So you want to start a Video Game Review Channel on YouTube?
Sunday, May 8, 2011 at 06:10AM The amount of new gaming channels that appear daily on YouTube today is just impossible to keep track of, it is more important than ever to make original and compelling content to help you stand out, or at least have a good screen presence and know what you are talking about. IMO if you lack ideas on content, the best was to approach a new channel is to get some decent video editing software (I recommend Vegas Movie Studio HD 9.0) and capture hardware and focus on game reviews.
Why reviews? because people will specifically search for reviews on specific games and your videos will have a better chance of appearing in the search results. Here is a tip though, don't start off reviewing games like Call of Duty Black Ops and Super Mario World, as games like these have been reviewed to death and your review will become buried and get no views. Instead, focus on smaller niche titles that have none to barely any reviews up (when you search), that way someone that comes along and searches for a review of these specific titles will more likely find your video first in the results.
You do not have to review only the good games! Don't be scared to delve into some not-so-great games, I like it when someone reviews a game truthfully and helps in my buying decision. It is often helpful as people tend to focus on only reviewing games they love and enjoy, which is fine, however do not forget that people also look for opinions on games they are interested in buying and if you find a game that is bad/mediocre it is OK to review it in a normal style (meaning don't go all AVGN on it) to let people know WHY you disliked the game you are reviewing. This may also build you some credibility for your future reviews if you can backup your points in the negative review videos (ignore rate down's, they are just from angry fanboys, the rate ups are from people who appreciate your honest opinion).
Remember though...the content and information in your video review is still very important, and the first 30 seconds of your review is what will likely determine if someone stays or goes from the video, so if possible avoid lengthy video intros (at least until you get a decent viewer base on your channel). I also can't stress enough how important good equipment is either, most specifically try as hard as you can to get at least a Dazzle DVC 100 or Happague HD PVR. if you are going to film directly off your television with a webcam please be sure it is of decent quality (see my Mirror's Edge review for an example), however I would not recommend this recording style. Next you need a mic, please try and get a decent mic to record your voice overs with, $30 can get you one that is just fine to avoid terrible quality (go for a Logitech).
I know I am not one to speak on video length, but try and keep your reviews at 4-7 minutes long, as making 10-15+ minute reivews often means that people will not sit through your entire video (I know this first hand), so keeping the videos short and to the point covering the most important aspects of the game is very important as people have short attention spans.
So there you have it, a basic run down of starting a new gaming review channel on YouTube and how to approach it as best you can. If you have any questions or comments be sure to leave a comment below!
Reader Comments (8)
I HAVE 1 here,i made it in march
You make some good points, I guess one major problem for people who want to start reviewing games (myself included :D) is that you end up with the same look and feel as every other YouTube channel who are doing the same thing. I found your channel and HappyConsoleGamer's through looking up some lesser-known titles and seeing if anyone had a review/opinion of them.
I'm hoping to start up my own series of reviews (or ranst maybe?) and your advice has been a big help in making me decide what I want/can do. Cheers :D
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