Making a career by uploading videos on YouTube

You can earn money and make a career by just uploading videos on YouTube! Here's how


Source - http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/can-turning-into-a-professional-youtuber-earn-you-a-steady-income/articleshow/57830916.cms


The advice from the bigger stars on YouTube who dabble in music and comedy is to look beyond the website.

Ranveer Allahbadia, 23, always knew he did not want to become a doctor. His father Gautam is one, as is his mother Swati, and his paternal grandparents and an uncle as well. The Allahbadia family house in Five Gardens in Wadala, Mumbai, even has a mini clinic on the ground floor.

Allahbadia studied engineering at DJ Sanghvi College of Engineering in the western suburb of Vile Parle. A health freak, he is also a fitness trainer. In his last year in college, the entrepreneurship bug bit Allahbadia and he worked on an idea for “Uber for Fitness Trainers”. His partner was Binny Sridharan, his fitness coach. The duo looked for investors even as they were fine-tuning the concept. That search ended pretty soon when a prospective angel bluntly told them that for the Uber-for-fitness idea to work, one of them had to become famous.

Allahbadia took the advice in all seriousness, and set out in search of fame. It led him to YouTube, with Allahbadia shooting and releasing videos on health and fitness on a channel that he called BeerBiceps. He encountered fame when his video posted in November 2016, on Aamir Khan’s training regimen in Dangal, got a lot of viewers — and a lot of hate. Allahbadia had suggested that Khan had used steroids, and the superstar’s personal trainer Rahul Bhatt responded by calling him an armchair expert. As his channel hit a million views, Allahbadia put his startup project on the back burner and concentrated on his YouTube channel.

Allahbadia is not alone in making such a YouTube triggered career pivot. Many youngsters today are giving up their career goals to upload more than one video a week and build a channel and a personal brand. Take, for example , 19-year-old Yaman Agarwal of Hyderabad who has tasted so much success with his cookery channel CookingShooking that he has given up on conventional college and is studying BCom through correspondence, focusing all his energies on shooting and uploading videos. Or, take Bengaluru-based Roshni Mukherjee, who quit her quality analyst job at Hewlett-Packard to focus on an educational channel called ExamFear.

Building A Personal Brand
Are the earnings from such YouTube channels enough to sustain young professionals, especially those not in popular entertainment genres like music and comedy? Mohit Gundecha, cofounder of talent assessment and analytics company Jombay, says it is a smart move despite the risks, and that video and social media marketing skills are sought after these days. “Even if it doesn’t work very well, they would have built either a personal brand by then or enough skill set to be easily hired by marketing agencies or marketing functions of different organisations.”

Mukherjee worked for Wipro before joining HP in India. Now, at age 31, she has turned her back on a six year-old career. A master’s degree in physics from Delhi University notwithstanding, Mukherjee has moved on to YouTube to follow her passion for teaching. Her venture is now operating on a not-for-profit basis and she works with part-timers spread across India. Among other YouTubers is Sejal Kumar, 22, an economics graduate from Lady Shree Ram College in Delhi. Sejal, who now feels her degree is of no use, says that she is learning a lot more while promoting her YouTube channel named after herself.

Then there’s Ranjit Singh, 38, who runs a gadget reviews channel called Geeky Ranjit. He has given up coding to promote his YouTube channel even though he can earn more from the former.
Clearly, there’s the promise of a great future. Satya Raghavan, head of entertainment for YouTube in India (a division of Google India), says that what started in 2014 as a content creation wave on YouTube, especially in music and stand-up comedy (which saw the rise of All India Bakchod and Vir Das, among others), has taken on a new dimension in 2016-17. “Over the past year, we have seen a lot more regional content and more diverse areas — right from food, fashion and beauty to nursery rhymes and stories for kids, education and gadget reviews.”




Unlike comedy or music, where the moolah often comes from stage shows and live appearances, the verticals that are coming up now are more focused on delivering content through YouTube alone. Some of the early Indian YouTube sensations like Kenny Sebastian (stand-up comedy), Abish Mathew (talk show), Sahil Khattar (of Being Indian channel) or Shirley Setia and Vidya Iyer (music and mashup) have all used YouTube as a stepping stone to live shows. Sebastian confessed that he is a filmmaker at heart, and hopes to go on to make full-length feature films. Iyer, who does her mashup channel called Vidya Vox, is now in the US to work on her music. Setia is looking for a break in Bollywood.

One may look at it as entertainment versus education and information. While the entertainers have clearly moved from YouTube to live shows and television, for those like Allahbadia, Sejal, or Ranjit who dabble in education-and information-oriented channels, YouTube continues to be the mainstay.

Raghavan explains how it works. As a channel becomes popular, the owner can decide to monetise it. Advertisements start appearing at the beginning of the videos uploaded, according to YouTube/Google’s algorithms. YouTube keeps 45% of revenues and the rest is for the content creator, who can also earn through sponsorships and product placements.




How much they can earn depends on the landmarks they achieve. A million views, of all videos, is sure to keep advertisers interested, as is a base of 1 lakh subscribers who sign up to receive updates about new videos. Music and comedy have a high proportion of views to subscribers. Frequent updates, at least twice a week, seem to be another must-do. It’s hard work.

Sejal Kumar, who creates videos on fashion and lifestyle, as well as on her own life, has done sponsored videos with Benetton and Westside. These bring in extra money, as do product placements.




Apart from YouTube, there are Instagram posts and websites that some like Geeky Ranjit (www. tech2buzz.com) maintain on their own. Monthly earnings, after a channel hits a million views and one lakh subscribers, can range between Rs 30,000 in a bad month to Rs 80,000 in a good one. As views and subscribers go up, so do earnings, but not necessarily in proportion.

“It’s possible to make a living but there are several factors — like where you are based, whether you are living with your parents or have to pay rent, and the number of people you need for your shoots,” says Shalini Samuel, who runs the YouTube channel Knot Me Pretty.

Samuel had her YouTube high with a video on how to tie one’s hair in a messy bun or a messy knot, uploaded in September 2016. This video alone has got 4 million views so far. A commerce graduate who trained as a hairdresser with BBlunt and then at the Vidal Sassoon Academy in London, she has done well on You-Tube, enough to quit her job at a Mumbai salon. She says: “My mother knows what I do, but my father still can’t understand the YouTube business. He just knows I am doing well and very busy.”

But before making money, there comes a lot of learning. Yaman Agarwal of CookingShooking has been at it since he was 14. “I always had the cooking ka kida (bug),” he says. The first video of him cooking, shot by his elder sister, got 13 views in 12 hours. Soon he started posting videos on festive occasions like Holi or Diwali. Then once a month. A video on eggless baking without an oven became so popular that he decided to do a series. As revenues started to come in, Agarwal figured out that he needed to invest in his channel. He converted a part of the living room into a studio. Says Agarwal: “Since I was shooting myself, only my hands were visible on the video. There were some comments wondering if that was indeed me cooking. That was when I decided to have a proper arrangement like in TV shows.” His sister and father help him keep the channel going, lend a hand with the shoots and keep a tab on the accounts; he re-invests all his earnings in buying equipment.




A Full-time Job

YouTubing is a full-time job. Says Roshni Mukherjee: “I put up a couple of videos in 2011 to help children overcome exam fear. Slowly I got requests and ideas for more, and started doing more of these, until in 2014 it became so hectic that I decided to quit my job.” Her husband Gautam supported her decision. She started with science and maths, especially for higher classes, but now uploads videos that can be relevant for students from Class VI onward.

Money is not always easy to come by. For a freelancer, running a gadget review on the side can be a costly business. Ranjit Singh says Geeky Ranjit ran up losses in the first three years. “I used to purchase gadgets from the market, finish my review in two-three weeks and then return those gadgets at a loss. It took me nearly three years to break even.” He says things have improved in the last two years: now he gets 65-70% of the products for review from companies.

The advice from the bigger stars on YouTube who dabble in music and comedy is to look beyond the website. Says Vidya Iyer : “There’s some revenue through YouTube ad sharing with Google but it’s not nearly enough to live on or pay a real team.”

Sahil Khattar of the channel Being Indian says that while being on YouTube gives him a leverage, “it is about generating valuation. That is what the internet is about”. Abish Mathew, who does the talk show Son of Abish, advises: “If you are on YouTube only to earn money, then you are not getting it.”




What worked for entertainment may not be easily replicated in a different genre that depends on informing and educating the viewer. Sejal is quite sure she wants to build a personal brand and see where it goes. At 22, she has all the time, as does Allahbadia at 23.

Mukherjee is building a not-for-profit YouTube channel that is funded through a contribution link apart from advertising. She’s aware there has to be something more and is working on a website that will aid students. Agarwal has tried taking cooking classes. Appearing on television also remains an option for Ranjit as does a new venture.

In the West, top You-Tube stars like PewDie-Pie, Roman Atwood and Lily Singh rake in the moolah — they earned $15 million, $8 million and $7.5 million, respectively, in 2016. India’s up-and coming YouTubers can take heart.

India is among our top 10 markets: YouTube's David Powell

Source http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/interviews/india-is-among-our-top-10-markets-youtubes-david-powell/articleshow/57831833.cms

YouTube held its FanFest in Mumbai on Friday and Tokyo-based David Powell, director of online partner development, YouTube, Asia Pacific , played festival director. He spoke to Suman Layak on how YouTube is growing and what it means for YouTubers. Edited excerpts:

How does India compare with the rest of the world as a market for YouTube?
India is among our top 10 markets. Around 180 million from India view YouTube every month. We have seen a huge growth in audience as well as content creators. And the best thing is people are not being limited by the equipment they have.

How does YouTube compare with other platforms like Facebook, Twitter or Vimeo for uploading videos?
People put their content in various places. What we see is that they do it to promote their videos, while they consider YouTube as their home. We are holding 50 events across the Asia Pacific region to share best practices among content creators. We also do programmes for content creators that help them manage their accounts or pay their taxes. So while they may put up their videos anywhere, YouTube remains home. 

While YouTube has worked well as a stepping stone to bigger things for people in music or entertainment, what about those who are creating informative or educative videos for whom advertisement earnings are the mainstay? Do you see them growing bigger too?
I always talk about the example of Michelle Phan, YouTube’s original content creator on beauty and make up. She would produce videos like ‘How to get ready in 20 minutes’. She has 10 million subscribers on You-Tube and has now gone on to become a successful businesswoman, starting off with curated make-up kits, her company is worth $500 million and was covered by Forbes in their 30 Under 30 list. People are branching out in India too — for example, BB Ki Vines now has its own merchandise.

10 Bad Habits That Damage Your Car + Driving in the rain

10 Bad Habits That Damage Your Car

Ignoring the Parking Brake

Even if you're parked on a level surface, there's really no reason not to use the parking brake. Not engaging the parking brake puts the entire weight of your vehicle on a little piece of metal in the transmission called the parking pawl. It's only about as big as your finger, so it can wear out or break eventually from holding all that weight. Using the parking brake evens the load, helping delicate transmission components last longer.

Keeping the Fuel Tank Low

Lots of us have been in a situation where putting £10 in the fuel tank is the best we can do at the time. What you might not know is that ponying up a little extra could help to prevent damaging a car's fuel system. Many fuel pumps keep cool by staying submerged in the fuel in the tank, so if you're regularly running at a quarter full or less, you risk speeding up the need for a fuel pump replacement. Paying a little more at the gas station might sting, but it won't hurt nearly as much as needing a new fuel pump.

Suddenly Shifting From Reverse to Drive

Picture this: you're backing out of a parking space. The coast is clear, so you flick the shifter and start moving forward. Sound familiar? This might not seem so bad in the moment, but over time sudden direction changes like this can really damage your drivetrain. Instead, come to a complete stop before switching. It only adds a second of time and will save you from future engine, transmission, or axle damage.

Revving Before the Engine Is Warm

Letting your car sit for a minute or two right after it starts is a good idea. It helps distribute oil throughout the engine and get the engine block and engine oil up to temperature. Revving the engine won't speed up the process. In fact, that could cause easily avoided damage. Cold revving causes abrupt temperature changes that create stress between the engine's tight-fitting components. Simply give it 60 seconds before you get on the road, and everything will have warmed up for reliable performance.

Flooring It When You Don't Need To

Every car enthusiast feels the temptation for a full-throttle blast every once in a while. A problem with that is that you usually need to mash on the brakes to slow back down. Neither is good for your car. Hard acceleration burns a ton of fuel (ok, maybe not for a Tesla) and places heavy load on drivetrain components. Full-force stops cause rapid wear to the brake pads and rotors. Resist the urge to drive like this. If you can't, know that repair bills will arrive sooner than later.

Using the Shifter as a Hand Rest

Driving a manual transmission car can be great fun, and when you're rowing through the gears, it feels natural to leave one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the shift lever. Don't. Leaving your hand on the shifter causes puts strain on the transmission's bushings and synchronizers, leading to premature wear. It's best to keep both hands on the wheel anyway. You'll help your transmission, and be able to take control if you need to make a sudden steering maneuver.

Abusing the Clutch

Lots of manual-gearbox drivers do this one. When you're at a stop, you keep the clutch pushed to the floor. That way you can inch forward as traffic moves, or be ready to take off when the light turns green. However, keeping the clutch in when you're stopped causes its surfaces to scrape against each other, wearing them out and creating the possibility of failure. It also can cause damage to the release bearing, release arm, and pressure plate. Instead of riding the clutch with the shifter in gear, find Neutral with the shifter and let the clutch out. When it's time to go, put the clutch in, grab first, and drive.

Carrying Too Much Weight

The more a car weighs, the more stress it places on its drivetrain, suspension, and brakes, and the more fuel it consumes – it's as simple as that. Do what you can to keep your car as light as possible. We're not suggesting ripping out the air conditioning or sound system, but clean out any unnecessary junk. While a few pounds of weight removed might only give you an extra mile on a tank of gas, it can really make a difference in the long run. Make sure your car is stocked with the essentials you need on a daily basis and store the rest somewhere else.

Riding the Brakes Downhill

Sometimes you've got to brake when going downhill to keep from going way too fast. But this causes heat to build up in the brake pads and rotors, causing wear and increasing the risk that they will overheat or warp. As a solution, try shifting into a lower gear. The natural decompression that occurs in the drivetrain will help keep the car at a safe speed. That way, if you do need to hit the brakes, you'll find they're more effective.

Neglecting Warning Signs

When something's going wrong with your car, chances are it will try to tell you. Any strange vibrations, intermittent squeaks, occasional knocks, or other unusual symptoms should be inspected right away. You might not feel any problems but the longer you wait, the more trouble you could be in if a part suddenly fails and you're left stranded on the side of the road.

How to drive safely in heavy rain

Six quick tips so you can handle any storm—whether a light drizzle or a torrential downpour.

1) Check your tyres
Car tyres have treads, the pattern of grooves and channels along their circumference. The tread works to create grip on the road by channeling water, mud, and debris away from the contact patch. With use, the tread wears down and becomes much more likely to slip or spin on wet surfaces.

If you're not sure your tread is deep enough to stay safe, use the penny test to check. Get a penny and insert it in the tread (20p test in UK) with Lincoln's head pointed at the centre of the wheel. If you can't see his hair (20p outer band), your tyres are good. If you can see the top of his head, it's time for new tyres.

2) Inspect your windshield wipers
Without windshield wipers, wet weather driving would be like swimming without goggles. Rubber wiper blades collect grime and wear out, leading to streaks or inconsistent wet patches on the windshield.

You can clean them by rubbing the blade with rubbing alcohol, but if you notice any cracks or chunks missing, it's time to buy a new set. The motor and linkage that actually move the wipers can wear out, too, so if yours aren't working properly, get them inspected to see what's broken.

3) Turn on your headlights
Given how significantly rain can impact visibility, do everything you can to make yourself easy to see to other drivers. Driving a bright green exotic is one option, but there's a far simpler solution – just turn on your headlights.

It's the least you can do to make yourself noticeable, and may be legally required in your state. Repeat this rainy weather mantra: wipers on, headlights on.

4) Avoid hydroplaning (aquaplaning)
There's a misconception that driving through a puddle quickly is safest because you'll get through it faster, but the inverse is actually true. If you're moving fast enough, your tyres will skim over the surface of the water, causing you to hydroplane and potentially lose control of your vehicle.

If you start to hydroplane, keep both hands on the steering wheel and gradually apply the brakes. Slamming on the brakes or jerking the wheel can cause a skid. The best way to avoid this situation altogether is to look far down the road and reduce speed when you approach a puddle.

5) Never use cruise control
Cruise control is helpful when roads are dry, but can be a problem when it's raining. Cruise control works to maintain a constant speed, so it greatly increases the chances of hydroplaning since it's not smart enough to detect when there's water on the road. Keep your car under full manual control any time you drive in the rain.

6) Slow way down
Wet roads can be slick and treacherous, increasing stopping distances and the potential for a skid. Give yourself more time to react by driving 5 to 10mph below the speed limit. Keep right, pass safely, always check your mirrors, and leave several car lengths between you and the driver ahead.

It might seem like common sense, but anything you can do to be a slower, more attentive, more courteous driver makes rainy weather safer for all drivers. Rain forces drivers to adjust to a unfamiliar driving technique. Taking extra precautions and simple adjustments shouldn't make your drive much longer and your car and more importantly, you, will arrive at your destination in one piece.