Help Starting Tech Review Channel

[Matthias2556]

Hello all

I am Trying to Start a Tech Review Youtube Channel and also written reviews on my website, gotechcomputers.weebly.com. I've contacted a bunch of manufacturers, but I haven't gotten any responses expect for Rosewill (who aren't even manufacturers, but i guess I'll have to start somewhere). I'm thinking they don't trust me because i haven't done any reviews yet.

anywho, I'm looking for advice on getting manufacturers to notice me, and i know i'll need some actuall content first, but Currently i dont have anything to review or money to buy stuff, so I'll just have to wait a while. but still, i would love to hear any tips, tricks or suggestions on getting strated with my channel and getting manufacturers to send me stuff.

P.S. My channel will be called PC Tech Labs, and i'm going to try and deliver professional looking content. science lab. . I have a Lab coat i can wear and I'm still trying to get my setup figured out.

[Salmiakbal]

The market is saturated with tech reviewers.. Honestly, if you don't have anything unique to offer, don't even bother. It will be very hard to get noticed.

[joelthezombie15]

The market is saturated with tech reviewers.. Honestly, if you don't have anything unique to offer, don't even bother. It will be very hard to get noticed.

i completely agree everyone on you tube is either vlogging,minecraft letsplays,or tech stuff either you need to do something others dont like test them in a different way or have a special formula on how you do things but hey why not try but i wouldnt sink hundreds of dollars in it first go wait to spend alot until maybe 20,000 subs then start investing a bit more. just i wouldnt get my hopes up if i were you sorry to crush your dreams if i did but youtube is becoming a tough buisness

[joelthezombie15]

i was looking on your website and there arent any reviews also some of the PC's seem REALLY over priced so what do they have to offer that say an alien ware doesnt maybe show your cable work and do you sleeve your cables make it look like its worth the money make it seem special from everything else all you hace shown is what seems to be empty cases which shows me nothing of your skill. just food for thought and things people might think hope it helps wasnt trying to be nasty

[Matthias2556]

i was looking on your website and there arent any reviews also some of the PC's seem REALLY over priced so what do they have to offer that say an alien ware doesnt maybe show your cable work and do you sleeve your cables make it look like its worth the money make it seem special from everything else all you hace shown is what seems to be empty cases which shows me nothing of your skill. just food for thought and things people might think hope it helps wasnt trying to be nasty

Like i siad, i'm trying to start reviewing, meaning i havent yet. which builds on my site did you think were over priced, and compared to what? i do have to make a profit, and the profit is small already. I don't think alot of people would apreciate sleeved cables unless they are an enthuisiat, and then they would just build their own pc. maybe i'll add the option for sleeved cables and custom paint jobs etc in the customization options. yes, all the pictures of the computers are empty cases because I actually just opened my buisness last week and no one has ordered anything from me yet.

[Matthias2556]

The market is saturated with tech reviewers.. Honestly, if you don't have anything unique to offer, don't even bother. It will be very hard to get noticed.

I think If i'm able to give some qaulity, professional content, i'll be able to get noticed a little more. there's actually not a lot of professional looking video reviewers out there exept for people like Linus, Newegg, Tech of Tomorrow, and others.

[Tommy]

I personally dislike buying anything (especially a pricey computer) from a free host site like .weebly, .webs etc. Invest in a domain, then you can temporarily host of a spare or cheap computer, you can always get dedicated if the traffic becomes too much. Maybe try to get custom pictures, stock images are really irritating, and often don't give an honest look at what you buy - I read what you said about not having orders - so maybe try and build some for your friends until you get orders from strangers. I would also setup PayPal, I can't imagine anyone buying from a popup company that doesn't use PayPal, you have to remember that you are asking ALLOT of money, and so people will be very cautious. On a side note, you should add more details to your parts, "Liquid Cooled" is'n very descriptive, it could mean a Corsair H40, or a Swiftech H220, as well as you haven't given many brand names, 16GB RAM doesn't mean too much if it's cheapo bulk RAM bought from Alibaba (not that you are) but I would give full brand names; paste them from the manufactures website if need be. You need to also add a warranty, your will get blown to hell and back if you sell an expensive computer and it arrives DOA or breaks in a few months due to errors in construction.

I REALLY don't mean to put you down, and wish the best of luck to you, but you really have to spend money to make money. You won't get companies sending you review samples until you are well established, think how many people try to get free things off these companies claiming to be legitimate reviewers, you have to distinguish yourself from them and prove that you are going to be an ideal partner for them. The fact that you have to be well established really needs to be acknowledged, think of Teksyndicate, they have over 100K subs and still they don't get huge review samples, most people like Linus and TTL either had the chance due to their job (Linus working at NCIX) or they had a skill to offer like TTL's custom rigs which were damn awesome especially in their time.

It really isn't a field that is easy to break into, there are so many small channels out there now, if you type in H100i unboxing or any mainstream part there are tonnes of results and most of them are channels with only a few subs.

Best of luck with your store & channel.

[Matthias2556]

Thanks for the Advice, That was very thourough! I'm still working on the Paypal function, and alot of other quirks on the site. putting brand names on the parts is definitly a good idea, I should have thought of that :) i think i'm using G.Skill Ripjaws RAM and a Corsair 100i. Custom pictures is also a good idea, when i'm able to. I guess i hadn't thought about a warranty yet either. I guess I've got my work cut out for me! thanks again for the advice, I really Appreciate it.

[GPUXPert]

You'll succeed if you were brutally honest with your reviews.

Almost all of today's reviews dance around the edges of criticism because of sponsorship, which I deeply detest.

This is why Linus doesn't want to upload the after party on youtube, because it's the only few minutes per week where he can be brutally honest about tech.

[Ethnod]

You'll succeed if you were brutally honest with your reviews. Almost all of today's reviews dance around the edges of criticism because of sponsorship' date=' which I deeply detest. This is why Linus doesn't want to upload the after party on youtube, because it's the only few minutes per week where he can be brutally honest about tech.[/quote']

Oh I dont know, they are pretty honest normally. They pull punches but so does everyone

As for advice, like the Original first reply, unless you have something unique its going to be hard. Plus it will take a long ass time to get noticed as you need a database of reviews to be taken seriously. When I first noticed Linus I liked his honesty and quality above all else, as getting good quality video reviews on tech is hard but I never subscribed until he just kept coming up on my searches. It look like 30 or 40 vids and him coming up all the time, getting frustrated with substandard video quality and substandard info that started pushing me to look at his vids first more and more and eventually Linus became my name source of tech reviews.

If you are willing to dedicate 2-3 years to just get started, spend money on good lighting and hardware to provide a good standard of video and audio to stand out and you are willing to spend copious amounts of time learning new tech, evaluating it all against others and are confident that you can 1) understand (truly understand) the underlying tech you are reviewing, 2) be able to provide an honest, informative and clear review and 3) ensure that you are providing correct and accurate information you should give it a go.

I would also say that you MUST be willing to either borrow a lot of unboxed tech, have access to a lot of new tech or simply have silly amounts of money to buy tech. NO company is going to just send you anything of their own for free unless you have a proven track record AND if they dont like your honesty they probably wont send you anything they are not confident of. Meaning you will have to buy or borrow most of what you review, for most of the life of your channel

[Mastermortis]

Write now it seems like you're using linuses sucsess to Pedle you massivle over priced computers wich makes me not wanna watch you already

[Deleon.David]

start reviewing products that you already have. show them to the linustechtips forum and get noticed. if your reviews are good and you get good views and subscriptions, then maybe ask the manufacturers. also, project your personality. nobody wants to listen to a mono-toned reviewer.

[Matthias2556]

Write now it seems like you're using linuses sucsess to Pedle you massivle over priced computers wich makes me not wanna watch you already

I'm not advertising my site at all, just looking for feedback.

seriously, dude, use spell check, your grammar is terrible.

[911^NEmeSis]

i completely agree everyone on you tube is either vlogging,minecraft letsplays,or tech stuff either you need to do something others dont like test them in a different way or have a special formula on how you do things but hey why not try but i wouldnt sink hundreds of dollars in it first go wait to spend alot until maybe 20,000 subs then start investing a bit more. just i wouldnt get my hopes up if i were you sorry to crush your dreams if i did but youtube is becoming a tough buisness

Waaaaaay to many people thinking a few Minecraft lets plays are gonna get them big O.o

[cyberlocc]

I'm not advertising my site at all, just looking for feedback. seriously, dude, use spell check, your grammar is terrible.

Okay so the first problems I see is one do you have all those pcs already built and ready to go as the way your site looks you do otherwise there should be custimaziations. Secondly weeby as already said you think any1 is going to trust you with that much money on a free web host. thirdly as said with the hosting it takes money to make money do you even have a resale lincense is your bizz registered at all is it an llc are you bonded insured do you have contracts made up and a clear view of warrantys what you will cover what you wont. Im not at all trying to be mean just being real. I own 2 bussinesses and it isnt just throw up a site and your good plan on spending alot of time getting all done and at least 5k for all the needed stuff such as lincences bonding attorney fees for various things starting a bussiness is neither cheap nor easy and from what I see you think it is both. your pcs are overpriced the cacth there is you need whole salers for your parts and then profit will go up but they will not talk to you without the nessacary lincensing which i dont think you have. Also the first time you actually do sell something you have to claim it and pay taxes for the sale whcih again you cnat do without a resale tax id and realy if you dont have the money for a website you dont have 1k for a bizz lincense and resale id (thats the cost in arizona anyway it varies)

 

To the nice part if you realy want to do this theres some things you have to relize.

1. your going to need time alot of time and patience there will be many many forms and hoops you will have to jump through the road will be long.

 

2. money and lots of it I just started my second bussiness about 4 months ago and its still in the begging stages its a pc shop in pheonix arizona dont even have a website yet i sell my pcs out of my other shop and on craigslist and will be getting a shop locally soon in negotions now for one I like. Plan on having at least 15-20k to get going as you must realize you wont open your dooors to people pouring in and youll spend a good amount of time in the red before making it into the black. This right here is the number 1 reason small bussiness fail they spend more than they have you have to have back up funds to keep things a float for the 6months to a year that you will barely be staying alive as a company.

 

3. start small selling 1k+ pcs no one is going to buy those from you especailly with ibuypower and cyberpower alienware in the market your putting the chicken before the egg. Find a local auction in your are and pick up some used pcs you cna grab for cheap fix and sell fast while you will make more of the high end pcs they will sell less often the cheap refurbs will sell fast and help keep things a float.

What was said about sleeving ect is the key just as they said that is what will diffrentate you from others. as for reviews and customs again it takes money to make money go back start at square one get all the first stuff done by that time haswell will be out and you cna begin. Buy a few cases motherboards ect and review them after there reviews put them into custom builds do laser ecthing on them and all the fun stuff people will buy that not everyone that likes that stuff know or wants to know how to do it they just want it. plan on making almost nothing or losing money on those builds there purplose is not for a profit but for word of mouth to get your name out there. Keep logs of your work on websites to show what you can do and here it is. Think of it this way would you let a tatto artist that has never tattoed do some ink on you.

 

4. sponsors as said sponsors will come as you build your name theyre not going to help you they want you to help them when you have a highly visted site a majorly wacthed channel and they see advertising pontentional they will come to you not you to them. that is like telling the bank give me money for a business and they say whats your business plan uhhh i dont know just to have a business thats how you sound not trying to be mean.

   

Im sorry if my post sounds mean but im just providing the harsh brutual truths welcome to business in america or anywhere for that matter. I wish you the best of luck with your business if you need any help with how to do a certain thing let me know i have been there done that and am glad to help.

 

sorry for my spelling my spell check aint orking on this new forum ill fix it later whn i have more time

[cyberlocc]

on your site you nee to have the prices for varied parts on the selections themselves not at the bottom and i would do away with that completely and take orders for customs builds make a form what parts do you wnat or what is it for and what is your budget color scheme ect and again i cant stress enoguh you need worklogs and a gallery that is a 100% fake scamming site not saying it is or you are im saying thats what people will think you have no place to leave reviews of your company either

[cyberlocc]

Oh I dont know, they are pretty honest normally. They pull punches but so does everyone As for advice, like the Original first reply, unless you have something unique its going to be hard. Plus it will take a long ass time to get noticed as you need a database of reviews to be taken seriously. When I first noticed Linus I liked his honesty and quality above all else, as getting good quality video reviews on tech is hard but I never subscribed until he just kept coming up on my searches. It look like 30 or 40 vids and him coming up all the time, getting frustrated with substandard video quality and substandard info that started pushing me to look at his vids first more and more and eventually Linus became my name source of tech reviews. If you are willing to dedicate 2-3 years to just get started, spend money on good lighting and hardware to provide a good standard of video and audio to stand out and you are willing to spend copious amounts of time learning new tech, evaluating it all against others and are confident that you can 1) understand (truly understand) the underlying tech you are reviewing, 2) be able to provide an honest, informative and clear review and 3) ensure that you are providing correct and accurate information you should give it a go. I would also say that you MUST be willing to either borrow a lot of unboxed tech, have access to a lot of new tech or simply have silly amounts of money to buy tech. NO company is going to just send you anything of their own for free unless you have a proven track record AND if they dont like your honesty they probably wont send you anything they are not confident of. Meaning you will have to buy or borrow most of what you review, for most of the life of your channel

i agree with them as as of the buying tech buy it to sell it review build it sell it either in a build or for a discount of like 20 dollars off retail once you have wholesalers you will neither make or lose money in that sitauiton sell at cost and charges taxes. And i also agree with niche find a niche mine for example no one in my huge city sells water cooling gear and the alentertives online charge outraguoes shipping and is the complete opposite side of the us so what if you have to send it back and wait longer thats my niche conveince. 

 

Of coruse all of this is pointless without all the needed prereqs and at least 15-20k for online only 30 for a physical shop.