How to make how to videos on youtube

How to Make YouTube Video

Richard Bennett

May 06, 2022• Proven solutions

Finding the audience for short videos you create, sharing your knowledge of publicizing the music you create has become a much simpler and cheaper process in the last fourteen years. ‘Everyone deserves a voice’ is one of the core values that motivates the founders of YouTube to continue developing the world’s largest video sharing platform. So if you are looking for your own voice, but you’re not really sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place, because in this article we are going to show you how to make attention-grabbing YouTube videos that are going to attract a huge audience.

Preparation Stage: Getting Ready to Make a YouTube Video

Achieving success on YouTube may only seem easy before you realize how much time and effort it takes to run a successful YouTube channel. Making a YouTube video isn’t much different than making any other type of short or feature film as you have to go through the same stages of the video production process. Everything, including creating YouTube videos starts with an idea, so let’s take a look at the steps you’ll need to take before you actually start recording your first YouTube video.

1. Start a YouTube Channel

The journey towards success begins with seemingly small and insignificant steps. Creating a YouTube channel is exactly that, a step, without which you won’t be able to become a YouTuber. All you have to do in order to create a channel on YouTube is sign in to the platform using your Google account and then head over to the Settings menu. Click on the Create a new channel option and then pick a name for your Brand channel. Dedicate some extra time to the process of selecting a name for the channel, because that is the first thing your potential followers are going to notice. The platform lets you start as many as fifty channels with one Gmail ID, and as your channels grow, you can add multiple managers to each channel you’ve started. Click on the Create button when you’re done and that’s it you’re now a proud owner of a YouTube channel.

We have summarized some tips and tricks for creating a YouTube channel account, hope that will help you to create a channel more easily.

2. Choose a Niche and Craft a Video Content Strategy

Devising a plan before you start producing content you are going to share on YouTube is going to give you a sense of direction, since there are so many different types of videos that can attract a large audience. Try to imagine your ideal YouTube follower, and then think about what they are interested in or how you can generate value for them through the content you post on your channel. Attempting to cover a broad spectrum of topics usually doesn’t produce the best results, so instead, you should focus on a specific subject and do your best to offer a unique perspective to your viewers on that subject. More importantly, you need to choose the themes for your videos that are relevant to the audience you would like to reach. Gaming, tutorials, beauty or comedy videos are just a few of the most popular genres of videos on YouTube, although which niche you’re going to pick ultimately depends on your personal interests and reasons why you chose to become a YouTuber in the first place.

Additionally, you should follow the hottest trends on the Internet so that you can find out which topics are drawing the most attention at the moment. Don’t let all these questions trouble you, simply choose a niche in which you feel the most comfortable in and start shooting. Keep a watchful eye on how your followers respond to the videos you share on your channel as time goes on and remain open to new ideas or collaborations.

3. Secure a Fresh Supply of YouTube Video Ideas

Defining your niche is just a beginning because you have to keep producing your videos at a steady pace. Most YouTube experts say that sharing new content at least once a week is necessary if you want to gather a large group of followers on your channel. Consequently, you’ll need a constant supply of ideas for new videos that cover topics your audience is interested in. A simple search on YouTube can help you discover the videos on the platform that have the most views. This should give you a pretty good idea which types of videos are the most popular at the moment and what viewers want to see the most.

Reading the comments section below a YouTube video can be a great way to discover new ideas since viewers often ask questions or search for advice on very specific aspects of the topic that particular video is covering. Moreover, YouTube isn’t the only destination on the Internet where you can find inspiration for your next video since there are countless groups and communities where you can come across interesting topics for your next video.

4. Get the Right Video and Audio Recording Equipment

The list of audio and video recording gear you’re going to need to create a YouTube video depends on the type of video you’re trying to make. Gamers who want to record gameplay and post it on their YouTube channel only need a screen capturing software or a capture card and a microphone. The list of equipment is a bit longer for YouTubers interested in the production of vlogs, comedy or review videos since they are going to need a camera or a Smartphone capable of recording videos at high resolutions, lighting equipment, tripods, steady cams, microphones. If you would like to learn more about the pieces of equipment you are going to need while recording a YouTube video, check our picks of the YouTube Video Shooting Equipment List.

Production Stage: Recording a YouTube Video

After you’ve successfully completed the preparation stage it is time to start getting ready for the next step of the process of making a YouTube video. However, you can’t just pick up a camera and start randomly shooting unrelated scenes, instead, you should follow the steps below that make the production of a video much less complicated.

1. Write a Script and Make a Shooting Schedule

Write down all of your ideas for your next video prior to shooting the first shot of that video. A script can be particularly useful if the video you’re planning on making involves a lot of narration since you’ll always know what to say next. Furthermore, you don’t have to record the entire video on the same day, and you have the freedom to plan when and where you are going to record each scene you want to include in the video.

2. Set a Scene

You control what the viewers of your YouTube video are going to see. That’s why you have to choose your shooting locations carefully and to hand-pick each prop that is going to be visible in the shot. Avoid shooting in messy rooms, because the items in the background are going to distract the viewer and reduce the quality of your videos.

3. Pick the Best Camera Positions

Once you know where and when you are going to shoot your video, you should start planning your shots. Most YouTube videos are recorded from a single camera position, but you can also experiment with different shot angles if it helps you to tell the story of the video. Don’t put the actors near direct sources of light like windows or lamps because if you do so you can easily end up ruining the shot.

4. Make Sure that You Have Enough Light in The Shot

Natural sources of light are often not enough to light a scene properly, because the amount of available light you’ll have at your disposal can change in a few minutes. That’s why nearly all YouTubers use lighting kits that enable them to control the amount of light in the shot at any moment.

5. Bonus: Making YouTube Videos Without a Camera

In case using video and audio recording equipment is a bit too technical for you, there is a simple alternative solution since you can capture all activities on your computer’s screen with software products such as Filmora or OBS Studio. This is an excellent option for gamers who want to record gameplay of their favorite video games or skilled educators that would like to share their knowledge and show others how to use a piece of software or perform any other computer-based task.

Besides screencasting, you can also assemble existing footage from old TV shows, movies or cartoons to make a YouTube video. You don’t have to worry about copyright infringements, as long as the footage you’re using is within the public domain. However, if you accidentally end up using footage without permission it is highly unlikely that anyone is going to file a lawsuit, but your video may be removed from your YouTube channel if someone reports that you’ve used footage without the permission from its owners.

Postproduction Stage: Editing the Footage You Recorded

Before you can share the video clips you recorded with a camera, Smartphone or a screencasting software, you should edit them first. Choosing video editing software isn’t always easy since there are so many different options that enable you to perform both basic and advanced video editing tasks. You can check our recommendations about some of the best video editing software for YouTube videos, in case you are still looking for a video editor that is best suited for the price range you’ve had in mind or your skill level. You should choose a video editing app that you feel the most comfortable using since you are going to spend a lot of time editing videos with it.

The video editing techniques you will utilize during the process of piecing together a YouTube video depend on a number of factors that range from the genre of the video to its visual style. However, trimming or cutting the footage, creating opening titles and end credits are among the most common video editing actions you will have to perform on each new project. Mastering these basic video editing techniques is essential for the success of your videos on YouTube since it will enable you to quickly trim a video clip by dragging one of its ends in an inward or outward direction or remove a portion of a clip you don’t want to feature in the final cut of the video from the timeline.

Hard cuts can at times disrupt the flow of a video, but you can easily fix this by adding a transition between two clips. What’s more, nearly all video editing software products on the market come bundled with rich visual and audio effects libraries that make the color grading or audio editing process much faster. Adding opening titles, lower thirds or any other image overlay can help you introduce the characters in the video to the audience, inform the audience about important aspects of the topic you’re covering or summarize the key points of the video.

Creating a soundtrack is also a vital step of the video editing process that largely influences the quality of the final video. That’s why the narration or the dialogues must be recorded professionally since even the slightest background noise can distract the viewer. Whether or not you are going to add music to a video, depends on the type of project you’re working on. Video editing software products like Filmora have their own royalty free music libraries that offer songs from Rock or Electronic and numerous other genres.

When you complete the video editing process, you should export the video to a folder on your hard drive or directly to your YouTube channel if the video editing app you’ve chosen provides that option. How long the rendering of a video is going to take depends on your computer’s processing power, video’s length, and the output resolution.

Adding/Uploading Videos to Your YouTube Channel

As we already noted you can either upload a video to YouTube directly from a video editing software or from a hard drive after the rendering process is completed. You can upload videos with 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratios to your channel, and the platform support videos in resolutions up to 8K. The minimum length of a YouTube video is 33 seconds while a video’s maximum length cannot exceed the twelve-hour limit. The file’s size can’t be larger than 128GB while the frame rates can go as high as 60fps. If you need to edit the uploaded and published YouTube videos, you can check our tips about editing existing YouTube videos, and you can check out our guide about how to make money on YouTube if you would like to learn more about account monetization.

1. Optimize Your Content for YouTube Searches

Every bit of information you add to the video increases its visibility on the platform. Even the name of the file you’re uploading to your channel should contain a keyword, and once the upload is completed you should add a title, description, and metadata if you would like to increase the video’s visibility on the platform. It is vital to select your YouTube SEO strategy before you actually start adding new videos to your strategy. In case you’re not familiar with the concept of search engine optimization for YouTube, you can find everything you need to know about YouTube SEO in our guide.

2. Create Visually Captivating Thumbnails and End Screen Elements

A thumbnail is usually a snapshot of a frame from a video, you’ve created during the video editing process or any other still image that suggests what the video is about. A small thing like adding a thumbnail to a YouTube video can increase both the number of views and the number of likes that video is getting. In addition, YouTube’s video editor enables you to add end screens that last anywhere between five and twenty seconds to your videos, but keep in mind that the video must be at least 25 seconds long to have an end screen. There are a number of fully customizable templates available that can be uses to promote your upcoming videos or to invite viewers to subscribe to your channel.

Wanna making YouTube thumbnail yourself? Check some of the best YouTube thumbnail makers list.

3. Publish, Interact and Share

YouTube lets you keep your videos private until you are ready to make them public. Once you decide to make a video available to all YouTube users, you should share it on social media like Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr. Furthermore, embedding a YouTube video on your blog or website can drastically increase the number of views it’s getting. The YouTube Analytics tool is designed to help you track the metrics that indicate how well your video is performing. Don’t know which analytics tools should use? Check our picks of some useful YouTube Analytics Tools to learn how to analyze your video.

How to Make YouTube Videos from a Mac or PC Computer?

Even though you can use almost any video editing software to edit a YouTube video, we recommend trying a versatile video editing app like Filmora to edit videos on Windows PC and Mac which offers both basic and advanced video editing features. Creating a video in Filmora doesn’t require a developed set of video editing skills, since all of the tools and options the editor offers are remarkably easy to use.

When you are ready to start a new project you should simply launch the software, and once the new project loads, you should head over to the File menu and select the Project Settings option that lets you set the resolution, aspect ratio and the frame rate of the video. Proceed to import the footage into the project by selecting one of the available options in the Import drop-down menu or by simply dragging the media assets from a folder on your hard drive and dropping them to the Filmora’s Media Panel. In case you don’t have your own audio and video footage you can download videos, music, visual and audio effects from a stock footage website like Filmstock effects store. Filmora also offers screen casting features, so you can easily record gameplay, show viewers how to use a software or capture any other type of activity on your computer’s screen.

Add each media asset you want to include in the final cut of the video to the timeline and then proceed to remove all unwanted parts of the video and audio clips from the timeline using the Cut or Trim options. Filmora offers rich transitions and visual effects libraries you can use to make the cuts between shot smoother or enhance the colors in the video clips you’re editing. Furthermore, the editor lets you take snapshots of any frame in video clips you’ve placed on the timeline in a single click which can be quite useful if you want to create a thumbnail for your YouTube video. Creating the opening titles, end credits or adding different image overlays to a video is a straight forward process since you just have to select the option that fits the style of the video you’re creating and add it to the timeline. Once you’ve completed the video editing process, you can click on the Export button and decide if you want to export a video directly to your YouTube channel or to a destination on your hard drive.

New to Filmora? Check our beginner guide about How to Edit Videos in Filmora in details or check the quick video tutorial below to find out more details.

Conclusion

Becoming a successful YouTuber requires a lot of dedication and hard work, so if at first, you don’t succeed, you should be patient and persistent. In time, as your channel grows, you will be able to monetize your videos, but only if you keep producing new content at a steady pace. Each step of the YouTube creation process is equally important, and you should dedicate an equal amount of attention to recording high-quality footage, editing, and promotion of the content you share on your YouTube channel. Was this article helpful? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts and experiences with us.

How to Make a YouTube Video: 16 Tips for Beginners

«,»class»:»wp-image-290893″,»srcset»:»https:\/\/www.wyzowl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/sam-parker-96×96.jpeg 96w, https:\/\/www.wyzowl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/sam-parker-24×24.jpeg 24w, https:\/\/www.wyzowl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/sam-parker-48×48.jpeg 48w, https:\/\/www.wyzowl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/sam-parker-150×150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.wyzowl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/sam-parker.jpeg 200w»,»sizes»:»(max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px»>,»tablet»:<"src":"">>>,»slug»:»et_pb_team_member»>»> «,»class»:»wp-image-290893″,»srcset»:»https:\/\/www.wyzowl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/sam-parker-96×96.jpeg 96w, https:\/\/www.wyzowl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/sam-parker-24×24.jpeg 24w, https:\/\/www.wyzowl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/sam-parker-48×48.jpeg 48w, https:\/\/www.wyzowl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/sam-parker-150×150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.wyzowl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/sam-parker.jpeg 200w»,»sizes»:»(max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px»>,»tablet»:<"src":"">>>,»slug»:»et_pb_team_member»>» data-lazy-src=»https://q5n8c8q9.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/sam-parker-96×96.jpeg»/>

Written by Sam Parker

Last updated on 3rd August 2022

YouTube is the second most visited website in the world and is a major player in the video content market. With this platform, brands can engage consumers, create value-adding content, promote their products, and build brand recognition. For those who are new to video marketing, making a YouTube video might seem daunting. Alternatively, if you’ve tried YouTube before, you might simply be seeking ways to improve your video performance. In either case, you’re in the right place!

This post is packed with tricks that will help you make the most of your new video from start to finish – from research to equipment to optimization.

How to make a YouTube video: our top tips

Making a great YouTube video isn’t just about the content in the video itself. Video marketing and production involves plenty of other important components that can help you reach your video goals. We’ve compiled our top tips for how to research and plan your video, what kind of equipment to use, how to structure your video, and how to optimise and upload it to the platform in a matter of minutes.

5 research and planning tips

1. Perform competitor research

The best place to start as you learn how to make a YouTube video is with a little competitive research. Take a look at how your competitors are using video content in their marketing strategy, and use them as a source of inspiration as you create content. You can also find their content gaps and fill them with your own content; for example, if you notice your biggest competitor doesn’t have video FAQs, that can be a great way to stand out and add value for your potential customers.

To get started, create a list of your competitors, and then review their YouTube channels. Take a look at which of their videos have the most views and comments to see what your target audience is engaging with. As you review them, see if there are themes you can learn from – patterns that unite the most popular videos, topics that don’t get a lot of traction, and so on. This process will help you understand what resonates with your audience before you invest resources into creating your own content.

2. Perform keyword research

YouTube keyword research is an SEO tactic you can use to find the best search terms to include in your video content. Simply adding intentional, researched search terms to your video title and meta description can drastically improve your video’s performance.

You can start by making some assumptions about what your audience is searching for. For example, a decking company might already know people will search for “DIY deck repair” or “how to restain a deck.” Do a bit of research on your own by searching for these terms on YouTube. If you see videos from your competitors, you know you’re on the right track. As you review them, see if they have a lot of views, are high quality, and answer the question appropriately. This will help you see where there are opportunities to create better content that could rank higher in user searches. You can perform more sophisticated keyword research using an online keyword tool; we’ve compiled our favourites in our post The 9 Best YouTube Keyword Tools.

As you incorporate your search terms, consider including a written copy of your video transcript in the description to maximise your possibility of showing up in search results. For more on video SEO, check out our post Video SEO: The Ultimate Guide.

3. Create a cohesive tone

There’s a reason why movies are categorised into genres. Imagine this: you’re watching a horror movie, and you’re on the edge of your seat in anticipation of the next blood-curdling moment. But just as you expect a dramatic, terrifying scene to unfold, the movie takes a comedic turn. Suddenly you’re watching two characters exchange quippy dialogue, and the thrill is totally lost. Talk about a mood killer. The same thing can happen in marketing videos.

As you consider your video, think about the overall mood of the piece you’re creating, and how all of the video’s elements – music, lighting, voice over, even the colour composition – come together to create that mood and reflect your brand. Be sure the tone of your video is consistent throughout and reflective of your overall goal. You can start this process by simply brainstorming a list of words to guide your process; you might want to create a video that’s motivational and inspiring, one that’s serious and tear-jerking, or one that’s high-octane and fast-paced. Whatever direction you choose to go, establish that before you collect footage so your video reflects the mood you’re trying to create.

4. Scout a location

If you’re filming on location, for example at your office or home, location scouting can be a pretty easy task. Simply set up your camera in various places to find the best physical spot for your shoot; as you preview options, consider what’s in the background of the shot and the lighting to find the optimal location – but more on that later.

If you’re shooting off-site, allow yourself plenty of time to find the right location. Consider whether you need access to electricity depending on your equipment setup, how the natural light affects the shot at that time of day, and how crowded the location is. Be sure to scout on the day of the week and time of day you plan to shoot to collect enough data on your location. For example, if you’re filming outdoors at a local park, you may want to plan your video shoot during school hours so you have the place to yourself. Finally, some locations require permits to collect footage, so be sure to do your research and ask for permission if you’re using someone else’s business or a public facility.

5. Write a script and create a storyboard

The last thing you want to do is show up on location with no idea of how the end video should look. Overcome this avoidable problem before you capture your footage by taking time to create a script and a storyboard. Begin by writing your script. Your script might include on-camera dialogue that actors say, or voiceover that’s layered on top of footage in post-production. Either way, keep your script simple, and keep your sentences short. When someone is reading text, they can go back and re-read it if a sentence is long or complex; however, when watching a video, viewers aren’t likely to rewind a video to listen again. You get one shot to make a lasting impression, so be sure your message is simple, concise, and clear.

Next, take your script a step further as you create a storyboard. A storyboard is like a comic-book-style overview of your video. It shows how different shots come together to tell a single visual story. You can create a storyboard using software like Storyboarder, or you can simply sketch out your ideas. You don’t need to invest a lot of time and resources into this process; the goal is to have a high-level overview of the content and flow of your video so you can produce it well and tell a cohesive story.

Both storyboarding and script writing should take place before you start collecting footage so your team has a shared vision for the end result. If you need a little inspiration to get the process started, check out our post 21 YouTube Video Ideas for Businesses.

Equipment tips

6. Use equipment you already have

Making a YouTube video doesn’t have to be expensive. You can probably leverage hardware you already have to create your video. Most recent smartphones come with high-quality cameras that are perfect for shooting videos; you can even purchase an inexpensive tripod for your phone to ensure the shot is still. Depending on the type of video you’re creating, you can also use the webcam that’s built into your computer, or purchase an external web camera. This method is great for shooting things like webinars, testimonials, tutorials, and interviews.

If you find that neither of these options are giving you the video quality you’re looking for, you can either purchase equipment of your own, rent equipment from a video hardware rental company, or work with a video production partner. The right choice for you will depend largely on your timeline, your budget, and how much content you plan to create ongoing. For example, if you’re going to create a weekly vlog, it may be time to invest in equipment you can keep at the office. But if your video is for a one-off campaign, it could be worth hiring experts rather than investing in equipment you likely won’t continue to use.

7. Test your audio

Nothing makes a video feel like an amateur production more than poor-quality audio. If you’re going to use your camera on your phone or computer, be sure to run an audio test. Having clear audio is critical to your video feeling professional and polished, and getting quality audio isn’t a huge obstacle. First, test your audio on the camera you’re using to film your video and in the environment you’re going to film it. This test will give you a sense of how close your actors or interviewees need to be to the camera, and whether there’s a lot of noise in the background. If your test shows that your audio quality needs some work, it might be worth investing in an external microphone to ensure your audio is clear and high quality.

8. Test your lighting

Lighting is what sets high-quality and low-quality videos apart. Before you start shooting, do a few lighting tests. You can invest in quality lighting equipment if your budget allows, take a trip to your local hardware store for a down and dirty DIY lighting kit, or simply move existing lighting around to get the look you’re going for. Performing a lighting test before your shoot will help you eliminate any unanticipated surprises; for example, if you’re filming in a room with windows, you’ll want to be sure the natural light doesn’t create distracting shadows in the frame. If you’re shooting outdoors, shoot during the golden hour: the hour or two leading up to sunset. The softness of the natural light outside is perfect for capturing great footage at that time.

9. Download the right editing software

If you’re willing to watch a few tutorials and be patient throughout the process, you probably have all the skills you need to edit a YouTube video yourself. Luckily there are plenty of free or affordable video editing platforms available, and you might already have one on your computer. If you’re using a Mac, your computer comes with iMovie pre-installed. This program covers the editing basics, allowing you to splice footage, add text overlays and effects, change audio levels, and more. There are also plenty of other options available for download on a Mac or PC, like well-known Adobe Premier Pro and Final Cut Pro X, and a couple of our other favourites, Filmora and Movavi. Before you select an option, compare features and read customer reviews to find the right software for your needs. You could also consider using a lightweight video editing app on your phone; for more on those options, check out The 21 Best Video Editing Apps for Android, iPhone and iPad.

If editing isn’t in your wheelhouse, you could also hire an outside company or freelance video editor to edit your video for you. This process can be made even easier if you created a storyboard, because then the editor will have an idea of what the viewer should see on screen throughout the video.

Intro and outro tips

10. An attention-grabbing intro

How many times have you started a video only to close out of it in just a few seconds because it didn’t draw you in? Your audience is no different. Today’s video viewers are very particular; you have to grab their attention in the first five seconds if you want to keep them around, which makes your video intro extremely important.

Your video intro might be something you use at the beginning of every video to promote your brand. If you’ve ever watched a TED Talk, you’ll recognise their consistent, on-brand video intro:

But your intro could also be created specifically to give your viewers a preview at what’s to come. For example, to use our decking company situation, the intro might simply look like someone coming on camera to explain what’s going to happen in the video: “In just five minutes, I’m going to show you how to sand and stain your deck, and share some helpful tips along the way to ensure a quality finished product.” This gives the audience confidence that they’ve found the video they’re looking for, and keeps them engaged.

The right approach for your video intro will depend on what kind of video you’re creating and how often you create content. If you’re looking for some awesome tools to help you make your video intro, look no further; we’ve compiled a list of our favourite intro maker tools for you already.

11. A compelling video outro

Assuming your video intro did its job of captivating your audience, and your video content kept them intrigued to watch the rest of your video, you should use the outro to compel them to take action. Your outro could include a call to action to visit your website, subscribe to your channel, watch additional videos, contact your team, or more. Either way, be sure not to leave your viewers hanging at the end, wondering what to do next. Instead, make their next steps very clear in your outro. Also be sure your other elements – visuals, music, voice overs, and more – come to a graceful close so you don’t create a jarring end experience for your viewers. For a little inspiration, check out this quirky video outro from Adobe Creative Cloud:

Video uploading and optimisation tips

12. Upload your video in minutes

YouTube makes uploading videos incredibly simple. To get started, simply navigate to the Video Manager, available from your channel’s page (if you don’t know how to make a YouTube channel, don’t worry – we’ve created a step-by-step guide for you). Here’s a quick rundown of how to upload your first video:

13. Optimise your video’s data

Remember back in the planning section when we discussed keyword research? This is where it comes into play. While your video is uploading, you can input critical video data, like your title, description, and tags, to optimise your video and improve your SEO. Here are a few tips to make the most of your video data:

14. Select an eye-catching thumbnail

While the written portion of your YouTube data is important to optimisation, selecting the right visual – a.k.a. the video thumbnail – is also important. Your thumbnail is the only image associated with your video in search results, so it’s got to stand out in the crowd. YouTube will automatically select a thumbnail for you, but it probably isn’t the most compelling image you could use from your video. Instead, select a custom thumbnail that will earn the attention your video deserves. Here are a few of our favourite tips:

15. Promote your video on other digital channels

Just because your video is live doesn’t mean your work is over. Now you have the task of promoting your video on other channels; while YouTube will do some of that work for you (as long as you’ve done your SEO homework and appear in the search results), you can still do some outbound marketing to extend your reach. Consider these tips as you share your video:

16. Keep an eye on your analytics

YouTube has sophisticated built-in analytics that make it easy for you to see how your video is performing. Just like Google Analytics on your website, YouTube Analytics lets you track:

You can use this data to inform your content strategy moving forward. What videos are people engaging with the most? How can you create more content like those videos to improve your overall video strategy? Is there one video that’s so popular you want to run a paid ad campaign to get even more traction? These metrics can help you make informed decisions about your content plan moving forward.

Wrapping up

As you set out to amplify your YouTube presence, why limit yourself to just a video? After all, YouTube reaches more 18-49 year-olds than any TV network, so it’s in your best interest to leverage all of its features and functionalities to reach your audience – including YouTube channels and playlists. To get started, check out How To Create a YouTube Channel in 2021 and How To Make a Playlist on YouTube (Step-By-Step) for more tips on how to make the most of this powerful video marketing platform.

Related Posts

There are countless YouTube video ideas that you can leverage to get your business noticed on the highly competitive platform. Here are 21 of the best.

Learn how to create a YouTube channel in our step-by-step guide and you’ll be racking up video views in no time!

Consider this your one stop shop for everything you need to know about advertising on YouTube in 2022.

How to Make a YouTube Video

Create YouTube videos with Movavi Video Editor Plus!

Make videos. Create. Inspire.

How to Make a Video on YouTube

From this article, you will learn helpful tips on creating your first YouTube video. In our guide, we’ll cover strategies you can use to create content, equipment and software you’ll need for shooting and video-editing, and, of course, ways to promote your clip!

Being one of the most popular social media platforms worldwide, YouTube is often the first choice for a beginner clip-maker. Not only is YouTube a means of entertainment, but it can also become a quite pleasant source of additional revenue. If you’ve made your mind to start creating YouTube videos, this article will be beneficial.

So you’ve decided to become a YouTube video maker, but you don’t know where to start. Indeed, creating videos is not as easy as it may seem: it requires a step-by-step content plan, well-thought-out strategy, and understanding of the ultimate purpose of your clips. The following tips for making YouTube videos touch the subject of choosing the right topic and getting to know your audience.

The first thing every YouTuber has to do is figure out what the future videos (or even the entire channel) will be about. Of course, the easiest way to make YouTube videos is to talk about things you personally find interesting. Bringing up a trendy topic won’t make your videos more popular if you’re not really into it. Also, if you’re not an expert on the chosen subject, it will show. You can gain more viewers by being hilarious or using cool video effects, but success is likely to be temporary.

If you’re still not sure what topic to choose, try another tack. Figure out what people are actually looking for on YouTube. Find your niche and create content that is SEO-based (which means your content is optimized for search engines). Search engine optimization can be tricky to understand, but eventually, you will get the general idea of how it works: the broader the search, the more competition. Do a little research and pay attention to the keywords used in a search and autosuggestions provided by the engine. Gather all your ideas and think of what you can make out of them.

A competitor’s channel can give you extra ideas, too, but don’t overuse it. Watching competitor’s videos makes you fall into the trap of not producing unique creative content. Moreover, it can sometimes be discouraging for a first-timer, mostly if the competitor has already made quite a name for him or herself.

Get to Know Your Audience

After you’ve decided on the video topic, it’s time to explore your audience. Who do you make YouTube videos for? How old is your audience? What are your viewers interested in, and do they want to learn? As soon as you find answers to these questions, you’ll start to get the general idea of what your average viewer looks like. This will help build a strong connection with your audience and create conditions for developing quality communication inside the hub.

Find Your Style and Format

To make YouTube videos that people will remember, try to find your own way of narration and presenting your content to the audience. Of course, the style will evolve eventually, but it’s best to stay true to yourself and not change it dramatically. By remaining true to yourself, you will help your audience create a strong associative connection between your videos and yourself.

Finally, before you start making a YouTube clip, you need to decide on the best format for your video. It can be a review, a tutorial, a story – just pick the genre that suits your purpose best and stick to it in future videos.

To actually start making YouTube videos, it’s essential not to get stuck in the beginning. Don’t wait for better timing or equipment to make a YouTube video. Set a start date and a deadline and stick to the plan. Don’t be hard on yourself; the first video will probably not be perfect, but you have to start somewhere!

YouTube content creators who go MIA for a while are likely to lose a significant number of their subscribers. It’s vital to stay present and publish videos on a regular basis. To plan and monitor your activity on social media platforms, try using a schedule publishing tool like Onlypult. It’s a great time saver.

How to Create a YouTube Video: Equipment and Shooting

Tripods, camera lights, a green screen, a softbox, a microphone – it looks like being creative in making videos is not all. Beginners may think that to produce high-quality videos, they must have all kinds of professional equipment. But in fact, anyone with a smartphone or an iPhone can create decent videos with the minimum equipment.

So if you’re unsure what to use to make YouTube videos, rest assured – you don’t need pricey professional equipment here unless you’re going to shoot Hollywood-like movies with aliens, pursuits, and car crashes.

Start with what you already have and focus on using various angles, effects, and transitions instead. There is no need to spend extra money on video creation gear at the very beginning of your clip-making career. You can try using more complex equipment when you are sure you’ll manage to run it.

To prepare a video, make sure you have the following items at hand:

Camera/smartphone. High-end cameras can cost a fortune, but a lot can actually be done with a modern smartphone. Cameras in today’s mobile devices provide a decent quality of the picture (1080p) and sound.

Microphone. A microphone that records sound and not noise is worth spending money on, and you can find decent options for a moderate budget. The excellent quality of sound in the raw video makes it easier to adjust audio when editing the clip afterward.

Lighting kit. Dark videos are hard to watch, and lousy lighting diminishes the overall quality of the clip. Of course, the best and cheapest option is to shoot in natural daylight. So a lighting set is not indispensable but can be of great use for indoor shooting in bad lighting conditions (for example, if you don’t have time to shoot in the morning or during the day).

Video-editing software. The program that will help you compile your future clip can be tricky to choose. We recommend starting with software that is not hard to handle. An intuitive interface and minimum of layers, tabs, and menus would be the ideal option for a beginner. Sophisticated programs can quickly discourage and scare off non-professionals. As you become more familiar with the process of clip-making, you can discover programs with more intricate functionality.

You can also use your webcam and a screen-recording program together. If you’re using your smartphone or an iPhone, you can benefit from the built-in video-enhancing tools and effects in your camera. A screen-recording program is a must-have for those who create computer tutorials and those who use their webcam as the video and audio recording device. Decide on what tools you will use, and just make sure your starter pack doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

Now that you’ve picked your equipment, it’s time to decide on the location. Before you start shooting, find a nice place with plenty of light and no people where you can work without being bothered and interrupted. If there is not enough light, use your lighting kit – it will considerably improve the quality of your video.

Finally, write a script of what you’re going to present. Note actions with timecodes and short explanations of what should be happening on the screen. Write down hints and key ideas of the video. A plan will help you understand the structure of the video. It will also be beneficial if you’re not very good at improvising.

Make sure your shooting spot is clean and tidy. At the same time, there is no need to decorate it intentionally, as all the decor will attract the viewers’ attention to itself, which is not your goal at all. A plain background with a little touch of individuality is just fine. If you’re shooting indoors, choose a spot next to the window, but not in front of it. Ensure that you positioned your camera (or device) correctly: it should be on the eye level. This way, your viewers will see your face from an appropriate angle. Once you’re all set, you can start shooting your first video!

How to Make a YouTube Video: Editing

Now that you have a raw video on your camera or mobile device, it’s time to transfer it to your computer and edit it to make a whole product out of it. Editing is a crucial step in video-making. An excellent video editing can bring a video to an entirely new level. It may be time-consuming, but it’s worth it at the end of the day. Of course, to make good YouTube videos, it’s best to use suitable software.

For fully-featured video editing, try Movavi Video Editor Plus. This program offers all tools imaginable to boost your creativity. Take advantage of:

The program interface is so intuitive you won’t need any special skills. Even if you don’t know how to make a video in an editing program, you will figure it out in a matter of minutes on your own or with the help of the built-in tutorial.

Movavi Video Editor Plus

Make videos. Create. Inspire.

* The free version of Movavi Video Editor Plus has the following restrictions: 7-day trial period, watermark on the output videos, and, if you’re saving a project as an audio file, an ability to save only half the audio length. Learn more

The first thing you’d want to do with the raw video is to divide it into segments and cut out mistakes and bloopers. Remove the pieces you don’t need and put the rest of the elements in the appropriate order according to your script.

Once you’ve got rid of unnecessary segments and have everything in the correct order, you’d want to add titles and transitions. No need to use all sorts of transitions; just pick one or two and stick to them. After that, add video-effects. The rule “the fewer, the better” can be applied here, too. When you make a YouTube video, it’s vital to keep it consistent.

If you want to make a video on YouTube that anyone will be able to watch, we suggest you add subtitles. For some people, they are just indispensable. Moreover, many viewers watch videos with the sound off for various reasons. Sure, YouTube provides built-in closed captions, but they can contain mistakes and lack punctuation marks.

For an instructional video, don’t forget to add annotations. These elements make an instructional video easier to understand. If you need to add other explanatory details to your video (for example, introduce a speaker or a guest of your video), place text in the lower third part of the screen. Otherwise, the inscriptions will get in the way of the main content.

It is also a good idea to add an intro to your video. An intro that you use in every video you make is your signature. It’s better not to be long: viewers get impatient when waiting for the main content. It’s OK if you don’t know how to create a YouTube video intro.

Movavi Video Editor Plus offers ready-made intros that you can customize and use for free. Just browse through the editor’s collection and pick the opening that suits your topic best. If you want to create an intro of your own, watch this tutorial on how to make a YouTube video intro.

To make your YouTube video complete, add music, sounds, and voice-over. Make sure the music you’re using is royalty-free; otherwise, your video may be blocked, which means it will be no longer available on YouTube. To avoid risk, you can use audio tracks from the video editor’s library. Remember that viewers tend to skip videos with low sound quality, so pay attention to the quality of the music you choose. High-quality sound makes a video more appealing. Make the necessary adjustments to the raw audio: adjust the volume level and eliminate unnecessary noise to provide viewers with smooth, clear sound. Don’t let the music overcover your own voice.

When you make a YouTube video, ensure that you use all the advantages provided by the platform. By creating a functional outro, you can gain more subscribers and help viewers share your clip with friends and family. An outro with call-to-action elements is key to promoting your channel. The ending of a YouTube video can include one of the following call-to-action features:

Pick the option that suits your purpose. Apparently, you can’t use the “playlist/video” option in your first video, so we suggest you insert the “subscribe” feature instead. You can also provide a link to another channel if you have a mutual promotion agreement.

Obvious as it may seem, saving your video project now and then is highly recommended. Nothing is more discouraging than losing all the progress you’ve achieved while editing your clip and having to start over.

Finally, it is essential to save your video in the right format, ratio, and with an SEO-based name. Many programs support straight export to YouTube. The only thing you need to do is log into your account to be able to upload a video to YouTube directly.

Creating a YouTube Video: Uploading and Promoting

Congratulations! You managed to create a video on YouTube. But it’s still too soon to rest on your laurels. To make your YouTube video actually seen by people, ensure your clip a better ranking.

How to Promote Your Video

Here are some tips on how to make a YouTube video seen by search engines:

How to Retain Your Audience

Of course, YouTube is a great platform where you can find like-minded people and even make new friends. The chosen topic will attract people with interests similar to yours who can relate to what you’re doing. And it is essential to engage people in conversations, interact with your audience, give reactions to the feedback you receive.

Try to reply to all the comments users leave under your video, even the plainest ones. Add reactions to the comments you like. When people receive feedback on YouTube, they get notifications from the platform and thus feel related to the discussion.

Listen to your audience when in search of inspiration and looking for new topics for your videos. Some comments may suggest ideas worthy of implementing in your future content creation. Users are usually pleased when content creators listen to them.

How to Deal with Haters

As soon as people watch your video, comments will start to appear. Not all feedback will be kind and supportive. Because of anonymity and impunity, people with low self-esteem feel free to comfort themselves by insulting other people on social media. Nasty comments can be hard to deal with for a beginner YouTuber. Here are some tips on how to deal with hate and insults on social media:

We do not recommend replying to haters in the same manner they use in their comments. It won’t make you any happier, and you won’t get your revenge in the end because toxic people really live off people who react to their attacks. You can only win by not letting them devour your inner energy.

How to Make Money off YouTube

With a big enough audience, one typically starts thinking about various ways to monetize their time-consuming hobby of video-making and interacting with their audience. The most obvious way to start making money on YouTube is via ads.

You can also participate in the YouTube Partner Program and get access to special features (you need to meet the platform’s requirements to do this).

Another way to earn extra income is to create sponsored content. This way, you won’t have to give YouTube a share of your earnings, as the sponsor will pay you directly. Of course, you can combine all of the mentioned ways to get paid for your videos.

We hope this article on how to make YouTube videos has covered the most intricate steps of video creation. Just remember that the first video you make doesn’t have to be perfect, and it probably won’t, but it’s a start and an excellent opportunity to improve your skills. Try not to get stuck because of waiting for a better moment; just start today, right now. If you still have questions left, below are the most frequent questions that video-makers ask at the beginning of their career.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make my own video on YouTube?

Creating a video for YouTube implies several steps, including preparatory ones.

This is it! Don’t forget to interact with your audience and promote your channel.

What should I make a YouTube video about?

Think of all the things you’re good at and things that interest you the most. Making a tutorial video is a pretty good option. Write down all your ideas and do some brainstorming. Then try to narrow down your topic. Videos on hobbies and personal experiences fixing a specific problem or creating a particular item are the most valuable in viewers’ eyes. Tell your viewers how to fix a broken bike or present five types of makeup to make your eyes look bigger.

Which type of YouTube video gets the most views?

One of the most popular video genres on YouTube is instructional videos, so you can try creating one. People look for answers to a massive number of questions in explainer videos. So if you know a solution to a problem or are really good at something, use it to create a video that people will look for.

It is also essential to know that most of the popular videos that are ranked highly by the search engines are approximately 15 minutes long. And, of course, you can make your video more present by using various SEO tricks. As a beginner, you can start optimizing your video’s visibility by using the YouTube search box.

What do YouTubers use to edit their videos?

Advanced YouTubers use all kinds of video-editing programs. Some of them may look too sophisticated for a beginner video-maker. We suggest you start with a program with an intuitive interface and features you can use straight away.

For a fully-featured video-editing program, we suggest you try Movavi Video Editor Plus. It has all the features you might need, and its simplicity of use makes it the ideal option for beginners. Chroma key, stabilization, voice-over, picture in picture, and other features are available in the program. There is also a collection of royalty-free music tracks you can use in your video.

How do I make a YouTube video without a camera?

Professional cameras can cost a fortune, but you can really do without one. If you don’t own a camera, there are at least two options you can choose from.

What equipment do I need to make a YouTube video?

You don’t need much to start making YouTube videos, really. The most important thing is your ideas and creativity. You can start with this pack:

How To Make A YouTube Video In 10 Simple Steps (Full Guide)

Does this sound like you?

You have an idea and you want to create a YouTube video for it.

You want your video to look and feel good. You want to create something you’re proud of, bring your idea to life and do it justice.

If that’s the case then you’ve just hit the jackpot.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you exactly how you can create a killer YouTube video.

We’ll cover everything you need to know: from preparation all the way to publishing, and getting your video seen; we’ve got your back.

Let’s jump right in…

Step 1: Research Your Topic

The first thing you need to do when you have a video topic is research it.

That’s because seeing what other creators have done in your topic will help you decide what works well, what you can improve on, and what you can do differently.

In fact, “YouTube is more than just a place to watch videos, it’s a gold mine of data” and you need to use it to your advantage.

This is coming straight from our in-house video expert and creator, Daniel, who single-handedly runs both of Uscreen’s YouTube channels.

Talk about a YouTube superhero, am I right?

To start, go to the channels you’re trying to emulate, or search for your video topic on YouTube’s search bar. Then watch at least 5-10 videos being made on your topic and on similar topics!

You should keep track of the:

This will help you plan your content in the next step and see what your video should look like. (Or, if you don’t like what you see, what it shouldn’t look like!)

By the end of each video ask yourself these 5 questions:

Answering these questions will help you understand what a good video on that topic looks like, and how you can get your own video up there with the greats.

This brings us squarely to the next section…

Step 2: Plan Your Video Content

Now that you’ve researched your video topic, ask yourself, what’s the point?

Or for a less existential question: what is the goal of the video you’ll be making?

Video content typically tends to fall into 1 of these 3 categories:

It’s critical that you identify what you’d like to achieve with your video before you start creating because this will inform how you’ll deliver it and what type of video you’ll create.

Then it’s time to create a storyboard. This is a visual representation of your video sketched out, you can do it digitally or manually. It’s kind of like having an outline for your video content.

That’s where you’ll take your notes from Step 1 and decide on the structure of your video, it’s length, and what will be included in each take.

Here’s a template we found on Creately that you can use:

Having a storyboard will help you gage what you’ll need to do and prepare to create your video. (More on that in the next step.)

If you’ve never created a plan for your video content before, grab a piece of paper and ask yourself these questions:

Answering these questions will help you get clearer on the specifics of your videos and you’ll be well positioned to do the next steps.

Step 3: Create Catchy Titles and Custom Thumbnails

Remember the list of video titles and thumbnail options we mentioned in Step 2? Well, now is the time to use them!

Video titles and thumbnails are the first point of contact you have with a viewer. They need to encourage people who come across your video to click and watch it.

Let’s get into each one…

Video Titles

Video titles are the first text your audience sees when they come across your videos.

That’s why you need to ensure your headlines…

…to give your video the best chance of appearing on someone’s search.

If you look at Uscreen’s own Health & Fitness YouTube channel you can see that our video titles are to the point, include relevant keywords for our target audience, and inform the viewer what the video is about:

You should also consider running your list of video titles with trusted advisors and see which ones are the most interesting and intriguing.

Custom Thumbnails

Custom thumbnails can help you increase your click-through rate. Meaning, if your thumbnail is eye-catching and exciting enough, when people come across it they’ll click on your video to watch it.

We always recommend customizing your thumbnail as opposed to using a screenshot from your video. Your thumbnail should include:

Take the thumbnails on Uscreen’s main YouTube channel, for example:

You can see the consistent use of our brand color, blue, which stands out against YouTube’s grey background and strengthens Uscreen’s branding.

We’ve also used a mix of graphics, keywords, and faces with clear attention-grabbing expressions.

Having these things will enhance your video’s message and performance.

Speaking of performance…

Step 4: Optimize Video for Search Engines

Part of writing catchy titles and creating thumbnails that entice people to watch your video is finding the right keywords for your content.

This will help you connect with people who use the YouTube search to find videos. Afterall, YouTube is the world’s largest video search engine.

And to get your video seen on YouTube you’ll need to use some search engine optimization (SEO) tactics.

One of the main things to do for YouTube SEO is conduct keyword research. Keywords are phrases that users are searching for, like:

You need to target the most relevant keywords for your video content by using it in your description, tags, thumbnail, and video title. This tells YouTube and Google’s algorithms what your videos are about.

The first step in conducting keyword research is understanding the problem that your video is solving. You need to get into the mind of your potential viewer.

Let’s say you’re looking to create a video on the topic: how to make pancakes. You can see that on both the YouTube and Google search the title of the first and second results includes these keywords:

Now to delve deeper into your keyword search, go to Google and YouTube’s search bars and see what keywords they suggest for that topic.

Pro-tip: You can use the asterisk (*) as a wildcard to replace any word in your search query to see the most popular variation of that keyword search.

Once you’ve searched for different variations of the keyword, you can compile a list of the most common or popular searches.

For this example, the most popular searches seem to be:

From this search we’ve learned 3 things: people want pancakes, they want them fluffy, and they want them healthy. (Where do I sign up?)

So, you can use descriptive words like fluffy, and the searcher’s query: how to make pancakes for your tags, title, and description.

There are several tools you can use to see what keywords your potential viewer is going to search like:

By using these tools you can better understand what people are searching for and the demand for that keyword. This will help you decide which keywords to use for your videos.

To learn more on how to conduct keyword research and make your YouTube videos SEO-ready, check out our guide below:

22 Ways To Get More Views On YouTube

Step 5: Get Your Equipment

Now that you have a plan in place, it’s time to see what tools and equipment you need to bring your vision to life.

Different types of video content call for different types of equipment. For example, a parody music video has different needs than a fashion vlog.

Before we can talk about buying equipment we need to figure out your budget. Now, chances are you fall into 1of these 2 categories:

The good news is, regardless of which category you fall under, you can still create high-quality videos.

Here are the essential gear you’ll need to create your YouTube videos:

We live in an age where you can take professional-style pictures and videos with your phone. So, it’s best to master the gear you do have and upgrade as you go.

Once you’ve got your filming equipment, it’s time to put it all together…

Step 6: Set The Stage

When you make a YouTube video, you need to prepare your filming location to be camera-ready.

If you’re recording a fitness video, this could simply mean choosing the spot in the house with the best lighting and creating a background to go behind you.

A great example of this is Adriene Mishler from Yoga With Adrienne. Her videos all contain a “branded” background that fits her personality.

This may change as she uploads new series of videos, but she keeps the same background for a long period:

This helps to keep attention on the speaker and not on their background. Notice how her yoga studio is not distracting but instead adds atmosphere to the video.

If you’re recording a video that’s less flexible and needs to be done in a fixed place – like a cooking tutorial – you’ll need to prepare the area as best you can.

So when you’re placing the camera you might need to consider:

To stick with the cooking example, YouTube’s Sam The Cooking Guy uses a top-down shot to capture the absolute essentials for the videos, while his son holds a second camera to capture the chef, background, and ingredients he plans to use during the video!

If you’re trying to keep it as simple as possible, just remember to keep clutter out of the shot and allow the subject of your video to take center stage.

Now that your environment is set up, it’s time to get the star of your video ready…

Step 7: Prepare Yourself To Be On Camera

Being on camera can be scary.

If you’re anything like me, you immediately start sweating, your throat gets dry, and you develop a stutter that you’ve never had before in your entire life.

The good news is there are ways to make being on camera more pleasant and enjoyable for yourself and your viewers.

My best advice is to treat it as a conversation with the camera.

Think of the camera as one person from your target audience and talk directly to them. You’re not presenting or putting on a show; you’re just having a conversation with someone.

So, do the same things you’d do in any conversation!

Look at them directly, be energetic, smile, and stick to the topic. If you want a little more advice on this I recommend you check out our 7 expert tips for being comfortable and confident on camera.

Or, check out this video below:

Once you feel ready, it’s showtime!

Step 8: It’s Time To Hit Record

If you’ve followed the steps so far, it’s time to turn your camera on and hit record. Feels good, right?

Regardless of the type of video content you’re recording, there are a few things for you to keep in mind.

First and foremost, keep the camera rolling.

If you misspeak or make little mistakes…

…don’t stress out and restart everything. Just take a breath, and keep going (starting shortly before the mistake) without turning the camera off.

This makes the entire process much less stressful and you can fix everything else in editing!

Secondly, embrace what you know.

Trust that you know your topic and get creative with it.

Being new to creating a video can actually give you a huge advantage, you’ll have a different perspective and will more likely create original content.

The final, and most important thing, is to have fun.

I know this sounds corny, but making a YouTube video is supposed to be fun.

That’s why the platform got so popular in the first place!

People were able to flex their creative muscles, upload videos (sometimes go viral), and eventually they turned into video creators. (Without even having a fancy cinematography degree).

So, enjoy the learning process. Making great YouTube videos should excite you and entice you to make more videos.

Step 9: Edit Your Work

When you’ve recorded your video, it’s time to edit it!

This is where you can clean up any mistakes you’ve made while recording and make your video YouTube-ready.

Remember, if you get to this part of the process and realize there’s something missing or something can be done differently, that’s okay.

Reshoots are part of the business…

…it may be a bit frustrating but it’s better to go back and do it right than to just be okay with mediocrity.

In the editing process you’re looking to:

Doing these things will add so much value to your YouTube video, and they pretty much work for any kind of video you want to make.

It’s also worth getting feedback on your edit from trusted friends or advisors. Sometimes when you stare at things for too long, you get some kind of cabin fever.

It’ll be well worth your time to literally step away from your masterpiece and get a fresh pair of eyes looking at it.

Now, editing software may be the most important equipment investment you make. It has the power to supercharge what you’ve created for YouTube and turn it into a high-quality engagement magnet.

If you’re on the prowl for great video editing software check out our guide below:

The Best Video Editing Software for Beginners – Ultimate Guide

Step 10: Repurpose Your Video For Social Media

When you upload a new video on your YouTube channel, consider repurposing that video for your social media platforms.

This is a great way to get more people to watch your video.

Here’s how you can do this:

Your goal here is to get people so excited about your content that they want to watch the full video.

Wrapping It Up…

That’s it guys! By now, you should be well equipped to make your own video for YouTube.

These are the 10 steps you need to follow to make a YouTube video:

The first thing you need to do when you have a YouTube video topic is research it. Watch all the videos being made on that topic and similar topics. Answering these questions will help you see what your video should look like. You want to learn from your competitors, take what works well, and improve on the existing videos in your topic.

Identify what you’d like to achieve with your video before you start creating because this will inform how you’ll deliver it and what type of video you’ll create. Then create a storyboard to see what you’ll need to do and prepare to bring your video to life.

Your video titles and thumbnails are the first point of contact with your audience. They need to be engaging and entice people to click on your video.

Use relevant keywords for your video title, tag, description and custom thumbnail (if needed).

You’ll need a camera, external microphone, good lighting, a tripod, storage, and a video editing software. Master the gear you do have and upgrade as you go.

Prepare your filming location to be camera ready, with minimal visual distractions.

To help yourself relax on camera, treat the filming process as a conversation.

Start recording your content, keep the camera rolling, and edit out any mistakes in the next step.

Use a video editing software to put the footage together, create strategic transitions, remove any bloopers, and synchronize any audio.

When you upload a new video on your YouTube channel, consider repurposing that video on your social media platforms. This is a great way to get more people to watch your YouTube video.

By following this step-by-step guide, you’ll be able to create engaging videos that can reach your audience.

Now, if you want an easy way to move those videos over to an independent VOD platform and scale up your monetization success, then reach out to us.

How to Make a YouTube Video: The Ultimate Guide

Written by:
Zain Zia

With nearly two billion monthly active users, YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine (next to Google.)

People use the platform not just for entertainment purposes, but also to find solutions to their day-to-day problems — this makes YouTube a gold mine for visual creators worldwide.

If you’re looking to create a YouTube video for any purpose — such as to promote your business, start a vlog or just to share a story, this guide is for you.

In this article, we’ll walk you through all the essential steps involved in creating, publishing and promoting a successful YouTube video.

We’ve also included tons of resources, templates and examples along the way to help you get started faster. Let’s begin.

Start and end your YouTube videos in an engaging way. Use our online intro maker and outro maker with ready-made templates to grip your audience and motivate them to subscribe and like your videos.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Planning

Contrary to popular belief, making a YouTube video isn’t just about hitting the record button. Because if that were true, every creator — good or bad — would be making a living through the platform.

One thing that sets apart the best from the ordinary is the amount of planning the former put in to make their videos a success.

But what you don’t see is the amount of planning that goes into making this video.

Recreating Squid Games is costing more then I thought it would but i’m in to deep to stop now lol pic.twitter.com/Z196lyz4Ig

Do you think MrBeast would have been able to pull this off without any prior planning? Yeah, that’s a definite “no.”

To streamline the planning process, here are four things you need to do before you shoot your next YouTube video.

Do your research.

The absolute first step towards making a YouTube video is doing your homework on the following things:

As you can see, a big part of the research phase is to find the right keywords for your YouTube video. This will help your video rank — in other words, show up in front of the right people. After all, what use is your video if no one is going to see it, right?

You can use tools like Ahrefs, TubeBuddy and vidIQ to find the right keywords to target. Keep the overall theme, topic or problem of your video in the center and look for relevant keywords around them to find the best fit.

Here’s a snapshot of TubeBuddy’s Keyword Explorer.

Also, when choosing the topic for your YouTube video, make sure that you’re specific rather than broad and vague. Try to look for ‘content gaps’ on YouTube — topics or angles that haven’t been covered already.

For example, if you’re creating a travel video on Istanbul, look for opportunities to stand out. If there are already a lot of videos covering the topic «What to do in Istanbul during the summer,» maybe you could do a video about «What to do in Istanbul during the winter.»

Targeted, more focused keywords that aren’t too competitive are more likely to rank at the top — which means more views and engagement for you.

Also, conducting thorough research before finalizing the topic, style and specifics of your video will give your content a sense of direction and purpose, and will automatically make it more appealing for your target audience.

Decide on your video type.

Once you’ve nailed down the topic of your video, you can go on to decide on the video’s tone, as well as the style or type of video you’ll be creating.

For example, if the goal of your video is simply entertainment, the style of your video will be a bit more relaxed and fun. But if you’re creating an educational video or are discussing a sensitive topic, the tone may be a bit more formal.

Some video types you might want to consider include:

You can also go deeper than the three options above. For example, do you want to create a movie-style video? Or are you looking to create a vlog? If you’re creating an animated video, would you like to use custom animation? Or are you thinking of stitching photos together with audio and voiceovers?

Pro Tip: If you’re looking to create simple videos with overlays of text, animated icons, characters and illustrations, check out Visme’s video maker. It comes with built-in animations, graphics and a timeline editor. Best of all, it works in your browser, and will save you the hassle of downloading and learning complex video editing software.

Write a script.

The next important part of the planning phase is the script for your video. This doesn’t necessarily have to include each and every word you are going to say, but you should at least write down the main points, sections or topics you want to highlight in the video.

If you’re creating a skit with dialogues, writing a complete script is probably the ideal way to go. But if it’s just going to be you talking to the camera, like a vlog set up video, then simply writing your main topics will work too.

Either way, a script is primarily used to streamline the process of video making. This is so whenever you begin recording, you don’t find yourself collecting ideas but being able to read off the script exactly what you want to say to your audience.

Create a storyboard.

A storyboard is a visual representation of a story. It is made up of a sequence of images and graphic illustrations that helps creators visualize how their video will look once they’re done.

For example, for each scene of the video, visually illustrate the number of people used for it, the topics they will be discussing and even the backdrop of where they’ll have that conversation.

To save you the time and hassle of creating a storyboard from scratch, Visme offers pre-made storyboard templates that you can easily edit in your browser.

Public Library Storyboard

Microwave Lunch TVC Storyboard

Art Therapy Storyboard

Cloud Computing Services Storyboard

Mobile App Pros and Cons Storyboard

Tree Plantation Program Storyboard

Simply swap in the placeholder images with your own (either by uploading from your computer or choosing from the free stock photo options that come built-in with the editor), change the scene text and download or share!

Creating a storyboard may sound like a lot of work, but once you get into the habit of making one for all your videos, you’ll see a considerable difference in the quality of your production. And rightly so — over-preparation is still better than under-preparation.

Select a location.

Choosing a location for your YouTube is more important than you might think. It gives context to the video and can considerably enhance the look and feel of your video.

Many people create videos in their home studios, but you don’t always have to do that. If the content permits, you can even head out to a park or a coffee shop to shoot the video.

Pick a location that is aligned with the topic of your video. For example, if you’re creating a vlog about the best places to see in a city, make sure you go to those locations to shoot the video.

You can stay in your room and record the video too, but your audience will feel more connected to the video if you shoot those scenes at the places you’re talking about.

Regardless of the location you pick, make sure there’s plenty of light, so you’re well-lit, and there aren’t a lot of people that can cause interruption to the video-making process.

Part 2: Production

Now that you’ve got planning out of the way, it’s now time to record your YouTube video.

Yes, it can be as easy as hitting the record button on your phone or camera. But if you want to create amazing videos, you’ll need to invest in equipment that can help take your videos from good to great.

We can break down video production into four sections:

Let’s explore each one in detail:

Video equipment.

A video camera is probably the biggest and the most important investment you’ll make for your YouTube channel. This is going to be something that you’re going to use to record all your videos, so you’ll ideally want one that’s durable, lightweight and good quality.

There are generally two types of cameras to choose from; a DSLR or a mirrorless camera. But each one comes with its own drawbacks.

A DSLR, for example, will produce great quality footage but will be heavier than a mirrorless. So, it will probably be more difficult for you to create vlog-style videos with a DSLR camera.

That’s why many YouTubers, especially beginners, prefer using mirrorless cameras — they are considered to be newer technology and are considerably lighter in weight than traditional DSLRs.

Make sure the camera you choose has built-in image stabilization, great autofocus capabilities and a good quality microphone. Another incredibly useful feature is a flippable screen, which makes it easy to shoot vlog-style, selfie videos.

If you’re looking to go ahead with a mirrorless camera for your channel, here’s a great video that discusses some excellent mirrorless options to choose from in 2021:

Other video equipment you’ll probably want to purchase includes a tripod, stabilizer and a drone. But you can buy all of these later on as you make more videos and grow your channel.

Audio equipment.

The next thing you’ll want to invest in for your YouTube video is the audio equipment.

Even if you have the best camera in your arsenal, there’s a high chance that you’ll still need to get your hands on a mic to fix your audio.

There are generally 3 types of microphones used by YouTubers:

Each of them is ideal for different uses, so invest in one that gets your work done.

For example, if you create videos in a studio, a dynamic microphone will be more suited to you. But if you move around while creating content, such as a vlog, then go for a condenser or lavalier microphone.

If you’re using a mobile phone to shoot your video, then don’t worry, there are tons of options out there for you to choose from as well.

Lighting.

Another key aspect of any video is its lighting. If your video is too dark or too bright, it obviously won’t look good, and you’ll run the risk of people skipping your content.

For starters, natural light is excellent. But as you scale your channel, you’ll probably want to invest in studio lighting that’ll greatly improve the quality of your videos.

Here are some of the lighting equipment you may want to add to your production gear:

Check out this excellent video by Ben Johnson, who’ll walk you through all the steps you need to take to give your videos a tremendous cinematic look:

Recording.

With everything said and done, it’s now time to hit the record button.

Keep your script and storyboard close to you so you don’t miss out on any important detail of your video. And believe in the story that you’re telling. Because let’s be honest, nobody cares how expensive your camera gear is if you have a compelling story to tell.

So, use the equipment to the best of your abilities, and focus on the content to create a value-packed video that’ll solve a problem for your audience.

Part 3: Editing

Once you’ve finished recording your video, it’s now time to head back to the drawing board and finetune the footage in post-production.

There are multiple aspects involved in editing a video. In this section, we’ll talk about four important ones that’ll help you level up the production of your YouTube videos:

Choose video editing software.

First, you need a good video editing software, where you’ll import all the footage, stitch it in a way you want the story to progress, color grade the clips, add voice overs and music, and more.

Done well, all of this can increase the final quality of your videos.

There are several video editing software to choose from, both free and paid. Here’s a list of some of the most popular ones:

The most commonly used video editing software are Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro. Since they are so popular, you can easily find free and paid plugins for them online that can help you create even better videos.

Make video production easier than ever with Visme.

Create an intro & outro.

The most popular YouTubers you’ll see on the platform will probably have a dedicated intro and outro they use for all their videos.

You may question their purpose and argue whether they get in the way or negatively impact the audience’s viewing experience.

The answer to this question is simple. For someone that has stumbled upon your channel for the first time, intros are used to tell them exactly who you are and what your channel is about. That way, they’ll know what to expect and why they should subscribe to your content.

Here are some intro templates you can use for your own videos:

YouTube Intro Templates

Key Pieces for Fall Video Intro

You can edit these intros within Visme and customize them until you’re happy with the way they look. Then, download them in MP4 format and add them to the beginning of your videos.

Similarly, outros can drive viewers to take specific actions, such as subscribe to your channel or watch other related videos. They are also a great way to re-emphasize your branding.

Check out these stunning outro templates from Visme.

Add animations, effects and text.

To further improve your YouTube videos, you can also insert animations, icons, transitions, effects, and text boxes into the footage.

Those elements will make the video more watchable and considerably more interactive, as the viewer will follow along with whatever pops up on the screen.

Visme is an excellent place if you’re looking to add animations and icons to your footage. Simply pick the element you want to add, download it and import it to your video editing software.

Text is another essential part of your YouTube videos. You can use the text as hardcoded subtitles for your videos or use them creatively as titles, headings, lower-thirds, etc.

Create engaging animated content with Visme.

Insert music, sounds and voice-overs.

Another thing that you’ll probably want to add to your videos is the background music.

The music you choose will give emotion to the story you’re telling and keep your audience glued to their screens.

YouTube has its free audio library from where you can select the music to add to your videos without any risk of a copyright strike.

Unfortunately, even though there are many options to choose from, they are still pretty one-dimensional.

If you are looking for more trendy sounds that you hear in the videos of famous YouTubers, then use paid resources like Epidemic Sound or Sound Stripe.

Depending on the type of content you’re producing, you may also want to add a voiceover to your video. Simply stitch the audio clip over your footage, and edit it in a way that progresses your story.

Part 4: Publishing

After you’ve completed editing your video, you can export the file into the highest possible resolution from your video editing software and get it ready for publishing on YouTube.

Once the render is complete, go to your YouTube channel, click on the + icon on the top right, and hit Upload Video.

This usually takes time, depending on the size of your file and the quality of your internet. But while YouTube uploads it in the background, you can take care of some of the other important stuff.

In this section, we’ll discuss YouTube’s publishing process.

YouTube’s publishing checklist.

Apart from the video itself, here is a list of other vital things you need to upload to the system to ensure the video reaches its intended audience.

Once your video is successfully rendered in its highest quality, and you have added in all the essential components, you can now go ahead and publish it.

You can share the video quickly by sharing it publicly, set it as Private if you want to make any changes to it or schedule it to publish at a later time and date.

Your work is effectively complete now, but you can still do some things to get more eyeballs on your content. We’ll discuss those promotional techniques in the next section.

Part 5: Promotion & Analytics

You have done all the hard work of planning, recording, editing and publishing your YouTube video, but what use is it if no one actually watches your videos?

Promoting your video is a key step of ensuring that it reaches a wider audience. There are many ways to promote your YouTube videos online. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Share your video on social media.

The best place to promote your video is on your other social media profiles, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

You can do this by simply sharing a link to your YouTube video. For example, here’s how we (at Visme) share our YouTube videos on LinkedIn:

Another way is to create a shorter version of your actual video and adding a link in the description so that people can click on it to go to your channel to view it in full.

This will also help you bring followers from other social channels to YouTube, subsequently boosting your subscribers and watching hours on the platform.

Leverage paid promotion.

Another way to boost your YouTube videos is through paid promotions. These paid promotions can be on YouTube or on other social channels.

For YouTube promotions, you need to create a Google Ads account, where you can manually create a campaign from scratch — choose the audience, select the budget and run your ad.

There’s also an easier way to create promotions from inside YouTube:

Once you’re done, Google will carry out a quick background check and start showing your video to your target audiences.

Cross-promote on other videos.

Just like we discussed earlier, YouTube allows you to add cards to your existing videos so you can promote other uploaded content as well.

This is an excellent way to keep your audience hooked to your content so they don’t wander off to other creators looking for answers to different questions.

Engage with the community/audience.

One the easiest ways to promote your video is to engage with your audience and the larger community.

Reply to comments under your videos, run polls and giveaways, and engage positively, and you’ll end up building a solid relationship with your audience.

Think of it this way — everything we do in life is about experiences. So, if one of your followers has a good experience with you, they’re more likely to suggest you to their friends and family.

This can result in a higher subscriber count for you, and your audience will also be more likely to continue watching your future videos — translating into higher watch hours.

Share your video on Reddit, Quora and forums.

Another way to promote your content is on different groups and forums related to your video’s theme or topic.

Reddit, Quora, Facebook groups and other forums are great places to start.

For example, if your video is about traveling the world on a budget, find threads on these forums that discuss budget traveling.

The first thing you need to do is make sure you’re responding to questions yourself, tell the forum where you are, and answer any questions related to your niche. This will help build a relationship with other community members, and they’ll know that you’re an expert in your field.

And once you have that, you can begin plugging in your YouTube videos.

If you start by posting your content, nobody will click on your link, as they wouldn’t know who you are. Building relationships in online communities can take you a long way.

Take advantage of email marketing.

This may not apply to everyone, as not all creators manage an email marketing list. But if you have one, it’s one of the best ways to promote your YouTube content.

Once you upload your videos on YouTube, send them over to your email lists announcing that you just shared a new video and why they should check it out.

This promotion technique is more suited to businesses with information on their customers and know the content they’re more likely to engage with.

You can also include your latest YouTube videos in your weekly or monthly newsletters. Or, gather up relevant videos to share on a certain email newsletter topic.

Track analytics to learn and improve.

The last point on the list isn’t related to video promotion, but it’s something that just can’t be ignored.

YouTube analytics is a great way to gain insight into all your videos. This includes your overall channel analytics, as well as more specific data on the age group of your audience, gender, geography, impressions, top cards, clickthrough rates and more.

All of this information can be used to manage the content of future videos.

For example, suppose a video is being watched with subtitles.

That gives you an indication that you probably have a broader audience that’s interested in your content, but since you’re speaking in one language, you’re unable to get them to subscribe to your channel.

Ready to Make an Engaging YouTube Video?

One of the best ways to be successful on YouTube is to create content that not only offers value, but also drives and motivates you to keep going.

If you love the theme and topic of your channel, it’ll keep you motivated to get up every morning and plan your videos. And sooner rather than later, you’ll be able to grow your YouTube channel and reach your target audience no matter where they are in the world.

Follow the processes and tips mentioned in this article, and get ready to record your first video. And don’t worry if your subscriber count isn’t increasing at the pace you wish it would. Just remain patient and consistently create videos, and success will follow.

Check out our video maker to create simple videos with animations and text overlays, or use our stunning intro and outro templates to make your YouTube videos more effective.