How to Become a Car Reviewer on Youtube
It's been nearly three years since I started my own YouTube channel virtually cars, and I'd like to think that I've learned a affair or 2 in that time. It hasn't been easy, but somehow I've managed to grow the DriveAndReview YouTube channel approximately 1200 subscribers at the fourth dimension of this writing. I know – that doesn't sound like a lot, merely considering how much of a nerd I am in front of the camera, I consider information technology a miracle. What'south fifty-fifty more than of a miracle is the fact that I become questions all the time from people asking me how to get a auto reviewer on YouTube.
Making the conclusion to be an automotive reviewer
If you would've told the 10-yr-one-time version of me that i day I would be making money reviewing cars, I probably would've pee'd my pants in excitement. I've always been a car guy. Always. My earliest memories usually involve me property (or chewing on) a toy car, then I guess you tin say that I've always had it in me. Becoming a car reviewer on YouTube only seemed natural to me once the option became bachelor.
I'1000 going to get into more than item in a moment listing all the requirements needed to review cars, simply the signal I'1000 trying to make here is that more than anything else, y'all've got to have a passion for cars. Without that, reviewing cars is going to get old really fast. Trust me on that.
It's nowhere near as glamorous as people like Doug DeMuro and Matt Maran make it seem.
2 things you MUST have to get a machine reviewer on YouTube
Now that we accept established that a dearest for the machine is the most of import thing for even considering this, information technology'south time to movement on to the nitty-gritty details. The good news is that it's incredibly easy for anybody to start a YouTube channel (and become successful). The bulwark to entry is extremely low, so anybody with the right mindset tin can make information technology work. As I said earlier, if a nerdy guy similar me can do it, anybody can. Here'south what y'all need:
Delight note: DriveAndReview.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Programme, an chapter ad plan designed to provide a means for sites to earn advert fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
one. A camera
The absolute all-time camera on the marketplace for making car review videos is the Canon G7X. Every bit a matter of fact, it's the photographic camera that TJ Hunt uses. Anyway, why is information technology and then skillful? Here's why:
- It'south incredibly compact (non equally big and bulky as a full-size DSLR)
- It has a flip-out (and reversible) screen which will let you lot to see yourself as you're recording
- The video quality is best in it's course
- Information technology'southward an incredibly proficient value for the money
Even more interesting is that streetspeed717 (an automotive YouTuber with over i million subscribers) still uses zippo but a footling GoPro for every single one of his videos. Heck, even a total goofball like me managed to scrape together a decent corporeality of subscribers with nothing but a GoPro and an iPhone. This is the GoPro I'grand rocking now, by the way:
GoPro HERO9 Black – Waterproof Action Camera with Front end LCD and Bear upon Rear Screens, 5K Ultra HD Video, 20MP Photos, 1080p Alive Streaming, Webcam, Stabilization
- 5K Video - Shoot stunning video with up to 5K resolution, perfect for maintaining detail even when zooming in
- 20MP Photo with SuperPhoto - Capture well-baked, pro-quality photos with 20MP clarity. And with SuperPhoto, HERO ix Black can automatically pick all the best image processing for yous
- Front Display + Rear Touch on Screen - A new, larger rear bear upon screen with touch zoom on HERO9 Blackness and a dazzling new front display makes for piece of cake framing and intuitive camera control
- Alive Streaming + Webcam - Live stream in 1080p on social, get HyperSmooth stabilization as you circulate
- HyperSmooth three.0 - Feel ultimate smoothness with our almost advanced video stabilization e'er.
No affair which camera you cull, you're going to need a skilful microphone that will capture smashing sound (while blocking annoying ambient sounds like route and current of air racket):
The bottom line when information technology comes to camera gear
Camera gear isn't your biggest barrier to entry, but swell video quality volition immensely boost your credibility in this niche. The truth is that if you've got a smartphone, y'all've got all the equipment you need to starting time a YouTube channel reviewing cars. It'due south a decent manner to start – only you'll need to upgrade your camera gear over time.
The focus of your channel in the first should be all nigh learning the ropes and growing your subscriber base. You lot can worry about upgrading to better camera equipment once you first getting traction (no pun intended).
2. Enthusiasm
Becoming a auto reviewer on YouTube ways that y'all've got to prove yourself equally quickly as you lot can. When you're just starting out, it'southward not likely that y'all're going to have admission to any interesting vehicles. That'southward OK. The important affair is that y'all grab any car you have access to and start filming. If that means it's your brother'southward 2002 Toyota Celica GT or nothing at all, then so be it.
Proving yourself as an automotive reviewer as rapidly as you can is of import then that you can showtime budgeted car dealerships (and even machine manufacturers) to review their cars. I'll get into the details of how exactly to do that in a moment, but you're going to demand a itemize of approximately 20 to 30 actually practiced and in-depth car reviews on your channel to take information technology to the next level. Yep, information technology'due south going to be a ton of work, simply it'll be worth information technology in the end.
If you've never reviewed a auto before, you're likely to be in for a daze once you observe how difficult information technology really is. There's a lot more thought that goes into filming a good auto (other than just sticking a camera in your face and starting to talk) so only know that you're going to accept to plan out each review in excruciating detail long before yous start filming.
Lacking the enthusiasm to pump out quality reviews of crappy cars such as the Toyota Celica and Honda Borough is an absolute must-have.
Taking the adjacent step: getting access to more interesting cars
Before going any farther, I think it's important to analyze that "more interesting cars" Isn't limited to what the local dealership has in their inventory. You lot tin can exist a very successful car reviewer on YouTube by reviewing other people'due south cars just the style that ThatDudeinBlue does.
David built a following of 1 million subscribers past reviewing other people'south project cars. Not the newest stuff from the car manufacturers. However, only know that you're going to take to have a large network of friends and acquaintances to be able to get a abiding supply of cars to review that way. It'south a ton of work.
If your goal is to review cars from the dealerships in the manufactures directly, read on.
How to arroyo automotive dealerships
Becoming a successful auto review on YouTube means having the ability to pick up the phone and network. And you know what? I'g not afraid to acknowledge that the requirement to reach out and start doing common cold calls is what has held back my own YouTube channel. Information technology's scary to put yourself out there when yous're even the slightest bit afraid of rejection, only information technology's very necessary if you're going to be successful at this.
The reality is that information technology's not all that hard to approach car dealerships to get access to their cars. Later on all, it'south a win-win situation for everybody involved considering it's great exposure for them and really good content for you. All it takes is for you to be proactive and to get out there and showtime making connections.
Equally long as y'all've built up a respectable subscriber count (say, at to the lowest degree 5000) and your audience seems to exist engaged and enthusiastic about your reviews, you'd exist surprised how many dealerships will say "yes" when you enquire to review some of the cars on their lot. Explain how beneficial it volition be for them (car dealerships love complimentary advertizing), and promise to include their contact information several times in the video. They're likely to say "yeah" more often than non!
How to approach car manufacturers to get press cars
When information technology comes to becoming a car reviewer on YouTube, getting printing cars from the manufacturers themselves is the ultimate goal. No doubtfulness about it. Is there zip more exciting than building a career out of driving make new cars around and getting paid to do it? If that'southward the pinnacle of happiness to you, so you are going to need to learn how to piece of work with the auto manufacturers to become your easily on those highly-coveted press cars.
Surprisingly enough, getting access to press cars is a lot easier than you might think. As long equally you've got a healthy and growing YouTube channel with an agile and engaged subscriber base, there's nothing wrong with contacting the PR section of your favorite machine manufacturer and pitching yourself to them. As a matter of fact, that's the only manner they will ever hear almost you. If y'all don't reach out, it's likely that yous'll never fifty-fifty exist a blip on the radar to them. You lot definitely accept to be proactive.
Your pitch to these PR departments should be curt and sweet. It can exist via either email or a telephone call, simply basically y'all need to drive dwelling the betoken that you have an engaged audience interested in their products. It'due south also of import that yous emphasize that you have the power to provide valuable exposure to their brand.
Remember, this isn't near y'all. No automotive manufacturer would desire to work with anyone who is just looking to drive some fun cars for no reason.
One final signal to make nearly getting admission to press cars is the fact that you're going to have to work your way up the ranks. That means a pocket-size YouTube channel isn't worth a lot to them, and then in the starting time, you'll be lucky to get small and cheap economy cars to review. It's going to take a lot of fourth dimension to build upwardly the clout to end upwardly on the list of people that they hand the keys of $100,000 sports cars to a regular basis.
It's all about relationship building, and that takes time and patience. Condign a successful car reviewer on YouTube takes years – so be repaired for that. As a matter of fact, that's a perfect segue into my next point.
Fact: y'all need the entrepreneurial spirit and a want to succeed
If y'all look at all the biggest car reviewers on YouTube, you'll run into that nearly all of them accept been doing this for five years or more. Some have been doing it for 10. Condign a car reviewer on YouTube is an extremely competitive and mentally challenging thing.
Notwithstanding, if your passion for cars is what gives you the free energy to go out of bed every day, and then in that location'due south no reason why y'all can't jump into the mix and become one of the biggest and best automotive channels on YouTube.
It'southward going to take at least a twelvemonth earlier you begin to see any progress and growth, so you have to be prepared to creepo out videos for many months in a row knowing that very few people volition see them. And that's OK, because it's likely that your first videos won't be all that interesting.
The initial lack of subscribers and viewers will give you the time you need to polish your craft and to create an engaging and interesting review style that volition be the basis of your channel growth.
I've been in automotive entrepreneur for well over 10 years now, and I'1000 confident in proverb that the vast bulk of "wanna-be" machine reviewers on YouTube won't take the stamina to last more than a year. It sucks when nobody watches the videos y'all create, and the lack of subscribers makes it sting just a petty chip more than.
It's very necessary that you have the vision and determination to make information technology piece of work over the long term. Make a plan, hang information technology your wall, And stick to it.
Did you lot know that was how TJ Hunt grew so big? If you wait back on some of his older videos, yous will oft see him referring to his "whiteboard of goals" he had hanging in his room. I remember when one of those goals was to reach 20,000 subscribers, and at the fourth dimension, I idea it was a ridiculous and impossible goal because how small and unpolished his channel was. Call back well-nigh that.
Fact: having a web log will assistance
Desire to know the secret of condign an extremely successful machine reviewer on YouTube? Create a blog to accompany your channel!
Trust me on this. Despite all of the things you've heard virtually blogging beingness "dead", information technology'due south completely untrue. Blogging has never been more pop, and as a affair of fact, it has the possibility to exist far more assisting than a YouTube channel. This is because you lot are in 100% control of your blog. It'south 100% yours, you telephone call the shots, and you can monetize it any manner you come across fit.
A weblog also serves as a mechanism to attract attention from those who would have never have found your YouTube aqueduct in the start place. Google search engine traffic and YouTube traffic are two completely split animals, and you are going to notice major success if y'all can capture them both.
The best part almost having a blog to go along with a YouTube channel is that it's not all that difficult to create content for. A strategy that works for me is to create a written version of my about popular videos, sprinkling in a few pictures and additional comments along the way (m7 2016 Hertz Shelby Mustang GT-H review is a good example of this). There are too a lot of really good companies out in that location who tin can transcribe your videos for you if yous don't have a time, simply really it's non all that difficult to exercise yourself. No matter how you practice it though, it behooves you to go the blog up and running as before long equally you lot can.
An added benefit of having a blog to go with your automotive YouTube channel is the fact that yous volition appear to be more established and professional in the eyes of the car dealerships and automobile manufacturers that you lot reach out to.
3 practiced resources for becoming a car review YouTuber (and blogger):
Fix to get started? Here is a list of some handy resources that would have helped me when I was starting my YouTube channel (and blog). Yous certainly don't need to use all of this stuff, but each of these will help to accelerate your growth if you're willing to invest the time and free energy into them:
1. A skilful mentor
Having a clear moving-picture show of what y'all're trying to do is very important when starting out. For that, look no farther than Matt Maran's YouTube channel.
Of all the contained car review channels on YouTube right now, Matt is doing it the best IMHO. As you lot will run across after watching merely a few of his videos, he has a very clear and consequent mode between every review. He is the YouTube machine review main as far every bit I'chiliad concerned, and yous tin can learn a lot from him.
ii. A actually good camera
The fact of the matter is that you will look more than legitimate if your video quality is expert. Here are the cameras that you should be considering if reviewing cars on YouTube is something you want to get serious about:
| Image | Championship | Prime number | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Canon PowerShot G7X Mark Three Digital 4K Vlogging Camera, Vertical 4K Video Support with Wi-Fi, NFC and 3.0-Inch Touch on Tilt LCD, Blackness | Prime Eligible | Check Price |
 | GoPro HERO9 Blackness - Waterproof Activity Camera with Front LCD and Touch Rear Screens, 5K Ultra Hard disk drive Video, 20MP Photos, 1080p Live Streaming, Webcam, Stabilization | Prime Eligible | Check Cost |
 | Catechism EOS Rebel T7 DSLR Photographic camera with 18-55mm Lens | Born Wi-Fi|24.1 MP CMOS Sensor |DIGIC 4+ Image Processor and Full Hard disk drive Videos | Prime Eligible | Check Price |
 | Sony ZV-i Camera for Content Creators, Vlogging and YouTube with Flip Screen and Microphone | Prime Eligible | Check Cost |
 | Panasonic LUMIX G7KS 4K Mirrorless Camera, 16 Megapixel Digital Camera, 14-42 mm Lens Kit, DMC-G7KS | Prime Eligible | Check Price |
The GoPro line of cameras is the best "step up from a smartphone" for beginners just starting to do automobile reviews. It'south small, cheap, and has extremely good image quality. The image stabilization is the best part though. Nobody likes watching shaky videos, and the GoPro Hero 9 is the king of stable video at this moment.
3. Web hosting
Trust me – information technology'due south non worth fighting. You lot aregoing to need a blog if you want whatever credibility in this business concern. Not simply that, it may end up being your largest source of income over time, since it's your Domicile on the internet. Don't put all your eggs into the YouTube basket, since yous are playing by their rules and they tin can change them at whatsoever fourth dimension. FYI, I use WP Engine to host driveandreview.com, and I couldn't be whatsoever happier. It just works.
Final thoughts
If you have a life long passion for cars and a conclusion to make your hobby a career, becoming a car reviewer on YouTube is 1 of your best opportunities to make it happen. It besides happens to be i of the opportunities with the everyman barriers of entry. If you've got a smartphone and access to at to the lowest degree one car, you've got everything you need to become started.
I should as well note that having an engaging personality will become forth manner towards building the success of your channel. Information technology's OK to be impuissant on camera, but as long every bit you let your personality smoothen through, you lot'll do fine. The skillful news is that if you lot proceed it up, you'll naturally go better and a lot more comfortable.
No matter how clumsy and nerdy you seem, just remember to take fun and smile. I am nearly as clumsy and nerdy every bit anyone can get on photographic camera, but I go far a signal to joke around equally much every bit I can to keep the mood light and interesting. A dry personality won't get you very far on YouTube!
Anyway, feel gratis to reach out to me if you take any specific questions almost starting an automotive review channel of your own. I've gained a lot of experience building the DriveAndReview make, and I'd exist happy to offering assistance.
At present get out there and offset filming!
Source: https://www.driveandreview.com/how-to-become-a-car-reviewer-on-youtube/
Post a Comment for "How to Become a Car Reviewer on Youtube"