How to Start a YouTube Channel That People Want to Watch

Michelle Phan knows a thing or two about making a fun and profitable YouTube channel--and turning viral hits into a long-term business strategy. The 29-year-old entrepreneur is among the highest-grossing celebrities on YouTube, pulling in roughly $3 million in ad revenue through the social network, where she posts makeup tutorials to her more than eight million viewers.

Phan's channel has amassed over one billion views to date. She's also parlayed her social media fame into a beauty subscription service, called Ipsy. 

Felix Kjellberg, another star vlogger, is the highest-paid on YouTube, according to Forbes' most recent estimate. He goes by the gaming alias 'PewDiePie.' Last year, Kjellberg brought in a reported $15 million through his channel, where he entertains his 43 million subscribers by playing video games and inserting lurid commentary. Kjellberg's main chunk of revenues come from sponsored advertisements, as well as a handful of game endorsements. Read on...