Video Gear and Services

A many of my viewers who have YouTube Channels or are interested in starting a channel have asked me what type of video gear and services I used to get over 1 Million YouTube subscribers and over 58 million views. (Thank you to all my wonderful viewers!! I love you all!) I’m happy to share the resources I use with you in the following sections

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Table of Contents

Why I Use These Items

I hope that I have always created excellent content in my Traditional Foods niche, which has helped my channel grow. But in this competitive YouTube environment, having certain kinds of gear and services can definitely help make the job of growing your YouTube channel easier.

On this page, you’ll find links to the equipment and services I use to make my videos and maintain my website. Along with making quality videos to serve my audience, these items have helped me on this exciting YouTube journey. I hope they will help you too!

Mary holding sourdough bread in front of a camera.

If you are thinking about creating your own videos, be sure to read my 7 Tips for How to Start a Successful YouTube Channel. They’ll help you create a YouTube channel that will be meaningful to you and help you serve your viewers.

Note: If you are looking for discount codes for traditional foods and services, visit my Shopping Guide page.

Video Gear and Equipment

My Canon camera is easy to use and delivers high-resolution video. And you can’t beat the Sennheiser microphone to capture your voice and kitchen sounds beautifully.

Camera Options

Microphone Options

Other Film Equipment

Computer Equipment and Software

I love using my Apple Macbook Pro, and since it’s a laptop, I can take it anywhere to work on my videos. Remember to back up your laptop and video files regularly with an external hard drive.

Video Services

VidIQ

After you use your video gear and create videos, VidIQ will help you hone in on the best keywords to use to craft your video titles, descriptions, and tags. These services will also help you understand the plethora of video statistics provided by YouTube in your Creator Studio.

Understanding all of your YouTube information will help you make better videos, and this, in turn, means an increase in your subscriber base and, most importantly, an increase in your video watch time. Video watch time is tied directly to the success of your YouTube channel.

Website Host

I trust WP Engine’s reliability and ease of use to host my WordPress website. There is nothing else like them out there. The level of customer service they provide is invaluable. As you grow your online presence and build your business and income, the last thing you want is a website host that fails you when you need them the most. Don’t waste time with other hosting services. Go with the best! You’ll be happy that you did.

Update: Now through April 1, 2024: Get six months free on all new shared annual plans with code marchmadness24. (Not valid on Lite or Tiny Plans.) This amazing offer gives you the opportunity to try WP Engine’s features and reliability at a significant discount.

WordPress Plugins

Here are some of the plugins that I use and recommend for my WordPress site:

  • WP Recipe Maker – I use WP Recipe Maker to display the recipes on my website posts. I’ve been impressed by their fast response to my support questions.

Video and Blogging Courses

Video Ranking Academy

Sean Cannell offers excellent courses and ongoing group coaching to show you how to create videos successfully on YouTube. Join his Think Media Video Ranking Academy and be part of the community I’m a member of, along with many other successful video creators. (Learn more with my Mary’s Nest 1 Million YouTube Subscribers post.)

Update #1: If you’re a budding YouTube creator, don’t miss this free 5-Day YouTube 1K Challenge from March 25-29, 2024, with Sean Cannell and the Think Media Team. If you have a passion and want to share it with others, don’t miss these sessions. (Replays will be available too.)

Update #2: I’ll be speaking at Sean’s Grow with Video Live conference from April 24-26, 2024. Use the following discount codes for conference admission tickets:

  • General Admission – Use MARY20 for 20% off
  • VIP Admission – Use MARY20 for 20% off
  • Platinum Admission – Use MARY10 for 10% off

More Classes from Think Media

Food Blogger Pro

Have you always wanted to start a Food blog? If so, be sure to check out the amazing services offered by Food Blogger Pro. They’ll teach you how to Start, Grow, and Monetize your Food blog.

Learn How to Create YouTube Videos

See all →