If I Started YouTube from Scratch in 2026, I’d do THIS

Sign up to Skillshare with a free 1‑month trial for the first 500 people to register here: https://skl.sh/aliabdaal03261 Join the Part-Time YouTuber Academy: https://go.aliabdaal.com/descptya26 --- MY PRODUCTIVITY APPS 📝 Momentum: Energising Habits (iOS) - Download Here → https://go.sparkle.so/momentum/ytd 👻 Voicepal: AI Writing App (iOS/Android) - Download for Free → https://go.aliabdaal.com/voicepal/ytd MY BOOK 📕 My New York Times bestselling book Feel-Good Productivity (2,000+ 5-star reviews) → https://go.feelgoodproductivity.com/amazon/yt MY COURSES 🚀 Build a $100k/year lifestyle business without quitting your day job → https://go.aliabdaal.com/lifestylebusinessytd 🧠 My Productivity System: LifeOS → https://go.aliabdaal.com/lifeos/ytd CONNECT WITH ME 💌 Join LifeNotes, my weekly email where I share what I’m reading & learning: https://go.aliabdaal.com/lifenotes/yt 📸  Instagram: https://instagram.com/aliabdaal 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aliabdaal 👨‍💻 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-abdaal/ 🌍  My website / blog: https://www.aliabdaal.com/ --- Hey friends, I grew my YouTube channel from zero while working full-time as a doctor, but the platform’s changed loads since 2017, so if I were starting from scratch in 2026, this is exactly what I’d focus on. In this video, I’ll break down the three S’s that actually matter: strategy, the core skills, and the systems you need to keep going long enough to win without burning out. Hope you enjoy it xx LINKS MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO - How to find your business idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XmnJsSX9s0 - Access the free CustomGPT to brainstorm your first business idea: https://go.aliabdaal.com/bizidea26ptya - Get the Viral Thumbnail Template Pack: https://go.aliabdaal.com/ptya26vttp YOUTUBE CHANNELS MENTIONED - @AmanManazir - @htws - @JeffSu - @ChrisWillx - @GrowVeg - @TiagoForte - @HannahMartinRG TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Introduction 00:58 – The three S's 02:01 – The three F's 04:50 – Alignment between you, content, and business 09:30 – Content-first vs. business-first approaches 15:15 – Get going, get good, get smart 18:41 – Practical questions to find your niche and business idea 20:05 – The four skills 22:07 – Why leaning into expertise makes monetisation far easier 26:10 – Practical questions to identify your expertise 29:07 – Systems for sustainable youtube channel 33:11 – Final thoughts PS: I donate 10% of my income to charity every year. Would you like to join me? Learn more about the 10% Pledge: https://aliabdaal.com/giving-what-we-can/