“I want to start a YouTube Channel”

I see and hear a lot of people who own campervans or motorhomes that want to “start a YouTube channel”.

Do you though? Do you really? Think of what you actually want.

You consider it cool because you see others doing it and watch it on TV. You consider it cool because you think the people on your TV are really living the life they are portraying to you. Do you consider EastEnders to be real? Well let me tell you, vanlife YouTube isnt either.

Maybe you see others doing it and think, “I could do it better than that” or “Our van is better than theirs” or maybe “they just film this on a phone, we could easily do that”. Maybe all 3 of them things are accurate, but that should not be why you want to do it.

The thought of bringing some much needed direction and something to do on your trips might sound entertaining but again, people simply do not have any idea what this “job” entails and confuse it with what they really want.

Some might say, “I dont want to do it for a job, just as a hobby and to make videos because I want to. I wouldnt care whether it gets views” to you id say, Do you make videos for yourself now? If the answer is no then id say that more that likely, you are lying to yourself.

Unless you love making videos, creating content that you would want to create anyway, for nobody else but yourself. Then I guarantee this is not for you. Even if you done it and made some headway, you would be doing it for the wrong reasons.

My channel

I have been creating videos since I was 13, initially focusing on computer games, attempting to turn them into short movies. Later, I produced content for an older YouTube channel about other gaming topics. Eventually, I began making videos for myself and Dani as a way to preserve memories of our trips away. These videos were edited in the same style as the ones I upload now, even though they were shot just for us. However, I grew tired of seeing countless positive reviews of the campervan I own, which were largely paid promotions lacking in honesty. So, I decided to share my genuine opinion.

This is where the problem started...

The video went viral, attracting over 500,000 views and a significant number of subscribers (some of you may even be reading this now). But this success presented a major issue. Because now, I actually wanted to “do” YouTube.

Once I met the monetisation requirements, I even started earning money from it – around £450 per month, with numerous companies wanting to send me products in exchange for a review. I had become an official YouTuber... but did I really want to be?

Only one way to go from the top

I was aware that the views wouldn't remain as high as they initially were, and sure enough, they dropped. Things slowed down, but after producing many more videos, I realised that I most enjoyed making the traditional style of vanlife vlogs. So, that's what I focused on.

The problem I now faced was the feeling that I had to make videos. Each trip away felt like work; it was no longer just a trip away.

Work that doesnt pay

Although I've made a detailed video on this topic, which is linked here, I thought I'd quickly break things down for anyone who hasn't watched the video.

If a road trip is for 'work', as creating YouTube travel vlogs is, then it must be a viable business. It needs to make financial sense.

With that in mind, I have broken down the financial aspects of a single video (the numbers are accurate as of the time of writing this post).

Video:
“Nobody Visits Here!”
Published 28th July 2023.

Time taken:
6 days for the trip itself (8 hours per day x2 people) and 3 days of editing at home. (8 hours per day x 1 person)
(96 hours)

Trip cost:
2.5 tanks of fuel and a return ferry to Isle of Arran.
(Fuel: £250, Ferry Tickets: £50)

Revenue Earnings:
£102.53 (Since publishing)

As you can see, before taking any “wages” we are -£197.47 down.
If we then calculate the 96 hours worked based even on a minimum wage (£10.42). We get total a loss of -£1,197.79 for the trip.

So then why do it?

This brings me neatly back to my original point.

If you aren't currently shooting videos, if you don't love making videos, if you're indifferent to creating videos that might earn you nothing and that nobody else may watch, then don't do it. It's not for you.

What about if I treat it as a job?

This decision hinges on the viability of generating revenue.

How valuable is your time? Can you afford to dedicate the time necessary to grow a channel to the point where it becomes profitable? What if it takes two years to even get monetised? What if it takes five years to earn over £1,000 per month?

Could you have invested that time and resources into something else and achieved greater success in the same period?

These are questions to which you need to know the answers. Pursuing YouTube is desirable, akin to aspiring to be a footballer or a writer. But how much do you really want it? You can't just desire the end result without being prepared to work for it.