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As you already know, there are plenty of ways to grow your channel on YouTube – some more effective than others.

There are tips that everyone knows and agrees with. Then, there are more controversial tips, that not everyone agrees with. Today, I’m going to go over the latter.

Let me preface by saying these are not going to be for everyone! The reason these are “controversial” is that there are so many YouTubers out there and so many ways to be a YouTuber. I know these tips are not everyone’s cup of tea, they’re simply what work for me!

Controversial Tip #1: Script or Outline Your Videos Ahead of Time

If I just showed up to film five YouTube videos today without a plan, a script or some sort of outline, my videos would not be very helpful or organized.

(By the way, if you need recommendations for organization/project management tools, check out either Trello or ClickUp. Those are complete life and time-savers for me.)

I remember doing that with my first few YouTube videos. I sat down in front of my camera with only an idea of the topic I wanted to talk about, and just pressed record.

Next thing you know, I had 2 hours of footage of me just talking in circles, messing up, not knowing where the video was going and… I’m sure you can imagine the nightmare of that editing process.

Planning ahead or scripting may not be necessary for EVERY niche out there, but for mine – educational content- it definitely is.

Planning Values Everyone’s Time!

Coming into my YouTube batch days with scripts and outlines for each video, I’m able to record 4-5 videos in two hours! This saves me SOOOO much time when filming and editing.

In my intro, I always say “I value your time”, and I mean that! Scripting and intentionally planning my content ensures that I’m only saying things that are purposeful or valuable to the viewer.

When I don’t script, I not only waste my time and my video editor’s time, but I could also be wasting the viewers’ time if the video doesn’t deliver on its promise.

Planning Helps Your Overall Growth Strategy

I also like to script ahead because I can strategize how the topics of my YouTube videos connect together as a whole. When my video topics relate to each other, I can easily direct a viewer to watch the next video to learn more.

When topics connect and align in my videos, I can keep the viewer on my channel longer.

Now if you’re thinking, “but millie, I have a vlog channel, why would I need to plan out my videos? It’s just a vlog.”

Answer: Storytelling.

Just go to any of Casey Neistat’s videos. It’s safe to say he has MASTERED the vlog-styled video.

You can also see that he thinks ahead about everything: his camera placement, the multiple angles he shoots for one shot, among many more examples. Granted, I’m sure it comes a lot more naturally to him since he’s been doing it for years, but there’s intention there.

Take an extra 30 minutes to an hour before you shoot and ask yourself, “How can I make this more entertaining? Should I have a dope coffee montage in the beginning? Should I set up the camera first, and then walk into the frame?”

Taking a little extra time to be intentional with your shots or storyline will take your videos up to a whole other level!

Controversial Tip #2: Use a Teleprompter

A lot of people say NOT to use a teleprompter because they think it looks too obvious. Well, let me ask you this: if you watch the video I put in the intro of this post, is it too obvious that I use a teleprompter?

I didn’t think so.

There are a lot of different types of teleprompters. I personally use the Padcaster Parrot teleprompter. I love this one because it goes directly over my camera lens so that I can read the script while making eye contact with the camera. You can also adjust the size and speed of the scrolling text to a setting that isn’t obvious you’re reading.

Another reason people don’t recommend using teleprompters is that they say you’re not able to be spontaneous. Well, in case you weren’t aware, there’s this really cool invention called a pause button.

So what happens is, while I’m talking, if something else comes to mind, I press pause and I’m able to be …spontaneous. Super magical.

Now I will say, using a teleprompter is NOT for everyone! That’s why this might be considered “controversial”.

But if you’re in a niche where most of your videos are talking head videos like mine, I definitely recommend trying it out and seeing how it feels. Especially if you just started your YouTube channel, try it before your current style of filming becomes hard to change.

It does take some practice getting used to watching the words scroll as you speak conversationally instead of looking like you’re reading. While it might feel a little weird at first, I personally love it!

Controversial Tip #3: Don’t Overcomplicate Everything

I know strategy is GREAT and necessary. If you want to talk about strategy, you can watch my video: “How to Grow Your Channel From 0 Subscribers“.

But I’m not talking strategy here. I’ve seen people get so caught up in the strategy it actually stunts them from making moves. And then they get caught up in the stats of their videos, which affects how they research for their next videos …and the cycle continues.

They’re so caught up in researching and figuring it all out before they film. At that point, it’s like …just film! You’re not going to have it all figured out before you record your first video. Or even your 10th, or even your 100th.

It helps to forget about what’s “right” or what’s “wrong” and just think about “am I DOING? Am I TAKING ACTION?”.

Be willing to figure it out as you go. Treat every video as a test. Just record.

We all want to see what you can make. We want to see your videos. You deserve to have your voice heard.

Follow your joy!