How to Start a YouTube Channel in South Sudan and Make Money

The future of content creation is video! Video receives the most engagement when compared to text and images combined.

With the sudden shift of traffic from text to video, marketers are now more alert than ever thus making it the perfect time for any tech-savvy person to start a YouTube Channel in South Sudan and make money from it.

YouTube currently hosts more than 2 billion active users which makes it the best platform to build your personal brand as a video blogger and increase your visibility.

However, Video blogging culture is still new in South Sudan. A lot of South Sudanese became aware of it after the ten-day visit to South Sudan by the popular Ghanaian YouTube personality, Wode Maya in 2021.

Until then, there were no serious content creators, and the few that were existing, they lacked the inspiration to keep pushing.

With YouTube, video bloggers in South Sudan not only get an avenue to share information but also use it to make money online from their content.

In this article, I will share with you all that you need to know about starting a profitable YouTube channel business in South Sudan.

So, why start a YouTube channel in South Sudan

If you have the desire to start a YouTube channel in South Sudan, I give you green light ‘just do it‘. The vlogging culture has not yet skyrocketed in South Sudan and that gives you an open window as a content creator to reap big from this venture.

Below are some of the benefits of having a YouTube Channel in South Sudan

You’re able to provide problem-solving content to your target audience and create engagement
You can run your channel from anywhere so long as you have an internet connection – No work experience, academic qualification, or office space is needed.
It acts as an extra source of traffic for your blog/website or business and grows your brand
You don’t require any initial capital to start up. If you can’t afford video equipment, you can just start with whatever you have, be it your smartphone.
You can make money from your YouTube channel if you monetize it via YouTube ads or selling video courses on your site.
YouTube is a gateway to becoming an influencer. When you’re an influencer, you’re paid for promoting brands.
When you run a successful YouTube Channel, you become famous and popular among your channel traffic. For example, let’s assume that your channel has 200,000 subscribers, you’re popular among these 200k people.
You get to meet and interact with various individuals through the comment section if at you take engagement very seriously.
YouTube gives people a creative outlet where they can showcase their skills and abilities freely in front of the camera, improving their communication skills, boosting confidence, and gaining more knowledge on the topics from which the content is extracted.

Skills You Need to Run a Successful YouTube Channel in South Sudan

Video Editing Skills

Since you will be dealing with the production of videos, you will need to learn some basic video editing skills. You won’t need to hire a production team or technical team to help you with various aspects of video creation because they can be very expensive.

Just go online and search for free video editing resources or simply go to YouTube and you will find so many video editing tutorials on how to edit videos.

Video Shooting Skills

Every expert was once an amateur. Since you will be dealing with several pieces of equipment, you will need to have good video shooting skills.

Whether you’re using your smartphone or camera to shoot your videos, you will need to know how to handle your camera or smartphone and how to take amazing photoshoots at various angles.

Speaking Skills

You need to have good communication skills that will keep your audience engaged. If your viewers don’t find humor in your communication, they will get bored and might eventually leave your channel for a competitor.

Practice how to articulate your words and go straight to the point when communicating

Content Research Skills

If you don’t love reading and researching, producing quality content may be so difficult for you. Before you embark on creating any content for your channel, ensure that you carry out extensive research both online and offline on the topic so that you produce quality content that is factual and very competitive.

SEO skills

SEO refers to Search Engine Optimization. With it, you can optimize your content to appear on search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo Search.

It’s very important that you equip yourself with SEO skills as a YouTuber since you will have to create your content based on trending topics and make it appear on the first page in search results.

If people can find your content on Google when they search for a related term, there’s a high chance that they will end up clicking on your content.

If you’re just a starter, head over to Google or YouTube itself and search for ‘YouTube Video SEO’ or ‘How to optimize YouTube videos for SEO

Requirements to start a YouTube channel in South Sudan

Although using your smartphone is certainly an acceptable way to record videos, it’s not enough. If you want your viewers to enjoy your content, you need to invest in the right video production equipment that will enable you to create good quality content that is visually appealing to your audience.

However, you don’t have to perfect the whole video production process from the start.

Below is a list of equipment you will need to start a successful YouTube channel in South Sudan

Smartphone

If you want to record your videos using your smartphone, use one that has high-resolution cameras both on the front and the back. With it, you can shoot outdoor videos in places where you don’t necessarily have to carry your digital camera along.

You don’t have to go for iPhones if you can’t afford them. A very good smartphone will cost you $300

Computer/Laptop

Investing in a very good computer or laptop with a webcam and microphone is very important. It will help you during the process of editing your videos and publishing them on YouTube.

You can find a second-hand laptop/computer at $200 roughly but it’s advisable to invest in a brand-new one if you can afford it. A new laptop/computer that is good for video editing will cost you roughly $350

Digital Camera

The most important piece of equipment for YouTube videos is the camera. However, you don’t have to purchase the most expensive camera if you cannot afford it – pretty much any camera that can record high-quality videos of at least 1080p can work, for example, a camcorder, mirrorless camera, webcam, action camera, and DSLR

You can only upgrade to DSLRs and mirrorless cameras if you’re ready to take videography (photography) very seriously because they are more expensive when compared to the other cameras.

YouTube videos that are shot in HD perform better than those with low resolutions.

You can acquire a good HD camera for as low as $200

Video Editing Software

When you have gotten all the basic equipment, you will also have to find and invest in good editing software that you will use for post-production.

Video Editing Software comes with its own usable tools and editing options such as video trimming, bounce-back effects, freeze frames, and animations. There exist hundreds of video editing software that are free, freemium, and others premium.

With very good video editing software, you can just turn any material into a highly professional-quality video that your viewers will love and possibly subscribe to your YouTube channel too.

For YouTube Starters, I recommend using software like Filmora or Wondershare. Other software editors include: Adobe Premiere, Screenflow, Camtasia, and Final Cut for mac and Sony Vegas

Microphone

Although your video quality might be the best, still you’re going to have trouble with your viewers if the audio quality is terrible. Built-in microphones in digital cameras, laptops, and phones all do have bad audio quality since they are not able to eliminate ambient sounds entirely.

Therefore to avoid all the disturbances related to poor audio quality, it would be wise to invest in a very good microphone for making your YouTube Videos.

An external microphone will ensure your viewers hear you clearly. Examples of external microphones include: USB Microphones, Condenser Microphone, Shotgun Microphones, and Lapel Microphone

A lapel microphone can be clipped to your shirt or collar while you record your YouTube Videos. You can get it for as low as $20

Lighting

Lighting equipment is important if you’re interested in recording your videos indoors and in dimly lit locations. However, you can also use the lighting equipment where there’s ample ambient light.

Lighting stabilizes the appearance and mood of the video making it brighter and clearer for your viewers.

Examples of lighting equipment that you can use when recording your YouTube videos include: Softbox, Umbrella Light, Ring Light, and On-Camera Lighting

Lighting equipment approximately costs about $150

Tripod/ Gimbal Stabilizer

A tripod refers to a stand that holds your camera whenever you’re recording your videos whereas Gimbal Stabilizer is a specialized stabilizer that technically keeps your camera in position to avoid shaky and jarring videos.

If you use your smartphone to record your videos, you may need a smartphone holder for the tripod stand/gimbal stabilizer.

Reliable tripods/gimbal stabilizers cost roughly $50

Storage Device

It’s unlikely that you will continue shooting videos and storing them on your computer’s hard disk without it running out of storage space. Having an external hard disk or a flash as a backup will help you when issues of limited storage start arising.

You can buy a 64GB flash disk at about $45 or a 500GB external HDD at about $60.

Power Bank

If you use your smartphone to shoot video footage, it’s advisable that you get yourself a power bank as a power backup. Video recording on a phone consumes the phone battery very fast.

Trust me it won’t be fun when you start recording videos and your phone blacks out in the middle of the session. Having a reliable power bank at hand is a very smart move.

A very good power bank can cost as low as $10.

Workstation

Finally, you will need a very clean and well-designed workstation for working and recording your YouTube videos.

Step 1: Pick a niche for your YouTube Channel

When starting a YouTube channel in South Sudan, the first thing you should do is find a niche or specific topic and stick to it. It’s very important that you determine the purpose of your channel from the start so that you don’t gamble trying to appeal to everyone.

It’s recommended that you select a niche that you’re passionate about and knowledgeable about. Enjoying what you vlog about is the secret to having a successful YouTube Channel since you will prioritize making videos that hold your viewer’s interest.

YouTube Channel Niche Ideas for South Sudanese

Some people already know what their niche will be by the time they start their YouTube Channel. However, if you don’t have a particular niche in mind, consider some of the popular niches below and you get started.

Interviews
Vlogs
Product launch
Games
Comedy
Education
Best-of lists and round-ups
Unboxing and product reviews
Pets and animals
Guides and tutorials

Get MORE YouTube Channel Niche Ideas for South Sudanese HERE

Step 2: Develop a Clear Content Strategy [Plan]

Before creating any content on your channel, it’s crucial that you come up with a plan that will act as a road map to the success of your YouTube Channel.

Below are some guiding principles for creating a content strategy for your YouTube Channel

Define your goal
Determine your target audience
Find out your competitors
Establish your brand
Define the uniqueness of your channel

Step 3: Find a name for your YouTube Channel

Having a unique channel name is extremely important. It is how people will find you on YouTube. The name should set you apart from the rest of the other YouTube Channels while expressing your core message. You should keep it simple, short, readable, and brandable. Don’t use hyphens or numbers in your name.

Step 4: Create a YouTube Channel

In order to create a YouTube Channel, you must have a Google account or YouTube Account.

Let’s find out how it works!

How to Create a Google Account in South Sudan

Another name for a Google account is a Gmail account. With a Google account, you can access all Google services that require you to sign in such as Google Drive, YouTube, Gmail, Google AdSense, etc. When you sign-up for a Google Account, a Gmail account is automatically created.

Below are steps to create a Google Account in South Sudan

Go to the Google account sign-up page
Choose the account type [for yourself or to manage your business]
Enter your name (first name and last name)
Enter your birthday and gender details
Choose your Gmail address from the options automatically generated or create your own.
Create a strong password
Confirm you’re not a robot(Get verification code sent to your phone)
Enter the verification code
Accept Google privacy and terms of service
And that’s all, you’re done creating a Google account

How to Create a YouTube Account in South Sudan

Below are steps to create a YouTube Account in South Sudan

Head over to youtube.com
Click on Sign in
Log in with your Google account and your YouTube account is automatically created
That’s all.

How to Create a YouTube Channel in South Sudan

There are two types of channels that you can create on YouTube, they include;

Personal YouTube Channel
Business/Brand YouTube Channel

How to Create a Personal YouTube Channel

Go to youtube.com
Sign in with your Google account
Once you’re logged in, Click on the account icon and then click “Your Channel”
A pop-up form will display with the name on your Google account pre-filled. You can change the name to any of your choices.
If you would like to use the same name for your channel as that on your Google account, simply click ‘Create Channel’ and you’re done.

How to Create a Business YouTube Channel

Business YouTube channels can have multiple administrators/owners. You can even connect the channel to your brand account if you happen to have one.

Head over to youtube.com
Sign in with your Google account
Once you’re logged in, Click on the account icon and then click “Your Channel”
Click on the ‘Use a business or other name’ link located at the bottom of the form that will pop-up
Enter your business name/brand name and click ‘Create’
That’s all, you now have a business/brand YouTube channel

NB: You can create more than one YouTube channel with the same Google/YouTube account

How to Setup your YouTube Channel

Add your YouTube Channel art (Cover photo)
Add your YouTube Channel icon
Add your YouTube Channel logo (profile photo)
Fill out the About Section (Description Section)
Add your contact details
Create your YouTube channel username/URL
Add your YouTube Channel trailer
Edit your privacy settings
Add your YouTube channel links e.g Facebook and Twitter links

Step 5: Invest In the Right Equipment

If you don’t already have decent equipment for your channel, you need to invest in one.

Below is a checklist of equipment for your YouTube Channel

Smartphone
Computer/Laptop
Digital Camera
Video Editing Software
Microphone
Lighting
Tripod/ Gimbal Stabilizer
Storage Device
Power Bank

NB: Good audio quality is more important than good video quality.

Step 5: Start Creating Great Content on Your Channel

Great Content is king. After developing your content strategy, you already know the kind of video content you want to show on your channel.

Start creating those videos and upload them to your YouTube Channel for your viewers to see.

Here are tips for creating great content for your YouTube Channel

Keep your content interesting and engaging where by people can easily relate to it.
Find inspiration everywhere – List down your ideas, watch other videos and build upon their ideas to come up with something unique
Explore video filming techniques, editing styles, and different approaches to make your video unique(for example; Introduction, middle then conclusion)
Optimize your videos for SEO so that they can be able to show up in search results.

Step 6: Monetize Your YouTube Channel

So many South Sudanese start YouTube channels in South Sudan and start creating useful video content geared towards teaching, entertaining, or reviewing without having a strategic plan on how they can get paid.

Unlike other platforms, YouTube video Content can actually be monetized. The most popular method is the YouTube Partner Program (YPP).

In order to apply for the YouTube Partner Program and start earning money, your channel must meet the following requirements:

Have at least 1000 channel subscribers
Channel must have original content
The channel must not have prohibited content such as sexual content
Have at least a total of 4000 watch hours within the past 12 months
Channel must be in line with the YouTube Partner Program policies, YouTube Terms of Service, YouTube Spam policies, and YouTube Community Guidelines.

You can apply for the YouTube Partner Program at any time but your application can only be accepted if you fulfill all the above requirements.

How to Apply For YouTube Partner Program

If you find your channel eligible for monetization through the YouTube Partner Program, follow the steps below to apply for it.

Sign in to YouTube
Click on your ‘account icon’ in the top-right corner
Click on ‘Creator Studio’
In the left menu, select ‘Channel ’ then select ‘Status and Features’
Under ‘Monetization’, click ‘Enable’
Then follow the on-screen steps that follow.

NB: Create a new Google AdSense account or connect an existing one to your channel.

How to Make Money through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP)

YouTube Partner Program (YPP) consists of several monetization methods which include:

Advertising Revenue

This is the best YPP monetization method so far which can be set up through Google AdSense (also known as AdSense for YouTube). Google AdSense is an advertising program provided by Google through which website, video and app publishers can earn money from their content through targeted and interactive media advertisements.

If you go on YouTube and you try to play a video on a channel monetized by Google AdSense, you will always find advertisements. The ads are usually in the display, overlay, and video formats. They are created and paid for by brands or advertisers who want to promote their products and services.

Channel Memberships

With this method, you can create a membership program where members can enroll. The members who want to be part of the program pay a monthly fee in exchange for the special perks that you offer specifically for them.

You need to have more than 1000 subscribers in order to monetize your channel with this method and you must follow all the community guidelines.

Merchandise Shelf

Here, your fans can browse and buy official branded merchandise that’s showcased on your watch pages on YouTube. You need to have more than 10,000 subscribers to qualify for this program and you must adhere to community guidelines.

Super Chat & Super Stickers

Here, your channel fans pay to have their messages highlighted on chat streams on YouTube. You must live in a country/region where Super Chat is available to qualify for it.

YouTube Premium Revenue

With this method, whenever a YouTube premium subscriber watches your content, you get part of their subscription fee.

External Methods to Monetize Your YouTube Channel

Below are some lucrative ways to monetize your content in South Sudan besides the YPP

Sell products or merchandise e.g. t-shirts, coffee, etc.
Sell your services e.g. Web designing, Graphics designing, etc.
Use crowdfunding on popular crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo
Work with brands as an influencer and create sponsored content
Become an affiliate marketer e.g. on ClickBank
Let your audience support your work through “fan funding” via Patreon, Buy Me A Coffee and Tipeee
License your content to the media

How to Get Paid On YouTube in South Sudan (How Youtubers Get Paid)

You can receive direct payments from Google only if you monetize your YouTube Channel with Google AdSense.

However, to qualify for AdSense payments, you must first verify your payment address. You can do that by requesting for verification PIN which will be sent to you through your physical postal address and it usually takes 4-6 weeks to arrive upon request. To be able to request the verification PIN, you must have earned a threshold of $10 in revenue. If the verification PIN doesn’t arrive at all (which happens all the time), you can choose to verify it manually.

Once you have verified your payment address, you must accumulate at least $100 in revenue to be eligible for payment. $100 is the minimum threshold payment for Google AdSense.

The payments are always calculated on the last day of the month (28^th, 30^th, or 31^st) and issued on every 21^st day of the following month.

In South Sudan, AdSense supports the following payment methods;

Wire Transfer (Bank)
Western Union
Cheque

Western Union is the most convenient method to use in South Sudan since your money comes on the same day unlike the Wire Transfer (Bank) and Cheque method which takes approximately 10 days for the money to arrive.

How Much Can You Earn From A YouTube Channel?

By this stage, I assume you have already monetized your channel with Google AdSense.

When it comes to Google AdSense, the amount of money you can make entirely depends on the quality of your content and the amount of traffic you get on your channel.

But assuming you monetized your YouTube channel with all the possible revenue streams and have high-quality content and traffic, you could potentially earn revenue in excess of $3,000 per month.

However, you should not forget the fact that;

Video views are not equal to ad impressions because you can have like 1000 views and yet you’re earning nothing.
Your earnings will largely depend on user engagement rather than views
Some selective videos may be able to show advertisements. AdSense is very selective when showing adverts to every user. Sometimes the user can watch a video and not see any ads at all.
A lot of users use ad blockers to block advertisements on websites. If a user watches your YouTube videos with an ad blocker installed your ads won’t display.
The majority of YouTube Users access the platform via mobile devices where they can’t block ads.

If you want to increase your Google AdSense earnings, you should strive to drive more quality traffic to your channel; the more traffic, the more money you earn.

Step 7: Promote your YouTube channel

If you have successfully followed all the above steps, you must be smiling now. It’s time to promote your channel and drive huge traffic to it. Here are some ways through which you can promote your YouTube channel and increase your visibility online.

If you own a blog, embed your videos in your articles. Also, you can do the same on social media platforms and forums
Promote through social media (for example, Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Telegram, etc.)
Promote via Email Marketing
Apply SEO strategies to your content
Work as an influencer with brands
Promote with Google Adwords
Run contests and giveaways on your channel

Challenges of Running a YouTube Channel in South Sudan

Becoming a content creator in South Sudan comes with a few challenges which include:

Expensive data tariffs
You must have a smartphone, laptop, and video production equipment which may be expensive especially when you are just starting out.
You have to always get a permit from the media authority to shoot videos in some locations without which can get you arrested
The process of content creation is time-consuming and can be demotivating when the channel is not growing fast as expected.
Some lazy and uncreative folks might plagiarize your content
It’s hard to get noticed unless you create viral content because of a lot of competition.

Conclusion

Starting a YouTube Channel in South Sudan and making money from it is quite a relief to your financial troubles and needs. If you can invest in creating high-quality content and drive quality traffic to your channel, the sky will be the limit for you.

Share your thoughts on how to start a YouTube channel in South Sudan and make money in the comments section below.