This weekend I returned home from a week-long trip to NYC with YouTube. And, further proof that I fail at being a proper blogger most the time, I took about a total of 4 pictures while there.
Seriously, someone should take away my “blogger” title.
Either way, I wanted to tell you all about my week. So, lack of photos or not, here we go.
In case you missed it on the insta – I was picked by YouTube for their NextUp competition. This is a 5-day crash course where YouTube picks a handful of growing YouTubers and brings them to one of their YouTube Spaces. I was at YouTube Space NYC, but they also do it in LA, London, and their other spaces around the globe. The goal is to learn about video production right alongside other budding creators.
To get into NextUp you have to apply. There is an application process and it’s open for creators between 10,000 and 100,000 subscribers. The real mission of the program is for YouTube to help creators learn more about creating videos, improve their video production, and help them, grow their channels – which is why it’s for “mid-level” creators. I applied a few months back and honestly didn’t really think twice about it. I barely had time to proof-read my answers to the questions and did NOT expect I’d be getting a call back about it. When I received the email a few weeks ago that I was picked, I was totally caught off guard.
And that’s how I wound up on an AmTrak train headed for Penn Station, NYC, last Sunday. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was about to get into, but excited to see what was in store nonetheless.
The first night I met up with a few of the other creators that were accepted into the program, thanks to twitter. It’s always so refreshing to be in the company of a group of people who do what you do. Whether it’s being with a group of bloggers or meeting up with other YouTubers, it’s nice to be able to babble on about analytics and watch time without someone staring at you like you’ve lost your mind.
The next morning we headed to the YouTube Space NYC which is above Chelsea Market on 9th Ave. It’s actually in the old Nabisco Factory and is a really cool building if you ever get the chance to visit. The first day we got to meet with all the other creators, I think there was about 20 of us all together. We also met up with our Production Manager Mentors and had time to discuss channel strategies.
The rest of the week was jam-packed with awesome training sessions, workshops, and lessons all around original video content. I learned about lighting techniques, audio, and filming best practices. There was also time to talk about pre-production techniques and tips for creating engaging content. The week gave me time to reflect on the content I make, think about my audience, and brainstorm ideas on how to further improve my craft.
Creating engaging, original video content is so important to me at But First, Coffee. I know that in 2017 and beyond the importance of having great original video content is just going to continue to grow. You may be getting tired of hearing me say this, but it’s so true. I know video is going to continue to grow and become more and more important for fellow bloggers and social media influencers.
That being said, I also know the idea of getting started making video is scary for some people. And others struggle once they start to get noticed. Luckily for you I have an awesome webinar coming up that’s going to help you go from blogging to video! It’s called YouTube for Bloggers and it’s going to be totally free if you want to join. I’ll be sharing a wealth of information from what I learned at NextUp, but also my own knowledge of being a blogger AND YouTuber. I’ll share tips for creating a channel, how to get video views, and how to create engaging video people want to watch.
PS. We did the mannequin challenge while at YouTube NYC because why not. Can you spot me? I’m the one who blinked and ruined everything. Seriously, Kallie, get with it.
