As you might already know by now, anybody can start a YouTube channel, but not everybody becomes successful at it. It takes hard work and sometimes even a little bit of luck. In fact, when you think about growing your number of subscribers, you have to think creatively and not only as a content creator but also as a marketer. Luckily for you, in today’s episode, we’re talking about some of the best YouTube marketing tips in 2017. So, make sure to perk up your ears and listen as our lovely guest, Aileen Xu, shares with us how she’s been marketing her channel and her videos.

 "Life is an art, make it your masterpiece."

Aileen is a lifestyle design YouTube creator and podcast host. Throughout college, she posted videos on YouTube just for fun. At that time, she was into music and so she would post videos of herself doing covers of songs. Later, she came up with the idea of sharing all that she’s learned about improving her life using the YouTube platform. She then made a new channel, Lavendaire, through which she empowers millennials around the globe to embrace their true potential and create their dream life.

"Consistency is super important on YouTube."

When Aileen decided to quit her day job to focus only on her YouTube channel, she said she took a leap of faith. She now uploads twice a week and has about 300k subscribers and 18 million video views. With the best YouTube marketing tips in 2017, you can get the confidence to make that leap yourself!

"Once you have momentum, you don't want to stop."

"Don't try to be something you think people want."

YouTube is filled with bubbly and outgoing personalities who have become YouTube stars in their own right. However, having a YouTube channel is not exclusive for extroverts. If you have passion and knowledge to share, then what you actually have is the magic formula to become popular on YouTube!

One such popular YouTube influencer is Silvia Reis, who goes by the name ellebangs in her YouTube channel. She's a popular hair guru and a Redken trained hair stylist living in San Francisco who shares professional DIY tips about hair color, cut, and styling to help people get their dream hair while saving some money at the salon.

"Consistency gets people attracted."

Shy and reserved, Silvia's personality doesn't quite fit the mold of a typical YouTube influencer. However, because she's passionate about sharing her knowledge about hair, she started her channel with her husband about four years ago to teach people some of the things she learned herself going through cosmetology school and working at various salons in the Bay Area. She loves everything hair and makeup and thought YouTube would be a good way to engage with other like-minded people. Currently, Silvia has almost half a million YouTube subscribers and 49 million video views.

"The audience I have, I want it to be super genuine."

So, remember, you don't have to reinvent yourself in front of the camera and suddenly become super bubbly and super outgoing to become popular on YouTube. Stay true to yourself and people will embrace you for who you are!

"Don't try to be something you think people want."

Are you looking to embark on your very own journey to becoming a beauty, lifestyle, or health and fitness influencer? Most, if not all, influencers out there can be found on multiple social media platforms, the most popular of which are YouTube and Instagram. However, if you're someone who's just starting out, which social media platform should you get on first? Should you consider getting on both, or is it better to stick to just one? Instagram vs. YouTube – which one should you focus on more? Is it worthwhile to even compare the two? Our guests in today's episode may just have the answer for you.

"You have to have an element of free content."

Katie Dunlop of Orange County, CA is the creator of LoveSweatFitness, a women's health and fitness community focused on making fun and effective workouts accessible to everyone. After going through her own 45-pound weight loss journey, Katie has created a wonderful and motivating community, reaching more than half a million women through her social media pages and Hot Body Guides.

"Find a big topic and then create your own space inside that."

She first started Instagramming in 2014 to share more workouts and more inspirations to her students on the days when she wasn't teaching her fitness classes. A year later, together with her husband Ryan, they started the LoveSweatFitness channel on YouTube and have since grown their following to more than 200k subscribers. Listen to their story and be inspired!

"If you're determined and you're focused, you can get pretty good pretty fast."