In this enlightening analysis, we delve into MKBHD’s expert insights on running a YouTube channel professionally like a company.
One of the world’s largest tech YouTubers, Marques Brownlee, developed his love for the camera and video when he was 13. He began his journey with videos in 2009 simply as a hobby and to share his views on the latest gadgets and software.
As a young boy, he tinkered with videos and video games to the chagrin of his mother who knew what a distraction video games could be to his academic life. But the fire never died out. He began uploading videos as a student at Columbia High School. It was an obsession he continued with even as he took his Bachelor of Engineering degree in information systems at Stevens Institute of Technology.
What started in 2009 with a review of his own HP laptop has gone to become a review of the most iconic products on the planet.
This is the story of a boy who grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey, and would shake the world with considerable influence through YouTube. Additionally, it is an inspiring chronicle of running a YouTube channel professionally like a company.
Building influence on YouTube
Ever since he became fascinated with the camera in his youth, Marques decided he wanted to become a product-focused creator. He found it fun pointing camera at stuff and talking about them. With time this developed into a review of tech products and sharing it with people.
A month and a half after opening his YouTube channel, he uploaded his 100th video and by then had 74 subscribers. He was so happy that he aimed at 200 subscribers. But as fate would have it, he had amassed 1,600 subscribers six months later.
His focus, ab initio, was on quality, authenticity, quiet dignity and moral vigor in order to win trust with the age group that predominantly prowls YouTube. These are 14-35 year olds with an oversized attention to detail and quality.
As he continued placing videos, carefully researched on various products, his audience continued to build slowly and in over 10 years ran into millions. Today he boasts 18.5 million subscribers who religiously wait for his opinion on any new tech product.
It is an obsession with perfection and success that made former Google senior vice president of engineering Vic Gundotra to declare that Brownlee is “the best technology reviewer on the planet.”
How Marques decides on which videos to post.
Whenever a new piece of tech comes out, Marques or MKBHD as he is fondly known, ‘points a camera at it and reveals it, explores and reviews it.” He says that because there will always be someone interested in the latest tech, he needs to continue producing high quality videos and he will always be relevant.
One thing he notes is that from the outset he didn’t want to be a content factory. He aspires to only post well researched, well done videos that leave a mark of skill and creativity and useful information.
But how does he decide what to post to gain such a huge following?
- The videos that he knows will do well are those that are first interesting to him.
- Focuses on the most impressive new things people have not seen.
- Gives opinions on best gadgets that he would also want to try out.
- He is able to justify every video he makes.
MKBHD Business Model in a running a YouTube channel professionally like a company.
Marques runs the business of creative influence. He believes there must be an overarching goal behind everything, and that the business exists for the purpose of the craft.
He says he makes money in order to make videos not make videos in order to make money. And he seeks to inform as comprehensively as possible to help people make decisions on products.
Process of making his videos
Unlike most YouTubers, Marques doesn’t just capture stuff randomly ad post. For him this is a process that runs like a corporation with all aspects looked into before release to the public.
First and foremost, he has built a massive infrastructure to help him deliver his content. He has set up a $1million production studio in a 7,000 square foot property in Kearny, New Jersey. Recently, got tongues wagging when he purchased a $250,000 mechanical arm as an addition to the studio.
To produce a video in this facility, he does the following;
- Gets hold of a product, for example a phone or car.
- Once a product arrives, he opens it (unveils it) and this forms part of the video.
- One of his staffers researches extensively on the product.
- He tests the product as he uses it.
- Once the product is seen and research on the product populated into a document, it is turned into a script.
- Then Marques transforms everything into a headline and a thumbnail.
- The next stage is shooting. This happens at two levels. One is where he takes directly to the camera and the other where he talks while the camera focuses on parts of the product.
- A script is produced and everyone on his team have access to it who give suggestions for editing.
- Extra fancy visuals are added, if necessary, which ties in with what he edits.
- Once finished, the video is watched by the team together in its entirety. Last adjustments are made.
- Then upload and publish. The video goes to the public.
So, he only produces videos when he feels there is a need to go out, not running a video churning factory without quality and content.
Developing a team to help deliver vision.
Just with any other business, Marques realized he could not do all these alone. To deliver value, skill and the right mix of well researched information to his audience, he had to hire. His team now includes the following;
- Studio manager. Which he does together with another staffer
- Cinematographer
- Set designer.
- Art designer.
- Editor
- Intros and camerawork
- Sales ad manager.
- Behind the scenes channel point guard.
- Post cast audio editor.
- Post cast video editor.
- Motion graphics.
- Still graphics.
Even though he has skilled and dedicated staff, Marques, as the vision holder, still does some of the editing.
MKBHD Revenue streams from Running a YouTube channel professionally like a company.
Marques Brownlee has built a behemoth that churns in revenue from various revenue streams as follows:
- YouTube ad revenue. From his 18 million plus subscribers, he earns through Google AdSense and YouTube’s pay per view.
- Brand deals. Several top brands work with him to review their products and show them. He is dealing with top and influential brands like Tesla, Google, YouTube, Nike, Apple, Amazon, B & H, D brand among others.
- Podcast ad revenue. Through his podcast, waveform: The MKBHD’s podcast, which is available on podcast and Google, he earns significant revenue. Tis is a tech podcast for tech fans. The platform, What’s their net Worth? It is estimated that he rakes in over $3.4 million annually from this podcast.
- Affiliate income. Brownlee includes links to products like those of Amazon to his videos. Thus, he earns a commission for every purchase that happens through his links.
- Video sponsors. Collaborates with companies who pay his channel for specific videos.
- He runs a clothing line he launched in 2018 called MKBHD Merch. Through this he sells online t shirts, sweatshirts, notebooks, enamel pins among others. He has also partnered with the cotton bureau to promote his clothing line to a wide reach.
A man who holds personal details so close to is chest, it is not exactly known how much he is worth. Nut estimates place his net worth at between $8.5 – $45 million.
Famous quotes from Marques Brownlee and lessons in business.
The video platform YouTube offered creators a platform to share with the world while earning money at it. Most youtubers run amorphous entities where phone cameras capture rudimentary images thrown immediately to the media. Not Marques, he decided to take this further and decided on running a YouTube channel professionally like a company. And he has some piece of advice for upcoming creators;
- Exit your comfort zone and relentlessly attack your goals.
- If you do something for 10 years, you are bound to be successful at it.
- A rising tide lifts all ships. People want a variety of opinions on all things. So, there is no competition among youtubers, there is something for everyone.
- If someone is making good videos, I learn from them.
- If I give up something, I forget to do it well. That’s the reason despite having skilled staff, I still do thumbnails.
Conclusion on running a YouTube channel professionally like a company.
In summary, Marques Brownlee’s story offers insights into a man driven by passion and professionalism. While most youtubers produce videos, he wanted his videos to be different, to display skill and professionalism and to attract. That’s the reason he bought a $250k robot or mechanical arm to deliver content that is out of the ordinary. In his own words, he wanted people to ask themselves, “how did they do that?’
This is a story of selling influence like no other, making him a household name in the field of tech and to over 18 million people. For this extraordinary creation of influence, great content and business acumen, he has earned the admiration and respect of many. Tech leaders, political leaders and celebrities know him by name and have benefitted from his presence.
A lesson to upcoming entrepreneurs and passionate people to immerse themselves in whatever they are passionate about. And in the process, while helping people, as marques does, one builds a fortune without being conscious of it.
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