DISCLAIMER: Links included in this post might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting me so I can continue to provide you with free content each week on my blog and on my YouTube channel!
Here is my entire YouTube creation process.
From conceptualizing, scripting and editing all the way to posting, I’ll show you how to create a successful YouTube video.
How to Come Up With Ideas for YouTube
The first step is to have a YouTube channel.
Yea, I bet you weren’t expecting that tip. If you haven’t started your channel yet, here’s everything you need to start a YouTube channel.
Then, the first step in any creative process is coming up with ideas.
Coming up with ideas can look different for everyone since we’re all wired differently. But if you’re looking for ideas that are more likely to trend and perform favorably in YouTube’s eyes, I believe my method is great for anyone to adopt and adapt to in their own unique ways.
There are two main ways I come up with video ideas:
- Market Research
- Audience Feedback
Market Research
The way I use Market Research to find ideas is by utilizing Search Engines.
This is a common SEO practice that can be overlooked by Influencers and Content Creators.
Search Engines show us what’s currently trending and what people are asking for right now in any given niche or expertise. (Yes, I know. You’ve heard the word “niche” a thousand times. And that’s because having a niche is very important.)
Since I’m in the online educator niche, I’d use Search Engines like Pinterest, YouTube, Google and TikTok. (These links go to helpful resources for more info on the platform’s Search Engine). Regardless of your niche, these platforms will provide good insight into what people are searching everywhere.
If you’re in a different industry, find where people are searching, then use that platform to find what people are searching. For example, if you sell goods or products, consider researching Etsy’s Search Engine.
So go to your desired Search Engine and type in your niche, industry or topics you wish to make content on. Being an online educator or Influencer Coach, I teach topics like Instagram tips, brand collaborations, making money as an Influencer, etc.
For example, I’d go to YouTube and type in “Instagram” and see what YouTube recommends under the search bar. In this example, you can see topics about “Instagram followers” or “Instagram story ideas”.
How more ideas, add to your niched search. So to expand on my “Instagram” search, I’d type “Instagram growth” and see what’s recommended. Keep changing words around your niche and you’ll find plenty of content ideas.
And what better Search Engine to use for YouTube ideas than YouTube itself?
Using Third-Party Tools
AND what better tools to use than ones made specifically to find YouTube ideas?
That’s right. You can supplement your keyword and content research with third-party tools and extensions like TubeBuddy and VidIQ.
Add their extensions to your browser and anytime you search something, the extensions will do their internet magic and tell you how likely you are to rank high for that search.
You can also use Keywords Everywhere, which tells you how many people are searching for your topic every month. To maximize this info, you want to find searches that are equal to or less than your current subscriber count.
For example, if you have 1,000 subscribers, you want to find a phrase or topic that has equal to or less than 1,000 searches a month.
Audience Feedback
This part is the most important step for my content creation process on YouTube specifically.
50% of my YouTube video ideas come from you. I get comments on my videos all the time of you asking me to talk about so many different topics I never would have thought of.
To hear directly from you, the people dedicated enough to leave a comment and request on a video is incredibly invaluable. You are the people I want to listen to and receive feedback from.
So go to your comments and see what your audience is saying. If you can’t find anything, don’t be afraid to ask directly on Instagram Stories or on YouTube Stories. Or make a poll on YouTube or Twitter.
There are plenty of ways to find and listen to what your audience is asking for.
Script and Record Your YouTube Videos
Once I’ve narrowed down a few topics, I batch script and record my videos.
By “batch”, I mean I script all my planned videos in one sitting, one after another without moving on to the filming process. Then I do the same with filming. I film them all, one after another, without moving on to the editing process.
I start this process once I have an outline of at least one month’s worth of content. For me, that’s between 4 to 8 videos.
Then, I go to a coffee shop, get a coffee and script my videos. (I prefer to be out of my house when scripting. Being in a new environment helps me feel more inspired.)
How to Script YouTube Videos
The first step of the scripting process involves researching your topic. Yes, before you write one word or one letter, you need good, solid information.
Where do you research? Where do you get this juicy information?
If I’m writing a script on Instagram tips, I’m going straight to the source. I’m going onto Instagram, finding for myself what works. I’ll look at content from Adam Mosseri, the Head of Instagram, to see what he’s saying about Instagram. I’ll look at their blog and news updates to see what’s new.
For you, you can follow professionals in your industry, study and use any specific platform you’re writing about. And study, study, study. You’ll be surprised how much information you will find that people seem to overlook.
Now that you have all your resources, go and write!
It usually takes me 2-4 hours to fully script and format my videos. Especially my talking head videos that are 10-20 minute long videos of my just talking. Vlogs, on the other hand, are more casual and won’t require as much scripting.
Scripting is also helpful for brand collaborations. If you have a sponsor for a video, having the video scripted ahead of time can save you so much time. You can send your script for brands to approve as opposed to sending them a finished video that they don’t approve of.
If you want more information on what brand collaborations look like, read my blog post linked right over there!
Once my video is scripted and approved if there’s a brand deal involved, I move on to filming.
How to Record YouTube Videos
Similar to how I batch my YouTube scripts, I batch my YouTube filming. I pick one to two days out of every month to sit and film all of my YouTube videos for the next month.
I prefer to batch my filming at least a month in advance for several reasons.
Firstly, because it gives me peace of mind throughout the month knowing it’s done.
It also gives my editing team time to edit all the videos with revisions and any brands to approve the content, also with revisions as needed.
Lastly, it gives time to schedule the video in advance with its thumbnail, description, timestamps and info cards, in case there are any hiccups during the upload process.
How to Edit Your YouTube Videos
Luckily for me, I’m at a point where I can outsource my video editing. I have a team of editors over at Storyy who edit all of my video-related content.
Before I had video editors, I edited all of my videos myself. So if that’s the boat you’re in, I totally get it. Been there, done that.
There are two things you want to keep in mind when editing:
- Keep it entertaining
- Use the right music
Keep Your YouTube Videos Entertaining
Regardless of whether your content is more in the education genre than entertainment, YouTube itself is an “entertainment” platform. Your video has to have some level of entertainment.
This is to keep people watching and increase your overall watch time. To do this, you need to keep your videos fast-paced by cutting out any “umms”, “uhs” or awkward pauses.
Use the Right Music in Your YouTube Videos
Having the right music is also extremely important. It keeps people engaged and makes your video more entertaining and binge-able.
But what do I mean by the “right” music? I don’t just mean using music that fits the content or genre.
I’m talking about using royalty-free music.
Even if you’re not monetized right now, you won’t be able to monetize your channel in the future if you use copyrighted music.
To find royalty-free music (and sound effects), I recommend using platforms like Epidemic Sound that have a seemingly endless supply of music at your disposal.
Now, since I use Epidemic Sound, I’m clearly partial to them. But if you want options, feel free to research what else is out there.
When it comes to editing software, there are so many options out there. Especially since it seems that everyone is making video content in one form or another.
Here’s a quick list of video editing software I’ve used in my many years of “YouTubing” that I recommend:
If you’re just starting out, I’d recommend iMovie or Clipchamp since those are both free and easy to use.
How to Post a Successful YouTube Video
Now that your video is edited, it’s time to post.
Posting may sound like a simple, one-and-done process. But it’s not.
Optimize Your Titles and Descriptions
When I start posting my video, I make sure that the title is filled with keywords (those searches you found during the idea phase) and that the first two lines in my description are filled with keywords as well.
Ideally, the keywords in the title and description will match, since YouTube pulls that information when deciding where your video ranks in any search.
Make Eye-Catching Thumbnails
I also make sure my thumbnail is poppin’!
You could have the best video of all time, but if your thumbnail isn’t good, no one will see it. You need to make people want to click (without lying about your video!).
To make eye-catching thumbnails, you can use Canva, which has a free version and is super simple to use. No design experience necessary.
For ideas on thumbnails, just look at what videos are currently ranking in your topic. Use those as inspiration and make it your own!
Also, make sure you’re posing for your thumbnails. Don’t just take a screengrab from your video. Poses perform better.
Use Tags
There are rumors that tags don’t matter anymore, but no one knows for certain. What I do know for certain is they don’t harm your video’s performance. Not even a little.
So I do my best to be thorough.
You can use TubeBuddy and VidIQ to help me select appropriate and strategic tags.
Final Tweaks
You’re almost there! Lastly, you just need to make some final tweaks before posting.
If your videos are on the longer end, add timestamps to help your viewers scrub to the information they need.
Add any info cards (that little “i” icon at the top right of your video) that take people to other videos if you make a reference to another video of yours.
Also adding links in your description, whether it’s for your social, a brand collab, or anything else.
Now… you’re ready.
You can schedule your video to post! Just keep using this process consistently and watch your channel grow.
Follow your joy!
Be the first to comment