There are several fishing channels here on the forums. Wow! ThatΓÇÖs great news. People of all sorts are seeing the power in YouTube to build brands and carve a niche for themselves.
However, many anglers start a YouTube channel and realize that our niche is different than others. These difficulties add to hardship of building a YouTube channel from nothing. YouΓÇÖll have to figure out how to deal with each of these in order to grow your channel. Here are a few things IΓÇÖve learned over the past seven years.
1. WeΓÇÖre Seasonal
Yup! You know it, and donΓÇÖt give me this, ΓÇ£Just do ice fishing.ΓÇ¥ Lakes and rivers donΓÇÖt freeze in a subtropical climate! Also the fish only bite during certain times of the year/month. If you live in a cold climate, the hot months are going to be slow for you. If youΓÇÖre in a warm climate, like the southeastern USA, the cold months will be slow.
SOLUTION: Make seasonal content. In other words schedule out your year. For instance in the summer months shoot primarily on the water fishing content. In the winter shoot tutorials, product reviews or host weekly live streams at home. (More on content types later.)
2. We Travel
Yup! Unless you live on the lake/river or live on a nice farm pond, youΓÇÖre gonna have to gas up the truck and haul all over creation to get to a fishing spot. Travel adds expense to any YouTube channel. As a musician in a former life, I hated being on the road all the time.
SOLUTION: Focus on your home waters, places to fish near you to reduce time on the road and travel expenses. Travel, meals and entertainment are considered business expenses. You can write some off on taxes. (Please consult an accountant for tax advice.)
Also plan your trips around the new and full moons if possible. Usually the fishing is best, and you can get a lot excellent footage without trying too hard.
Film two or three videos while youΓÇÖre out there. Make the best use of the time.
3. Fishing and Filming DonΓÇÖt Mix
Goodness! I canΓÇÖt tell you the number of fish lost trying to get the camera rolling. Other days there was excellent fishing, but didnΓÇÖt bother to film because it would have slowed down the fishing. You canΓÇÖt win. Fishing gets in the way of filming. Filming gets in the way of fishing.
SOLUTION: Get a camera boat. All your Saturday morning fishing shows use a second boat with a camera crew in it. ThatΓÇÖs the most professional solution, but not practical for mere mortals like us. Also fishing/filming from the bank is much easier than the boat. Consider a series of bank fishing episodes.
IΓÇÖve chosen to have certain days for filming and certain days for fishing. If the fishing is very slow that day, IΓÇÖll just focus on filming B-roll, e.g., extra footage. If the fishing is hot, then IΓÇÖll focus on action of catching fish.
I have also chosen a documentary film style called evidentiary editing. In other words I will shoot whatever I can via a-roll and b-roll on the river, then get home and interview myself. From there I cut the whole thing together like an interview-style documentary film.
4. Content Types
This is a good time to talk about content types for fishing channels. Go through your boat, tackle box, your truck and garage. Pick out everything related to fishing. These will form the basis of your content. Any of these items can be made into one of the following forms of content:
ΓÇó Fishing Content
ΓÇó Product Reviews
ΓÇó Tutorials/How-to Content
ΓÇó Customer Support Content
ΓÇó Sales Videos ( including affiliate Links)
HereΓÇÖs what I mean:
5. Fishing Content
Old-fashioned, on the water content has been pay dirt for many a YouTube fishing channel. You have as many ways to do this as are ways to fish. I choose to shoot in a documentary-film style. Some choose to shoot action, e.g., epic hooksets, epic battle, epic slooooow moooooooooooow. Some choose to make a simple vlog out of each trip. Your best bet is to study a book titled: ΓÇ£How to Shoot Video that DoesnΓÇÖt SuckΓÇ¥ by Steve Stockman. YouΓÇÖll get about two years worth of film school out of that book. Whatever direction you choose, learn the basics of video first, then branch out into whatever style you prefer.
6. Product Reviews
Take the most frequent products, tools and fishing supplies you use and make a product review out of it. Anglers are always looking for new toys or for an honest look at a certain lure or rig theyΓÇÖve been considering.
These products often have an established brand, good SEO and a people group looking for fresh content on whatever piece of gear theyΓÇÖre looking to buy. Your review could be a way to get a foot in the door that seems closed to so many new YouTubers.
7. Tutorials/How-to Content
Take your fishing gear and teach others how to use it. Or, teach a new spin on an old rig or lure. This is how my entire handline reel making business started. For instance I fish with handlines, lures and live bait. IΓÇÖll also use a fly rod with live bait. Sometimes combining different methods can lead to a whole new tactic that fish havenΓÇÖt seen before. Giving you a leg up in your home waters. Teach other s to do it, and you can build up your channel. In fact the entire catfish drifting method took off on YouTube because a guy named Steve Douglas started teaching what an old guy taught him years ago.
8. Customer Support Content
This is very similar to tutorial content, but is more oriented toward companies or people who have designed and sold their own products. Every company hears the same questions over and over. Take those questions and make helpful content out of it. Answer your customerΓÇÖs or potential customerΓÇÖs questions via video will help build raving fans out of your existing customer base.
9. Sales Videos
Every fishing channel should have some kind of product or service to offer your subscribers. YouΓÇÖll make far more money doing that than relying on Google ads. Now, donΓÇÖt spam, buy-my-stuff videos. This is neither QVC, nor a used car lot!
Sales videos should come from a desire to solve a burning problem or provide a service that is lacking in the marketplace but the desire or demand for that service is high.
10. Use TubeBuddy
Everything listed above is made much easier with TubeBuddy. If you have a specific bait thatΓÇÖs hot, catching tons of fish, use TubeBuddy to find exactly what people are searching for on that bait. The same goes with your boat, motor, truck, rods, reels, lures, flies, weights, rigs, jackets, hats, belts, wallets, life jackets or whatever. There is a way to optimize is via TubeBuddy.
DonΓÇÖt expect immediate views, but when next season comes, your content will be at the top, and your videos will get watched. That will lead to more views, subscribers, fans, customers and an increased bank account. (Your mileage may vary.)
Get to work!
Damon
However, many anglers start a YouTube channel and realize that our niche is different than others. These difficulties add to hardship of building a YouTube channel from nothing. YouΓÇÖll have to figure out how to deal with each of these in order to grow your channel. Here are a few things IΓÇÖve learned over the past seven years.
1. WeΓÇÖre Seasonal
Yup! You know it, and donΓÇÖt give me this, ΓÇ£Just do ice fishing.ΓÇ¥ Lakes and rivers donΓÇÖt freeze in a subtropical climate! Also the fish only bite during certain times of the year/month. If you live in a cold climate, the hot months are going to be slow for you. If youΓÇÖre in a warm climate, like the southeastern USA, the cold months will be slow.
SOLUTION: Make seasonal content. In other words schedule out your year. For instance in the summer months shoot primarily on the water fishing content. In the winter shoot tutorials, product reviews or host weekly live streams at home. (More on content types later.)
2. We Travel
Yup! Unless you live on the lake/river or live on a nice farm pond, youΓÇÖre gonna have to gas up the truck and haul all over creation to get to a fishing spot. Travel adds expense to any YouTube channel. As a musician in a former life, I hated being on the road all the time.
SOLUTION: Focus on your home waters, places to fish near you to reduce time on the road and travel expenses. Travel, meals and entertainment are considered business expenses. You can write some off on taxes. (Please consult an accountant for tax advice.)
Also plan your trips around the new and full moons if possible. Usually the fishing is best, and you can get a lot excellent footage without trying too hard.
Film two or three videos while youΓÇÖre out there. Make the best use of the time.
3. Fishing and Filming DonΓÇÖt Mix
Goodness! I canΓÇÖt tell you the number of fish lost trying to get the camera rolling. Other days there was excellent fishing, but didnΓÇÖt bother to film because it would have slowed down the fishing. You canΓÇÖt win. Fishing gets in the way of filming. Filming gets in the way of fishing.
SOLUTION: Get a camera boat. All your Saturday morning fishing shows use a second boat with a camera crew in it. ThatΓÇÖs the most professional solution, but not practical for mere mortals like us. Also fishing/filming from the bank is much easier than the boat. Consider a series of bank fishing episodes.
IΓÇÖve chosen to have certain days for filming and certain days for fishing. If the fishing is very slow that day, IΓÇÖll just focus on filming B-roll, e.g., extra footage. If the fishing is hot, then IΓÇÖll focus on action of catching fish.
I have also chosen a documentary film style called evidentiary editing. In other words I will shoot whatever I can via a-roll and b-roll on the river, then get home and interview myself. From there I cut the whole thing together like an interview-style documentary film.
4. Content Types
This is a good time to talk about content types for fishing channels. Go through your boat, tackle box, your truck and garage. Pick out everything related to fishing. These will form the basis of your content. Any of these items can be made into one of the following forms of content:
ΓÇó Fishing Content
ΓÇó Product Reviews
ΓÇó Tutorials/How-to Content
ΓÇó Customer Support Content
ΓÇó Sales Videos ( including affiliate Links)
HereΓÇÖs what I mean:
5. Fishing Content
Old-fashioned, on the water content has been pay dirt for many a YouTube fishing channel. You have as many ways to do this as are ways to fish. I choose to shoot in a documentary-film style. Some choose to shoot action, e.g., epic hooksets, epic battle, epic slooooow moooooooooooow. Some choose to make a simple vlog out of each trip. Your best bet is to study a book titled: ΓÇ£How to Shoot Video that DoesnΓÇÖt SuckΓÇ¥ by Steve Stockman. YouΓÇÖll get about two years worth of film school out of that book. Whatever direction you choose, learn the basics of video first, then branch out into whatever style you prefer.
6. Product Reviews
Take the most frequent products, tools and fishing supplies you use and make a product review out of it. Anglers are always looking for new toys or for an honest look at a certain lure or rig theyΓÇÖve been considering.
These products often have an established brand, good SEO and a people group looking for fresh content on whatever piece of gear theyΓÇÖre looking to buy. Your review could be a way to get a foot in the door that seems closed to so many new YouTubers.
7. Tutorials/How-to Content
Take your fishing gear and teach others how to use it. Or, teach a new spin on an old rig or lure. This is how my entire handline reel making business started. For instance I fish with handlines, lures and live bait. IΓÇÖll also use a fly rod with live bait. Sometimes combining different methods can lead to a whole new tactic that fish havenΓÇÖt seen before. Giving you a leg up in your home waters. Teach other s to do it, and you can build up your channel. In fact the entire catfish drifting method took off on YouTube because a guy named Steve Douglas started teaching what an old guy taught him years ago.
8. Customer Support Content
This is very similar to tutorial content, but is more oriented toward companies or people who have designed and sold their own products. Every company hears the same questions over and over. Take those questions and make helpful content out of it. Answer your customerΓÇÖs or potential customerΓÇÖs questions via video will help build raving fans out of your existing customer base.
9. Sales Videos
Every fishing channel should have some kind of product or service to offer your subscribers. YouΓÇÖll make far more money doing that than relying on Google ads. Now, donΓÇÖt spam, buy-my-stuff videos. This is neither QVC, nor a used car lot!
Sales videos should come from a desire to solve a burning problem or provide a service that is lacking in the marketplace but the desire or demand for that service is high.
10. Use TubeBuddy
Everything listed above is made much easier with TubeBuddy. If you have a specific bait thatΓÇÖs hot, catching tons of fish, use TubeBuddy to find exactly what people are searching for on that bait. The same goes with your boat, motor, truck, rods, reels, lures, flies, weights, rigs, jackets, hats, belts, wallets, life jackets or whatever. There is a way to optimize is via TubeBuddy.
DonΓÇÖt expect immediate views, but when next season comes, your content will be at the top, and your videos will get watched. That will lead to more views, subscribers, fans, customers and an increased bank account. (Your mileage may vary.)
Get to work!
Damon
