Monday, March 7, 2016

Advice from a YouTuber

Emily Wass is a sixteen-year-old YouTuber. In just over a year, her BWithEmMarie channel has built a following of over 36,000 subscribers. Please welcome Emily as she talks about YouTube and how writers might use it to build their online presence.

How did you get started with YouTube?

I got started with YouTube because I have always liked making videos. It gives me an opportunity to share something I love while helping other people along the way. 

What is your channel about?

On my channel I make primarily DIY and lifestyle videos. I use it as a way to help out younger girls and hopefully inspire them to pursue what they enjoy. 



How did you gain so many subscribers in such short period of time?

I gained subscribers by making videos that are popular and are known to get a lot of views, but then putting my own twist on it. This helped bring people to my channel and kept them interested.


How often do you watch other people’s YouTube channels and comment on their Instagram/Twitter/Facebook posts?

I watch other people's videos every day. I love seeing what other YouTubers create and get inspiration from it. I often comment on their social media because YouTube is a community where everyone generally supports each other. 


Do you think YouTube could be used as a way for children’s writers to promote their books? How might writers do this?

YouTube could definitely be used as a way for children's writers to promote their books. One of the best ways to do this would be by contacting YouTubers and having them talk about the book. It takes a lot of time and effort to build up an audience on YouTube, so having someone children already trust talk about a book would be the most beneficial. If a writer wants to post a video themself, they should make sure to include their face in it and talk directly to the camera. This will create a more personal relationship with viewers/potential readers.


Any other advice for writers hoping to use social media to build connections with readers and other writers?


To build a social media following, it is important to be consistent. Focus on posting at least once a week, depending on the social platform. Don't worry about being professional; instead, act like you're having a conversation with a friend. This will attract people to your social media and create a connection with them. Also, interact with everyone who comments on your posts. Reply to the comments and have conversations. The more genuine you are, the more people will be interested.

Thank you, Emily!

3 comments:

Shari Green said...

This is great, Emily. Thanks! The one and only video I've made was for when I was launching a book -- it turned out okay, but I think I'd be WAY more comfortable finding other youtubers to talk about my book, lol.

Mirka Breen said...

I do spend a lot of time on YouTube, where DD has her own channel as well. Lovely to see some so young and so creative and enterprising.

WendyMcLeodMacKnight said...

This is so interesting! Thanks for sharing Emily with us Stefanie!