Many musicians have managed to make a successful career through YouTube, from Justin Bieber to Troye Sivan. Whether it be through mass exposure or using the platform as a way to engage with their developing fan base, YouTube has been a useful vessel for these creatives. But, as the platform continues to deal with a ton of copyright issues, some artists are finding it difficult to navigate these new rules. As such, Net Influencer will discuss how musicians can use YouTube for Songwriters to boost their success. 

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What Is YouTube for Songwriters?

YouTube for Songwriters was first launched in 2022 as a way to help creatives seek out helpful resources and improve their presence on this bustling platform. As the platform has continued to grow and expand, it has managed to build an impressive portfolio of playbooks, artist testimonies, and best practice reports. In turn, songwriters, singers, and producers are free to use this hub to refine their skills and uncover more about how the YouTube algorithm highlights up-and-coming music influencers. 

This educational hub also offers more information about growing your YouTube channel in general, showing content creators how to use the Community Tab to boost engagement and how to measure their level of success on the platform. All of these resources help to encourage influencers to produce more content and keep their channels as active as possible. 

YouTube for Songwriters also provides an engaging newsfeed, emphasizing popular artists on the platform and how they managed to find a sense of viral fame. Here, artists can also discover a wealth of insider knowledge, ensuring that they have a keen idea of how YouTube is consistently developing its content strategy. Songwriters can also use this resource to unlock a ton of inspiration, especially when it comes to educational videos from acclaimed bodies such as BMI and Abarmus.  

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Why Was It Launched?

Many believe that YouTube for Songwriters was released in response to Spotify’s In Focus hub, a platform that aims to help artists earn a more profitable revenue through streaming. Thus, it seems that although YouTube is one of the strongest platforms in the content creation industry, it’s still concerned about the actions of its competitors. 

This resource also acts as an easy way for YouTube to promote its most successful acts, especially when it comes to music charts and virality. CREDITS is a diverse collection of playlists that places some of the world’s most impressive songwriters and producers in the spotlight. As a result, not only can creatives find inspiration from a number of nuanced musicians, but viewers can also discover the latest hits that may not have made it onto mainstream radio yet. 

The platform also provides a vast catalog of producers so that songwriters can research and potentially network with them. Despite the fact that many small artists may not be able to get in touch with the big names within this industry, it highlights YouTube’s ambition to become more of a social networking site than a content creation platform. Therefore, creatives now have the chance to interact with some of the thought leaders in their industries, whilst offering them the opportunity to showcase their growing portfolio of work. 

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What Type of Resources Are Available? 

Educational Videos

In a similar vein to the TikTok Business Learning Center, YouTube for Songwriters offers a wide array of Masterclass videos. Each video covers a different topic from advertising to building a successful multi-format release strategy. These videos are around 30 minutes long and discuss the nuances of building a personal brand on YouTube as well as the best way to release music to the general public. 

Best Practices 

Alongside a series of interesting videos, YouTube for Songwriters also offers a set of intriguing playbooks and whitepapers. These documents display a wealth of useful guidance, helping artists learn when their track is trending or how to conduct an engaging livestream. The majority of these resources are compatible with Google Slides, meaning that artists can study the information whenever they please. 

FAQs

This hub also offers a detailed FAQ section to ensure that artists can find answers to their most burning questions without having to sift through a number of lengthy resources. These questions typically concern privacy and protection, informing creators about how to better secure their accounts and how to react if their song receives a Content ID claim. 

How to Set up an Official Artist Channel

YouTube encourages a lot of its talent to create an Official Artist Channel as it ensures that all of their content can be viewed within the confines of one platform. Plus, these channels are a great way to post music videos and updates to your growing collection of fans. In order to gain one of these channels for yourself, you must operate a YouTube account that represents you as an artist or your band, have at least three official releases that have been distributed by a registered music distributor, and have no policy violations. 

YouTube also requests that musicians meet one or more of the following conditions:

• Have a professional relationship with a YouTube Partner Manager.
• Be accepted into the YouTube Partner Program.
• Your channel is under a label network that works closely with your respective Partner Manager.
• Your music is distributed by a label that is listed within the Music Service Partners. 

Can I Monetise Content on YouTube for Songwriters?

Monetization is a significant part of building a prosperous music career on YouTube and luckily, YouTube for Songwriters supports those who are eager to build a secure income on the platform. If you’re already a part of the YouTube Partner Program, you’ll be able to earn revenue from the music you post on your channel, as long as you can prove that you own the rights to commercially promote all of your content. 

This platform also inspires songwriters to produce content outside of their music, encouraging them to post updates for their fans or insights into their latest songwriting session. Therefore, even if an artist is not ready to release their latest hit single, they can still earn money from uploading accompanying content.

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Benefits of Using These Resources as a Musician

Admittedly, YouTube for Songwriters may not be the most appropriate resource for experienced artists, as it’s more likely that these creatives would have experimented with the platform many years ago. But, there’s no denying that this is a fantastic hub for novices who are eager to find their big break. Not only does this resource unpack the rules and regulations surrounding monetization, but it also covers the intricacies of building a loyal subscriber base. Thus, musicians now have the perfect opportunity to share their creative processes with an engaged audience, all whilst building a secure stream of income. 

Another merit of this platform is that it’s free to use, making it a much more attractive resource than some of the others found on the market. Songwriting is an incredibly lucrative medium and a lot of platforms such as Masterclass, Udemy, and Gumroad offer educational courses. But, these competitors often charge for their content, which may not be suitable for a growing musician. So, the fact that creatives can learn more about their craft, whilst also deepening their understanding of the complexities of YouTube, means that musicians can now show off their talents, whilst also learning about music distribution and the importance of audience demographics. 

YouTube for Songwriters also offers musicians and creatives the chance to upgrade their typical one sheet strategy. Within the music industry, a one sheet is used to summarize the aims of a solo artist or band. Though these documents are very important, they may not offer you the chance to really show off your talents and how you plan to stand out from the crowd. Thus, by building an Official Artist Channel and showcasing your work in a more organized fashion, you can highlight your strengths to a variety of acclaimed record labels. Plus, these channels give musicians the chance to digitize their content strategy, ensuring that it can be used and updated for many years to come. 

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YouTube is a brilliant platform for content creators and musicians as it offers them a number of ways to share their work and earn a living from it. YouTube for Songwriters takes this one step further by educating these artists on a number of best practices and guiding them through building a successful channel. Thus, it seems that it’s now easier than ever for musicians to find success in the ever-developing creator economy.