There's no shortage of options when looking for places to create and post videos online.
But even with the advent of TikTok, Instagram Reels, and other video-based apps, we recommend starting a YouTube channel. It's the best place to build a loyal audience, and as we've seen many times, you can get views and make money long after you post. It's also easy to chop YouTube videos into TikToks, Reels, or other short-form content.
But if you need more convincing, here are nine smart reasons to create a YouTube channel in 2023.
The algorithm's number one job is to recommend videos to viewers. Fortunately, it doesn't do that by looking at a channel's views and subscribers. Instead, the algorithm looks for signals of satisfaction on individual videos: a high click-through rate, average view duration, level of engagement, and more.
Read More: What the YouTube Algorithm Likes to See on Creators' Videos
If the YouTube algorithm sees those positive signals (among others), it's more likely to suggest your content to viewers.
So, don't worry. Starting a YouTube channel is brilliant, no matter how many subscribers you gain. We've seen creators with small channels get thousands of views, and you can do it too!
For example, take a look at Haunted Jess, who has 887 subscribers. Even with a small audience, they got more than 50,000 views on the video below.
If you want your videos to age well, post them on YouTube. It's one of the top search engines on the internet (alongside Google), so you have plenty of opportunities to get views on your content — sometimes years later.
How does this work, exactly? Start by making evergreen content a part of your YouTube strategy. Look at your niche and identify topics that never go out of style or constantly need explaining. How to change a flat tire. Pumpkin pie recipes for Thanksgiving. Tips for negotiating a raise at work.
For example, we posted a video about how to apply for YouTube monetization in 2020. Two years later, we still get thousands of monthly views from that content.
It's even featured as a video answer when you Google "how to get monetized on YouTube."
Have you seen the YouTube Studio lately? It tells you everything you need to know about your views, subscribers, and your channel's overall growth.
It's best to study how each video performs. You can take a look at the following:
Read More: YouTube Channel Analytics - The 6 Most Important Video Metrics
Encouraging viewers to watch past the 30-second mark is our biggest hurdle on the vidIQ channel. To improve this, we look at the audience retention graph for each upload. When views fall, we go to that timestamp in the video, rewatch the clips, and brainstorm ways to be more entertaining next time.
Got a TikTok channel? How about an Instagram? If you're a YouTube creator, you can easily cut down your longer videos to create short-form content for other platforms.
Remember the audience retention graph we just mentioned? Instead of using it to see timestamps where viewers stopped watching a video, you can do the opposite and see the most popular or replayed clips.
If you see bumps in the graph, those areas represent scenes people find more interesting than others. Try turning those popular clips into a TikTok, Instagram Reel, or YouTube Short.
We know the YouTube app is prevalent on smartphones. But you can also watch on iPads, laptops, desktops, and, most importantly, TVs.
If you enjoy watching the YouTube TV app, ask yourself this question: When was the last time you loaded TikTok or Instagram on a TV? When you want to reach more people, YouTube is the way to go.
If you make it into the YouTube Partner Program, you can enable ads across your content. You'll make money when viewers watch or click on those ads, so imagine how the revenue snowballs as you monetize more videos.
Before you apply for the YPP, make sure you've reached one of these milestones on your channel:
You'll recollect 55% of all ad revenue for regular videos. YouTube Shorts revenue is slightly lower at 45%, but still worth a try.
Ready to start earning? Learn more ways to monetize on YouTube.
Did you know you can put as many links as you want under your YouTube videos? They're super easy to paste into the description section. And once there, viewers can click them to buy a physical or digital product you've created.
But if you're not that advanced yet, don't worry. Many creators who don't sell a product of their own make money by helping other companies do the same thing. At that point, you'll become an "affiliate" of the company and get a unique affiliate link to share with your audience. If viewers click on your affiliate link (and buy something from the company), you'll get a small commission from the sale.
This wouldn't work on TikTok because you can't add clickable links to video descriptions. So don't take this opportunity for granted on YouTube!
YouTube's copyright system is far from perfect, but it does a lot to protect videos from outright theft.
For example, if someone uploads your video to their channel, YouTube recognizes you as the content owner. You'll be notified about the situation and asked what actions you want to take, if any.
Read More: What's the Difference Between a Copyright Claim and a Copyright Strike?
We all love short, snappy videos, but there's something to be said about the credibility of long-form content. The viewer gets to see you more often, hear your thoughts in better detail, and get more information from you over time. It's the perfect situation for creators who want to become experts and thought leaders — something that's harder to do on TikTok or Instagram.
Now that you know the benefits, it's time to start creating. You have all the knowledge you need (and hopefully the confidence) to know that YouTube is the best place for video creators in 2023.
For more details on the topic, watch our video about all the reasons to have a YouTube channel.
Lydia Sweatt is a writer who loves balancing her article/blog time indoors with a healthy dose of nature. She bikes, hikes, and identifies edible plants along the way.
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