How to Create a Gaming Channel on YouTube: Essential Tips

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Start a YouTube channel and share your gaming sessions with the masses
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Want to know how to be a gaming YouTuber? Starting a YouTube gaming channel is easy, but it does take some planning, especially if you want your YouTube channel to be successful. This wikiHow teaches you how to start a YouTube gaming channel with expert tips from social media marketing expert Anyah Le Gilmore-Jones and gaming content creator Ashton Wu.

Setting Up a Gaming Channel

Plan your channel before starting. Figure out your target audience and what types of games/videos they want to watch. Come up with a good name for your channel. Get the right equipment and plan your videos before shooting. Upload videos once or twice a week at a minimum.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Planning Your YouTube Channel

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  1. There's no shortage of gaming channels on YouTube. You'll need to do a little research if you want to compete. Check out the most popular and up-to-date YouTube gaming channels to see what others are doing. Ask yourself the following questions and try to find the answer: [1]
    • What games are trending on YouTube?
    • Who are the most popular YouTube gamers?
    • What are their personalities like?
    • What is the format of their content?
    • What type of videos do they produce?
  2. After you understand what other YouTube gamers are doing, figure out what you can do to stand out from the competition? Are you a pro at Fortnite? Maybe you can do some really good builds in Minecraft? Do you have a funny or lively personality? Maybe you're knowledgable about gaming or tech? Are you a skilled video editor? What do you bring to the table?
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  3. 3
    Figure out your target audience. According to Wu, you should make videos with your audience in mind. Instead of focusing on a specific game, figure out who your target audience is and what they like. You can base your channel around a specific game, but don’t be afraid to expand into other games. Just make sure you are producing content your target audience will enjoy. [2]
    • Think about what types of games you like to play. Then think about what types of gamers might enjoy watching you play those games. What is the age group and demographic of that audience.
    • For example, if you enjoy playing Minecraft, your target audience is probably people between thes of 15 to 30 who enjoy watching creativity and/or multiplayer interactions. Your audience will probably also enjoy watching other creative games with a community aspect, like Roblox.
    • If you like RPGs, your audience is probably a little older, between the ages of 30 to 40. Your audience will probably enjoy watching you try new RPGs as well as some retro games.
    • Join a gaming community based on the types of games you play. This can be a Reddit forum, a Discord Channel, or a Facebook group. This will let you see what other people who are into the same types of games you are into like and decide what kind of content to produce based on your audience’s preferences.
  4. YouTube gaming videos are more than just videos of people playing through their favorite games. There are a variety of formats you can produce for your videos. Some gaming video formats are as follows:
    • Walkthrough: A walkthrough video is like a strategy guide. A walkthrough video shows a player playing through an entire game from start to finish in order to show other players how to complete the game. They often feature detailed explanations of how to get through each step.
    • Let's Play: Let's Play videos are similar to walkthrough videos in that they feature a player playing a game from start to finish is. The difference is that a Let's-play is focused on a player's experience while playing a game. They generally feature the player's reaction to the game as well as their commentary. A Let's Play video may contain a complete playthrough of the entire game, or it may be a curated video that features highlights of the player's experience while playing the game.
    • Humor : When people watch gaming channels, it’s often the personality of the gamer that people tune in for more than the games. If you are funny and entertaining, you can attract viewers, no matter what game you are playing.
    • Tips & Tricks: Tips & Tricks videos are meant to show players how to accomplish certain tasks within a game. This may be how to do a build in Minecraft, how to get an achievement point, strategies on how to win at Fortnite, how to defeat a difficult boss or level, how to solve a puzzle, or how to find an item.
    • Multiplayer: Multiplayer videos feature a player playing a game online with other players. They may be playing with their friends as a team, or they may be playing against other players (PVP).
    • Speed Run: Speed run videos feature a particularly talented player playing through an entire game or level as quickly as possible.
    • Reviews: Reviews feature a player telling the audience what they think of a game or game expansion. These are meant to inform the audience about the quality of a game. What's good about the game? What's bad about it? Is it worth buying?
    • Machinima: Machinima is when video games or a game engine is used to create scripted content, such as a comedy sketch or a music video.
    • Live Streaming: Live streaming is really popular. This is when you stream yourself playing a game in real-time. It allows you to interact with your viewers in real time as well as earn money through SuperChats, and SuperStickers.
    • YouTube Shorts: YouTube Shorts are short-form vertical videos similar to TikTok. They can be used to highlight hilarious or unexpected moments or give quick tips and tutorials.
  5. Before you can start a YouTube Gaming Channel, you need to know what to call it. Think of a name that is unique, interesting, and easy to remember. It should fit your personality and format.
    • Make sure your name is under 70 characters and easy to spell. Try to include some keywords for your channel if possible.
    • It's not a bad idea to do a search for whatever channel name you decide on. Make sure it's not too similar to what somebody else is doing.
    • According to Gilmore-Jones, you should think long-term when coming up with a YouTube channel name. You can build a brand around a niche, but make sure it’s flexible enough so that it can be formed into something different if your interests change.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Creating a YouTube Gaming Channel

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  1. Your YouTube account is tied to your Google account. You can sign in to YouTube using your Google account and start uploading videos. Even if you already have a Google account, you should create a new one specifically for your YouTube channel. You can create a Google account by creating a new Gmail account . You can also use a non-gmail email address to create a Google account .
  2. 2
    Add your name to your YouTube channel. You can add all the details for your YouTube channel on your YouTube Studio page in the Customization section. Use the following steps to add your name to your channel:
    • Go to YouTube Studio in a web browser.
    • Log in to your Google account if you aren’t logged in automatically.
    • Click Customization in the menu to the left.
    • Enter the name for your channel in the field next to “Name.”
  3. Your profile image is the circular image associated with your Google account. It's also used as the profile image on YouTube. For your profile image, you should either use a close-up of your face taken by a professional photographer, or a logo that is easy to read in a small, square format. Use the following steps to upload a profile image.
    • Go to YouTube Studio in a web browser.
    • Log in to your Google account if you aren’t logged in automatically.
    • Click Customization in the menu to the left.
    • Click Change next to your profile image.
    • Click the photo you want to use as your profile picture to select it.
    • Click Open .
  4. The channel banner art is the image people see across the top when they click on your channel. The image file you upload must be a maximum of 2560 x 1440 pixels and a minimum of 2048 x 1152 pixels. Parts of the image may be cropped when viewed on smartphones and tablets. It's recommended that you download a template and use it to make your YouTube banner art. Ensure that all the text, logos, and relevant artwork are within the 1546 x 423 safe area in the middle. Use the following steps to upload your YouTube banner art: [3]
    • Go to YouTube Studio in a web browser.
    • Log in to your Google account if you aren’t logged in automatically.
    • Click Customization in the menu to the left.
    • Click Edit in the lower-right corner of the banner art area.
    • Click Change below the “Banner image” header.
    • Select an image on your computer.
    • Click Open .
  5. This tells potential subscribers what your channel is all about. Use the following steps to edit your channel's description:
    • Go to YouTube Studio in a web browser.
    • Log in to your Google account if you aren’t logged in automatically.
    • Click Customization in the menu to the left.
    • Enter the description for your channel in the field below “Description.”
  6. 6
    Enter any other information you wish to enter. You can also edit your YouTube username, add a pronoun, add languages, add your social media links, and add an email. Enter any additional information you wish to include in the appropriate fields.
  7. 7
    Click Publish . When you are done adding your page information, click Publish in the upper-right corner. This saves all your changes and publishes them to your channel.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Producing Content For Your Channel

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  1. You don't need fancy equipment to start a YouTube gaming channel. Your channel will be defined by you and your talents, not your equipment. However, better equipment will allow you to produce better quality videos. Some of the equipment you might need is as follows:
    • High-end gaming PC: Gaming in general often requires pretty powerful PC hardware. Gaming while recording your screen, webcam footage, and audio is especially taxing on your computer's hardware. Make sure you have a decent i7 processor or above, with a decent graphics card, and about 16 GB of RAM or more.
    • Screen capture and recording software: Both Windows and Mac have built-in screen recording software. You may want to try more robust screen capture and recording software. OBS is a popular screen capture program that is free to download.
    • Capture Card: While PlayStation and Xbox consoles have their own game capture technology built in, the functionality is limited. A capture card can capture a video signal from an external device (such as a game console) and save it to your PC. If you plan on covering game console games on your YouTube channel, you may want to invest in a capture card. Some capture cards include Elgato Game Capture HD60X , AVerMedia , and Magewell USB 3.0 HDMI HD Video Capture . [4]
    • Video Editing Software: After you capture your gameplay footage, you will need to edit your footage. There are plenty of free video editing software options, including OpenShot, Shotcut, and Lightworks. For a more professional option, you might want to look into Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut, or Sony Vegas.
    • Video camera: Your computer's camera may be suitable when you first start making YouTube videos, but eventually, you may want to invest in a good-quality video camera to record better-quality video.
    • Microphone: According to Wu, having good-quality audio is an important factor that is often overlooked. While most computers have a built-in microphone, purchasing a decent microphone will make your voice sound a lot better and more crisp in your YouTube videos.
    • Lighting: Proper lighting will make you look much better on camera. Ideally, you should use soft lighting placed in front of you. Avoiding recording in rooms that are too dark or have too much light in behind you. You can use desk lamps placed in front of you, or you can purchase an inexpensive webcam lighting kit. [5]
    • Green Screen: Many YouTube gamers use a green screen during live streaming and Let’s Play videos. This allows them to remove the background so they can show their head against the gameplay footage.
  2. Before you start filming videos on YouTube, it's a good idea to test your equipment and filming techniques before you upload videos to YouTube. Make sure the picture quality is good. Check the lighting to make sure your face is clearly visible. Make sure the background or room you film in is neat and tidy. Listen to your speaking voice and make sure it is clear and easy to understand. Be careful of any verbal tics you may have, like stuttering or saying "Um" or "Uh" too much.
  3. Before you start uploading videos to YouTube, it's a good idea to make sure your content meets the community standards. Content that contains shocking graphic violence, sexually explicit content, threats or harassment, fraudulent information, encourages dangerous behavior, or private information, or copyright material may be removed by YouTube and possibly get your channel deleted. [6]
    • If your gaming videos do include any sexual content or graphic violence, it's a good idea to put a warning in the description and metadata so that people are aware of it going into the video. [7]
  4. If your goal is to make money on YouTube, you'll most likely need to rely on ad revenue from the YouTube Partners Program (unless you are able to find your own sponsors for your videos). Not all videos uploaded to YouTube are advertiser-friendly. Videos that contain bad language, sexual or violent content, controversial topics, or use of drugs, tobacco, or firearms may be demonetized, which prevents you from receiving ad revenue from those videos. [8]
  5. 5
    Plan your videos before you start shooting. Research what the trending topics on YouTube are. Try to come up with titles that incorporate trending keywords. Research the topic before you start shooting. If it’s an informational video, write a script. Think about what you want to do to make the video entertaining.
  6. After you have your channel and your equipment all set up, you can finally start recording. Make sure you have an idea of what kind of video you want to produce before you start recording. Don't just record Let's Play videos. Find out what kind of searches people are doing on YouTube and Google about your game. Do a video to try to answer those questions or entertain people.
    • Make sure you are making videos in all the formats YouTube supports. This includes long-form videos, YouTube Shorts , and l ive streaming .
  7. After you've recorded your gameplay footage, you don't just want to upload everything that happened. If you are getting bored spending hours level grinding, or trying to solve a puzzle, chances are your viewers will get bored too.. Look for highlights of your gameplay footage. Look for you best reactions, unexpected events, or things that are relevant to what you want to talk about in your video. Include voice overs and reaction shots. Take the time to craft a good quality video that is entertaining to watch through the editing process .
    • You can clip highlights of your gameplay and long-form videos to use as YouTube Shorts. Make sure you edit your YouTube Shorts in tall-screen format for mobile viewing.
  8. Don't just name your video something like "Dave Plays Roblox Episode .1". Find out what people are searching for when they search for the game you are playing. Come up with a title that will help your video come up in those searches. Engage with the gaming community to find out what fans of your game are interested in. If you are doing a Let's Play series, name your video after a funny or interesting event that happened during your gameplay. Come up with a title that will interest people.
  9. The thumbnail is the image that appears next to video titles when you do a video search on YouTube. When you upload a video, you can select a frame for your video, or you can upload a custom thumbnail. It's recommended that you make a custom eye-catching thumbnail. Make your thumbnail colorful with the title of your video in large letters. You can also include a thumbnail of yourself.
    • According to Wu, you should add end-cards to your videos with links to other videos. That way, your viewers can keep clicking to other videos.
  10. YouTube's algorithm favors channels that upload new content all the time. Schedule a time to upload new videos and hold yourself to that schedule.. If you can, upload videos every day. At the very least, you should upload new vidoes once or twice a week. Add a category and search tags to your video, as well as an end card and video cards. You may even want to add subtitles to your video.
  11. Pay attention to the comments section when you upload a video. Listen when your viewers make constructive criticism and try to implement it. It will help you become a better content creator.
    EXPERT TIP

    Ashton Wu

    Game Expert
    Ashton Wu is a Game Expert at Shelfside. After delving into the Yugioh tournament community while growing up, Ashton launched himself into the board gaming community in 2014 and went into reviewing board games as a career full-time in 2019. His YouTube channel Shelfside has over 35K subscribers and over 4 million views, assisted by written reviews on the Shelfside website and BoardGameGeek.com. He also consults with gaming companies to build high-quality gaming products. Ashton is a tournament commentator, board game playthrough director, and host of the Shelfside Podcast, where he talks about board games with his business partner, Daniel. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in addition to the Technology Management Certificate.
    Ashton Wu
    Game Expert

    Engage with your audience to build an online community. Respond to comments across platforms like YouTube, Discord, social media, and relevant forums. Hearing your content inspire viewers is incredibly rewarding. No matter your niche, fostering a supportive community around your passion is a powerful source of fulfillment.

  12. YouTube gaming and streaming is a huge and competitive market. Don't be surprised if your channel doesn't grow quickly. It takes time and energy to grow your YouTube channel. You should be spending about as much time promoting your channel as you do filming and editing videos. Post your videos across as many social media platforms as you can. Stay up-to-date on YouTube's algorithm. Check the analytics in your YouTube Channel dashboard to see which videos are performing well, and do more of those types of videos.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Can I create a successful gaming channel on YouTube without using a microphone?
    Victoria Tsukayama
    Community Answer
    Yes, it's possible, but using a good-quality microphone is recommended as it allows your audience to hear you clearly, enhancing their viewing experience.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    What if I don't want to show my face or I'm not good at commentating? Can I still succeed on YouTube, and how can I improve my skills?
    Grace
    Community Answer
    You can certainly succeed without showing your face. For example, Sunset Safari, a Roblox YouTuber with a million subscribers, has never revealed her face. You can learn to improve your commentary skills by practicing before recording or by writing a script.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    Where can I post or promote my gaming channel?
    Iris8989
    Community Answer
    You can promote your gaming channel on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. These platforms offer an easy way to reach a wide audience.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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      Tips

      • Check your analytics to see which videos do well and which don’t do well. Use this information to produce more content that your viewers want to see. You can also find information about the age and gender of your audience. Click Analytics in the menu to the left in YouTube Studio to view your analytics.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • Try to increase your watch time. When checking your analytics, watch time is perhaps the most important piece of data to pay attention to. When viewers are engaged with your videos for long periods of time, you’re probably doing everything right. Make sure your videos are engaging for long periods of time.
        Thanks
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      • Make your intros short and entertaining. Your videos will reflect poorly in the YouTube algorithm if viewers don’t make it past the first 30 seconds.
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • Try not to be too pushy about asking your viewers to subscribe. Saying “Please subscribe! I want to have 100k by Tuesday“ is pushy. Instead, say “I work hard on my content and if you like my content please subscribe.” It's a nicer way of saying it. Put links in your description to things like your social media platforms. Also write a bit about the video and yourself. For example, if you're a Minecraft YouTuber and doing a hardcore series, put the episode number and what you did or accomplished in the video. Don’t make the description too long. Just put the key details. It will save time.
      • Upload regularly at first. That way people feel like you're putting in effort rather than just uploading whenever you feel like it.
      • Always be careful. Don't use bad language or your video will get demonetized.
      • Promote yourself to gain more viewers. Stream live as often as you can.
      • No need for fancy equipment. Start with what you have.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://looka.com/blog/how-to-start-a-gaming-channel/
      2. ↑ https://ganknow.com/blog/how-to-start-a-gaming-channel/
      3. ↑ https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12950272
      4. ↑ https://www.movavi.com/learning-portal/best-capture-card-for-streaming.html
      5. ↑ https://www.panopto.com/blog/7-tips-for-making-webcam-videos-look-good-pants-optional/
      6. ↑ https://creatoracademy.youtube.com/page/lesson/copyright-guidelines#strategies-zippy-link-5
      7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/about/policies/#community-guidelines
      8. ↑ https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6162278

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Research what other YouTube gamers are doing.
      2. Decide which game you want to cover on your channel.
      3. Decide what kind of content you want to produce.
      4. Create a new Google account for your gaming channel.
      5. Add a profile picture to your Google account.
      6. Log into YouTube with your Google account and upload your channel art.
      7. Add an "About" section to your YouTube channel.
      8. Purchase the gear you need to record gameplay footage, webcam footage, and audio.
      9. Get decent video editing software.
      10. Record your gameplay footage.
      11. Use the best gameplay footage in your video edits
      12. Create a thumbnail for your video.
      13. Upload videos often.

      Did this summary help you?
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