What You Need for Selling on YouTube
To sell on YouTube, you’ll need three things:
A video recording setup
YouTube is all about video, so of course, you’ll need a video recording setup to get started. However, this doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. You can create professional quality videos with a setup that costs under $1,000. This should include:
A camera: Pick something that can shoot at least 720p, though 1080p is recommended. Start with a webcam such as Logitech C920 (under $100). If you’re more serious, graduate to a digital camera such as Canon PowerShot 300HS (~$300) or a full-fledged camcorder like Canon Vixia iVis HFG20 (~$700).
A microphone: A good microphone will have a huge impact on your video quality. Choose a USB microphone for doing voiceovers. If you’re on a budget, pick something like the Samson Go Mic (under $100). For better quality, choose the Blue Yeti USB mic (~$200). If you have a camcorder, buy a shotgun mic from Takstar or Rode for enhanced sound quality.
A tripod: Unless you’re using the webcam, you’ll need a tripod to stabilize the video. You can usually find these for under $100, depending on your camera.
Lighting: Conventional overhead light casts shadows and isn’t appropriate for YouTube videos. Invest in a simple lighting setup such as the CowboyStudio set (under $100) to make your videos look more professional.
Backdrop: You can add some character to your videos by changing the background. A seamless sheet of colored paper works well, but if you’re more serious, get a photography background support stand and colored fabric to match. This shouldn’t cost you more than $100.
Video editing software: You likely won’t need any extensive editing features for simple videos. Movie Maker (Windows) or iMovie (Mac) should suffice for most users. If you want more power, try the AVS Video Editor or Adobe Lightworks.
Altogether, you can start with a decent camera, microphone and tripod combo for less than $500.