BROADCASTS.com

Published: July 6, 2016, 4:18 p.m.

When creating a YouTube channel one of the first things that you need to think about is your equipment. There are over 100 Hours of video uploaded to YouTube every MINUTE, and in order for you to stand out you will need some equipment that will help you do that.

There are 3 different things that are CRUCIAL to have before uploading your first video.

1. Microphone
2. Video Camera
3. Video Editing Software

Special Mention One of the key things to a YouTube channel is community. There is nothing better to have when starting a YouTube channel than a website. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to have some way of creating email lists and giving your audience another place outside of YouTube to find you. I have a tutorial here showing you how to easily setup a WordPress Website in a few simple steps.

These 3 things can be purchased on a budget and will have you sounding and looking better than over 85% of the videos out there!

Microphone:

Now let\u2019s talk audio, in order for viewers to even understand what you are saying you will need a decent microphone. I am going to list some options below from least expensive to most expensive.

Logitech Clearchat Headset \u2013 $29.99 \u2014 This is a great beginners mic if you are on a very tight budget. This is a USB Mic

Blue Snowflake Microphone \u2013 39.95 \u2014 This is the microphone that I started with and it lasted \xa0me over a year and had great quality. This is a USB mic.

Samson CO1U\xa0\u2013 $79.95 \u2014 This is a great starter mic that has great sound and will have you sounding terrific at a very affordable price. This is a USB mic.

Audio-Technica ATR2100USB \u2013 $59.95 \u2014 This is both a USB and XLR microphone.

Heil PR-40 \u2013 $327.00 \u2014 This is the microphone that I currently use. For under $350.00 it gives you professional studio quality audio and really makes your videos stand out.

\xa0* Take note that if you purchase an XLR microphone that you also will need an Audio Interface. An audio interface is what you plug the microphone into, and then plug the Audio Interface into your computer via USB. I recommend the Scarlett 2i2 BUT any of them will work fine when you are just getting started.\xa0\xa0 \xa0 \xa0 \xa0 \xa0 \xa0 \xa0

\xa0 Video:

Depending on what type of videos you are going to be doing your video needs may vary some. If you are going to do Vlog style videos you are going to need a nice video camera. If you are going to be doing tutorials/screencasts like I do on my channel, you\u2019re going to need software that does that. Here is a list of cameras that I like below.

Smart Phones \u2013 With technology continuing to improve on our phones, if you have to you can use your smartphone if it records in 1080P

Sony HDR- CX220 \u2013 This is a handy camera from Sony that you can get for right at $150.00 and has 1080P recording for a small budget.

Canon Ti3 \u2013 This is the DSLR camera that I use currently and for under $500.00 it provides a great quality professional looking video with great sound and video.

Canon EOS 5D \u2013 If you are looking for a top of the line professional camera this is my choice. It shoots crisp amazing looking footage and constantly comes up on all of the top lists for video equipment.

Screenflow \u2013 If you are recording your screen on a Mac this is the software that I would invest in. It has all of the bells and whistles and will have your screencasts looking professional and easy to understand.

Software:

For starting out video editing you can use iMovie for mac and Windows Movie Maker for Windows, BUT eventually, you are going to want to invest in some more professional grade software.

My Recommendations:

Adobe Creative Cloud \u2013 You can get Adobe\u2019s suite of software for $29.99 a month through their Creative Cloud subscription service.

Other great software resources:

Pixelmator \u2013 Great Inexpensive Photo Editing Application

Other Great Resources That I Use:

AudioBlocks\xa0\u2013 This is a great site that I use for $99 a year you can have access to over 250,000 royalty-free songs and sound effects to use on your videos. I HIGHLY recommend this as it has saved me so much time and money.

TubeBuddy \u2013 This is a great tool that gives you access to TONS of expanded YouTube features that make the whole process much easier.