Content Production - Hobby & Upgraded Gear
The best products to start YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, Snapchat, and Instagram channels.
It’s no secret that social media is a lucrative business. With the opportunity to sell your own product, or service; brand sponsorships, collaborations, music streams, and conversion to a big media company, there are hundreds of ways to turn your YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram channels into a full-time job.
Take it from me, I made over $50,000 a year by the time I was 18 just by monetizing a hobby I already loved: creating content on social media.
With Social Media Creator Academy, I’ll teach you how to do this all by yourself, so you can keep 100% of the profits.
To demystify the starting process, I want to share with you some products you could be saving up for NOW to start your social media channels as soon as possible.
Think of all of these things as investments in your future career.
I’ve divided this list into 3 tiers: Hobby, Upgraded, and Career Gear. This list will include the Hobby & Upgraded categories. Check out the Career Gear page if you're already creating content full-time.
HOBBY
So you love posting on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, and Snapchat, great! You’ve decided that you might love to do this full time in the future, but you’re not quite there yet. Maybe, you haven’t even started. That’s ok. Here’s a few products you might need to at least begin to capture an audience, test the waters and see if this is something you’d like to do full time in the future, without breaking the bank.
Desktop Microphone
As many people nowadays have access to a decent smartphone camera, webcam, or DSLR (like Canon and Sony cameras), the downside of all of these devices is their built-in microphone is often downright terrible.
In order to allow people to willingly spend their time to listen to what you have to say, you have got to make that audio easy to bear through, and not ear-piercing.
Even iPhones don’t have that incredible of built-in mics.
You will need one that’s relatively cheap so that your audience can hear you clearly, and that dampens the background noise of your air conditioner, cars, other people, etc.
The FIFINE Gaming USB Mic is currently listed on Amazon for $34.99. It's a great option for those getting started, as it doesn't require an audio interface -- it simply plugs straight into the computer.
AMAZON LINK
Gaming USB Microphone for PC PS5, FIFINE Condenser Mic with Quick Mute, RGB Indicator, Tripod Stand, Pop Filter, Shock Mount, Gain Control for Streaming Discord Twitch Podcasts Videos- AmpliGame
Lavalier Microphone
Lavalier mics are known for their ability to clip onto clothing so you can record audio right next to your face, hands-free. This is a type that you can plug right into your phone to record with Voice Memos, and sync up with your video in post-production (iMovie, Adobe Premier, Final Cut Pro X, etc.).
The only downside with these is you have to be aware of clothing brushing up against the microphone, creating a muffling and irritating sound for your viewers that you will need to cut out in post-production. However, if you are aware of this issue when placing your mic, you should be able to place it somewhere (or, just hold it) where the microphone head itself will not be touching anything else.
Audio quality takes precedence over video quality. This is a major issue that not many Creators consider when beginning a social media account. It is what makes the difference between someone watching your video for 2 seconds, or someone staying around until the video is over (which effects how much social medias promote your accounts)!
The PowerDeWise Professional Grade Lavalier Clip On Microphone is a great, affordable option. It's currently listed on Amazon for $39.39.
AMAZON LINK
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iPhone 8, or Newer
Even "older" iPhones, like the iPhone 8, are usable for creating content online. If you already have a phone like this, or newer, then you’re in luck! You’re already on the right path to creating social media content.
You can order an older iPhone at a reduced price online and use it strictly for creating social media content. If you use it in this way, for business only, you may even be able to right it off as a business expense on your taxes (talk with your Accountant about the laws in your location and how you can benefit from this).
The iPhone 8 is currently listed on Amazon for $134.
Ring Light
The next item you will need to make your videos worth watching is good lighting. Here’s one of my favorite ring lights at one the best prices on the market.
It’s lightweight (making it easily portable), and provides multiple color options, so you can choose which lighting effect suits you best.
The Kaiess 10.2" Selfie Ring Light is super affordable at $23.99 right now on Amazon.
AMAZON LINK
Kaiess 10.2" Selfie Ring Light with 65" Adjustable Tripod Stand & Phone Holder for Live Stream/Makeup, Upgraded Dimmable LED Ringlight for Tiktok/YouTube/Zoom Meeting/Photography
UPGRADED
Your social media accounts are starting to gain some traction. Congratulations! You may still have a day job, but are getting closer to makeing this a full time gig. Maybe you've earned enough from ads, or sponsors, to start investing in your gear. Here's what I recommend for Creator's in this stage.
DSLR
DSLR's can run anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Since you may still be deciding if you can, or want, to do this full-time, I'll provide an option that won't break the bank.
My favorite DSLR brands are Sony and Canon, respectively. My first DSLR I got for YouTube videos was a Nikon D3100, and to be quite frank, I did not like it. Even with super expensive lenses, Nikon is just not cut out for video, like they are in photography. Stick to Sony and Canon, and you should be making a worthwhile investment.
The Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR Camera currently sits at $429 on Amazon.
AMAZON LINK
Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens | Built-in Wi-Fi | 24.1 MP CMOS Sensor | DIGIC 4+ Image Processor and Full HD Videos
Vlog Camera
Unless you want to pay for a separate monitor, you will want a camera which has a flip-out monitor for vlog style videos, or videos where you will be filming yourself. Trust me, I've made that mistake before, and had to spend too many hours syncing up my monitor with my camera. It's not fun, it's very frustrating, so the investment is definitely worth it.
The Sony a5100 Camera is currently listed on Amazon for $414.06.
Upgraded Mic
Now you can start really playing with cardioid and condenser mics. These are wonderful in elevating your sound quality: they reduce background noise, enhance vocal timbre, and overall make your voice sound very pleasant to the ears.
The MXL 990/991 is on Amazon currently for $119.99. The mic uses an XLR cable to connect to an audio interface, which then connects to the computer. We have one listed below for you to help you get started.
Audio Interface
The next step up in mic quality is an XLR connective mic. This just means that the mic connects via and XLR cable, instead of a USB cable. XLR mics are incredibly popular in the industry, and require an audio interface to convert the audio into a digital audio file that your computer will recognize. Most importantly, they preserve the audio quality more than USB mic connection. Advanced audio inverters also have capabilities to control audio filters during input, which is great for live shows and performances.
While you're still figuring out if you can do this as a career, you'll want a more affordable audio interface. The Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface is a great place to start. While only having one audio input channel, and not ideal for multi-person-single-location podcasts, it is still incredibly powerful for the price of $119.99.
AMAZON LINK
Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface, for the Guitarist, Vocalist, Podcaster or Producer — High-Fidelity, Studio Quality Recording, and All the Software You Need to Record
XLR Cable
You're going to need an XLR cable to connect your mic to your audio interface, so go ahead and grab one while you're here.
Here's Amazon's XLR which works very well for $8.99.
AMAZON LINK
Amazon Basics XLR Microphone Cable for Speaker or PA System, All Copper Conductors, 6MM PVC Jacket, 6 Foot, Black
Extra 64GB SD Card
There is almost nothing more irritating while filming than being stopped in the middle of it, because your SIM card is full. I always recommend having an extra 64GB SD card on hand. That way, you'll be covered if your main card fills up, or breaks.
AMAZON LINK
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