Getting Your Foot in the Channel’s Door: Must-Haves

Essential YouTube Equipment For Starting Your Channel - What Do You Really Need?

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Check out our most updated guide on this topic: YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners .

The first thing to make sure of before starting a YouTube channel is having all that you need to record and upload high-quality videos regularly. That doesn’t mean you have to take out a loan and spend thousands to purchase a brand new camera and all other gadgets that professional filmmakers use.

The smartest way to get started is to go through a list of necessary equipment for YouTube and check whether or not you already own some of it. Once your channel starts growing, you can then start thinking about whether you want to invest in upgraded equipment. Here is a quick overview of all items that you need to start entertaining your online audience and gaining subscribers to your YouTube channel:

Your YouTube Camera
Microphones and Audio
Lighting Gear for YouTube
Tripods and Camera Stands
Smartphone Camera Gear

YouTube Cameras

The short version: Use whatever you already have, even if it’s your phone or webcam. It’s nice to have sharp, fine-tuned, 4K footage, but viewers will forgive lower visual quality if your content is good.

The long version: You will need a camera, but there are a lot of different devices you can use including DSLRs, point and shoots, webcams, and your smartphone.

Your choice of camera will have a tremendous impact on the visual quality of your content and might drive your decisions regarding other pieces of equipment. However, you shouldn’t feel obliged to work with a top-notch camera from day one, especially since cheaper options can produce great results if used the right way.

On one end of the spectrum, you have basic smartphone cameras and web cameras, which are easy to come by and simple to operate. These days, high-end phones come equipped with quite powerful cameras that are more than sufficient for the needs of the average YouTuber. Better webcams can also do the job, although high-performance webcam models can get pretty expensive too. It is probably wise to resist the urge to start broadcasting with the built-in camera in your laptop and at least get a webcam or use your phone, but your computer’s camera is still always an option. Not having a better camera should never stop you from making YouTube videos.

If you already have a DSLR camera then it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it. You have far more freedom to adjust the settings and achieve a professional look for your videos with a DSLR, but that does mean it’ll take some time to become an expert at using it. Ultra-high resolution is not required for YouTube, but it certainly won’t hurt to have additional sharpness and more detail in the scene. If you’re shopping for a DSLR, look for one with a flip screen that allows you to quickly check what your viewers see.

YouTube Microphone and Audio

The short version: Audio quality is extremely important. If you can buy either a new camera or an external microphone, but not both, it might be better to go for the microphone. Click here for advice on upping your audio quality without an external microphone.

The long version: Sound capturing is every bit as important for your success as your video feed. In fact, poor audio can be even more damaging to your subscriber count than grainy video, since people won’t spend their time listening to something they have to put effort into understanding.

Again, most YouTube video makers have a limited budget at their disposal, so professional microphones are mostly off the table. However, investing in a directional microphone (‘shotgun mic’) that can pick up your voice clearly and without background noise is certainly a smart move. Such microphones can be pointed towards you while you speak, and since most YouTubers sit still while doing their shows there won’t be too much need for in-session adjustments.

If you’re not ready to invest in a shotgun mic, you can also find very inexpensive (often under $20) LAV mics. These small microphones can be pinned to your shirt, which allows them to record very clear dialogue because they’re so close to your mouth.

Lights for YouTube

The short version: You need as much light as you can get. Lighting kits can be affordable on Amazon, but you can also achieve a great look using daylight/windows and ‘daylight’ lightbulbs.

The long version: If you’ve ever tried to make a video indoors, you already know that it’s necessary to have additional light. Often just filming with the normal lights in a room will cause your footage to look dark and grainy, and possibly be tinted orange. To overcome these problems you need to increase the amount of light you have available.

Sometimes, it is enough to film near windows and/or bring more household lamps into your filming area. For any household lamps or lighting fixtures you use, make sure to put in white or ‘daylight’ lightbulbs instead of using the orange/tungsten bulbs that you might have for everyday use (this is how you avoid tinting things orange).

If you have the budget available to get some lighting equipment, you can find softbox lights or LED panel lights available fairly inexpensively online. Softbox lights are great because they provide even, diffused, light.

Another useful piece of lighting equipment to have is a reflector. A reflector is usually a piece of white, silver, or gold fabric stretched over a frame. You can use it to bounce light from one light source back towards yourself (this is a great way to fill shadows cast by your main light). Reflectors tend to be inexpensive, but you can also use white cardboard or tinfoil in place of purchasing a reflector.

Tripods and Camera Stands

The short version: You need something to hold your camera. If you mostly film in your own home that can be a desk or a stack of books, but if you make a lot of videos while you’re on the go you probably need a tripod or gimbal. Heavier cameras need heavier tripods.

The long version: While handheld cameras can deliver solid results for vloggers and casual streamers, viewers do expect reasonably stable footage. For many types of videos, the camera needs to be completely still and flatly positioned on a horizontal plane. Tripods and camera stands can cost very little, so it’s a good idea to look into getting some kind of stabilizer.

When you are choosing a tripod, pay attention to how much it weighs. If the camera that needs to be mounted on it is very heavy (like some DSLR models), you want to ensure that the structure itself weighs enough not to be easily tipped over. Too thin tripods can put your camera at risk, and that’s the last thing you want. Smaller cameras such as GoPros are more flexible in this regard and can be placed on a wider range of tripods.

Even if you are using a phone or a webcam to record YouTube videos, you should consider mounting the device on a stable stand. It is possible to find mini tripods ideal for smartphones for as little as $10. These tripods are small enough to carry in your pocket, so you will be prepared to start making a video no matter where your adventures take you. If you are using a web camera, you should attach it to the stand so that it won’t move accidentally after you touch the surface it is placed on.

## Smartphone Camera Gear

The short version: There’s a lot of gear out there designed with smartphone photos and videos in mind, including clip-on lenses, tripod mounts, phone-mounted LED lights, and inexpensive microphones that plug into the audio jack.

The long version: Recording your videos with a mobile phone can be a good decision. It all depends on the phone you have and the range of add-ons and apps that you complement it with. Almost every high-end model released in the past five years can shoot videos in 1080p or higher. Some can even produce 4K footage. If you perfect your smartphone filming technique, your YouTube videos could look as if they were made with pro equipment.

On the flip side, smartphone cameras typically perform poorly in low light. It is possible to download an app that lets you play around with settings to overcome this, but a phone-mounted LED light is probably a better solution. An external microphone might also be a necessity, but there are some good (inexpensive) options that can simply be plugged in through the headphone jack.

Another common downside of smartphone cameras is that most of them use digital zoom, which is vastly inferior to optical zoom. If you intend to shoot anything that’s further away than a few feet, you need a clip-on lens that goes on top of the built-in camera. This inexpensive device will give you a lot of freedom to work in space, and allow you to make spectacular shots even without high-end YouTube equipment.

Equipment with Easy-to-Use Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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Superior Scrutinizer of Top 8 Rankings Tracker

Make Quality YouTube Video with Wondershare Filmora

An easy and powerful video editor for YouTube Video

Numerous video and audio effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

As the second-largest search engine on the internet, people watch over one billion hours of content on this platform every day. This video-sharing platform has more than 2 billion active users, meaning it has the potential to increase brand awareness and boost your business. More than 92% of marketers surveyed stated videos play a crucial role in their marketing strategy. Rank tracking is essential if you want to achieve the top rankings on YouTube.

Why Do We Need to Check YouTube Ranking?

Allows You to Know if Your Videos Are Performing Well

The main goal of most users is to rank number one on search results. So checking your rank position will help you know if your videos appear on YouTube and Google’s top results. Most users watch videos on the top of search results. For this reason, if you are not ranking at the top of search results, you will miss out on traffic.

Knowing where you rank on search results will allow you to develop an effective strategy that will help you increase your views and grow your following.

Allows You to Know if Your Videos Are Performing Well

Knowing where you rank on search results will allow you to develop an effective strategy that will help you increase your views and grow your following.

Help You See Your Progress

Knowing that you are appearing on the top search results is a clear sign that you have optimized your video titles, description, and content for the right keywords. In turn, more people will view your videos, and your channel will gain more subscribers.

Allows You to Change Your Low Ranking State

If you are ranking low, you will know that you need to enhance user experience and optimize your content for relevance. You will change your content and ensure it is engaging and suitable for your target audience.

Question: What will affect the ranking of your YouTube video?

Some of the things that can affect the ranking of your YouTube videos include the quality of your content. If your video is large and not optimized for mobile devices, this can also affect your rank on search results.

Make Quality Video with Wondershare

Use Filmora to ensure your videos are high-quality and engaging. This video editing tool helps you make amazing videos that will keep your audience coming back to your channel for more content.

The software has features like color grading, customizable effects, and keyframe-based animation. You can include text and voice-overs. Additionally, the software allows you to remove video “noise.” The best part is: Filmora offers editing support for videos with 4K resolution.

You can use the software to increase the quality of your video and audio. Filmora also allows you to crop and decrease the size of your video to ensure users can watch them on their mobile devices.

Top 8 YouTube Rank Tracker

1. Geo Ranker

This YouTube video rank checker is a cost-effective solution that allows you to monitor your domestic and international rankings. Geo Ranker has over 30 different filters; it gives you the ability to pinpoint your targeted keywords in multiple languages and capture keywords for YouTube videos.

You can also monitor competitors’ backlinks, view top-performing YouTube videos, manage YouTube accounts, and much more. Best of all, it comes with a keyword suggestion tool to ensure you target the right keywords that people are searching for.

2. Rank Ranger

Rank Ranger is another popular YouTube video rank checker that allows users to monitor their rankings against competitors domestically and internationally. This tool provides the user with insight into their competitors’ rankings, views on how many clicks they are getting on their videos, and the ability to see where it counts towards your monthly statements. It also allows you to monitor one or more channels at once, set daily email alerts for new rankings, generate custom reports on keywords/videos for clients, and export to CSV.

3. VidIQ

Founded in 2011 by Todd Troxell and Rob Sandie, VidiQ is a SaaS product that allows you to monitor your rankings and see if you are doing the right thing. You can also use the tool to research keywords, view top-ranking videos in specific locations or globally, and compare your video against competitors’ videos. Additionally, this YouTube video rank checker allows you to view the number of times people clicked your video and identify if new keywords are becoming popular.

4. Link Assistant

Link Assistant comes with all the bells and whistles you would expect from a well-rounded YouTube rank checker. These include ranking data across multiple regions, custom reports, backlink checker report for your videos, keywords suggestion tool to drill down into specific search terms, and exporting to CSV.

5. Tube Buddy

Tube Buddy is a Chrome and Safari plugin that allows you to monitor your rankings against competitors. This YouTube rank checker also gives you the ability to track mobile views and likes on your videos. Additionally, you can find top-ranking videos for targeted keywords and get video insights such as estimated views, keyword rankings, preferences, and dislikes for any video on YouTube.

6. AccuRanker

With offices in Denmark, the UK, and the U.S., AccuRanker is an award-winning YouTube rank checker. With a user-friendly interface, analyzing and understanding your up-to-date rank tracking data on AccuRanker is a breeze.

After every 24 hours, you can check updated rankings. You can also refresh this tool on-demand any time you want to check how your keywords are ranking.

Moreover, this YouTube rank checker works with a range of third-party integration, meaning you can track everything from anywhere using any device.

7. YTCockpit

With this YouTube video rank checker, you can find keywords with a decent amount of search volume. Also, YTCockpit tells you how difficult or easy it is to rank for these keywords depending on the current competition. It allows you to plan your content according to the most searched for keywords.

Aggregating data from Google Ads and YouTube Suggest, this tool can analyze tons of videos per minute. And with each keyword it finds, this YouTube rank checker generates the top twenty ranking videos instantly.

8. Pro Rank Tracker

Since its inception in 2013, Pro Rank Tracker has been the go-to tool for people seeking reliable YouTube video rank checkers. The tool allows you to track your videos on Google and YouTube by choosing the relevant search engine. It gives you daily ranking updates, and there is also an option for on-demand refreshes. The platform is compatible with both mobile devices and PCs.

Conclusion

YouTube rank tracking tools help you monitor your rankings and see how well you are doing against your competitors. They allow you to check keyword positions and check the progress of your growth on YouTube.

Try It Free Try It Free

Why Do We Need to Check YouTube Ranking?

Allows You to Know if Your Videos Are Performing Well

Knowing where you rank on search results will allow you to develop an effective strategy that will help you increase your views and grow your following.

Allows You to Know if Your Videos Are Performing Well

Knowing where you rank on search results will allow you to develop an effective strategy that will help you increase your views and grow your following.