Make Money On YouTube - Lesson 1 - Your First Video

In the first of my weekly series of video marketing tips, I begin with the basics. All you need to make a video is a Web-connected computer, rudimentary programs that are likely in your computer and a little imagination. It's as simple as that. My first YouTube video consisted of a lame knock knock joke I came up with. I just fired up Windows Movie Maker -- which is free on most Microsoft-powered computers -- and used the titles feature to get the joke across.

The first step is creating your first video and you may have some zero budget options. You may already have a Webcam -- either portable or built-in -- or you may have a camcorder around the house with a program to transfer the files into your computer to edit and/or upload. If not, here are some of the things I use:

Logitech QuickCam Pro - This is the Logitech webcam that I used to make this particular video. Whenever you see me in my home office -- with the pinball machine in the background -- this is the webcam I'm using. It runs about $70, though you may be able to find a used one for less on eBay. Logitech and Microsoft have webcams that start as little as $30-40, so the next time you're out to buy a video game or go to a show, use that money on a webcam instead.

Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum Pro Pack - This video didn't need any editing software. The Logitech cam saves the clip in a format that can be uploaded it right to YouTube. However, when you see videos that require a little editing (like my eating an apple in an Apple store clip or the miniature golf one) I cobbled those together using Sony Vegas. Your computer probably has a free program in either Windows Movie Maker or Apple iMovie. Use those programs first, but if you want something fancier, give Sony Vegas a spin.