Do You Have What it Takes to be the ‘Next’ great YouTube Vlogger?

Vlogging, or video blogging, videos are some of the most popular on YouTube. And rightfully so--they’re one of the few types of videos that literally anyone can create: all you have to do is sit in front of camera, share words of wisdom (okay, wisdom not always required), and upload the video. From accounts of political struggle in the Middle East to fan reactions of newly-released music videos to testaments of personal discovery, the intimate act of vlogging can take many shapes and resonate with audiences around the world.

A few weeks ago, we asked YouTube creators what form of content we should tackle as part of our Next Creator program, a development initiative to help promising creators find their voices, improve their skills, and build their audiences. You resoundingly responded with calls for YouTube Next Vlogger.

Starting today through April 18, applications will be open for sixteen promising vloggers to take part in three months of intimate educational workshops held on Google+ Hangouts. Each vlogger will receive $5,000 worth of video equipment and more than $10,000 worth of promotion on and off YouTube. Participants will also receive mentoring from industry experts, such as iJustine, one of the most successful vloggers and content creators on YouTube!

YouTube creators from Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States are eligible. If previous Next Creator participants are any indication, the Next Vloggers will be an incredibly talented and engaging group. We can’t wait to introduce them to you on April 30, but they need to apply first!

Vlog on!

Austin Lau & Bing Chen, Global YouTube Creator Program Managers, recently watched The Dominic Show’s “Dating Tips: Break Ups

And the Next Causes are...

Last month we announced YouTube Next Cause: a new program designed to help nonprofit organizations that are already changing the world better use online video to drive action.

We were honored, inspired and deeply moved by many of the applications we received.

We are proud to introduce you to some members of the first class of YouTube Next Cause: 20 organizations who’ve demonstrated passion and huge potential for using YouTube to further their causes.

The organizations come from big cities and small towns across the country from Illinois to Colorado to Texas to California and many work all over the world. They also work on variety of issues from animal abuse to homelessness to poverty alleviation to children’s health.

 Check out these great organizations:

 

Autism Speaks
Children's Hospital Boston
IFAW - International Fund for Animal Welfare
Sunlight Foundation
BuildOn
American Heart Association
CARE
American Foundation for Equal Rights
Malaria No More
The Humane Society of the United States
The Pablove Foundation
COTS - Committee on the Shelterless
Durango Discovery Museum
Save Mount Diablo
Art Resources in Teaching
breakthrough
Per Scholas
The Supply
Born Free USA
The Lazarex Cancer Foundation

Stay tuned to this blog for more updates from the YouTube Next Cause channels, and learn more about other programs helping partners grow at the YouTube Creator Hub.

Jessica Mason, communications associate, recently watched “The Story of Keep Calm and Carry On

A ‘Next’ step for YouTube nonprofits

Last year we launched YouTube NextUp to accelerate the growth of the next big YouTube stars. Then in October, we announced YouTube Next Chef and YouTube Next Trainer to turbocharge up-and-coming cooking and fitness channels by great YouTube video creators. We’re excited to share the latest addition to the Next Creator family of programs: YouTube Next Cause for nonprofits.

YouTube Next Cause is designed to help organizations that are already changing the world better use online video to drive action. At a one-day summit in San Francisco on April 2, selected participants will get access to everything from training in YouTube fundamentals, to promotion and community engagement tips, to one-on-one consulting sessions to grow their YouTube presence.

We’ve always sought to make YouTube a platform for nonprofits to broadcast their messages. And we’ve seen amazing things happen when the YouTube community comes together in support of great causes. With 4 billion views a day, we want to make sure nonprofits have the tools they need to reach the global audience on YouTube and turn video views into donations, volunteerism and awareness.

Applications for YouTube Next Cause are due on February 27, 2012 at 11:59PM PT, and the selected nonprofits will be announced on March 5. This program is open to organizations that are part of the YouTube Nonprofit Program (full eligibility requirements). You can apply online at: http://goo.gl/ODbI6.

Check out what nonprofits are doing on YouTube at youtube.com/nonprofits. And tune in around March 5 to learn more about some of the great nonprofit organizations chosen and what they’re doing to change the world!

 

Hunter Walk, director of product management, recently watched “Using YouTube with a Purpose - Helping Kids in Bangladesh.

After NextUp, Next Chef and Next Trainer, What’s Next? You tell us!

One of the most rewarding projects I worked on in 2011 was the Next Creator program (comprised of YouTube NextUp, YouTube Next Chef, and YouTube Next Trainer). These programs worked to catapult 91 content creators’ careers across 15 different countries, by providing them with production and audience development training, new video equipment, promotion, and mentoring from DeStorm, FreddieWMichelle PhanChow.com and Billy Blanks.

But what’s next for the Next Creator program? There are still millions of creators who could benefit from participating in the program, so we’re excited to continue to expand the program further. That’s where you come in — we'd like to hear which type of content we should launch for the next round. Maybe you're a budding beauty guru and want to see YouTube Next Beautician; or, perhaps you're a habitual big personality vlogger and have been waiting for YouTube Next Vlogger.

Whatever you want to see next, let us know by voting on some categories and by suggesting your own here. You may vote and submit as many as you’d like before February 19th. We'll then evaluate the top-voted suggestions and bring some of these to you this year!

2012 is going to be an incredibly exciting year for YouTube creators. Stay tuned for more initiatives that will empower you to take your YouTube career to the next level — coming very soon!

Bing Chen, global creator initiatives manager, recently watched Ryan The Truth Higa’s “Word of the Day - Swog."

Hey Brazil, who's NextUp?

We just kicked off the next round of the YouTube NextUp program in Brazil, to supercharge the careers of Brazilian partners who are ready to become the next big video stars. The 10 partners selected will receive R$20,000 to advance their YouTube careers, as well as global promotion across the platform. They’ll also attend the first YouTube Creator Camp in Sao Paulo for personalized training and mentoring to build their brands and improve their content.

Interested? Give wings to your creativity and submit a three minute video to YouTube NextUp Brazil. This site also includes all the rules of the program, notably that you need to be a YouTube partner at least 18 years old, and your Channel must have less than 100,000 subscribers.



On January 23, one hundred submissions will be chosen and posted for public voting in the YouTube NextUp Brazil Channel. The top 40 videos will advance to the final round of judging, and we’ll announce the 10 partners selected for the program on March 8.

So Brazil — time to tell us who’s NextUp!

Bibiana Leite, Partner Development & Programs, recently watched “Denis Lee apresenta: regras do YouTube NextUp.”

Welcoming the next generation of cooking and fitness trainer stars

Thinking of searching YouTube for a cooking recipe this holiday season? Want some videos to help you achieve that New Year’s fitness resolution? You’re in good company. Searches on YouTube for cooking recipes spike around the end of every year, and searches for fitness exercises spike just around the start of the new year.

We have partners who are doing amazing things with food and fitness, and to supercharge their careers, we created the YouTube Next Chef and the YouTube Next Trainer programs. We’d like to introduce you to the first class of partners who’ll be attending a 12-week course via Google+ Hangouts and receiving a $15,000 equipment and promotional package, all to help them share their passion for food or fitness on YouTube with you.

YouTube Next Chef
The partners of the YouTube Next Chef class include self-taught chefs, cookbook authors, former restaurant owners and more. Their culinary styles range from making a full meal with just one pot to vegan desserts to gourmet on a budget, and represent five countries around the world. These partners will be taught by the finest folks in culinary arts, including editors from CHOW.com, YouTube Partners like Rob Nixon, and industry experts like Lee Allison.



YouTube Next Trainer
If fitness is your goal, our YouTube Next Trainers are here to help. This international group can teach you exercises using city landscapes, fitness routines made for athletes, safe parkour training exercises, pilates made simple and more. Expect to see these partners get top tier training from our featured mentors Billy Blanks, YouTube Partners like DeStorm, and industry experts like Julie DelaBarre.



Stay tuned for weekly videos starting Nov 15 for YouTube Next Chef and Nov 23 for YouTube Next Trainer.

Austin Lau, YouTube Creator Programs, recently watched “The Coolest Extreme Skiing Dudes.”

Are you the next big chef or trainer on YouTube?

Since launching the first YouTube NextUp, we’ve been working to supercharge the careers of partners from around the world, and now we’re expanding the program even further. Today we’re kicking off two new YouTube Next Creator Programs to highlight the stars of tomorrow on YouTube today: YouTube Next Chef and YouTube Next Trainer.

Each program will have sixteen participants who take part in a three month virtual class held on Google+ Hangouts. Our chefs and trainers will each receive an equipment kit worth more than $5,000, mentoring from industry leaders, filming and editing lessons and more than $10,000 worth of promotion on YouTube. Here’s more info on each and an introduction from our hosts.

YouTube Next Chef
Crafty in the kitchen? Love sharing your family’s recipes with the world? With YouTube Next Chef, you could be selected to learn filmmaking tailored to cooking videos. Shea Hess of Hungry in Brooklyn will be your host.



YouTube Next Trainer
Personal health comes in many forms, and we’re interested in your unique approach. From yoga to 100-yard sprints, this program will help you develop filmmaking talents specifically for fitness videos. Sarah Dussalt of SarahsFabChannel will be your host.



How to apply
Starting today through October 25, partners from Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States can apply at youtube.com/NextChef and youtube.com/NextTrainer, which also includes all rules and details.

We’ll be back on November 9 to introduce you to the selected chefs and trainers, as we keep working on ways to help YouTube Partners turn their passion into their career.

Austin Lau, YouTube Creator Programs, recently watched, “How To Peel a Head of Garlic in Less Than 10 Seconds.”

An update from YouTube NextUp Japan

This month, the 10 winners of our YouTube NextUp contest in Japan attended Creator’s Camp at Digital Hollywood University in Tokyo. The YouTubers learned to use the magic of green screens, worked with editing pros, talked with industry professionals on brand management and got some hands-on time with high-end digital cameras. We have a summary video of the week’s activities here, and learn many of the same lessons from the YouTube Creator Playbook.

One of our favorite parts of Creator Camp is seeing the creativity coming out of the YouTubers collaborations, so we put together a playlist for you.



The YouTube NextUp winners are already working on their first big projects after Creator Camp, and here’s a few you can look forward to:
  • HotchiKazuhiro starts work on his 26-part animated fantasy epic Jugaia
  • SQUASHfilms will be touring all of Japan’s world heritage sites and making videos from each
  • Two of the NextUp winners will shoot videos from the Northeastern Japan areas affected by the tsunami and earthquake — ChrisNolandTV chronicling rebuilding of the coastal cities and dfarm777 looking at the areas’ stray pets recovery effects
Congratulations again to all the Japan YouTube NextUp creators—megwin, sasakiasahi, soezimax, Kumigar, randomyoko, ChrisNolandTV, dfarm777, HotchiKazuhiro, SQUASHfilms and nariomaru!

Mami Ihara, Partner Program Specialist, recently watched “坂本龍馬 Japanese samurai ryoma sakamoto.”