What Emily Noel Knows For Sure About YouTube After 10+ Years and Nearly a Million Subscribers: The YouTube Power Hour Podcast 146
“Be very in tune with who you are and what makes you special, and stick with it.”
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Have you ever wished you had the wisdom of YouTube powerhouse? On this episode, Emily Noel shares how she got into YouTube and stayed on top in the beauty & makeup niche consistently for over 10 years, gaining almost 1 million subscribers. This is part 1 of a 2-part series, and we cover everything!
When Emily Noel started on YouTube in 2007, it was a fun hobby that helped her to blow off steam after a long day at her job as a news anchor at the local ABC affiliate. After seeing the impact she was having on her viewers, her explosive growth and the opening of YouTube’s partnership program, Emily Noel decided to go full time into YouTube in December 2012.
“If what you’re saying isn’t beneficial or helpful and it’s only self-serving… it’s just the wrong direction.”
Emily Noel’s passion for sharing unbiased beauty and makeup tips and reviews has kept her going strong on YouTube for over 10 years! Her videos have amassed more than 170 million views and she has 960 thousand subscribers (and counting!) to her channel, Beauty Broadcast. She consistently releases 4 videos a week, one being a vlog where she shares her mommy life with her husband and two daughters in Illinois.
“If you want to build up that following of people, you’ve got to give them material on a regular basis.”
Emily places her relationship with her viewers as her highest priority and for that reason, she has done zero brand deals in her 10+ year YouTube career, which is almost unheard of in her space. She believes that any brand that dictates how she should review their products and disrupts her authentic connection, is not a brand she wants to work with.
“You have to be thinking all the time “How am I benefiting the audience?” Because that’s who’s keeping you afloat.”
7 Key Interview Takeaways
- Consistency is key. One of the biggest growth builders on YouTube, and anywhere really, is consistency. Showing up when you say you will is super important to create trust and expectation with your audience. Emily mentioned that she took a month off early in her YouTube career and the feedback she received from her viewers really taught her how valuable consistency is.
- Brand deals can be good, but also bad. Be careful of the strings attached to your brand deal. Priority #1 is always to your audience and showing up authentically to them because that relationship is why brands come calling in the first place. Ensure you’re weighing the pros and cons of a brand deal against your authenticity. It might be worth a pass if brands are dictating terms that don’t resonate with you.
- Be yourself, don’t mimic other people’s style. There are people out there who are searching for your unique voice, style and perspective, and they aren’t going to find you if you’re copying someone else. While you’re adapting to what works on YouTube, try to strip away the parts that aren’t you and let your own light shine.
- Be truthful with your audience. Have your own creative ideas and come up with ideas that fit you. Don’t represent a side on a topic you don’t actually believe in, just because it’s popular. It might win in the short term, but ultimately you’ll lose in the long term. Don’t put yourself in a compromised position to be exposed in the future.
- You can get by with less equipment than you think. After 10+ years, Emily Noel still has a super simple video setup. She didn’t let equipment stop her from getting over 170 million views and you shouldn’t let it stop you either. You don’t need fancy equipment or software (she still edits with iMovie) to grow your channel. It could actually create more appeal by not being over-produced.
- Don’t stress yourself out at the start. YouTubing is a marathon, not a sprint. You want to ensure you’re consistent, but not at the cost of your sanity, quality or creativity. If you can’t start posting 4 times a week without pulling your hair out, just start with one and work your way up slowly.
- Listen to your audience. Take a viewer-first mentality. Your audience tells you what they like when they like your videos, but they may also comment or reach out to you on another platform. While you’re thinking about how your content can benefit them more, listen to their feedback and give them what they ask for. Satisfying them will help you grow closer to them and grow your channel. Start asking your audience for feedback if you aren’t doing that already.
Emily Noel’s Favorite Items Mentioned in the Podcast!
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”2772245″]
Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing Industrial Strength Concealer | Olay 5-in-1 Daily Facial Cloths | e.l.f. Slant Tweezer | Tweezerman Rose Gold Classic Lash Curler
Resources
My favorite free SEO tool for YouTube: TubeBuddy
PR Guide: How to Get onto PR Lists and Get Lots of Free Product
Getting Started on YouTube: The #1 Downloaded Free Niche Discovery Workbook
Connect with Emily Noel
Facebook Group:
Podcast Music Credit: Boop by x50 @x50music
Music provided by Free Music for Vlogs youtu.be/o52xQkQWzyU
