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

By Bill Jackson March 13, 2026 1 mins read 25213 Views

|||

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/