How to Start a Successful YouTube Cooking Channel in 4 Steps
Food is one of the biggest content categories on YouTube, and if you love cooking, or food in general, you could make a little bit or even a lot of money with your own channel. The first thing you will have to do is study your future competitors and see how you could carve a space for yourself. You also have to be ready to make mistakes and constantly work on your craft until your content can rival some of the biggest names out there. Let’s take a look at how you can start a successful YouTube cooking channel in 2023.
Learn from the Best
Subscribe to all your favourite cooking channels if you haven’t already, and search for new channels you can inspire yourself from. Look at the decor they’re using, their equipment, the length of their videos, what they’re wearing, the way they speak and move, and the type of thumbnails they use. All of this will give you an idea of what a professional and successful YouTube channel should look like.
Choose a Niche
You could start a general channel, but if you want to stand out, you may want to consider niching down. Cooking is a very competitive niche and picking a niche will allow you to grab a portion of the food audience that may be underserved.
You could concentrate on a specific type of food, for instance, or work with one product only. Channels like Guga Foods, for example, have been making content centred mainly around steaks for years now, so don’t think you’ll run out of content. You could also do something like making copycat versions of famous takeaway recipes or fast-food items. Be imaginative and look at as many niche options as possible while focusing on those with a sizable audience and little competition.
Get the Equipment and Build Your Setup
You will need professional equipment if you want to start a professional-looking channel. This means that some pieces of equipment may need to be upgraded to look the part. If you’re looking for beautiful pieces of equipment that will be perfect for YouTube, this kitchenware shop in Hertfordshire is worth checking out.
Next, you will need to get shooting and editing equipment. Note that you don’t necessarily have to go crazy here. An LED panel, a webcam that can shoot at 1440p, and a basic computer with a capable CPU and middle-of-the-road graphics card will be more than enough here. You may, however, need to invest in things like a DSLR camera later on if you want to take advanced shots.
Upload Your First Video and Promote Your Channel
All you have to do now is shoot your first video and upload it. If you’re afraid that the final product will not look professional, know that there are plenty of people who will edit the video professionally for you on sites like Fiverr.
Next, you will have to do everything in your power to get your name out. If you have genuinely good content, you can expect to amass a good audience pretty fast if you’re consistent with your marketing efforts. Some efficient and cost-effective ways to get noticed include being active on other people’s comment sections, joining Facebook groups and participating, and being active on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
This is all you need to start your very own YouTube cooking channel. If it sounds like something you could do, start brainstorming channel ideas right away.
