4 YouTube Channels to Inspire Your Content for 2024

As the year draws to a close and we begin goal setting for 2024, this is the best time to start consuming as much content as possible to draw inspiration and learn from the other experts in my field.?

If you’re thinking of creating content in 2024 and want to dip your toe in the world of YouTube, it will be the most rewarding journey you can go on. Whether you’re a filmmaker, marketer, entrepreneur or all-out creative - YouTube will test your skills and enhance your career/business.?

For those regulars who read my blog, you’ll know my obsession with YouTube (so much of an obsession that I made it my job); I’ve been avidly watching and studying YouTube creators for the past 20 years! It’s incredible to think there have been creators that have been going on for that long and even longer.?

And still, to this day, I learn something new every time an unknown creator bursts onto the scene. The number of individuals and groups who have tested the current boundaries and innovated the art form is incredible. In the world of YouTube, who you are, where you’re from, and what age you are don’t matter - there are no rules or conditions; just your vision and message are all that matters.

So, with that, I thought I would list some of the creators I’ve discovered this year to give you guys some inspiration on how they are doing it and what you can learn from them, starting with:

Taboo Rooms - Think Lad Bibles “minutes with” but a lot darker and more controversial. This channel is dedicated to exploring dark personalities, and what makes them tick with single intimate interviews with gangsters, escorts, drug runners, you name it. These videos hit hard, exploring the tragedies of what makes a person turn to the dark side of life. The great thing about this channel is that Aaron, the owner of the channel, started out wanting to make videos highlighting the homelessness pandemic the U.K. was facing years ago, and it’s now evolved to exploring all sorts of troubled characters, making them the hero or the villain of each video.? I met Aaron earlier this year and discussed what makes a YouTube channel successful. So many people overanalyse and think you need to get thumbnails and titles bang on along with SEO. We both decided that that was not the case - they are essential, but the most critical aspect of a YouTube channel is the idea and topic of what you’re talking about. To dig deeper into that - something that makes people care draws out some emotion. Everything else supports that, i.e. thumbnails, titles, SEO, the first 3 seconds of your video, the first frame of your video, etc..…? I can see this channel going from strength to strength; not only is the core content still engaging, but Aaron has naturally started making documentaries and travelling the world exploring crime, violence and exploitation. This second strand is blowing up and will probably see Aaron getting a broadcast commission as he continues to develop these stories. That’s one of the things I loved about The Taboo Rooms - not only has Aaron learned his craft of asking the right questions, but he’s known when to evolve his channel. It’s all through experimentation; he’s tried different subjects from his usual format, which has paid off. As a new creator, you should not be afraid to do this, especially in the beginning; the trial and error phase is the most important and will help you learn as you continue to grow.?

Beluga - when I discovered Beluga, he had just gained 4 million subscribers in 3 months. He was the fastest-growing YouTube channel of that moment. So, how did a channel with no voice and low-res thumbnails become such a sensation? I believe one of Beluga’s powers is his thumbnails and titles. To serve YouTube’s algorithm, you need a high click-through rate; Beluga’s videos are very click-worthy. Short, snappy titles and brilliant thumbnails - he uses low-res thumbnails to stand out. The other way he beat the algorithm was through binge-worthy content - his videos are concise, and he maximises end cards well so people will keep watching his videos repeatedly. It’s classic YouTube content strategy at its best. So, suppose you’re thinking of starting a YouTube channel. In that case, Beluga is the perfect channel for you to develop a straightforward but entertaining format and create a great content strategy ecosystem that will keep viewers on your channel.

Van Neistat - No, not Casey but his older brother Van. When Casey released a video dedicated to his brother starting a YouTube channel, I was already hooked, but when Van released his video about “The Spirited Man”, I was bowled over. This is storytelling at its finest. Van had the best start possible; one of the greatest YouTubers promoting you before you even release a video is a godsend. He racked up 34,000 subscribers after that video and before releasing anything on his channel, but since then, he’s lived up to the hype and hit 530,000 subscribers. If you want to learn how to tell stories, Van is your man. He knows how to get you interested from the very first shot until the end; I can imagine Van’s engagement rate regarding his videos is exceptionally high.

Life of Riza - Riza went viral earlier this year with a video about why boredom is a good thing. If you want inspiration on creating beautiful content, Life of Riza should be your inspiration - she is one of the best cinematographers on YouTube. Her style is very different from one you would expect from a YouTube video: slow shots, dreamy music, and longer edits. However, you’re always left inspired by her musings on life.?

So that’s a starter list of YouTube channels to inspire you for anyone who is looking to start a YouTube channel; they are all very different from one another but have gained success and an audience through their different styles, which goes to show you that YouTube is a playground where anyone can play in.