Erika Kullberg now has greater than two million subscribers on YouTube and over 21 million followers throughout her social media accounts — however 5 years in the past, she began off at zero subscribers, similar to all new YouTube creators.
Kullberg makes private finance movies for YouTube, Instagram, Fb, and TikTok, with content material centered on serving to folks get what they’re owed and sharing private finance anecdotes from her personal life, like why she give up a $250,000 job in company legislation.
She says of all of the platforms she posts on, she makes the most cash from YouTube.
Kullberg has made greater than $353,000 from YouTube prior to now 5 years, not together with model sponsorships and earlier than taxes.
Credit score: Erika Kullberg
It took her about three months of posting one YouTube video per week to get her first thousand subscribers and qualify for monetization. That is fairly quick: For reference, information on the VidIQ channel exhibits that it takes about 15.5 months on common for YouTubers to get monetized.
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Kullberg shared the secrets and techniques behind her YouTube channel’s quick observe to progress in an interview with Entrepreneur.
Entrepreneur: Was there a mindset or something you probably did strategically to assist your channel stand out and get monetized?
Kullberg: After I first began YouTube, I dedicated to placing out one video per week for one yr it doesn’t matter what. As a result of what I see a number of occasions for YouTube is folks put out 5 movies after which they’re so discouraged that they don’t seem to be magically at a thousand subscribers after 5 movies that they simply hand over. So 52 movies. That was an enormous mindset factor.
One other factor that I did was examine and analyze YouTube channels earlier than I launched my very own. I spotted the significance of getting the precise thumbnail and getting the precise title. It additionally needs to be a subject that you just’re tremendous obsessed with.
It took me three months to hit a thousand subscribers and that was after placing in a single video per week. For every video, I used to be spending 15 to twenty hours.
How might somebody discover a YouTube area of interest that may quickly develop? Are there any instruments or analysis techniques you’d advocate as they scope out the sector?
For the area of interest, I might say do not base your content material on what has the prospect to quickly develop. Base it off of what you are obsessed with. I do assume metric to grasp how massive the potential market is seeing how massive the largest folks in that area of interest are… that provides you with a tough sense of how huge the area of interest is.
After which when you’re particularly serious about construct cash by YouTube, use it to both complement your present revenue or finally substitute your revenue, I might even be serious about how worthwhile that area of interest could possibly be, not simply in YouTube advert income, which is one approach to earn cash, however in different alternatives too. Might you grow to be an affiliate marketer?
Should you’re a gardening channel, then you can promote gardening provides and perhaps earn a fee off of that. That is internet affiliate marketing. So, considering two steps forward of what’s the potential for me to not solely develop this channel and get subscribers, however to become profitable.
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The YouTube search bar is your greatest software. There are paid instruments that YouTubers use. The three paid instruments that come to thoughts are TubeBuddy, VidIQ, after which ViewStats.com.
What sort of preparation did you do earlier than you posted your first video?
I analyzed what different movies had been doing. One of many workouts I might advocate everybody do is to go discover the people who find themselves speaking about the identical factor that you just wish to discuss to.
Listing them out after which go to their YouTube movies and type by fashionable movies. That begins to provide you an thought of what sort of viral subjects there are in your movies.
On the level you are at now, how do you make sure that your channel retains rising?
For me, I feel naturally when you hold placing out content material, it can continue to grow. It might not all the time develop on the identical tempo. Like, for example, within the private finance area, if you wish to get essentially the most views, you want to discuss issues which are trending and keep on high of the stylish subjects.
However I’ve form of shifted to a unique path with my channel, so I create content material that I am involved in speaking about as an alternative.
How do you steadiness YouTube and different ventures, like your authorized tech startup Plug and Regulation?
When you begin making a living for YouTube, you possibly can determine what you might be uniquely positioned to do, after which what you possibly can rent out.
So after I first began YouTube, I used to be training as a lawyer full-time, and doing YouTube as my facet interest for 20 hours every week on high of that.
Credit score: Erika Kullberg
I edited the primary video myself and it took me 20 hours to learn to edit. After which one other 10 hours to edit that video. So then I employed an editor.
As I began to earn some revenue from YouTube, I used to be capable of rent out totally different elements of it. So I used to be capable of rent an individual who designs thumbnails. I discovered rent and delegate duties. I’ve many individuals on my workforce now who assist me, but it surely did not begin that means.
You used to work in company legislation. What recommendation do you’ve gotten for somebody serious about a profession change?
Be sure you have the funds for to do it. Should you’re serious about leaving or altering your profession or quitting to grow to be an entrepreneur, begin saving up.
If you can begin exploring your facet interest on the weekends, hopefully, that facet interest, as quickly because it begins producing revenue commonly, can grow to be your essential factor and you’ll give up your job.
Do you ever remorse leaving that company life behind?
I’ve by no means as soon as regretted leaving the company world behind.
I turned a lawyer as a result of I wished to assist folks, and I wished to make a distinction. However being a company lawyer did not fulfill that for me, and I did not love having my time dictated and managed by a boss. I really feel very, very fortunate and I by no means remorse taking the leap to be right here. Depart behind the company life and the flamboyant paycheck.
Credit score: Erika Kullberg
Do you’ve gotten some other recommendation for entrepreneurs who wish to begin and develop a YouTube channel?
I might say be clear in your mission, perceive the monetization route, perceive that outcomes are usually not going to be quick, it’s most likely going to take you twice as lengthy to get to no matter subscriber rely you are hoping for, and so be affected person and perceive that it is a number of work.
To present context, I neglect the precise numbers, but it surely took me three months to hit a thousand subscribers, it took me one other three months to hit 2,000, after which in a month, between months 5 and 6, I went from 2,000 to 52,000 subscribers, roughly, and made $20,000 that month from YouTube.
That was a mix of YouTube, advert income, associates, and sponsorships. So, you are only one video away from altering the trajectory of your future. Be affected person and do not hand over.
This interview has been lower and edited for readability.
