YouTube, but it certainly won’t hurt to have additional sharpness and more detail in the scene. If you’re shopping for a DSLR, look for one with a flip screen that allows you to quickly check what your viewers see.

YouTube Microphone and Audio

The short version: Audio quality is extremely important. If you can buy either a new camera or an external microphone, but not both, it might be better to go for the microphone. Click here for advice on upping your audio quality without an external microphone.

The long version: Sound capturing is every bit as important for your success as your video feed. In fact, poor audio can be even more damaging to your subscriber count than grainy video, since people won’t spend their time listening to something they have to put effort into understanding.

Again, most YouTube video makers have a limited budget at their disposal, so professional microphones are mostly off the table. However, investing in a directional microphone (‘shotgun mic’) that can pick up your voice clearly and without background noise is certainly a smart move. Such microphones can be pointed towards you while you speak, and since most YouTubers sit still while doing their shows there won’t be too much need for in-session adjustments.

If you’re not ready to invest in a shotgun mic, you can also find very inexpensive (often under $20) LAV mics. These small microphones can be pinned to your shirt, which allows them to record very clear dialogue because they’re so close to your mouth.

Lights for YouTube

The short version: You need as much light as you can get. Lighting kits can be affordable on Amazon, but you can also achieve a great look using daylight/windows and ‘daylight’ lightbulbs.

The long version: If you’ve ever tried to make a video indoors, you already know that it’s necessary to have additional light. Often just filming with the normal lights in a room will cause your footage to look dark and grainy, and possibly be tinted orange. To overcome these problems you need to increase the amount of light you have available.

Sometimes, it is enough to film near windows and/or bring more household lamps into your filming area. For any household lamps or lighting fixtures you use, make sure to put in white or ‘daylight’ lightbulbs instead of using the orange/tungsten bulbs that you might have for everyday use (this is how you avoid tinting things orange).

If you have the budget available to get some lighting equipment, you can find softbox lights or LED panel lights available fairly inexpensively online. Softbox lights are great because they provide even, diffused, light.

Another useful piece of lighting equipment to have is a reflector. A reflector is usually a piece of white, silver, or gold fabric stretched over a frame. You can use it to bounce light from one light source back towards yourself (this is a great way to fill shadows cast by your main light). Reflectors tend to be inexpensive, but you can also use white cardboard or tinfoil in place of purchasing a reflector.

Tripods and Camera Stands

The short version: You need something to hold your camera. If you mostly film in your own home that can be a desk or a stack of books, but if you make a lot of videos while you’re on the go you probably need a tripod or gimbal. Heavier cameras need heavier tripods.

The long version: While handheld cameras can deliver solid results for vloggers and casual streamers, viewers do expect reasonably stable footage. For many types of videos, the camera needs to be completely still and flatly positioned on a horizontal plane. Tripods and camera stands can cost very little, so it’s a good idea to look into getting some kind of stabilizer.

When you are choosing a tripod, pay attention to how much it weighs. If the camera that needs to be mounted on it is very heavy (like some DSLR models), you want to ensure that the structure itself weighs enough not to be easily tipped over. Too thin tripods can put your camera at risk, and that’s the last thing you want. Smaller cameras such as GoPros are more flexible in this regard and can be placed on a wider range of tripods.

Even if you are using a phone or a webcam to record YouTube videos, you should consider mounting the device on a stable stand. It is possible to find mini tripods ideal for smartphones for as little as $10. These tripods are small enough to carry in your pocket, so you will be prepared to start making a video no matter where your adventures take you. If you are using a web camera, you should attach it to the stand so that it won’t move accidentally after you touch the surface it is placed on.

Smartphone Camera Gear

The short version: There’s a lot of gear out there designed with smartphone photos and videos in mind, including clip-on lenses, tripod mounts, phone-mounted LED lights, and inexpensive microphones that plug into the audio jack.

The long version: Recording your videos with a mobile phone can be a good decision. It all depends on the phone you have and the range of add-ons and apps that you complement it with. Almost every high-end model released in the past five years can shoot videos in 1080p or higher. Some can even produce 4K footage. If you perfect your smartphone filming technique, your YouTube videos could look as if they were made with pro equipment.

On the flip side, smartphone cameras typically perform poorly in low light. It is possible to download an app that lets you play around with settings to overcome this, but a phone-mounted LED light is probably a better solution. An external microphone might also be a necessity, but there are some good (inexpensive) options that can simply be plugged in through the headphone jack.

Another common downside of smartphone cameras is that most of them use digital zoom, which is vastly inferior to optical zoom. If you intend to shoot anything that’s further away than a few feet, you need a clip-on lens that goes on top of the built-in camera. This inexpensive device will give you a lot of freedom to work in space, and allow you to make spectacular shots even without high-end YouTube equipment.

Equipment with Easy-to-Use Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Dodge Digital Watchers: Accelerating View Count Growth

YouTube View Bots and Other Easy Hacks to Increase Views

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube view bots are against YouTube’s rules, making them dangerous for your channel. We recommend you build your following organically, but we’ve provided this information if you feel the risk is worth it.

To gain organic traffic for your YouTube videos, you need good YouTube video editing software that helps you to express your ideas and grow up the YouTube channel. We recommend you to try Filmora , an easy-to-use yet powerful enough to make videos polished with various templates and video effects. Download Filmora video editor and have a try. Please share your experience in the comments below with us.

-

---

One of the greatest problems facing many YouTube creators is capturing views. It’s hard to crack the top search engine rankings as a small channel. Many people on YouTube would probably love their content, but all of those views are going to already popular channels.

Many YouTubers look for alternative ways to get views for their videos, not to replace organic views, but to better position their videos to be seen by real viewers. Buying views or signing up for a view exchange platform are two methods some YouTubers consider, and another is bots.

View exchange platforms are allowed, and buying views is grey, but bots are against the rules. Warning: be aware that increasing your view count with a bot is against YouTube’s Terms of Service and that if you get caught, your video will be taken down. If you still wish to learn more about bots, keep reading. If you want safer options, scroll down to ‘Alternatives to Bots.’

What is a YouTube view bot?

Why use a YouTube view bot?

What else can a YouTube view bot do?

Are there risks to using a YouTube view bot?

Alternatives to YouTube view bots

What Is A YouTube View Bot?

Bots work in an automated sense, just like software, and they can run in the background. Bots automatically add views to your videos.

Setting up a bot can be as easy as using other pieces of software, and there are lots of free tutorials on YouTube for view bots.

Why Use a YouTube View Bot?

Bots are used to create the illusion that a video is already popular to attract real viewers who view the existing view count as ‘social proof’ of the video’s quality. The main benefit is that it is fast, easy, and usually free. There are other ways, besides bots, bot accomplishes this, but if a YouTuber is resorting to a bot, it probably means they don’t have the money to buy real human views or the time to participate in a view exchange platform.

Bots can also be used to generate comments and likes for videos.

What Else Can A YouTube View Bot Do?

The most effective bots come with more features than bypassing Captchas and generating views.

You can set up a YouTube bot to perform daily tasks and automate your workflow. An example might be ensuring that every video on your page gets a view and comment every day. You can also use bots (or content organization platforms) to share your videos across social media automatically. This frees you up to focus on creating quality content.

Using a bot to increase your views artificially has its dangers, but it also has the potential to kick start the organic growth of your channel. Once you start attracting real viewers and subscribers, you will not need to keep relying on a bot.

Are There Risks to Using A YouTube View Bot?

Yes.

Bots are against YouTube’s TOS, especially for partners using AdSense (learn more about YouTube’s partnership program here ). Suppose you are suspected of using a bot. In that case, your videos can get taken down, and you could lose the ability to monetize content (YouTube reviews channels now before they can monetize, and it will be obvious to them if you’ve used a bot to get to the 10,000 lifetime views you need for monetization). Repeated offenses could even get you banned from YouTube, and it is much easier to lose AdSense access.

The biggest danger isn’t YouTube taking your videos down, though. So long as you don’t persist after being warned, you can always recover. No, the real danger of bots is that they generate low retention views. Essentially, the views you get from a bot appear to YouTube’s algorithm as if people have clicked on your videos but haven’t watched them. The algorithm interprets that as ‘the people clicking on this don’t like it, we should rank it lower down in search results. Rather than attracting organic views, bots can make it very difficult for a real viewer to find your content.

If you are going to use a bot, you need to use it smartly and sparingly to prevent damage to your channel.

Alternatives to Using View Bots to Increase YouTube Views

1. Organically Growing Your Channel

Using bots, or any of the services below, won’t grow your channel more quickly than the tactics like posting on a schedule , creating clickable thumbnails , or mastering SEO . There can be some perks to using them - we won’t deny that there are people who have benefitted from bots through a mixture of luck and careful strategy - but in general, it is better to focus your efforts on your content and solid YouTube strategies .

2. View2.be

View2be is a free YouTube views service that also comes with a premium option. The company will deliver a series of free subscription, engagement, and view packages. In most cases, this is a traffic exchange service (you must participate by watching other people’s videos) until you get into the premium and affiliate services. In these cases, users can advertise the services of View2be to get access to more views and subscriptions. The premium services are just a straight charge for a total number of views, subscribers, or other items.

3. UltraViews

UltraViewers is another traffic exchange service in which people can trade traffic to get more views on their webpages or YouTube videos. This site requires you to open your browser and automatically navigate to a number of websites. You will be rewarded with new hits to your videos based on the number of websites you visit. This is a fairly simple system. There is also a lottery where you can win extra hits.

4. My Social Following

My Social Following is a source for YouTube viewers, subscribers, and likes. As a professional marketing service, the company allows for various benefits such as location targeted services, fast deliveries, improvements in the ranking, and (most importantly)real viewers watching your YouTube videos in full to boost your retention rates and search engine rankings.

If you are truly serious about earning free views, YouTube view bots are one of many options, but they do mean accepting whatever consequences YouTube might hand down.

-

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube view bots are against YouTube’s rules, making them dangerous for your channel. We recommend you build your following organically, but we’ve provided this information if you feel the risk is worth it.

To gain organic traffic for your YouTube videos, you need good YouTube video editing software that helps you to express your ideas and grow up the YouTube channel. We recommend you to try Filmora , an easy-to-use yet powerful enough to make videos polished with various templates and video effects. Download Filmora video editor and have a try. Please share your experience in the comments below with us.

-

---

One of the greatest problems facing many YouTube creators is capturing views. It’s hard to crack the top search engine rankings as a small channel. Many people on YouTube would probably love their content, but all of those views are going to already popular channels.

Many YouTubers look for alternative ways to get views for their videos, not to replace organic views, but to better position their videos to be seen by real viewers. Buying views or signing up for a view exchange platform are two methods some YouTubers consider, and another is bots.

View exchange platforms are allowed, and buying views is grey, but bots are against the rules. Warning: be aware that increasing your view count with a bot is against YouTube’s Terms of Service and that if you get caught, your video will be taken down. If you still wish to learn more about bots, keep reading. If you want safer options, scroll down to ‘Alternatives to Bots.’

What is a YouTube view bot?

Why use a YouTube view bot?

What else can a YouTube view bot do?

Are there risks to using a YouTube view bot?

Alternatives to YouTube view bots

What Is A YouTube View Bot?

Bots work in an automated sense, just like software, and they can run in the background. Bots automatically add views to your videos.

Setting up a bot can be as easy as using other pieces of software, and there are lots of free tutorials on YouTube for view bots.

Why Use a YouTube View Bot?

Bots are used to create the illusion that a video is already popular to attract real viewers who view the existing view count as ‘social proof’ of the video’s quality. The main benefit is that it is fast, easy, and usually free. There are other ways, besides bots, bot accomplishes this, but if a YouTuber is resorting to a bot, it probably means they don’t have the money to buy real human views or the time to participate in a view exchange platform.

Bots can also be used to generate comments and likes for videos.

What Else Can A YouTube View Bot Do?

The most effective bots come with more features than bypassing Captchas and generating views.

You can set up a YouTube bot to perform daily tasks and automate your workflow. An example might be ensuring that every video on your page gets a view and comment every day. You can also use bots (or content organization platforms) to share your videos across social media automatically. This frees you up to focus on creating quality content.

Using a bot to increase your views artificially has its dangers, but it also has the potential to kick start the organic growth of your channel. Once you start attracting real viewers and subscribers, you will not need to keep relying on a bot.

Are There Risks to Using A YouTube View Bot?

Yes.

Bots are against YouTube’s TOS, especially for partners using AdSense (learn more about YouTube’s partnership program here ). Suppose you are suspected of using a bot. In that case, your videos can get taken down, and you could lose the ability to monetize content (YouTube reviews channels now before they can monetize, and it will be obvious to them if you’ve used a bot to get to the 10,000 lifetime views you need for monetization). Repeated offenses could even get you banned from YouTube, and it is much easier to lose AdSense access.

The biggest danger isn’t YouTube taking your videos down, though. So long as you don’t persist after being warned, you can always recover. No, the real danger of bots is that they generate low retention views. Essentially, the views you get from a bot appear to YouTube’s algorithm as if people have clicked on your videos but haven’t watched them. The algorithm interprets that as ‘the people clicking on this don’t like it, we should rank it lower down in search results. Rather than attracting organic views, bots can make it very difficult for a real viewer to find your content.

If you are going to use a bot, you need to use it smartly and sparingly to prevent damage to your channel.

Alternatives to Using View Bots to Increase YouTube Views

1. Organically Growing Your Channel

Using bots, or any of the services below, won’t grow your channel more quickly than the tactics like posting on a schedule , creating clickable thumbnails , or mastering SEO . There can be some perks to using them - we won’t deny that there are people who have benefitted from bots through a mixture of luck and careful strategy - but in general, it is better to focus your efforts on your content and solid YouTube strategies .

2. View2.be

View2be is a free YouTube views service that also comes with a premium option. The company will deliver a series of free subscription, engagement, and view packages. In most cases, this is a traffic exchange service (you must participate by watching other people’s videos) until you get into the premium and affiliate services. In these cases, users can advertise the services of View2be to get access to more views and subscriptions. The premium services are just a straight charge for a total number of views, subscribers, or other items.

3. UltraViews

UltraViewers is another traffic exchange service in which people can trade traffic to get more views on their webpages or YouTube videos. This site requires you to open your browser and automatically navigate to a number of websites. You will be rewarded with new hits to your videos based on the number of websites you visit. This is a fairly simple system. There is also a lottery where you can win extra hits.

4. My Social Following

My Social Following is a source for YouTube viewers, subscribers, and likes. As a professional marketing service, the company allows for various benefits such as location targeted services, fast deliveries, improvements in the ranking, and (most importantly)real viewers watching your YouTube videos in full to boost your retention rates and search engine rankings.

If you are truly serious about earning free views, YouTube view bots are one of many options, but they do mean accepting whatever consequences YouTube might hand down.

-

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube view bots are against YouTube’s rules, making them dangerous for your channel. We recommend you build your following organically, but we’ve provided this information if you feel the risk is worth it.

To gain organic traffic for your YouTube videos, you need good YouTube video editing software that helps you to express your ideas and grow up the YouTube channel. We recommend you to try Filmora , an easy-to-use yet powerful enough to make videos polished with various templates and video effects. Download Filmora video editor and have a try. Please share your experience in the comments below with us.

-

---

One of the greatest problems facing many YouTube creators is capturing views. It’s hard to crack the top search engine rankings as a small channel. Many people on YouTube would probably love their content, but all of those views are going to already popular channels.

Many YouTubers look for alternative ways to get views for their videos, not to replace organic views, but to better position their videos to be seen by real viewers. Buying views or signing up for a view exchange platform are two methods some YouTubers consider, and another is bots.

View exchange platforms are allowed, and buying views is grey, but bots are against the rules. Warning: be aware that increasing your view count with a bot is against YouTube’s Terms of Service and that if you get caught, your video will be taken down. If you still wish to learn more about bots, keep reading. If you want safer options, scroll down to ‘Alternatives to Bots.’

What is a YouTube view bot?

Why use a YouTube view bot?

What else can a YouTube view bot do?

Are there risks to using a YouTube view bot?

Alternatives to YouTube view bots

What Is A YouTube View Bot?

Bots work in an automated sense, just like software, and they can run in the background. Bots automatically add views to your videos.

Setting up a bot can be as easy as using other pieces of software, and there are lots of free tutorials on YouTube for view bots.

Why Use a YouTube View Bot?

Bots are used to create the illusion that a video is already popular to attract real viewers who view the existing view count as ‘social proof’ of the video’s quality. The main benefit is that it is fast, easy, and usually free. There are other ways, besides bots, bot accomplishes this, but if a YouTuber is resorting to a bot, it probably means they don’t have the money to buy real human views or the time to participate in a view exchange platform.

Bots can also be used to generate comments and likes for videos.

What Else Can A YouTube View Bot Do?

The most effective bots come with more features than bypassing Captchas and generating views.

You can set up a YouTube bot to perform daily tasks and automate your workflow. An example might be ensuring that every video on your page gets a view and comment every day. You can also use bots (or content organization platforms) to share your videos across social media automatically. This frees you up to focus on creating quality content.

Using a bot to increase your views artificially has its dangers, but it also has the potential to kick start the organic growth of your channel. Once you start attracting real viewers and subscribers, you will not need to keep relying on a bot.

Are There Risks to Using A YouTube View Bot?

Yes.

Bots are against YouTube’s TOS, especially for partners using AdSense (learn more about YouTube’s partnership program here ). Suppose you are suspected of using a bot. In that case, your videos can get taken down, and you could lose the ability to monetize content (YouTube reviews channels now before they can monetize, and it will be obvious to them if you’ve used a bot to get to the 10,000 lifetime views you need for monetization). Repeated offenses could even get you banned from YouTube, and it is much easier to lose AdSense access.

The biggest danger isn’t YouTube taking your videos down, though. So long as you don’t persist after being warned, you can always recover. No, the real danger of bots is that they generate low retention views. Essentially, the views you get from a bot appear to YouTube’s algorithm as if people have clicked on your videos but haven’t watched them. The algorithm interprets that as ‘the people clicking on this don’t like it, we should rank it lower down in search results. Rather than attracting organic views, bots can make it very difficult for a real viewer to find your content.

If you are going to use a bot, you need to use it smartly and sparingly to prevent damage to your channel.

Alternatives to Using View Bots to Increase YouTube Views

1. Organically Growing Your Channel

Using bots, or any of the services below, won’t grow your channel more quickly than the tactics like posting on a schedule , creating clickable thumbnails , or mastering SEO . There can be some perks to using them - we won’t deny that there are people who have benefitted from bots through a mixture of luck and careful strategy - but in general, it is better to focus your efforts on your content and solid YouTube strategies .

2. View2.be

View2be is a free YouTube views service that also comes with a premium option. The company will deliver a series of free subscription, engagement, and view packages. In most cases, this is a traffic exchange service (you must participate by watching other people’s videos) until you get into the premium and affiliate services. In these cases, users can advertise the services of View2be to get access to more views and subscriptions. The premium services are just a straight charge for a total number of views, subscribers, or other items.

3. UltraViews

UltraViewers is another traffic exchange service in which people can trade traffic to get more views on their webpages or YouTube videos. This site requires you to open your browser and automatically navigate to a number of websites. You will be rewarded with new hits to your videos based on the number of websites you visit. This is a fairly simple system. There is also a lottery where you can win extra hits.

4. My Social Following

My Social Following is a source for YouTube viewers, subscribers, and likes. As a professional marketing service, the company allows for various benefits such as location targeted services, fast deliveries, improvements in the ranking, and (most importantly)real viewers watching your YouTube videos in full to boost your retention rates and search engine rankings.

If you are truly serious about earning free views, YouTube view bots are one of many options, but they do mean accepting whatever consequences YouTube might hand down.

-

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube view bots are against YouTube’s rules, making them dangerous for your channel. We recommend you build your following organically, but we’ve provided this information if you feel the risk is worth it.

To gain organic traffic for your YouTube videos, you need good YouTube video editing software that helps you to express your ideas and grow up the YouTube channel. We recommend you to try Filmora , an easy-to-use yet powerful enough to make videos polished with various templates and video effects. Download Filmora video editor and have a try. Please share your experience in the comments below with us.

-

---

One of the greatest problems facing many YouTube creators is capturing views. It’s hard to crack the top search engine rankings as a small channel. Many people on YouTube would probably love their content, but all of those views are going to already popular channels.

Many YouTubers look for alternative ways to get views for their videos, not to replace organic views, but to better position their videos to be seen by real viewers. Buying views or signing up for a view exchange platform are two methods some YouTubers consider, and another is bots.

View exchange platforms are allowed, and buying views is grey, but bots are against the rules. Warning: be aware that increasing your view count with a bot is against YouTube’s Terms of Service and that if you get caught, your video will be taken down. If you still wish to learn more about bots, keep reading. If you want safer options, scroll down to ‘Alternatives to Bots.’

What is a YouTube view bot?

Why use a YouTube view bot?

What else can a YouTube view bot do?

Are there risks to using a YouTube view bot?

Alternatives to YouTube view bots

What Is A YouTube View Bot?

Bots work in an automated sense, just like software, and they can run in the background. Bots automatically add views to your videos.

Setting up a bot can be as easy as using other pieces of software, and there are lots of free tutorials on YouTube for view bots.

Why Use a YouTube View Bot?

Bots are used to create the illusion that a video is already popular to attract real viewers who view the existing view count as ‘social proof’ of the video’s quality. The main benefit is that it is fast, easy, and usually free. There are other ways, besides bots, bot accomplishes this, but if a YouTuber is resorting to a bot, it probably means they don’t have the money to buy real human views or the time to participate in a view exchange platform.

Bots can also be used to generate comments and likes for videos.

What Else Can A YouTube View Bot Do?

The most effective bots come with more features than bypassing Captchas and generating views.

You can set up a YouTube bot to perform daily tasks and automate your workflow. An example might be ensuring that every video on your page gets a view and comment every day. You can also use bots (or content organization platforms) to share your videos across social media automatically. This frees you up to focus on creating quality content.

Using a bot to increase your views artificially has its dangers, but it also has the potential to kick start the organic growth of your channel. Once you start attracting real viewers and subscribers, you will not need to keep relying on a bot.

Are There Risks to Using A YouTube View Bot?

Yes.

Bots are against YouTube’s TOS, especially for partners using AdSense (learn more about YouTube’s partnership program here ). Suppose you are suspected of using a bot. In that case, your videos can get taken down, and you could lose the ability to monetize content (YouTube reviews channels now before they can monetize, and it will be obvious to them if you’ve used a bot to get to the 10,000 lifetime views you need for monetization). Repeated offenses could even get you banned from YouTube, and it is much easier to lose AdSense access.

The biggest danger isn’t YouTube taking your videos down, though. So long as you don’t persist after being warned, you can always recover. No, the real danger of bots is that they generate low retention views. Essentially, the views you get from a bot appear to YouTube’s algorithm as if people have clicked on your videos but haven’t watched them. The algorithm interprets that as ‘the people clicking on this don’t like it, we should rank it lower down in search results. Rather than attracting organic views, bots can make it very difficult for a real viewer to find your content.

If you are going to use a bot, you need to use it smartly and sparingly to prevent damage to your channel.

Alternatives to Using View Bots to Increase YouTube Views

1. Organically Growing Your Channel

Using bots, or any of the services below, won’t grow your channel more quickly than the tactics like posting on a schedule , creating clickable thumbnails , or mastering SEO . There can be some perks to using them - we won’t deny that there are people who have benefitted from bots through a mixture of luck and careful strategy - but in general, it is better to focus your efforts on your content and solid YouTube strategies .

2. View2.be

View2be is a free YouTube views service that also comes with a premium option. The company will deliver a series of free subscription, engagement, and view packages. In most cases, this is a traffic exchange service (you must participate by watching other people’s videos) until you get into the premium and affiliate services. In these cases, users can advertise the services of View2be to get access to more views and subscriptions. The premium services are just a straight charge for a total number of views, subscribers, or other items.

3. UltraViews

UltraViewers is another traffic exchange service in which people can trade traffic to get more views on their webpages or YouTube videos. This site requires you to open your browser and automatically navigate to a number of websites. You will be rewarded with new hits to your videos based on the number of websites you visit. This is a fairly simple system. There is also a lottery where you can win extra hits.

4. My Social Following

My Social Following is a source for YouTube viewers, subscribers, and likes. As a professional marketing service, the company allows for various benefits such as location targeted services, fast deliveries, improvements in the ranking, and (most importantly)real viewers watching your YouTube videos in full to boost your retention rates and search engine rankings.

If you are truly serious about earning free views, YouTube view bots are one of many options, but they do mean accepting whatever consequences YouTube might hand down.

-

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Also read: