The best way to stand out on YouTube in 2024
By Meg Dowell
YouTube is not what it once was at the beginning of its nearly 20-year history. Videos go viral every day. Entire channels are owned and operated by giant networks who produce television-quality content to generate more money. The days of "anyone can grow and thrive on YouTube" are long gone.
Or are they?
Perhaps the dream of gaining millions of subscribers are a big reach for most content creators who want to start channels. But YouTube channels much smaller than that can, and do, still gain loyal followings and, in many cases, are able to generate income from their videos or personal brand.
There is a lot of "practical" advice out there that will tell you all the things you can do to boost your chances of gaining an audience on YouTube. Consistent posting schedules, eye-catching video thumbnails, and carefully crafted video titles are all important steps to ensure your channel meets the goals you set out for it.
But by far the most important thing to do if you want to stand out on YouTube in 2024 is to create content around something you truly, relentlessly love.
Despite what many might tell you, content creation is work. Hard work. Once you choose a niche to break into, you are going to have to create content around that same thing over and over and over again. For weeks, months, even years.
If you do not 100 percent obsess over and adore the content of your chosen niche -- heck, even if you do -- you run the risk of burning out, possibly for good. And it's not even simply about creating content AROUND something you love. It's almost even more about doing it BECAUSE you love it.
Everyone wants to be able to make money online. In many cases it can pay better than a traditional job depending on brand deal earnings. But that is a much more difficult task than it seems from the outside looking in. You cannot grow a channel or make money from it if you are not passionate about what you're doing. Audiences value authenticity, or what they believe to be authentic.
Don't make content around it because it's popular right now. Make videos about things you love. Your passion alone won't get you as far as you want to go, but it will give you momentum when all else fails.