How To Start A YouTube Gaming Channel In 2024: 0 to 1M

There has never been a time in history when obtaining a following and building a life-changing income from your home has been more accessible. And a great place to start is YouTube.

If you’re reading this article you’re probably wondering if starting a YouTube gaming channel today is worth your time and effort. And if it is, then what is the best way to go about it?

Well don’t worry, by the end of this article, we’ll have covered everything from picking an appealing YouTube gaming channel name and niche to understanding what video editing software you should use.

Not only that but I will briefly touch on how to grow your gaming channel fast so you don’t waste months without any results.

Now let’s gear up and delve right into this exciting endeavor together as we learn how to start a YouTube gaming channel from scratch!

Pick a Good YouTube Gaming Channel Name

Selecting a noteworthy name for your gaming channel holds a few purposes.

1. Branding and Identity: Your channel name is a key component of your brand identity. It communicates the essence of your content and the unique personality you bring to the gaming community.
2. Memorability: A memorable name makes it easier for viewers to remember your channel and return for more content. A well-chosen name can lead to word-of-mouth recommendations, further expanding your reach.
3. Discoverability: Including relevant keywords in your channel name can enhance your discoverability in search results and recommendations. It helps potential viewers find your content when searching for specific gaming topics.
4. Consistency Across Platforms: As you grow, you might expand your presence beyond YouTube. A consistent channel name across social media platforms and other online spaces makes it easier for fans to find and engage with you.

I’ll be honest, a good channel name should not have numbers and special characters in it like (!,*,-,_). Maybe a number or two won’t hurt you in the long run but no one will ever say it. They will always remember you by your actual channel name, not the numbers inside it.

I know a lot of people get stuck on choosing a channel name but you shouldn’t for a few reasons.

1. Focus on Content: Ultimately, the quality and value of your YouTube gaming videos matter more than the name. Your content will be the driving force behind your channel’s success.
2. Flexibility: Your channel’s focus and content might evolve over time. Opting for a name that gives you room to explore different game genres or topics ensures your name remains relevant.
3. Simple and Catchy: Overcomplicating your channel name can lead to confusion and difficulty in remembering. A name that’s easy to spell and pronounce will serve you well.
4. Action Over Perfection: It’s better to choose a decent name quickly and start creating content than to spend weeks or months searching for the “perfect” name. Your content will make your name memorable, not the other way around.
5. You Can Rebrand: If you feel your initial choice isn’t working, remember that rebranding is always an option down the road. Many successful creators have undergone rebranding as their channels evolved.

If you struggle to think of a name, you could always use a good YouTube name generator. This will aid you in the process so you don’t waste too much time coming up with a name.

Choose The Right Gaming Niche and Target Audience

Alright, this one is extremely important so I’m going to break it down.

Your niche is gaming, but you need to break it down further. There are several genres of games like RPG, MOBAs, FPS, and MMO just to name a few. Choose a genre to focus on then you’re ready for the next step.

Now that you choose your genre, it’s time to pick a game within that genre. For example, FPS, are you going to play Call of Duty or Battlefield? Let’s say you choose good old-fashioned COD. (There are plenty of other games in this genre).

Break it down even further!

Within COD are you going to focus on Warzone, Multiplayer, DMZ, or Campaign?

And this is how you start to crack the code on choosing a very good gaming niche with a specified target audience. Don’t just say you will play Call Of Duty and then just start posting videos all over the place.

Focus on a single aspect of the game and grow an audience through that specificity.

Your goal should be to milk that one aspect until you cultivate a community that will follow you anywhere and grow with you.

Common Pitfalls during this step:

• Not being specific enough- You should NOT just play any game you want, I promise you, you will NOT GROW. And if you do, it will be extremely slow and sporadic.
• Not picking a single game aspect – This is where you define your target audience and begin to grow an online community.

This step is probably the biggest reason why most YouTube gamers fail. It was over before they even started.

Remember your breakdown should look like this:

• Gaming Niche>FPS>Call Of Duty>Warzone>Ashika Island Gameplay
• Gaming Niche>MOBA>Smite>Conquest>Offlane tutorials and gameplay

Setup Your YouTube Gaming Channel Properly

As exciting as starting a youtube gaming channel is, you shouldn’t forget all of the preliminary work. What I mean is having the tools necessary to get the job done.

A gaming YouTube channel will require you to have at least a console to play games on and a PC for editing and recording. And if you Play your games on PC only, you should have a powerful enough computer to handle all the tasks.

Screen recording software, video editing software, and gaming equipment are necessary requirements to get the job done. Starting a YouTube gaming channel that actually grows and won’t be a waste of your time will need quality equipment.

This doesn’t mean you need the best of the best gaming gear from the very beginning. That’s part of the reason I made this blog, to educate gamers on the best equipment for their current situation and budget.

So let’s get talk about some of the vital equipment you will need to make YouTube videos and be a successful YouTube gamer.

Choosing the right Gaming Equipment

Choosing the right equipment is half the battle when it comes to launching a successful YouTube gaming channel. Frankly, you can’t just grab any old laptop and headset, expecting to create high-quality content that will captivate your audience’s attention.

In essence, picking out suitable gaming gear is all about understanding your needs and budget, as well as choosing products that will enhance your ability to produce first-rate gaming videos.

PC or Laptop

Let’s discuss the heart of any YouTube gaming setup for beginners: a PC or console. Depending on your preferred platform and the specific games you’ll be playing, a high-performance computer or a current-gen console like PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X would suffice significantly.

If you are a console gamer, you will still need a PC or Laptop to record the gameplay. And more so to edit your gaming videos. It’s 2024, poor quality content won’t cut it anymore like it used to in the past.

Depending on your current situation such as, not having enough space for a full-blown desktop build, I would consider getting a gaming laptop for streaming and gaming.

When I first started my YouTube channel, I used a super slow laptop that didn’t even have RAM(random access memory) which is absolutely vital for fast loading and operating time.

Recording Software

I can’t stress enough how important quality is in today’s YouTube world. I mean look at MrBeast and other large YouTubers, they have TV-quality production.

When I talk about quality, I mean visual and audio quality. Visual quality means having at least HD videos. Good audio is actually more important than visual quality because no one will watch a video they can’t understand.

So what are some good recording software and devices?

Elgato Capture Card – This is perfect for console gamers to get high-quality gameplay and there is also a PC version that goes into the PCIe slot in your GPU. The PC version will help PC gamers use fewer resources to capture their content.

OBS Studios – This is important for screen recording if you have a PC setup. It is also good to connect your capture card to OBS to get even better quality videos that will not corrupt on a company’s software.

A few years back when I played on a console, I had an Elgato HD60s and I recorded with their Elgato capture software. I would often lose a lot of my gameplay due to corrupt files. So then I connected everything to OBS and I never had that problem again.

Microphone

A decent microphone goes back to having quality again. How many times have you gone on YouTube and immediately clicked off because of terrible audio? Probably dozens because I know I have done it.

Having a decent microphone will give you some quality so you don’t sound like popcorn to your viewers.

And NO! You don’t need to go out and buy the best microphones on the market. There are tons of quality budget microphones for your youtube channel.

I’m assuming you’re a beginner so there will be no need to get anything too expensive yet. Here are the Types of microphones you should get.

USB Condenser Microphones: USB microphones are a popular choice for YouTubers because they are easy to set up and use. They connect directly to your computer via USB and don’t require additional audio interfaces.

Condenser microphones are sensitive and capture a wide range of frequencies, making them great for capturing vocals and detailed audio. Some popular USB condenser microphones include the Blue Yeti, Audio-Technica ATR2500-USB, and Rode NT-USB.

Dynamic Microphones: Dynamic microphones are durable and can handle high sound pressure levels, making them suitable for recording in noisy environments or for capturing loud sound sources like musical instruments.

They are less sensitive than condenser microphones, which can be an advantage if you’re recording in a less controlled acoustic space. The Shure SM7B and Electro-Voice RE20 are well-regarded dynamic microphones.

Video Editing Software

Video editing software is where all recorded components come together into a polished final product ready for viewer consumption!

There are great options available from beginner-friendly ones like iMovie or Filmora9 to more advanced solutions like Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro which provide greater flexibility over edits but are slightly steeper learning curve-wise.

I can’t stress how important video editing is. This is where you bring your creativity and uniqueness to make a video that is different from the ocean of videos out there.

Optional Gear

Some gaming equipment is required when you first start your gaming channel. Here are some that you might want now or later when you get more established.

Webcam – A webcam isn’t necessary when just starting a youtube gaming channel. It can help connect with viewers but if you make terrible videos, no one cares about what you look like at all.

Lights – Good lighting can significantly improve the quality of your videos. While basic lighting setups can work initially, investing in professional lighting kits can help you achieve consistent and flattering lighting conditions, making your videos more visually appealing.

Audio Mixers – If you’re using multiple microphones or audio sources, an external audio mixer can give you more control over your audio levels and quality. This becomes particularly useful when you start incorporating more complex audio setups

Green screen – A green screen allows you to replace your background with virtually any image or video during editing. This is particularly useful for creating dynamic and engaging content, such as overlaying gameplay footage or placing yourself in different virtual environments.

Gaming Chair – While not directly related to video quality, a comfortable gaming chair can enhance your content creation experience by providing better ergonomics during long recording and editing sessions.

Dual Monitors – As you expand into live streaming or content creation that requires monitoring chat, analytics, or additional resources while playing, a dual monitor setup can greatly improve your multitasking capabilities.

These tips for starting a YouTube gaming channel may seem daunting initially but remember everyone starts somewhere! With time and practice under your belt along with proper research into what gear best suits you personally, there should be nothing stopping you from starting down this exciting path of sharing entertainment through online video.

Start Growing Your YouTube Gaming Channel

Man, I could argue that growing a gaming channel is one of the hardest things to do on YouTube because there are so many of them that it’s difficult to stand out.

But I would be lying by saying that.

YouTube growth no matter the niche comes down to a few things, Knowing the Algorithm, Consistency, Great Thumbnails, and Valuable Content.

Learn The YouTube Algorithm

As a beginner, your first goal is to learn and stay up to date with the YouTube algorithm. Trust me, it will serve you well later on.

The way YouTube works without going into great detail goes something like this.

Search Traffic – This uses SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to get your videos found by your intended audience. It’s like how you found this article, you were looking for something in a search engine (google) and articles related to your query popped up.
It works the same on YouTube.

It’s the second-largest search engine behind Google and YouTube is owned by Google; so that’s saying something.

This type of traffic is really good for channels that focus on tutorials, walkthrough videos, and just teaching someone something in general.

Obviously, all channels can utilize each traffic type, but some channels are not optimized for search-based traffic.

Recommended Traffic – Recommended is actually the most valuable, and hardest traffic to do right. Basically, this is when YouTube will recommend your videos to people they think will be interested in your content.

It’s so valuable because not all videos are made to be looked up in a search engine. Just look at MrBeast, he gets millions of views.

But who searches up $1 vs $1,000,000,000 Yacht!

Exactly no one does.

So how does he get so many views? Through YouTube recommending his channel to a certain demographic of people.

The thing is YouTube will always test your content to find the ideal viewer for your content. But if your key metrics are bad, you will have very little success.
These metrics are:

• Watch Time
• Audience Retention
• Click-through rate

And for this to be successful You will need to create content around a particular subject.

And here’s a secret most don’t know

Your video title has a lot to do with if your video will cultivate more search or recommended traffic.

Overall, you will need an amazing thumbnail paired with a title that compliments it.

Now this is just a glimpse into YouTube growth that many people charge you for in courses. But it goes a lot deeper than this.

Have An Upload Schedule

A consistent upload schedule helps keep your content fresh and encourages viewers to return regularly for new material. Whether it’s daily, weekly, or even monthly updates, always make sure you deliver as promised.

YouTube will actually start rewarding you for being consistent. As a gaming channel, you will have to at least keep up with upload frequency and consistency as someone more established in your niche.

But that’s another secret most people don’t know.

So just stick to at least 3 quality videos a week and as a beginner just get your reps in.

Make Eye-Catching Thumbnails

Your thumbnail and title are the single most important thing about your videos. Because you could have the world’s greatest video, but it won’t matter because your title and thumbnail don’t excite the potential viewer.

This will lead to a low click-through rate and inevitably YouTube will not recommend your content or channel.

So spend time learning and studying how to make a great thumbnail. And if you have the budget, I recommend outsourcing it to a thumbnail designer.

Make Valuable Content

Valuable or quality content is subjective. It all depends on the viewer.

Think about this…

If you’re trying to learn how to do something. Let’s say how to slide cancel in Warzone, do you want to see a full gameplay of someone only playing the game? Or even worse, a montage of someone sniping, something completely unrelated.

NO, YOU DON’T!

You want to see someone explain and break down how to slide cancel. You want them to show you exactly how to do it and nothing more. You’re not looking for a MrBeast quality video. It’s a waste of your time.

So if you’re entire channel is about tutorials, you don’t need super high-quality and entertaining videos. It’s not what your audience is looking for.

So always think about what your viewer wants when making a youtube video.

Youtube Shorts

Short-form content has taken over all the major social media platforms. These are videos that last for a minute or less, providing bite-sized entertainment for your audience.

Many successful YouTube gaming channels have embraced this feature because it can help you grow your channel by reaching more people and increasing engagement.

They make it easy for viewers to share your content across different platforms thereby giving your youtube gaming channel some considerable exposure.

You might be asking how does this contribute to my goal on how to be a gamer on Youtube? Well, shorts get tons of views far easier than long-form content. So gaining subscribers can be catapulted with shorts.

It will also, help you grow your gaming community and get you monetized faster.

Build A Community

Believe it or not, starting a successful YouTube gaming channel isn’t just about uploading videos and hoping for the best. It’s also about creating a thriving community around your content.

Building a solid community can be a huge boost to your channel’s growth and longevity. It encourages more interaction on your videos and creates an environment where you’re not the only one promoting your content.

When it comes to building this community, engagement is key. Start by replying to comments on your videos. This will demonstrate that you value your viewers’ input and encourage more interaction on future uploads.

Often times gaming YouTubers can’t think of how to be unique. And the answer is, their personality is what makes them unique. There are many Warzone YouTubers and streamers, but I only watch the ones who are most relatable and add value to me.

Building a successful community is about sharing your opinions and adding your personal flare to a topic or game. And you will eventually find people that resonate with you.

Understand How To Monetize Your Gaming Channel

So now you have your YouTube gaming channel set up and running with some amazing content. You’ve got your gaming niche sorted out, you’ve chosen the perfect name for your channel, you’ve invested in the right gaming equipment and you’re ready to grow your channel.

But how do you go about turning this passion into an income stream? Understanding how to monetize your gaming channel is crucial if you want to make this more than just a hobby.

When starting out, many new gamers often wonder about how they will bring in money. Well, one of the most straightforward ways is through advertising revenue via YouTube’s Partner Program.

Once your channel has reached 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours over the past 12 months, then congratulations! You can start earning money directly from ads displayed on your videos.

Unfortunately, this is the lowest-hanging fruit and least reliable income source.

This is why building a community that trusts you is so vital. Because you can monetize that audience. Here are some better ways to monetize your gaming channel.

• Sponsorship deals can be another powerful source of income for those wondering how to start a gaming channel that turns a profit. As companies compete for visibility in popular internet spaces like YouTube, they often turn to influential gamers for help promoting their products or services.
• Affiliate Marketing – This is where you promote products that you like and send your audience there through your unique link. If they purchase something, you get a part of the commission.
• Channel Memberships: This feature allows your subscribers to become channel members by paying a monthly fee (usually $4.99). In return, they get access to perks like custom badges, emojis, exclusive content, and community posts.
• Super Chat and Super Stickers: During live streams and Premiere videos, viewers can purchase Super Chats and Super Stickers to have their messages or stickers highlighted in the live chat. This can provide an additional stream of revenue during interactive sessions.
• Selling Digital Products: If you create guides, e-books, or other digital content related to gaming, you can sell them through platforms like Gumroad or Etsy.
• Create a Website: With a website you create an additional revenue source and a more reliable one. You could make blog posts around the games you play and monetize through affiliate marketing and selling your own products and merchandise.

Growing your audience’s trust will make earning money through YouTube so much easier. Because who buys from someone they don’t trust and support?

Avoiding YouTube Pitfalls & Mistakes

This journey is a marathon, not a sprint. We’ve all seen channels that seemingly grow overnight, but that’s the exception, not the rule. These are some of the common pitfalls and mistakes you should be mindful of.

Be Patient

I understand if you want this to be your full-time job, but you need to be patient. This journey is a long one and a hard one. Don’t get burned out before reaching your goals.

Many YouTubers think they will become popular and have millions of views overnight, but that’s not the case. It takes time to learn how to create high-quality content and perfect your craft.

Don’t Be A Perfectionist

Remember this quote, “done is better than perfect”. I remember when I used to want to have a perfect video before uploading it to my channel.

And all it did was delay my results and make me even more anxious.

You don’t need the best gaming equipment, or editing software from the beginning. Work with what you have and upgrade over time.

Your videos will be terrible at first but they will get better.

Not Learning and Improving

Improving each video is necessary to grow fast on Youtube. Learn how to analyze your YouTube analytics to understand what works and what doesn’t.

Failing to learn and improve will stunt your growth and keep you from making this a full-time career.

Being Inconsistent

As a gaming Youtuber, you will need to be extra consistent. Especially if you want the YouTube algorithm to recommend your content.

I could argue gaming channels need to be more consistent than other Youtube niches because the competition is very high and there is always someone else to watch.

With other niches, it’s a little easier to be unique. There aren’t 10,000 channels all posting the best warzone loadout video or Minecraft let’s play.

So stick to a schedule and make it a part of your life.

Conclusion

We’ve talked about all the facets to make your YouTube channel successful from selecting a unique, memorable YouTube gaming channel name, picking the best YouTube gaming niches suitable for your style and audience, setting up your channel properly for beginners as well as choosing top-notch gaming equipment.

Each step plays an integral part in creating and managing a successful YouTube gaming channel.

But now it’s time to Fail! Learn from those failures because each step forward means being one step closer to becoming not just any gamer but the one who inspires others by sharing their journey from obscurity towards achieving their dreams via their very own successful Youtube Gaming Channel.

I know starting a gaming YouTube channel in 2024 and beyond will require effort and hard work but it will be worth it in the long run. So don’t give up, and good luck on your journey.