What do you need to start a successful YouTube channel?

Depending on what you're planning to capture on film, you'll need to get the right set-up sorted early doors.

There's no point in using your iPhone to record the most hilarious vlogs ever seen – a decent set-up goes a long way towards showing that you're serious and having people respect your videos. This is a sentiment that Jack echoes, too.

If you want a video to look professional, make sure you have an HD camera or webcam (not a phone!), an external microphone, a computer and some editing software.

If you're recording console games you'll need a game capture card too!

Jack was also generous enough to share his tips for the specific equipment and software he'd recommend for someone starting out on YouTube. We've combined his advice with some of our own pearls of wisdom to create a six-point list to getting started on YouTube.

YouTube channel starter kit

A decent camera or webcam – Quality is important and you'll need to record your videos in full 1080p HD if at all possible. Jack recommends the Canon G7X if you're after a camera, or the Logitech C920 if you'd rather use a webcam (which also happens to be much cheaper than a camera!)

Video editing software – iMacs have pretty decent video editing software included (iMovie), but for PC users or iMac owners who want something a little more advanced, there are more options. Jack recommends a few programs (Adobe Premier, VEGAS and Final Cut Pro), or you can try Lightworks, as featured in our guide to the best free software alternatives

Microphone – Most cameras come with a microphone, but if you're looking for top sound quality you might need to purchase a separate device altogether. Depending on your budget, Jack recommends either the Blue Snowball, Blue Yeti (used by us on our podcast!) or the RODE Podcaster

Lighting – Splashing out on lighting isn't essential, but some top YouTubers swear by it. You can either get creative with the lights you already have around the house, or you can buy some dedicated video lighting

A decent backdrop – If you're filming a vlog, you might want to set up a decent backdrop. You can stick with a plain colour, or jazz it up a bit by making whatever room you're filming in look really nice (but not too distractng!)

Capture card – You'll only need one of these if you want to record console games. If that's what you intend to be doing, Jack's card of choice for starters is the Elgato HD60.