First Year on YouTube at 50+ WHAT did we LEARN Are we MONETISED - 8 TIPS to help grow your channel

[@michaelthompson6885]

We are just glad you decided to take the time to make these videos as they are invaluable to us when deciding on our cruises as our budget is small and besides that you are both very easy to listen to and no bs. Thanks for the info and keeping it real.

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Thanks for that. Money is tight, and so are we! 🤣 It is about value for money for us. Thanks for watching and for your continued support 👍

[@Mary_Rees]

Love both your personalities, I think that’s a good pull for your audience.

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@Mazza240 Thanks, Mazza. That is lovely of you to say so. X

[@Reading1800]

Nice honest video, thanks both

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@@Reading1800 thanks for watching

[@DiscoDavesPubReviews]

Brilliant video ! Thanks for the mention and all the help so far. Hope I can get to your standard/quality. X

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Cheers, Dave, and good luck with the channel. Thanks for watching 👍

[@susandean1064]

Really interesting content. You have both done so well. Congrats

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@susandean1064 Thank you, and thank you for watching. 😀 👍

[@FraserAtSea]

Delighted to feature in here guys - what a compliment. Thanks so much, and I’m glad you’re here! 👏🏼 🛳️ 🌊

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@FraserAtSea thank you Fraser!! We'll count it as a collaboration with you 😂 Thank you so much for supporting us. We really appreciate a much bigger channel giving us newbies some encouragement. It means a lot to us.

[@FraserAtSea]

@@TravellingLightLisa honestly, never need to thank me - I’m always here to sing your praises! 👏🏼 ❤️ Hope to meet you out there one day!

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@FraserAtSea That would be good, although we may be more likely to bump into you in Birmingham! 😂

[@Krypto64]

Oh come on you lot, just arrange a TEAM-UP!

[@ashbyram]

Love the video's keep up the great work.

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@@ashbyram Thank you very much. Any encouragement is appreciated 😁👍

[@BrummieNik]

You have done a fabulous job in a very short space of time. This is probably the most honest and transparent “behind the scenes” look at KZbin travel vlogs of anyone. Your subscriber progress rate is better than many other vloggers at the same time point as you. Keep up the great work and as long as there’s a lift disco sequence, you’ll get the thumbs up from me 😀

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@BrummieNik thank you so much Nick for all your support over the last 12 months ❤️

[@juliemountford3969]

Really interesting and great you have enjoyed learning new skills. Off to watch Dog Pub Video now 🥰

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@juliemountford3969 Thanks so much for watching and commenting. KZbin has certainly been a learning experience! Dog Pub Disco was an early experimental video, but we had fun 😁 Don't expect to learn much! 😂

[@angelahorton5745]

A great video! The financial rewards may be minimal at the moment but it sounds like you've been rewarded in so many other ways. It's not something I'd ever want to do but I'm extremely grateful to all the lovely vloggers I follow.

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Thanks, Angela. It was something a little different. We have had a very rewarding year on KZbin, if not financially, then in lots of other ways. There are lots of great vloggers in the cruise world, and everyone brings something different to the party.

[@stephenlaraway44]

You doing a great job keep it up

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@stephenlaraway44 Thank you for your kind comment. It means a lot to us. Thanks for watching this video as well, as it was a bit different to our usual stuff. 😁👍

[@suzybussell]

Thank you, that was really helpful.

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@suzybussell Thank you for watching and commenting it is much appreciated 👍 Glad you found our ramblings helpful.

[@sistersontheseas]

Love this video! It’s so interesting to hear more about your journey.

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@@sistersontheseas thanks both. Appreciate your support 🙏 ❤️

[@PostcardAndAPint]

Well done guys! Great video. Wow you got monetised quickly! Took us a year! The community is definitely the best part. Like you we've both learnt a lot of new skills and we're excited to edit each week! 🍻

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Thanks, guys. It was an interesting reflection on the year. The creative community on YT are great. Let's see what 2025 brings! Cheers to the good times as they say 🍺😂👍

[@jodi_cross]

Well done guys for doing so well, your videos are great 😊

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Thanks Jodi. That's very kind of you to say. Thanks for watching 👍

[@agr_7388]

THIS IS LUCY YOUR NEW SUBSCRIBER FROM UGANDA

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@agr_7388 thank you for watching and subscribing Lucy. Welcome to our channel 😀

[@kenreed7388]

Great video, I’ve watched a lot of your videos, for me they seem to tell it as it is , I like that. Keep it up well done both.

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@kenreed7388 thank you so much Ken. We really appreciate your support 🙏

[@EmmaLloyd-b3i]

Well done to my cousin and his wife x

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Cheers Emma X

[@kathleenpipes]

Well done, you two! Thank you for giving us something to look forward to every week, as you get better and better at the vlogs. You show that retirement can be fun and creative if you have the will to make it so.

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@user-lb4dn2ke3l thanks so much both. We really appreciate your support 🙏 Thank you for watching each week...Singapore will be up soon!!

[@paulrobinson5614]

It sounds like a lot of hard work but I'm glad you do it. It's interesting to hear how you got into KZbin.

[@TravellingLightLisa]

It is a lot of work, and when I was also working three jobs last year, it was very tough! (Especially getting annual leave to align). That's why Lisa had to do most of the editing 😂 Fortunately I am back to one job now. Thanks for watching, as this was a little bit of a different video for us. Glad you found it interesting 👍

[@hazels27]

Thank you for explaining some of the aspects of YouTubing. I am unlikely to do it myself, but I found this video very interesting. I hope your channel just grows and grows. You deserve the success.

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Thank you for watching. We are glad you found it interesting. It was a little off our usual content, but variety is the spice of life as they say.

[@BertieTheDrummist]

We've watched all of your videos and your channel has been our staple Saturday morning viewing whilst we have our toast and coffee. You're doing it for all the right reasons and we love watching your travels. Keep it up, folks.

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@@BertieTheDrummist Ah bless you both! Thanks for coming along with us and sharing our ups and downs. Much love. Giles and Lisa x

[@singingbuddhakaraoke]

happy to be your friend you lovely people x

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Cheers, Andy. Thanks for bearing with us! 😂

[@philharry139]

Just come across your channel, enjoyable so I have subscribed.

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@philharry7213 Thank you very much. It is appreciated. Welcome on board from both of us.

[@joanfreestone1707]

I only found your channel quite recently so I'm catching up on watching earlier videos. I've often wondered how people start KZbin channels. I'm a dinosaur when it comes to technology. I don't even have a smart phone or a laptop, just a desktop computer. I enjoy your videos very much. You have great personalities.

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@joanfreestone1707 Thanks Joan. We are so glad you found us! We appreciate you taking the time to comment on our videos. Here's to the next 12 months 🥂 🪃 🇦🇺

[@AdamF1972]

Hey both. I only found you guys a couple of months ago as I was curious about the Mirella cruises. I think your selling points are that you are down to earth, funny and likeable. Keeps me watching anyway. Some good tips in here too. I have the pocket 1 but am tempted by the three but have to think if I will use it enough to fork out over £600 pounds x

[@dianafrith1961]

Bumped into your channel by accident. Enjoyed the vlog with your daughter. Found your KZbin journey fascinating. Hope you continue to enjoy what you do. Good luck!

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Thank you so much for watching and for taking the time to comment. We are glad you found us! Happy travels 😁👍

[@pearlandbrianstripsandadve8619]

Well done guys , great video giving some really great advice. We agree with everything you have said . For us we are retired and so it actually keeps my brain ticking over trying to edit , post ,find music . Here’s to your next thousand subscribers 🥂

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@pearlandbrianstripsandadve8619 thanks so much guys 🥰 we really appreciate your support 🙏 We love watching you both..I think Pearl is the best dressed cruise vlogger out there!! And you too Brian 😃

[@TheDoddolds]

Great video guys, well done! Full of very useful tips! …. MUFFS! 😂

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Cheers, guys. We should really follow our own advice, but I suspect we never will 😂 Congratulations on reaching 1000.

[@Travellifewithlucy]

This was so interesting watch, great tips, I loved this! Also so good to see you lile the Dji camera, i’ve been really thinking about it, certainly and upgrade from my iphone 🤣

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Hi Lucy. Thank you for watching and your kind comments. The Pocket 3 is a great bit of kit but is no good for wet weather. It is a little steep for the creator combo but we are glad we took the plunge. What content can we look forward to from you next?

[@Travellifewithlucy]

@@TravellingLightLisa that’s so good to hear your feedback, thank you! It paid off because the quality looks great! I’m at walt disney world next month followed by Queen Anne so that will keep me busy! Where are you off to next?

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@Travellifewithlucy Queen Anne will be interesting and we have always loved Disney. Although our recent Cunard experience was a little patchy! We have VV in late September and Explorer 2 in November booked. Both are new ships for us, although we have been on the Explorer. Happy travels 😁👍

[@Krypto64]

What a fascinating bonus video, I really like the behind-the-scenes stuff. I didn’t realise that skipping through ads meant KZbinrs lose money, so no more! I shall watch every last message… or at least let ‘em run. So monetisation isn’t the be all and end all, you’ve both found a new interest, and Lisa in particular has learned a lot of new skills, who knows where they might lead. My takeaway is that your thumbnails should read: ‘WHAT will Lisa fall off TODAY?!’ So far as these things go, it’s laughable that lovely sedate folk have to follow the KZbin crowd with clickbaity headlines, but you two deserve credit for never overpromising - it’s teasing rather than tormenting tickling. As I’m writing this, I’m watching Dog, Pub, Disco and marvelling at how the balance of Giles’s hair had flipped within a year… looking great, either way! Hello to Disco Dave!

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@@Krypto64 Thanks so much!! Really appreciate your comment 🙏 It has made my afternoon 😀 Lisa

[@Krypto64]

@@TravellingLightLisa Thank YOU, you pair never fail to make Steve and I smile. Later today we’re going to rewatch your Ambassador stuff, having just got off the Ambition’s short cruise taking in Antwerp, Amsterdam and… Newcastle. They really are the best cruise line I’ve come across, for example, when Extinction Rebellion said they were glueing themselves to locks in Amsterdam before our scheduled visit this week, the captain berthed us 40 minutes away, laid on free shuttles to the city and slightly rescheduled excursions… I guaranteed NCL would simply have added a sea day. And the entertainment offering is unsurpassable. And I’m off topic, excuse me! Martin

[@ScotlandFarAndNear]

Congratulations! 🎉🎉👍👍Very good video - handy for all of us trying to get monetised. My channel is well over 2 years old and I'm still nowhere near 4000 watch-hours (my videos are rather short) 😊😊. All the best to you - I hope you'll get some real money from it finally!

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Thank you! Glad you found it useful. You should put all of your fabulous videos together into one long, beautiful compilation that people can play to immerse themselves in or even play in the background. If 10hr videos of log fires get watched, your gorgeous footage should! That might get your hours up! Thanks for watching again. 👍

[@cruisingwiththe4bs]

Just came across this, some great tips that lots of channels will find useful. Nice to see a channel with attitude of its a lovely hobby on the side with a bit of extra cash, think quite few think once you get to 1k you can give up work be full time KZbinrs, free cruises etc sadly doesn’t happen, but to me it’s best hobby in the world. Good luck for the future.

[@TravellingLightLisa]

WHAT! No free cruises? That's it, we're walking!! 🤣 Seriously though, we do it because we think we can bring something to the space and help cruisers with a similar outlook to us. I am sure you guys feel the same. Keep creating and enjoying it (otherwise, what's the point?) All the best to you and the family.

[@cruisingwiththe4bs]

@@TravellingLightLisa 🤣 that made me chuckle, you never know, hard to cater for the four us. That’s great thing now so many channels and all a little different covering it all. Happy cruising

[@Mel_FlyDriveExplore]

You’ve done incredibly well for a year! You are so right sound is very important. I love watching you as you have a great sense of humour and personality. I find many KZbin videos including some very well known vloggers very dry and dare I say it boring. Your videos are certainly not like that. Mel FlyDriveExplore

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@MellissaWilliamsjewellerylover thanks Mel that is very kind of you. We really appreciate your support 🙏 FlyDriveExplore is a great travel channel that we enjoy watching too.

[@Mel_FlyDriveExplore]

@@TravellingLightLisa aw thank you

[@CooksExplore]

Your journey is an inspiration… Great tips and we’ve still not cracked all of these …So glad our paths have crossed ..

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@CooksExplore Us too. We don't even follow our own advice all the time. It was useful to list what we SHOULD be doing 😂 Thanks for your support over the last 12 months.

[@EllieSmith-bq9qs]

Never skip a travelling light video 🙏

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Bless you, Ellie. Thanks for your support. X

[@ThamesShips]

Excellent video and I can identify with many of the points that you mentioned. For my channel, one of the problems that I had at the beginning was wind noise (since the videos were mainly filmed by rivers in windy environments) so the sound quality of early videos was not great. As time has gone on, I have been able to improve the equipment (including wind muffs or sometimes I have seen them called dead cats!) so the sound quality has improved rather than having wind noise in the background. I also agree with your point regarding the importance of the first 30 seconds of the video as this is something that I am trying to improve on at the moment. You also made an excellent point about monetisation. Like you, I have been able to receive small payouts but the main purpose, for me, of doing the channel is not to make money but because it is something that I enjoy doing and can look back on in the future. Perhaps people will look at the videos in say 15 years and learn something about shipping on the Thames from today. I always enjoy watching your videos and find them entertaining. I like the way you provide useful tips and information with humour as well. PS This is also the first video I have watched on YT where I have seen one of my comments listed on the screen!

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Thank you so much. We thought it would be something different to share the trials and tribulations of content creation. As you will know, not many people appreciate the work that goes in unless they are creating content themselves. Your support is appreciated as even. Keep on creating ✨️ and thanks for watching and commenting on this video. 😁👍

[@ThamesShips]

@@TravellingLightLisa Thanks 👍

[@AdeReeves]

Well done ... A great achievement in only a year ... use the DJI pocket 3 myself and apart from the SJcams 8 pro I really get on well with it ... editing is a nightmare I agree, I used to use basic microsoft tools for years but with the new resolutions had to move on ...was a big shock to head towards pro tools 😁 ... Take care all ....

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@AdeReeves Cheers Ade. We love our Pocket 3. What editing software do you use now? I think there is a steep learning curve with most of them now. Thanks for watching and for your support over the last 12 months.

[@AdeReeves]

@@TravellingLightLisa I tried DaVinci and got on OK with it , but found Capcut to suit me better as a little more intuitive even though DaVinci is probably more powerful.

[@barnum4244]

Interesting video, thanks. One huge turn off from KZbin videos is the increased advert length. Clicking a video and immediately finding a minute of ads drives me away. Same when they keep cropping up in the video. Do creators have any control over advert length or is that all controlled by KZbin?

[@TravellingLightLisa]

@barnum4244 All controlled by KZbin, I am afraid. Some TVs have little tricks to skip past ads. Unfortunately, the only other way is getting a KZbin premium subscription (which we don't do) . Thanks for watching 👍

[@DanicaElle]

You two are delightful. 🤍

[@TravellingLightLisa]

Well, that is lovely of you to say! How on earth did you find us on YT? We are glad you did as your comment has brightened up a grey UK morning. Thanks for watching 👍

[@DanicaElle]

@@TravellingLightLisasaw a comment you left about being KZbinrs in your 50s on vidiq post I think. Checked ya out and thought you were very fun to watch. I think the dynamic between you two is a good angle to take. A very fun free spirited relationship. Love it!