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In 2024, Distinctive Digital Monikers for Video Creators
Distinctive Digital Monikers for Video Creators
How To Pick a YouTube Channel Name
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Choosing the name of your YouTube channel is one of the most important decisions you will make as a vlogger. If your channel name sticks in the minds of people who watch your videos it will help to ensure viewers return and watch more of your work. An especially catchy channel name can even draw in new viewers who just have to find out what kind of videos somebody with that particular name makes. Most successful noted YouTubers carefully planned their names.
How to come up with the best YouTube name? Below we will introduce some useful tips that you should think about before choosing a YouTube channel name and some best online YouTube name generators that you can use to pick up a good YouTube name.
- Part 1: How To Pick a Name for Your YouTube Channel
- Part 2: Best Free Online Name Generator Tools for YouTube Channel
- Part 3: YouTube Channel Name vs. YouTube Usernames
- Part 4: How to Change YouTube Channel Name
Best YouTube Video Editor - Filmora
It is not easy to come up with a good YouTube channel and user name, but it is easy to edit an excellent YouTube video with Filmora. It is designed for beginner users who want to edit videos easily for YouTube channel! You can add royalty-free music and various filters/effects to touch up your videos with dragging and dropping. After editing, you can directly upload the video to the YouTube platform. Download it now to have a try!
Part 1: How To Pick a YouTube Channel Name: 5 Tips for Choosing a Better YouTube Name
Of course, it is best to choose an amazing channel name in the first place so you never have to worry about changing it. Here are five tips for naming your YouTube channel.
1. Keep it Short and Impressive
In order to be memorable, your channel name should be short and catchy. Generally, it is a bad idea to have a name that is more than five syllables long. Longer channel names are both harder to remember, and harder to tell your friends about since they do not tend to roll off the tongue.
The worst way you can end up with an overly long username is by adding numbers or extra letters to the end of it. People often decide to do this because their desired channel name was taken. It is always a terrible idea. Your username might still look short, but that is deceptive. A username like ‘Lucas423’ is really ‘Lucasfourtwentythree’. Nobody will remember the exact numbers. If anyone remembers that username at all they will only remember ‘Lucas’, which will make it extremely difficult for them to find your channel again.
For the sake of keeping their channel names short and memorable, some successful YouTubers have actually made up words, i.e ‘Smosh’. This only works if a silly made-up word suits the tone of your channel, and even a lot of made-up words are taken by this point.
2. It’s All About You
Regardless of the topic of your vlog, your vlog will also be about you as a personality, so your channel name should have something to do with who you are as a person. It can even include your real name or some variation of it. Real-life nicknames work great.
If you do not want to use your actual name, or do not think your actual name would stick in people’s minds very well, then think about what your hobbies are and what kind of words could be used to describe you. Come up with a list of nouns and describing words and try out different combinations. You might even decide to try out some of your describing words with your real name.
3. It’s Also About Your Audience
Your name should reflect who you are, but it should also be relevant to the people who will be watching your vlog. For example, people who are tuning in to a daily life vlog might appreciate it if you use your real name or some variation on your name. People who are tuning into a vlog to learn something – beauty or cooking tips, for example – will be confused if your channel name is something like ‘LucasIsCool’. If you have a channel that is about anything besides your daily life, experiences, or opinions then your channel name needs to reference your topic. If Lucas’s channel is about baking then rather than ‘LucasIsCool’ he should try something like ‘LucasBakes’ or ‘CookiesByLucas’.
4. Test Drive It
It is a bad idea to rush over to YouTube and sign up for the first channel name you decide you like. First, say it out loud and see if it sounds as catchy as it seemed in your head. If it does, then there are still a couple of other “test drives” you need to do.
Plunk the channel name you are considering into a search engine to make sure it is not already strongly associated with something besides you. If there is actually a website with your channel name as its URL then you should almost definitely discard that name and choose a new one. If you have some success with your vlog then you will probably want to acquire the associated URL later on. Even if you do not think you want a website it is a bad idea to choose a channel name that already has a strong association with something else. For example, if you play music on your channel and your channel has the same name as a music festival people might automatically think you and that festival are affiliated.
You will also want to check and make sure nobody is using your channel name as their username on Instagram, Vimeo, or any other social media site. If your name is already being used elsewhere then it will be difficult for you to expand.
5. Don’t Give up
YouTube is a huge site and a lot of the really good names are already being used or – more frustratingly – have been taken by people who are not actually using them. The first few names you come up with will probably be unavailable. This is where a lot of YouTubers get discouraged and start weakening their channel name by typing numbers after it. It is easy to get pulled into settling for any name that sort of sounds like the one you want, but which is actually available. Do not do this! You will be able to create a catchy, unique, name that is all you own.
Coming up with the perfect name for your channel can take time, sometimes a lot of time. If you can get it done in one evening then you are lucky because this is something that can take days. The name of your YouTube channel is extremely important and you should take as long as you need to pick a good one.
Part 2: 5 Best Free Online YouTube Name Generators in 2021
1. YouTube Name Generator:
In case if you need a YouTube name with a specific keyword, this YouTube Name Generator tool can help you better. The unique algorithm of this online tool is capable enough to generate unique channel names that can match certain keywords of your need. All that you need to do is provide it with the total number of names it should generate for you along with your target keyword. It will soon open a long list of actual names and made-up names that you can choose for your channel.
2. Kparser:
Those who are more focused on the SEO ranking of their YouTube channel instead of the uniqueness of the YouTube channel name can avail great benefits from Kparser. It is well known as a keyword suggestion tool that is also used as a YouTube Name Generator due to its awesome algorithm that brings out top SEO-ranked channel names from the web. By upgrading to the Pro version of this tool, you can also get information about the volume and CPC of the listed keyword.
3. SpinXo:
Here is the most comprehensive tool for YouTube channel name generation and it provides satisfactory results to most users who don’t have specific requirements. You can add few specific details to this platform in terms of topic, keywords, niche, interests, and important word; SpinXo will soon generate the best channel names by utilizing that information. Observations say that most of the names generated by this tool are of three words. As soon as you like a certain keyword on this platform, you can see its availability on other social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Blogger, etc.
4. Best Username Generator:
It is almost the same as that of the YouTube Username Generator tool as it also brings out made-up YouTube names with its search results. But the great news is that it is also loaded with unique customization options. After listing the essential keyword, this tool also allows users to provide details about the number of characters they want in the name. When you like any one of the generated names, you can also check their availability on YouTube as well as 9 other popular social media websites.
5. Name Generator 2:
When you are interested in getting a funny YouTube channel name to grab the attention of more viewers online, Name Generator 2 is probably the best platform for you. Although it cannot provide you with a long list of keywords, whatever it provides is always full of humor. Note that, this tool does not allow customization options for YouTube Channel Name generations, users can simply add prefix or suffix details and it will combine them to provide you with something unique out of its database.
Part 3: YouTube Channel Name vs. YouTube Usernames
Are you aware of the difference between YouTube Channel name and YouTube Usernames? Most people are confused about this fact, but there is something that you really need to know about. Go through the details below to clear your doubt:
1. YouTube Channel Names
It is the name by which your channel is known on the network online. When viewers watch your videos online, your channel name appears on their screen, and they can click on this name to reach your channel to watch more collections. In a few cases, the channel name can be a username as well, but it is not always so.
2. YouTube Usernames
The YouTube Username is the one that appears on your URL when you visit your channel page. The time when you started your YouTube channel for the very first time, it appeared automatically containing a random string of characters. In the past, you can not change the URL but now YouTube allows you to customize it when you have more than 100 subscribers and your channel is at least 30 days old. For more details about claiming a custom URL for YouTube, check it here.
Since we have already known the differences between YouTube Channel Name and YouTube User name, you may wonder why the YouTube channel name is so important. While the flip side of that is that not choosing a good channel name can really hurt your chances of getting views and subscribers. Your videos might be great, but if viewers who like them cannot remember your name then it will be hard for them to find you again. Other videos of yours might even show up in their searches and be ignored because the viewer does not recognize your name. Also, while the very best channel names make people curious about what you do, the very worst channel names will be a deterrent for people when they are deciding whether to watch your videos. For example, including a sequence of numbers after your name will give people on YouTube the impression that you do not know what you are doing.
You May Also Like:
YouTube SEO Guide: How to Improve Search Rankings For Your YouTube Videos >>
How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube >>
Part 4: How to Change YouTube Channel Name
YouTube does allow you to change the name that is displayed for your channel now (in the past you could not). However, while your display name can be changed, the URL of your channel is permanent. If you change your display name then the two things will no longer match. Also if you manage to build up a following using one name you will probably lose some of those people if you change it. If you feel like your channel name is holding you back then you should definitely update it to something better, but you should also consider whether it is holding you back enough that it is worth losing some of the regular viewers you already have. It probably will be, if you feel like your channel will start growing faster after the change.
Even after selecting the best name for your YouTube channel, if one day you realize that it must be modified to have much better results; you can definitely change it without deleting the existing account. Note that your Google account name is the same as your YouTube Channel name. So, whenever you want to change the name of the channel; you can follow these simple steps to execute this task:
Step 1: First of all, simply sign in to YouTube.com and then hit on the Settings icon option available on the top right corner of your screen.
Step 2: Now go to the settings button and then choose the “Edit on Google” link.
Step 3: It is time to enter the updated Channel name and then finally hit the Ok button on the screen.
You are done with it, and now you can visit your YouTube channel once again to see the new name appearing on it.
Note: changing the channel name in this way will change all your names across Google services, such as Gmail and Google Drive. If you want to use a YouTube channel name different from that in your Google account, you can connect your channel to a Brand Account. For more details about that, please check: Use a different name on YouTube than your Google Account.
Conclusion
Above are some tips about how to pick up a YouTube channel name and some useful online YouTube name generator tools that you can use to choose a YouTube name quickly. Hope these tips and tools can help you when you building your YouTube channel. If can’t think of a good YouTube name, you can take a look at your similar channels’ names, which will give you a hint. InflueNex , the helpful influencer marketing platform, will help you to find similar channels in one click.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Choosing the name of your YouTube channel is one of the most important decisions you will make as a vlogger. If your channel name sticks in the minds of people who watch your videos it will help to ensure viewers return and watch more of your work. An especially catchy channel name can even draw in new viewers who just have to find out what kind of videos somebody with that particular name makes. Most successful noted YouTubers carefully planned their names.
How to come up with the best YouTube name? Below we will introduce some useful tips that you should think about before choosing a YouTube channel name and some best online YouTube name generators that you can use to pick up a good YouTube name.
- Part 1: How To Pick a Name for Your YouTube Channel
- Part 2: Best Free Online Name Generator Tools for YouTube Channel
- Part 3: YouTube Channel Name vs. YouTube Usernames
- Part 4: How to Change YouTube Channel Name
Best YouTube Video Editor - Filmora
It is not easy to come up with a good YouTube channel and user name, but it is easy to edit an excellent YouTube video with Filmora. It is designed for beginner users who want to edit videos easily for YouTube channel! You can add royalty-free music and various filters/effects to touch up your videos with dragging and dropping. After editing, you can directly upload the video to the YouTube platform. Download it now to have a try!
Part 1: How To Pick a YouTube Channel Name: 5 Tips for Choosing a Better YouTube Name
Of course, it is best to choose an amazing channel name in the first place so you never have to worry about changing it. Here are five tips for naming your YouTube channel.
1. Keep it Short and Impressive
In order to be memorable, your channel name should be short and catchy. Generally, it is a bad idea to have a name that is more than five syllables long. Longer channel names are both harder to remember, and harder to tell your friends about since they do not tend to roll off the tongue.
The worst way you can end up with an overly long username is by adding numbers or extra letters to the end of it. People often decide to do this because their desired channel name was taken. It is always a terrible idea. Your username might still look short, but that is deceptive. A username like ‘Lucas423’ is really ‘Lucasfourtwentythree’. Nobody will remember the exact numbers. If anyone remembers that username at all they will only remember ‘Lucas’, which will make it extremely difficult for them to find your channel again.
For the sake of keeping their channel names short and memorable, some successful YouTubers have actually made up words, i.e ‘Smosh’. This only works if a silly made-up word suits the tone of your channel, and even a lot of made-up words are taken by this point.
2. It’s All About You
Regardless of the topic of your vlog, your vlog will also be about you as a personality, so your channel name should have something to do with who you are as a person. It can even include your real name or some variation of it. Real-life nicknames work great.
If you do not want to use your actual name, or do not think your actual name would stick in people’s minds very well, then think about what your hobbies are and what kind of words could be used to describe you. Come up with a list of nouns and describing words and try out different combinations. You might even decide to try out some of your describing words with your real name.
3. It’s Also About Your Audience
Your name should reflect who you are, but it should also be relevant to the people who will be watching your vlog. For example, people who are tuning in to a daily life vlog might appreciate it if you use your real name or some variation on your name. People who are tuning into a vlog to learn something – beauty or cooking tips, for example – will be confused if your channel name is something like ‘LucasIsCool’. If you have a channel that is about anything besides your daily life, experiences, or opinions then your channel name needs to reference your topic. If Lucas’s channel is about baking then rather than ‘LucasIsCool’ he should try something like ‘LucasBakes’ or ‘CookiesByLucas’.
4. Test Drive It
It is a bad idea to rush over to YouTube and sign up for the first channel name you decide you like. First, say it out loud and see if it sounds as catchy as it seemed in your head. If it does, then there are still a couple of other “test drives” you need to do.
Plunk the channel name you are considering into a search engine to make sure it is not already strongly associated with something besides you. If there is actually a website with your channel name as its URL then you should almost definitely discard that name and choose a new one. If you have some success with your vlog then you will probably want to acquire the associated URL later on. Even if you do not think you want a website it is a bad idea to choose a channel name that already has a strong association with something else. For example, if you play music on your channel and your channel has the same name as a music festival people might automatically think you and that festival are affiliated.
You will also want to check and make sure nobody is using your channel name as their username on Instagram, Vimeo, or any other social media site. If your name is already being used elsewhere then it will be difficult for you to expand.
5. Don’t Give up
YouTube is a huge site and a lot of the really good names are already being used or – more frustratingly – have been taken by people who are not actually using them. The first few names you come up with will probably be unavailable. This is where a lot of YouTubers get discouraged and start weakening their channel name by typing numbers after it. It is easy to get pulled into settling for any name that sort of sounds like the one you want, but which is actually available. Do not do this! You will be able to create a catchy, unique, name that is all you own.
Coming up with the perfect name for your channel can take time, sometimes a lot of time. If you can get it done in one evening then you are lucky because this is something that can take days. The name of your YouTube channel is extremely important and you should take as long as you need to pick a good one.
Part 2: 5 Best Free Online YouTube Name Generators in 2021
1. YouTube Name Generator:
In case if you need a YouTube name with a specific keyword, this YouTube Name Generator tool can help you better. The unique algorithm of this online tool is capable enough to generate unique channel names that can match certain keywords of your need. All that you need to do is provide it with the total number of names it should generate for you along with your target keyword. It will soon open a long list of actual names and made-up names that you can choose for your channel.
2. Kparser:
Those who are more focused on the SEO ranking of their YouTube channel instead of the uniqueness of the YouTube channel name can avail great benefits from Kparser. It is well known as a keyword suggestion tool that is also used as a YouTube Name Generator due to its awesome algorithm that brings out top SEO-ranked channel names from the web. By upgrading to the Pro version of this tool, you can also get information about the volume and CPC of the listed keyword.
3. SpinXo:
Here is the most comprehensive tool for YouTube channel name generation and it provides satisfactory results to most users who don’t have specific requirements. You can add few specific details to this platform in terms of topic, keywords, niche, interests, and important word; SpinXo will soon generate the best channel names by utilizing that information. Observations say that most of the names generated by this tool are of three words. As soon as you like a certain keyword on this platform, you can see its availability on other social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Blogger, etc.
4. Best Username Generator:
It is almost the same as that of the YouTube Username Generator tool as it also brings out made-up YouTube names with its search results. But the great news is that it is also loaded with unique customization options. After listing the essential keyword, this tool also allows users to provide details about the number of characters they want in the name. When you like any one of the generated names, you can also check their availability on YouTube as well as 9 other popular social media websites.
5. Name Generator 2:
When you are interested in getting a funny YouTube channel name to grab the attention of more viewers online, Name Generator 2 is probably the best platform for you. Although it cannot provide you with a long list of keywords, whatever it provides is always full of humor. Note that, this tool does not allow customization options for YouTube Channel Name generations, users can simply add prefix or suffix details and it will combine them to provide you with something unique out of its database.
Part 3: YouTube Channel Name vs. YouTube Usernames
Are you aware of the difference between YouTube Channel name and YouTube Usernames? Most people are confused about this fact, but there is something that you really need to know about. Go through the details below to clear your doubt:
1. YouTube Channel Names
It is the name by which your channel is known on the network online. When viewers watch your videos online, your channel name appears on their screen, and they can click on this name to reach your channel to watch more collections. In a few cases, the channel name can be a username as well, but it is not always so.
2. YouTube Usernames
The YouTube Username is the one that appears on your URL when you visit your channel page. The time when you started your YouTube channel for the very first time, it appeared automatically containing a random string of characters. In the past, you can not change the URL but now YouTube allows you to customize it when you have more than 100 subscribers and your channel is at least 30 days old. For more details about claiming a custom URL for YouTube, check it here.
Since we have already known the differences between YouTube Channel Name and YouTube User name, you may wonder why the YouTube channel name is so important. While the flip side of that is that not choosing a good channel name can really hurt your chances of getting views and subscribers. Your videos might be great, but if viewers who like them cannot remember your name then it will be hard for them to find you again. Other videos of yours might even show up in their searches and be ignored because the viewer does not recognize your name. Also, while the very best channel names make people curious about what you do, the very worst channel names will be a deterrent for people when they are deciding whether to watch your videos. For example, including a sequence of numbers after your name will give people on YouTube the impression that you do not know what you are doing.
You May Also Like:
YouTube SEO Guide: How to Improve Search Rankings For Your YouTube Videos >>
How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube >>
Part 4: How to Change YouTube Channel Name
YouTube does allow you to change the name that is displayed for your channel now (in the past you could not). However, while your display name can be changed, the URL of your channel is permanent. If you change your display name then the two things will no longer match. Also if you manage to build up a following using one name you will probably lose some of those people if you change it. If you feel like your channel name is holding you back then you should definitely update it to something better, but you should also consider whether it is holding you back enough that it is worth losing some of the regular viewers you already have. It probably will be, if you feel like your channel will start growing faster after the change.
Even after selecting the best name for your YouTube channel, if one day you realize that it must be modified to have much better results; you can definitely change it without deleting the existing account. Note that your Google account name is the same as your YouTube Channel name. So, whenever you want to change the name of the channel; you can follow these simple steps to execute this task:
Step 1: First of all, simply sign in to YouTube.com and then hit on the Settings icon option available on the top right corner of your screen.
Step 2: Now go to the settings button and then choose the “Edit on Google” link.
Step 3: It is time to enter the updated Channel name and then finally hit the Ok button on the screen.
You are done with it, and now you can visit your YouTube channel once again to see the new name appearing on it.
Note: changing the channel name in this way will change all your names across Google services, such as Gmail and Google Drive. If you want to use a YouTube channel name different from that in your Google account, you can connect your channel to a Brand Account. For more details about that, please check: Use a different name on YouTube than your Google Account.
Conclusion
Above are some tips about how to pick up a YouTube channel name and some useful online YouTube name generator tools that you can use to choose a YouTube name quickly. Hope these tips and tools can help you when you building your YouTube channel. If can’t think of a good YouTube name, you can take a look at your similar channels’ names, which will give you a hint. InflueNex , the helpful influencer marketing platform, will help you to find similar channels in one click.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Choosing the name of your YouTube channel is one of the most important decisions you will make as a vlogger. If your channel name sticks in the minds of people who watch your videos it will help to ensure viewers return and watch more of your work. An especially catchy channel name can even draw in new viewers who just have to find out what kind of videos somebody with that particular name makes. Most successful noted YouTubers carefully planned their names.
How to come up with the best YouTube name? Below we will introduce some useful tips that you should think about before choosing a YouTube channel name and some best online YouTube name generators that you can use to pick up a good YouTube name.
- Part 1: How To Pick a Name for Your YouTube Channel
- Part 2: Best Free Online Name Generator Tools for YouTube Channel
- Part 3: YouTube Channel Name vs. YouTube Usernames
- Part 4: How to Change YouTube Channel Name
Best YouTube Video Editor - Filmora
It is not easy to come up with a good YouTube channel and user name, but it is easy to edit an excellent YouTube video with Filmora. It is designed for beginner users who want to edit videos easily for YouTube channel! You can add royalty-free music and various filters/effects to touch up your videos with dragging and dropping. After editing, you can directly upload the video to the YouTube platform. Download it now to have a try!
Part 1: How To Pick a YouTube Channel Name: 5 Tips for Choosing a Better YouTube Name
Of course, it is best to choose an amazing channel name in the first place so you never have to worry about changing it. Here are five tips for naming your YouTube channel.
1. Keep it Short and Impressive
In order to be memorable, your channel name should be short and catchy. Generally, it is a bad idea to have a name that is more than five syllables long. Longer channel names are both harder to remember, and harder to tell your friends about since they do not tend to roll off the tongue.
The worst way you can end up with an overly long username is by adding numbers or extra letters to the end of it. People often decide to do this because their desired channel name was taken. It is always a terrible idea. Your username might still look short, but that is deceptive. A username like ‘Lucas423’ is really ‘Lucasfourtwentythree’. Nobody will remember the exact numbers. If anyone remembers that username at all they will only remember ‘Lucas’, which will make it extremely difficult for them to find your channel again.
For the sake of keeping their channel names short and memorable, some successful YouTubers have actually made up words, i.e ‘Smosh’. This only works if a silly made-up word suits the tone of your channel, and even a lot of made-up words are taken by this point.
2. It’s All About You
Regardless of the topic of your vlog, your vlog will also be about you as a personality, so your channel name should have something to do with who you are as a person. It can even include your real name or some variation of it. Real-life nicknames work great.
If you do not want to use your actual name, or do not think your actual name would stick in people’s minds very well, then think about what your hobbies are and what kind of words could be used to describe you. Come up with a list of nouns and describing words and try out different combinations. You might even decide to try out some of your describing words with your real name.
3. It’s Also About Your Audience
Your name should reflect who you are, but it should also be relevant to the people who will be watching your vlog. For example, people who are tuning in to a daily life vlog might appreciate it if you use your real name or some variation on your name. People who are tuning into a vlog to learn something – beauty or cooking tips, for example – will be confused if your channel name is something like ‘LucasIsCool’. If you have a channel that is about anything besides your daily life, experiences, or opinions then your channel name needs to reference your topic. If Lucas’s channel is about baking then rather than ‘LucasIsCool’ he should try something like ‘LucasBakes’ or ‘CookiesByLucas’.
4. Test Drive It
It is a bad idea to rush over to YouTube and sign up for the first channel name you decide you like. First, say it out loud and see if it sounds as catchy as it seemed in your head. If it does, then there are still a couple of other “test drives” you need to do.
Plunk the channel name you are considering into a search engine to make sure it is not already strongly associated with something besides you. If there is actually a website with your channel name as its URL then you should almost definitely discard that name and choose a new one. If you have some success with your vlog then you will probably want to acquire the associated URL later on. Even if you do not think you want a website it is a bad idea to choose a channel name that already has a strong association with something else. For example, if you play music on your channel and your channel has the same name as a music festival people might automatically think you and that festival are affiliated.
You will also want to check and make sure nobody is using your channel name as their username on Instagram, Vimeo, or any other social media site. If your name is already being used elsewhere then it will be difficult for you to expand.
5. Don’t Give up
YouTube is a huge site and a lot of the really good names are already being used or – more frustratingly – have been taken by people who are not actually using them. The first few names you come up with will probably be unavailable. This is where a lot of YouTubers get discouraged and start weakening their channel name by typing numbers after it. It is easy to get pulled into settling for any name that sort of sounds like the one you want, but which is actually available. Do not do this! You will be able to create a catchy, unique, name that is all you own.
Coming up with the perfect name for your channel can take time, sometimes a lot of time. If you can get it done in one evening then you are lucky because this is something that can take days. The name of your YouTube channel is extremely important and you should take as long as you need to pick a good one.
Part 2: 5 Best Free Online YouTube Name Generators in 2021
1. YouTube Name Generator:
In case if you need a YouTube name with a specific keyword, this YouTube Name Generator tool can help you better. The unique algorithm of this online tool is capable enough to generate unique channel names that can match certain keywords of your need. All that you need to do is provide it with the total number of names it should generate for you along with your target keyword. It will soon open a long list of actual names and made-up names that you can choose for your channel.
2. Kparser:
Those who are more focused on the SEO ranking of their YouTube channel instead of the uniqueness of the YouTube channel name can avail great benefits from Kparser. It is well known as a keyword suggestion tool that is also used as a YouTube Name Generator due to its awesome algorithm that brings out top SEO-ranked channel names from the web. By upgrading to the Pro version of this tool, you can also get information about the volume and CPC of the listed keyword.
3. SpinXo:
Here is the most comprehensive tool for YouTube channel name generation and it provides satisfactory results to most users who don’t have specific requirements. You can add few specific details to this platform in terms of topic, keywords, niche, interests, and important word; SpinXo will soon generate the best channel names by utilizing that information. Observations say that most of the names generated by this tool are of three words. As soon as you like a certain keyword on this platform, you can see its availability on other social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Blogger, etc.
4. Best Username Generator:
It is almost the same as that of the YouTube Username Generator tool as it also brings out made-up YouTube names with its search results. But the great news is that it is also loaded with unique customization options. After listing the essential keyword, this tool also allows users to provide details about the number of characters they want in the name. When you like any one of the generated names, you can also check their availability on YouTube as well as 9 other popular social media websites.
5. Name Generator 2:
When you are interested in getting a funny YouTube channel name to grab the attention of more viewers online, Name Generator 2 is probably the best platform for you. Although it cannot provide you with a long list of keywords, whatever it provides is always full of humor. Note that, this tool does not allow customization options for YouTube Channel Name generations, users can simply add prefix or suffix details and it will combine them to provide you with something unique out of its database.
Part 3: YouTube Channel Name vs. YouTube Usernames
Are you aware of the difference between YouTube Channel name and YouTube Usernames? Most people are confused about this fact, but there is something that you really need to know about. Go through the details below to clear your doubt:
1. YouTube Channel Names
It is the name by which your channel is known on the network online. When viewers watch your videos online, your channel name appears on their screen, and they can click on this name to reach your channel to watch more collections. In a few cases, the channel name can be a username as well, but it is not always so.
2. YouTube Usernames
The YouTube Username is the one that appears on your URL when you visit your channel page. The time when you started your YouTube channel for the very first time, it appeared automatically containing a random string of characters. In the past, you can not change the URL but now YouTube allows you to customize it when you have more than 100 subscribers and your channel is at least 30 days old. For more details about claiming a custom URL for YouTube, check it here.
Since we have already known the differences between YouTube Channel Name and YouTube User name, you may wonder why the YouTube channel name is so important. While the flip side of that is that not choosing a good channel name can really hurt your chances of getting views and subscribers. Your videos might be great, but if viewers who like them cannot remember your name then it will be hard for them to find you again. Other videos of yours might even show up in their searches and be ignored because the viewer does not recognize your name. Also, while the very best channel names make people curious about what you do, the very worst channel names will be a deterrent for people when they are deciding whether to watch your videos. For example, including a sequence of numbers after your name will give people on YouTube the impression that you do not know what you are doing.
You May Also Like:
YouTube SEO Guide: How to Improve Search Rankings For Your YouTube Videos >>
How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube >>
Part 4: How to Change YouTube Channel Name
YouTube does allow you to change the name that is displayed for your channel now (in the past you could not). However, while your display name can be changed, the URL of your channel is permanent. If you change your display name then the two things will no longer match. Also if you manage to build up a following using one name you will probably lose some of those people if you change it. If you feel like your channel name is holding you back then you should definitely update it to something better, but you should also consider whether it is holding you back enough that it is worth losing some of the regular viewers you already have. It probably will be, if you feel like your channel will start growing faster after the change.
Even after selecting the best name for your YouTube channel, if one day you realize that it must be modified to have much better results; you can definitely change it without deleting the existing account. Note that your Google account name is the same as your YouTube Channel name. So, whenever you want to change the name of the channel; you can follow these simple steps to execute this task:
Step 1: First of all, simply sign in to YouTube.com and then hit on the Settings icon option available on the top right corner of your screen.
Step 2: Now go to the settings button and then choose the “Edit on Google” link.
Step 3: It is time to enter the updated Channel name and then finally hit the Ok button on the screen.
You are done with it, and now you can visit your YouTube channel once again to see the new name appearing on it.
Note: changing the channel name in this way will change all your names across Google services, such as Gmail and Google Drive. If you want to use a YouTube channel name different from that in your Google account, you can connect your channel to a Brand Account. For more details about that, please check: Use a different name on YouTube than your Google Account.
Conclusion
Above are some tips about how to pick up a YouTube channel name and some useful online YouTube name generator tools that you can use to choose a YouTube name quickly. Hope these tips and tools can help you when you building your YouTube channel. If can’t think of a good YouTube name, you can take a look at your similar channels’ names, which will give you a hint. InflueNex , the helpful influencer marketing platform, will help you to find similar channels in one click.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Choosing the name of your YouTube channel is one of the most important decisions you will make as a vlogger. If your channel name sticks in the minds of people who watch your videos it will help to ensure viewers return and watch more of your work. An especially catchy channel name can even draw in new viewers who just have to find out what kind of videos somebody with that particular name makes. Most successful noted YouTubers carefully planned their names.
How to come up with the best YouTube name? Below we will introduce some useful tips that you should think about before choosing a YouTube channel name and some best online YouTube name generators that you can use to pick up a good YouTube name.
- Part 1: How To Pick a Name for Your YouTube Channel
- Part 2: Best Free Online Name Generator Tools for YouTube Channel
- Part 3: YouTube Channel Name vs. YouTube Usernames
- Part 4: How to Change YouTube Channel Name
Best YouTube Video Editor - Filmora
It is not easy to come up with a good YouTube channel and user name, but it is easy to edit an excellent YouTube video with Filmora. It is designed for beginner users who want to edit videos easily for YouTube channel! You can add royalty-free music and various filters/effects to touch up your videos with dragging and dropping. After editing, you can directly upload the video to the YouTube platform. Download it now to have a try!
Part 1: How To Pick a YouTube Channel Name: 5 Tips for Choosing a Better YouTube Name
Of course, it is best to choose an amazing channel name in the first place so you never have to worry about changing it. Here are five tips for naming your YouTube channel.
1. Keep it Short and Impressive
In order to be memorable, your channel name should be short and catchy. Generally, it is a bad idea to have a name that is more than five syllables long. Longer channel names are both harder to remember, and harder to tell your friends about since they do not tend to roll off the tongue.
The worst way you can end up with an overly long username is by adding numbers or extra letters to the end of it. People often decide to do this because their desired channel name was taken. It is always a terrible idea. Your username might still look short, but that is deceptive. A username like ‘Lucas423’ is really ‘Lucasfourtwentythree’. Nobody will remember the exact numbers. If anyone remembers that username at all they will only remember ‘Lucas’, which will make it extremely difficult for them to find your channel again.
For the sake of keeping their channel names short and memorable, some successful YouTubers have actually made up words, i.e ‘Smosh’. This only works if a silly made-up word suits the tone of your channel, and even a lot of made-up words are taken by this point.
2. It’s All About You
Regardless of the topic of your vlog, your vlog will also be about you as a personality, so your channel name should have something to do with who you are as a person. It can even include your real name or some variation of it. Real-life nicknames work great.
If you do not want to use your actual name, or do not think your actual name would stick in people’s minds very well, then think about what your hobbies are and what kind of words could be used to describe you. Come up with a list of nouns and describing words and try out different combinations. You might even decide to try out some of your describing words with your real name.
3. It’s Also About Your Audience
Your name should reflect who you are, but it should also be relevant to the people who will be watching your vlog. For example, people who are tuning in to a daily life vlog might appreciate it if you use your real name or some variation on your name. People who are tuning into a vlog to learn something – beauty or cooking tips, for example – will be confused if your channel name is something like ‘LucasIsCool’. If you have a channel that is about anything besides your daily life, experiences, or opinions then your channel name needs to reference your topic. If Lucas’s channel is about baking then rather than ‘LucasIsCool’ he should try something like ‘LucasBakes’ or ‘CookiesByLucas’.
4. Test Drive It
It is a bad idea to rush over to YouTube and sign up for the first channel name you decide you like. First, say it out loud and see if it sounds as catchy as it seemed in your head. If it does, then there are still a couple of other “test drives” you need to do.
Plunk the channel name you are considering into a search engine to make sure it is not already strongly associated with something besides you. If there is actually a website with your channel name as its URL then you should almost definitely discard that name and choose a new one. If you have some success with your vlog then you will probably want to acquire the associated URL later on. Even if you do not think you want a website it is a bad idea to choose a channel name that already has a strong association with something else. For example, if you play music on your channel and your channel has the same name as a music festival people might automatically think you and that festival are affiliated.
You will also want to check and make sure nobody is using your channel name as their username on Instagram, Vimeo, or any other social media site. If your name is already being used elsewhere then it will be difficult for you to expand.
5. Don’t Give up
YouTube is a huge site and a lot of the really good names are already being used or – more frustratingly – have been taken by people who are not actually using them. The first few names you come up with will probably be unavailable. This is where a lot of YouTubers get discouraged and start weakening their channel name by typing numbers after it. It is easy to get pulled into settling for any name that sort of sounds like the one you want, but which is actually available. Do not do this! You will be able to create a catchy, unique, name that is all you own.
Coming up with the perfect name for your channel can take time, sometimes a lot of time. If you can get it done in one evening then you are lucky because this is something that can take days. The name of your YouTube channel is extremely important and you should take as long as you need to pick a good one.
Part 2: 5 Best Free Online YouTube Name Generators in 2021
1. YouTube Name Generator:
In case if you need a YouTube name with a specific keyword, this YouTube Name Generator tool can help you better. The unique algorithm of this online tool is capable enough to generate unique channel names that can match certain keywords of your need. All that you need to do is provide it with the total number of names it should generate for you along with your target keyword. It will soon open a long list of actual names and made-up names that you can choose for your channel.
2. Kparser:
Those who are more focused on the SEO ranking of their YouTube channel instead of the uniqueness of the YouTube channel name can avail great benefits from Kparser. It is well known as a keyword suggestion tool that is also used as a YouTube Name Generator due to its awesome algorithm that brings out top SEO-ranked channel names from the web. By upgrading to the Pro version of this tool, you can also get information about the volume and CPC of the listed keyword.
3. SpinXo:
Here is the most comprehensive tool for YouTube channel name generation and it provides satisfactory results to most users who don’t have specific requirements. You can add few specific details to this platform in terms of topic, keywords, niche, interests, and important word; SpinXo will soon generate the best channel names by utilizing that information. Observations say that most of the names generated by this tool are of three words. As soon as you like a certain keyword on this platform, you can see its availability on other social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Blogger, etc.
4. Best Username Generator:
It is almost the same as that of the YouTube Username Generator tool as it also brings out made-up YouTube names with its search results. But the great news is that it is also loaded with unique customization options. After listing the essential keyword, this tool also allows users to provide details about the number of characters they want in the name. When you like any one of the generated names, you can also check their availability on YouTube as well as 9 other popular social media websites.
5. Name Generator 2:
When you are interested in getting a funny YouTube channel name to grab the attention of more viewers online, Name Generator 2 is probably the best platform for you. Although it cannot provide you with a long list of keywords, whatever it provides is always full of humor. Note that, this tool does not allow customization options for YouTube Channel Name generations, users can simply add prefix or suffix details and it will combine them to provide you with something unique out of its database.
Part 3: YouTube Channel Name vs. YouTube Usernames
Are you aware of the difference between YouTube Channel name and YouTube Usernames? Most people are confused about this fact, but there is something that you really need to know about. Go through the details below to clear your doubt:
1. YouTube Channel Names
It is the name by which your channel is known on the network online. When viewers watch your videos online, your channel name appears on their screen, and they can click on this name to reach your channel to watch more collections. In a few cases, the channel name can be a username as well, but it is not always so.
2. YouTube Usernames
The YouTube Username is the one that appears on your URL when you visit your channel page. The time when you started your YouTube channel for the very first time, it appeared automatically containing a random string of characters. In the past, you can not change the URL but now YouTube allows you to customize it when you have more than 100 subscribers and your channel is at least 30 days old. For more details about claiming a custom URL for YouTube, check it here.
Since we have already known the differences between YouTube Channel Name and YouTube User name, you may wonder why the YouTube channel name is so important. While the flip side of that is that not choosing a good channel name can really hurt your chances of getting views and subscribers. Your videos might be great, but if viewers who like them cannot remember your name then it will be hard for them to find you again. Other videos of yours might even show up in their searches and be ignored because the viewer does not recognize your name. Also, while the very best channel names make people curious about what you do, the very worst channel names will be a deterrent for people when they are deciding whether to watch your videos. For example, including a sequence of numbers after your name will give people on YouTube the impression that you do not know what you are doing.
You May Also Like:
YouTube SEO Guide: How to Improve Search Rankings For Your YouTube Videos >>
How to Get More Subscribers on YouTube >>
Part 4: How to Change YouTube Channel Name
YouTube does allow you to change the name that is displayed for your channel now (in the past you could not). However, while your display name can be changed, the URL of your channel is permanent. If you change your display name then the two things will no longer match. Also if you manage to build up a following using one name you will probably lose some of those people if you change it. If you feel like your channel name is holding you back then you should definitely update it to something better, but you should also consider whether it is holding you back enough that it is worth losing some of the regular viewers you already have. It probably will be, if you feel like your channel will start growing faster after the change.
Even after selecting the best name for your YouTube channel, if one day you realize that it must be modified to have much better results; you can definitely change it without deleting the existing account. Note that your Google account name is the same as your YouTube Channel name. So, whenever you want to change the name of the channel; you can follow these simple steps to execute this task:
Step 1: First of all, simply sign in to YouTube.com and then hit on the Settings icon option available on the top right corner of your screen.
Step 2: Now go to the settings button and then choose the “Edit on Google” link.
Step 3: It is time to enter the updated Channel name and then finally hit the Ok button on the screen.
You are done with it, and now you can visit your YouTube channel once again to see the new name appearing on it.
Note: changing the channel name in this way will change all your names across Google services, such as Gmail and Google Drive. If you want to use a YouTube channel name different from that in your Google account, you can connect your channel to a Brand Account. For more details about that, please check: Use a different name on YouTube than your Google Account.
Conclusion
Above are some tips about how to pick up a YouTube channel name and some useful online YouTube name generator tools that you can use to choose a YouTube name quickly. Hope these tips and tools can help you when you building your YouTube channel. If can’t think of a good YouTube name, you can take a look at your similar channels’ names, which will give you a hint. InflueNex , the helpful influencer marketing platform, will help you to find similar channels in one click.
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Master Video Creation: Understanding the Role of Camera Lenses in Vlogging
A Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses
Richard Bennett
Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions
The staple of any vlog is the talking headshot, a shot of the speaker talking directly to the audience. You can compose this shot with different kinds of lenses for your interchangeable lens camera.
But which kind of lens is the right lens for you as a vlogger?
In this article, I’m going to help you figure that out.
- Part 1: Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto
- Part 2: Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group
- Part 3: Crop Factor
- Part 4: Focal Length Equivalency Table
- Part 5: Aperture
- Part 6: Vlogging With a Fast Lens
- Part 7: Optical Image Stabilization
Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto
There are three main ranges in focal lengths that camera lenses can be categorized into wide, standard, and telephoto.
Wide-Angle Lens
Wide-angle lenses can “see more.” They allow more of your scene to fit inside your frame. Objects that are closer to the lens appear much bigger while objects that are further away appear even smaller. Perspectives are also enhanced, making close objects and people that just make it into the sides of the frame appear more stretched out. Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, wide-angle lenses will appear the least zoomed in.
Standard Lens
With standard lenses or normal lenses, you won’t get the stretched out objects or enhanced perspectives that you get from wide-angle lenses. Instead, standard lenses are meant to see scenes as the natural human eye is meant to see them. If you shoot a scene with both a wide-angle lens and a standard lens from the same position, you’ll notice that less of the scene fits into your frame. Standard lenses will appear more zoomed-in than wide-angle lenses, but less zoomed-in than telephoto lenses.
Telephoto Lens
Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, telephoto lenses will appear the most zoomed in. This can be beneficial for the shooter who wants to get a closer shot of a scene without having to physically be in close proximity to the scene. Objects that are further away in the background also appear larger and closer than they would appear on wide-angle or standard lenses.
Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group
You can get your talking head footage using lenses from any of the three focal length groups. Depending on how you plan to vlog most of the time, though, one of the three focal lengths might be more suitable for you.
When to vlog with a wide-angle lens
Wide-angle lenses are the most commonly used lenses for vlogging. Wide-angle lenses are great when you need to be close to your camera. This might be the case for you if your recording space is small or if you want to film yourself as you hold your camera up with your own hand.
Being close to your camera not only gives you the option to use your camera’s built-in microphone, but it also gives you the option to make use of camera-mounted shotgun microphones.
When to vlog with a standard lens
Standard lenses are great when you have more space to be further away from your camera. The perspectives in your shot will look more natural through a standard lens, making your talking head footage feel more corporate or professional. You’ll also be able to get blurrier backgrounds using a standard lens versus a wide-angle lens.
Being further away from your camera, however, means that you’ll have to use a separate microphone positioned closer to you.
When to vlog with a telephoto lens
As telephoto lenses are even more zoomed in, you’ll need to be even further away from your camera to fit yourself inside your camera frame. Why would any vlogger ever need to be that far away from their camera? One word… teleprompter. If you want or need to stick to a script, you’ll have to be far away enough from your camera that it doesn’t appear like your eyes are scanning left to right. You then close in the distance with a telephoto lens.
In the above video, Marcos Rocha compares different focal lengths for talking head videos. Which focal length range do you like the look of?
Crop Factor
Focal lengths in camera lenses are measured in millimeters. You can vlog yourself handheld with a 24mm lens on a camera with a full-frame sensor (the sensor is the piece of hardware inside your camera that turns the light it receives into a digital image). But if you use a 24mm lens on a camera with a smaller sensor, like an APS-C sensor or even smaller Micro 4/3 sensor, more of you will get cropped out (see below).
In order to make up for the cropping that occurs, you will need to use a wider lens on cameras with smaller sensors to get the same shot you’d get with a full-frame camera.
Focal Length Equivalency Table
This table shows you the focal lengths needed to achieve the same shot between cameras with different sensor sizes. In order to take a shot as wide as the shot I took of myself with the 24mm lens on my full-frame camera, I would need a 15mm lens on an APS-C sensor camera or a 12mm lens on a micro 4/3 camera.
| Focal Length / Sensor | Full Frame | APS-C | Micro 4/3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe) | 16mm | 10mm | 8mm |
| Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe) | 18mm | 11mm | 9mm |
| Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe) | 24mm | 15mm | 12mm |
| Wide | 35mm | 22mm | 18mm |
| Standard | 50mm | 31mm | 25mm |
| Telephoto | 70mm | 44mm | 35mm |
| Telephoto | 100mm | 63mm | 50mm |
| Telephoto | 200mm | 125mm | 100mm |
Aperture
The next thing to consider when you’re looking for a lens is the aperture, the hole (often adjustable) within the lens that lets light in. Aperture for camera lenses is measured in f-stops (f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2.0) - the smaller the f-stop number, the larger the aperture (bigger hole letting even more light in).
Because larger aperture lenses let more light in, they need a shorter time for cameras to compose an image. This is why larger aperture lenses are also called “fast” lenses.
Fast lenses are more expensive because they cost more to produce. There’s a lot more that goes into them, including larger and higher quality glass elements.
But do you even need a fast lens?
Vlogging With a Fast Lens
Pros of Vlogging With a Fast Lens
- Better low-light performance
- Better autofocus performance
- Better “bokeh” (out-of-focus areas, like your background, having that nice blurry look that you see in a lot of movies)
Cons of Vlogging With a Fast Lens
- More expensive
- Moving subjects more likely to get out of focus when shooting with a large aperture
- Better continuous autofocus performance needed when shooting moving subjects with a large aperture
Optical Image Stabilization
Finally, you’ll have to decide whether or not you want your lens to have built-in optical image stabilization (OIS).
OIS is very beneficial to have on a lens if you’re a vlogger who films mostly handheld footage. Although this technology adds to the price of your lens as well, it can greatly help you to capture smoother footage that may otherwise be shaky. Nikon calls this technology “Vibration Reduction” (VR) for their lenses.
In the above video, you can see how much OIS can help to stabilize your footage. MicBergsma simultaneously compares the footage between two GoPro Hero5 Blacks, one with OIS on and one with OIS off.
If, however, you are shooting most of your vlogs on a tripod, you won’t need a lens with OIS.
Looking for ways to set up your talking-head shot for YouTube with any of these lenses? Check out our post on 4 Ways To Set Up Your Talking-Head Shots For YouTube .
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions
The staple of any vlog is the talking headshot, a shot of the speaker talking directly to the audience. You can compose this shot with different kinds of lenses for your interchangeable lens camera.
But which kind of lens is the right lens for you as a vlogger?
In this article, I’m going to help you figure that out.
- Part 1: Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto
- Part 2: Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group
- Part 3: Crop Factor
- Part 4: Focal Length Equivalency Table
- Part 5: Aperture
- Part 6: Vlogging With a Fast Lens
- Part 7: Optical Image Stabilization
Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto
There are three main ranges in focal lengths that camera lenses can be categorized into wide, standard, and telephoto.
Wide-Angle Lens
Wide-angle lenses can “see more.” They allow more of your scene to fit inside your frame. Objects that are closer to the lens appear much bigger while objects that are further away appear even smaller. Perspectives are also enhanced, making close objects and people that just make it into the sides of the frame appear more stretched out. Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, wide-angle lenses will appear the least zoomed in.
Standard Lens
With standard lenses or normal lenses, you won’t get the stretched out objects or enhanced perspectives that you get from wide-angle lenses. Instead, standard lenses are meant to see scenes as the natural human eye is meant to see them. If you shoot a scene with both a wide-angle lens and a standard lens from the same position, you’ll notice that less of the scene fits into your frame. Standard lenses will appear more zoomed-in than wide-angle lenses, but less zoomed-in than telephoto lenses.
Telephoto Lens
Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, telephoto lenses will appear the most zoomed in. This can be beneficial for the shooter who wants to get a closer shot of a scene without having to physically be in close proximity to the scene. Objects that are further away in the background also appear larger and closer than they would appear on wide-angle or standard lenses.
Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group
You can get your talking head footage using lenses from any of the three focal length groups. Depending on how you plan to vlog most of the time, though, one of the three focal lengths might be more suitable for you.
When to vlog with a wide-angle lens
Wide-angle lenses are the most commonly used lenses for vlogging. Wide-angle lenses are great when you need to be close to your camera. This might be the case for you if your recording space is small or if you want to film yourself as you hold your camera up with your own hand.
Being close to your camera not only gives you the option to use your camera’s built-in microphone, but it also gives you the option to make use of camera-mounted shotgun microphones.
When to vlog with a standard lens
Standard lenses are great when you have more space to be further away from your camera. The perspectives in your shot will look more natural through a standard lens, making your talking head footage feel more corporate or professional. You’ll also be able to get blurrier backgrounds using a standard lens versus a wide-angle lens.
Being further away from your camera, however, means that you’ll have to use a separate microphone positioned closer to you.
When to vlog with a telephoto lens
As telephoto lenses are even more zoomed in, you’ll need to be even further away from your camera to fit yourself inside your camera frame. Why would any vlogger ever need to be that far away from their camera? One word… teleprompter. If you want or need to stick to a script, you’ll have to be far away enough from your camera that it doesn’t appear like your eyes are scanning left to right. You then close in the distance with a telephoto lens.
In the above video, Marcos Rocha compares different focal lengths for talking head videos. Which focal length range do you like the look of?
Crop Factor
Focal lengths in camera lenses are measured in millimeters. You can vlog yourself handheld with a 24mm lens on a camera with a full-frame sensor (the sensor is the piece of hardware inside your camera that turns the light it receives into a digital image). But if you use a 24mm lens on a camera with a smaller sensor, like an APS-C sensor or even smaller Micro 4/3 sensor, more of you will get cropped out (see below).
In order to make up for the cropping that occurs, you will need to use a wider lens on cameras with smaller sensors to get the same shot you’d get with a full-frame camera.
Focal Length Equivalency Table
This table shows you the focal lengths needed to achieve the same shot between cameras with different sensor sizes. In order to take a shot as wide as the shot I took of myself with the 24mm lens on my full-frame camera, I would need a 15mm lens on an APS-C sensor camera or a 12mm lens on a micro 4/3 camera.
| Focal Length / Sensor | Full Frame | APS-C | Micro 4/3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe) | 16mm | 10mm | 8mm |
| Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe) | 18mm | 11mm | 9mm |
| Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe) | 24mm | 15mm | 12mm |
| Wide | 35mm | 22mm | 18mm |
| Standard | 50mm | 31mm | 25mm |
| Telephoto | 70mm | 44mm | 35mm |
| Telephoto | 100mm | 63mm | 50mm |
| Telephoto | 200mm | 125mm | 100mm |
Aperture
The next thing to consider when you’re looking for a lens is the aperture, the hole (often adjustable) within the lens that lets light in. Aperture for camera lenses is measured in f-stops (f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2.0) - the smaller the f-stop number, the larger the aperture (bigger hole letting even more light in).
Because larger aperture lenses let more light in, they need a shorter time for cameras to compose an image. This is why larger aperture lenses are also called “fast” lenses.
Fast lenses are more expensive because they cost more to produce. There’s a lot more that goes into them, including larger and higher quality glass elements.
But do you even need a fast lens?
Vlogging With a Fast Lens
Pros of Vlogging With a Fast Lens
- Better low-light performance
- Better autofocus performance
- Better “bokeh” (out-of-focus areas, like your background, having that nice blurry look that you see in a lot of movies)
Cons of Vlogging With a Fast Lens
- More expensive
- Moving subjects more likely to get out of focus when shooting with a large aperture
- Better continuous autofocus performance needed when shooting moving subjects with a large aperture
Optical Image Stabilization
Finally, you’ll have to decide whether or not you want your lens to have built-in optical image stabilization (OIS).
OIS is very beneficial to have on a lens if you’re a vlogger who films mostly handheld footage. Although this technology adds to the price of your lens as well, it can greatly help you to capture smoother footage that may otherwise be shaky. Nikon calls this technology “Vibration Reduction” (VR) for their lenses.
In the above video, you can see how much OIS can help to stabilize your footage. MicBergsma simultaneously compares the footage between two GoPro Hero5 Blacks, one with OIS on and one with OIS off.
If, however, you are shooting most of your vlogs on a tripod, you won’t need a lens with OIS.
Looking for ways to set up your talking-head shot for YouTube with any of these lenses? Check out our post on 4 Ways To Set Up Your Talking-Head Shots For YouTube .
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions
The staple of any vlog is the talking headshot, a shot of the speaker talking directly to the audience. You can compose this shot with different kinds of lenses for your interchangeable lens camera.
But which kind of lens is the right lens for you as a vlogger?
In this article, I’m going to help you figure that out.
- Part 1: Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto
- Part 2: Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group
- Part 3: Crop Factor
- Part 4: Focal Length Equivalency Table
- Part 5: Aperture
- Part 6: Vlogging With a Fast Lens
- Part 7: Optical Image Stabilization
Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto
There are three main ranges in focal lengths that camera lenses can be categorized into wide, standard, and telephoto.
Wide-Angle Lens
Wide-angle lenses can “see more.” They allow more of your scene to fit inside your frame. Objects that are closer to the lens appear much bigger while objects that are further away appear even smaller. Perspectives are also enhanced, making close objects and people that just make it into the sides of the frame appear more stretched out. Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, wide-angle lenses will appear the least zoomed in.
Standard Lens
With standard lenses or normal lenses, you won’t get the stretched out objects or enhanced perspectives that you get from wide-angle lenses. Instead, standard lenses are meant to see scenes as the natural human eye is meant to see them. If you shoot a scene with both a wide-angle lens and a standard lens from the same position, you’ll notice that less of the scene fits into your frame. Standard lenses will appear more zoomed-in than wide-angle lenses, but less zoomed-in than telephoto lenses.
Telephoto Lens
Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, telephoto lenses will appear the most zoomed in. This can be beneficial for the shooter who wants to get a closer shot of a scene without having to physically be in close proximity to the scene. Objects that are further away in the background also appear larger and closer than they would appear on wide-angle or standard lenses.
Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group
You can get your talking head footage using lenses from any of the three focal length groups. Depending on how you plan to vlog most of the time, though, one of the three focal lengths might be more suitable for you.
When to vlog with a wide-angle lens
Wide-angle lenses are the most commonly used lenses for vlogging. Wide-angle lenses are great when you need to be close to your camera. This might be the case for you if your recording space is small or if you want to film yourself as you hold your camera up with your own hand.
Being close to your camera not only gives you the option to use your camera’s built-in microphone, but it also gives you the option to make use of camera-mounted shotgun microphones.
When to vlog with a standard lens
Standard lenses are great when you have more space to be further away from your camera. The perspectives in your shot will look more natural through a standard lens, making your talking head footage feel more corporate or professional. You’ll also be able to get blurrier backgrounds using a standard lens versus a wide-angle lens.
Being further away from your camera, however, means that you’ll have to use a separate microphone positioned closer to you.
When to vlog with a telephoto lens
As telephoto lenses are even more zoomed in, you’ll need to be even further away from your camera to fit yourself inside your camera frame. Why would any vlogger ever need to be that far away from their camera? One word… teleprompter. If you want or need to stick to a script, you’ll have to be far away enough from your camera that it doesn’t appear like your eyes are scanning left to right. You then close in the distance with a telephoto lens.
In the above video, Marcos Rocha compares different focal lengths for talking head videos. Which focal length range do you like the look of?
Crop Factor
Focal lengths in camera lenses are measured in millimeters. You can vlog yourself handheld with a 24mm lens on a camera with a full-frame sensor (the sensor is the piece of hardware inside your camera that turns the light it receives into a digital image). But if you use a 24mm lens on a camera with a smaller sensor, like an APS-C sensor or even smaller Micro 4/3 sensor, more of you will get cropped out (see below).
In order to make up for the cropping that occurs, you will need to use a wider lens on cameras with smaller sensors to get the same shot you’d get with a full-frame camera.
Focal Length Equivalency Table
This table shows you the focal lengths needed to achieve the same shot between cameras with different sensor sizes. In order to take a shot as wide as the shot I took of myself with the 24mm lens on my full-frame camera, I would need a 15mm lens on an APS-C sensor camera or a 12mm lens on a micro 4/3 camera.
| Focal Length / Sensor | Full Frame | APS-C | Micro 4/3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe) | 16mm | 10mm | 8mm |
| Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe) | 18mm | 11mm | 9mm |
| Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe) | 24mm | 15mm | 12mm |
| Wide | 35mm | 22mm | 18mm |
| Standard | 50mm | 31mm | 25mm |
| Telephoto | 70mm | 44mm | 35mm |
| Telephoto | 100mm | 63mm | 50mm |
| Telephoto | 200mm | 125mm | 100mm |
Aperture
The next thing to consider when you’re looking for a lens is the aperture, the hole (often adjustable) within the lens that lets light in. Aperture for camera lenses is measured in f-stops (f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2.0) - the smaller the f-stop number, the larger the aperture (bigger hole letting even more light in).
Because larger aperture lenses let more light in, they need a shorter time for cameras to compose an image. This is why larger aperture lenses are also called “fast” lenses.
Fast lenses are more expensive because they cost more to produce. There’s a lot more that goes into them, including larger and higher quality glass elements.
But do you even need a fast lens?
Vlogging With a Fast Lens
Pros of Vlogging With a Fast Lens
- Better low-light performance
- Better autofocus performance
- Better “bokeh” (out-of-focus areas, like your background, having that nice blurry look that you see in a lot of movies)
Cons of Vlogging With a Fast Lens
- More expensive
- Moving subjects more likely to get out of focus when shooting with a large aperture
- Better continuous autofocus performance needed when shooting moving subjects with a large aperture
Optical Image Stabilization
Finally, you’ll have to decide whether or not you want your lens to have built-in optical image stabilization (OIS).
OIS is very beneficial to have on a lens if you’re a vlogger who films mostly handheld footage. Although this technology adds to the price of your lens as well, it can greatly help you to capture smoother footage that may otherwise be shaky. Nikon calls this technology “Vibration Reduction” (VR) for their lenses.
In the above video, you can see how much OIS can help to stabilize your footage. MicBergsma simultaneously compares the footage between two GoPro Hero5 Blacks, one with OIS on and one with OIS off.
If, however, you are shooting most of your vlogs on a tripod, you won’t need a lens with OIS.
Looking for ways to set up your talking-head shot for YouTube with any of these lenses? Check out our post on 4 Ways To Set Up Your Talking-Head Shots For YouTube .
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions
The staple of any vlog is the talking headshot, a shot of the speaker talking directly to the audience. You can compose this shot with different kinds of lenses for your interchangeable lens camera.
But which kind of lens is the right lens for you as a vlogger?
In this article, I’m going to help you figure that out.
- Part 1: Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto
- Part 2: Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group
- Part 3: Crop Factor
- Part 4: Focal Length Equivalency Table
- Part 5: Aperture
- Part 6: Vlogging With a Fast Lens
- Part 7: Optical Image Stabilization
Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto
There are three main ranges in focal lengths that camera lenses can be categorized into wide, standard, and telephoto.
Wide-Angle Lens
Wide-angle lenses can “see more.” They allow more of your scene to fit inside your frame. Objects that are closer to the lens appear much bigger while objects that are further away appear even smaller. Perspectives are also enhanced, making close objects and people that just make it into the sides of the frame appear more stretched out. Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, wide-angle lenses will appear the least zoomed in.
Standard Lens
With standard lenses or normal lenses, you won’t get the stretched out objects or enhanced perspectives that you get from wide-angle lenses. Instead, standard lenses are meant to see scenes as the natural human eye is meant to see them. If you shoot a scene with both a wide-angle lens and a standard lens from the same position, you’ll notice that less of the scene fits into your frame. Standard lenses will appear more zoomed-in than wide-angle lenses, but less zoomed-in than telephoto lenses.
Telephoto Lens
Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, telephoto lenses will appear the most zoomed in. This can be beneficial for the shooter who wants to get a closer shot of a scene without having to physically be in close proximity to the scene. Objects that are further away in the background also appear larger and closer than they would appear on wide-angle or standard lenses.
Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group
You can get your talking head footage using lenses from any of the three focal length groups. Depending on how you plan to vlog most of the time, though, one of the three focal lengths might be more suitable for you.
When to vlog with a wide-angle lens
Wide-angle lenses are the most commonly used lenses for vlogging. Wide-angle lenses are great when you need to be close to your camera. This might be the case for you if your recording space is small or if you want to film yourself as you hold your camera up with your own hand.
Being close to your camera not only gives you the option to use your camera’s built-in microphone, but it also gives you the option to make use of camera-mounted shotgun microphones.
When to vlog with a standard lens
Standard lenses are great when you have more space to be further away from your camera. The perspectives in your shot will look more natural through a standard lens, making your talking head footage feel more corporate or professional. You’ll also be able to get blurrier backgrounds using a standard lens versus a wide-angle lens.
Being further away from your camera, however, means that you’ll have to use a separate microphone positioned closer to you.
When to vlog with a telephoto lens
As telephoto lenses are even more zoomed in, you’ll need to be even further away from your camera to fit yourself inside your camera frame. Why would any vlogger ever need to be that far away from their camera? One word… teleprompter. If you want or need to stick to a script, you’ll have to be far away enough from your camera that it doesn’t appear like your eyes are scanning left to right. You then close in the distance with a telephoto lens.
In the above video, Marcos Rocha compares different focal lengths for talking head videos. Which focal length range do you like the look of?
Crop Factor
Focal lengths in camera lenses are measured in millimeters. You can vlog yourself handheld with a 24mm lens on a camera with a full-frame sensor (the sensor is the piece of hardware inside your camera that turns the light it receives into a digital image). But if you use a 24mm lens on a camera with a smaller sensor, like an APS-C sensor or even smaller Micro 4/3 sensor, more of you will get cropped out (see below).
In order to make up for the cropping that occurs, you will need to use a wider lens on cameras with smaller sensors to get the same shot you’d get with a full-frame camera.
Focal Length Equivalency Table
This table shows you the focal lengths needed to achieve the same shot between cameras with different sensor sizes. In order to take a shot as wide as the shot I took of myself with the 24mm lens on my full-frame camera, I would need a 15mm lens on an APS-C sensor camera or a 12mm lens on a micro 4/3 camera.
| Focal Length / Sensor | Full Frame | APS-C | Micro 4/3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe) | 16mm | 10mm | 8mm |
| Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe) | 18mm | 11mm | 9mm |
| Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe) | 24mm | 15mm | 12mm |
| Wide | 35mm | 22mm | 18mm |
| Standard | 50mm | 31mm | 25mm |
| Telephoto | 70mm | 44mm | 35mm |
| Telephoto | 100mm | 63mm | 50mm |
| Telephoto | 200mm | 125mm | 100mm |
Aperture
The next thing to consider when you’re looking for a lens is the aperture, the hole (often adjustable) within the lens that lets light in. Aperture for camera lenses is measured in f-stops (f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2.0) - the smaller the f-stop number, the larger the aperture (bigger hole letting even more light in).
Because larger aperture lenses let more light in, they need a shorter time for cameras to compose an image. This is why larger aperture lenses are also called “fast” lenses.
Fast lenses are more expensive because they cost more to produce. There’s a lot more that goes into them, including larger and higher quality glass elements.
But do you even need a fast lens?
Vlogging With a Fast Lens
Pros of Vlogging With a Fast Lens
- Better low-light performance
- Better autofocus performance
- Better “bokeh” (out-of-focus areas, like your background, having that nice blurry look that you see in a lot of movies)
Cons of Vlogging With a Fast Lens
- More expensive
- Moving subjects more likely to get out of focus when shooting with a large aperture
- Better continuous autofocus performance needed when shooting moving subjects with a large aperture
Optical Image Stabilization
Finally, you’ll have to decide whether or not you want your lens to have built-in optical image stabilization (OIS).
OIS is very beneficial to have on a lens if you’re a vlogger who films mostly handheld footage. Although this technology adds to the price of your lens as well, it can greatly help you to capture smoother footage that may otherwise be shaky. Nikon calls this technology “Vibration Reduction” (VR) for their lenses.
In the above video, you can see how much OIS can help to stabilize your footage. MicBergsma simultaneously compares the footage between two GoPro Hero5 Blacks, one with OIS on and one with OIS off.
If, however, you are shooting most of your vlogs on a tripod, you won’t need a lens with OIS.
Looking for ways to set up your talking-head shot for YouTube with any of these lenses? Check out our post on 4 Ways To Set Up Your Talking-Head Shots For YouTube .
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
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