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Are you a fan of true crime? If so, you are certainly not alone. I know I am one of the many true crime fans as well.
And given the sheer amount of interest in true crime, there is definitely an audience for true crime content. Because of this, we have talked before about how to start a true crime podcast.
But what about starting a true crime YouTube channel? This can be a wonderful choice if you feel very comfortable in front of the camera. You (and potentially a co-host or co-hosts) could get in front of the camera discussing cases.
Or you could use the video format to help explain parts of the case in ways you can’t on a podcast. For example, maybe there are police photos you are talking about that you could share in the video. Maybe there are clips from news stations with interviews you could include in the video.
There are a lot of different ways you can go with this. You could cover a new case every week. You could focus on crime from a specific area or a specific kind of true crime (such as missing person cases or crimes with black female victims, for example). Or you could do a more general one. Really, the choice is yours.
What You’ll Need
But whatever you choose, there will be certain things you need to make your podcast. You could use your phone to tape it, but if you want to upgrade from that, you could check out this list of affordable cameras. If you do use your cell phone, you might want to consider getting selfie ring lights with a cell phone holder to not only hold up your cellphone, but to help with the lighting.
You could consider getting a microphone and a pop filter to help the sound quality.
If you are making the video from your home and you’re not keen on everyone seeing say your room or kitchen, you can also consider getting a green screen.
Then you’ll also want video editing software. You can find a coupon for video editing software here.
Earning Money From Your Channel
Another decision you’ll need to make when starting your YouTube channel is whether or not you want to earn money from the channel. Earning money from a YouTube channel can obviously be a great thing. It can be great extra money on the side – or it could even become your main job.
You can make money off of YouTube ads run during your videos. Or you could consider doing affiliate marketing. Or both!
But however you decide to earn money, the important thing to remember is that if you do earn money you’ll need to start a business. You’ll need to look into your local laws to find out what you’ll need to do in order to form a business and pay taxes on your earnings.
You also should consider protecting yourself legally. Hopefully, no one would sue you over what you see in your videos, but when dealing with true crime it could happen and you’ll want to be protected so you won’t lose your house or your car or anything.
One way to protect yourself is to form an LLC. I have done this with every business I have started. You can find out the advantages (and disadvantages) from forming an LLC here.
Starting a Website
You might want to consider starting a website or blog alongside your YouTube channel. It could even include transcripts or recaps of your videos. You could do affiliate marketing on this website, too.
