I do not currently run one but here's my summary from seeing a whole bunch:

Here's my list of a few Ideas which is basically "Why I stop watching videos or bail in the first minutes or sooner" sin list:

#1 - AUDIO is extremely important, more than half the video, put time into it and use something like WavePad (free/cheap) or Adobe Audition to compress voice range and remove noise, boost the bass a bit until you sound like a radio announcer, make sure there's no background noises and your audio level is consistent throughout the video without getting quieter/louder depending on which way you're looking while speaking. Please Hard Code the Closed Captions rather than assuming auto translate will work, lots of shooters are hard of hearing if looking for crossover audience from this site.

• You may want to get a "binaural audio" setup and make "ASMR" videos where it's silent (raw audio, with minimal editing, opposite of narration) except for the walk and wildlife and people listening on headphones feel like they're actually there walking due to the realistic audio.   Basically a microphone on each ear and a camera on a helmet.   May even try adding narration in parts over the audio at beginning or end (in the middle is a sin), need to keep the tracks for audio separate until the final render in surround stereo.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBfe3nCbfWo



#2 GOOD LIGHTING.  Get LED panels of matching color temp, green screen what you want to otherwise have a neat and proper looking area for recording but not so neat and proper that it looks fake.  Lots of the outdoor channels record while walking so that isn't a problem unless you want to overlay another clip or photos and the like.  Use image stabilization or a steady cam while walking (Steady  Cam is like a weight screwed onto camera tripod with a pistol type grip that doesn't shake as much).   The software will get rid of some jitters but if it has to go overboard it really looks seasick. Not showing face is becoming more common to keep focus on the exact topic without background visual/audio clutter.

#3 Sony Vegas Pro is a decent cheap option to put videos together and swap in audio tracks.  Otherwise most "big" YouTube providers use the Adobe package with AfterEffects or Premier to edit videos and Audition for their audio all in one monthly payment (can't own anymore).   You can get an old version from before they went to rent only for kind of affordable (not for me) and it will do 99% of what you want to do.  Don't need Hollywood perfect look until you have a lot better gear if you find out you are successful.  

#4  Don't sell out, produce content and operate by donation only rather than Monetize on YouTube with Patreon who dictate what you cannot speak about (guns/etc), and what you must speak about (political favors/tidbits).

Bombing of Percy Dam is a pretty decent video thrown together though it has audio issues, I put links to fixing audio in that thread, but the video part of it is well put together and the length is about right.  YouTube pimps your videos harder for longer videos but that doesn't matter if you have a captive audience and aren't trying to be in their Top 100 "influencers" to get rich from it.

As you go listen to feedback from your members/watchers, you'll get a ton of negative no matter what you do, but respond/reply to comments and people tend to suggest you more which is needed when not going the monetized/sold out route.  Don't forget the people that have stuck with you throughout by stopping replying to comments.  

Used to run a channel with a few hundred videos of vehicles exterior/interior and only pasted in royalty free classical music softly with no other audio since people looking for cars don't want to be sold the car with audio, they just want to look.   All of those were done with Sony Vegas Pro and a point and shoot 1080p camera.

You'll have many hours of video and editing work for every 10 minutes of final video, and it shows in the quality.  (Yeah, spendy video cards SLI to speed up rendering if you're planning on a video a week, otherwise rendering may take a few hours when you decide you need to re-render it, especially if in 4k)

Here's an excellent video from a guy who only puts out a video every 6 months, but they're all over the top damn near perfect production quality/lighting/audio  something to strive for or get ideas, his videos have the highest production values I've seen.   No affiliation, just impressed with the information density, audio and video:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNRnrn5DE58

Here's a video of the "Binarual Recording" ASMR style which might work well with hikes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukyk4ZC59Ek

Make each video better than the last. Audio is 70% of the experience and keeping it clean and crisp is a key to viewer retention.  

Story board out your content.  I am a "fly by my pants" kind of guy but still do a story board so I have an idea of where I would like to place cameras and collect "B" roll.

Speaking of that, use "B" roll.  It helps cover transitions and allows you to focus on a specific point in your primary footage.  

Infomercials had a cookbook...

Tell them what you're going to tell them.

Tell them.

Tell them what you told them.


Just do it in a natural and flowing manner.  Have fun with it.  If it is forced, people will see it.