My job is so fun. I get to make videos of my children, test minivan gear and now…talk about my favorite channels! This is more than a filler article. I will explain why they are some of my favorites and what elements they all have in common for a good channel. Let’s begin.

Mark Wiens. Genre: Food Blogger. Why I like his channel? He is just really being him. He seems to seriously enjoy eating food all around the world with his family, plus he is known for doing this ‘sway head to the right’ when the food is particularly good. I always get a kick from watching that! Average video duration: 25 minutes.

Primitive Technology. Genre: Bushcraft Outdoors. This dude, I don’t even know his name, in fact he NEVER talks in his videos! He literally started a huge trend with bushcraft building that now has populated more channels of similar content. He builds huts…let me rephrase that. When I say, “build”, I mean BUILD! He makes the tools from pounding rocks together, strings up lashing from roots, and goes down to the river to gather clay. My mouth literally drops from start to finish on every video. Average video duration: 8-14 minutes.

Prager University. Genre: Moral Issues. With all that has been going on in recent news, I sometimes have a hard time discerning what is what? This channel brings forth current or even evergreen topics; applies common sense to its reasons and into real life. I do find good balance after I watch a video. Average duration: Exactly 5 minutes.

Video Creators. Genre: Helping YouTube Channels Grow. Tim Shmoyer is behind this great channel. This is his profession; by helping others grow their channels. There are a few different channels I listen too but he brings his personal side into his business, so I feel like I know more and can trust him. Average video duration: 15 minutes to over an hour.

ShayTards. Genre: Family Vlog. They were at the beginning of YouTube 2007! It’s one of those things where the family knows the camera so much now they don’t ‘act’ anymore. The family is so real (went through a public scandal) and does not hide anything. The dad I particularly like. He’s loud, boisterous yet it’s that that makes him most clearly in the videos, does that make sense? Average video duration: 20 minutes.

Think Media. Genre: Tech Gear Reviews. Sean is incredibly helpful and honest with his tech gear reviews. He’s also been on YouTube for a long time. I’m considering purchasing a Canon M50 from listening to him. Average video duration: 8-15 minutes.

Bob Proctor and YouAreCreators: Genre: Self-Help and improvement. Since I could remember, I’ve always been drawn to business books or self-help types of books, sorry Jane Austen! If these two channels cannot help you improve yourself, I don’t know what can. Average duration: varies.

Studio C. Genre: Sketch Comedy That’s Family Friendly! Very hard to do. They are a Mormon comedy troupe, I know…Mormon plus comedy? It’s actually very funny, great for the entire family to watch. You’ll find yourself talking about a skit with your family for days; search ‘Scott Sterling’…you won’t regret it. Average video duration: 3 minutes.

Good channels that I watch but did not make it to the list would be:

Buzzfeed: Worth It

ChrisFix

Tasty

As I’m typing this, I think I know what makes a good channel? Thank you Hmong Times for letting me discover solutions to my own problems. The three mentioned above are very good high quality channels. It’s a channel that I would only watch if I needed to search for something, get my material then leave. The channels that did make it to my list have a people person connection. Like they are neighbors, or good friends. I feel like I’m traveling with them or going through their issues too. It’s building relationships even though it lacks the professional studio quality.

I’ve saved the best for last: GOminivan. That’s my channel! A show all about my minivan, in my minivan. I review car/minivan accessories, minivan road trips while building a connection to my viewers. Average video duration: 5 minutes. Remember to like and subscribe!