Ultimate Guide to YouTube Content

Creation
INTRO

Hi and welcome to the Ultimate YouTube Content Creation Guide! This video guide
is aimed at helping you become a more successful filmmaker on the platform,
whether you’re a complete beginner or you already have some experience.
Keep watching and discover all the essential elements you need to know to produce
content that gets 1000’s of views on the platform - and the best thing is, if you want,
you can create extremely popular videos, using just your phone.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to plan content that appeals to your audience, how to
shoot for success, and define your own unique content style. You’ll also discover
some easy editing tricks that will polish up your videos to a professional looking
standard.

If you do want to invest in some equipment to shoot with, we’ll show you how to pick
up an affordable, high-quality rigt that will take your YouTube content to the next
level.

Stay with us and you’ll learn…

● How to plan for a perfect shoot

● How to create a memorable video style
● How to shoot great content that your viewers will LOVE
● How to easily edit your videos
● How to choose the most effective equipment - and get it at the best price
● And more tips and techniques to take your YouTube game up a notch

We’ve really passionate about helping our students produce great content for
YouTube as we know this is the No1 essential key to success on the platform. No
matter how great your marketing or your graphics, if your content sucks, you won’t
get the viewers you deserve. With this essential guide, you’ll be able to quickly and
inexpensively create AMAZING content that will score you the likes, shares, and
comments you want.
All you need to get started is a willingness to learn and the ability to put our advice
into practice - if you have this, we will help you do the rest! Remember, it may take a
little bit of time and effort, but we know you can do this, and we’ve got you covered.
Are you excited and ready to get started?

If so, grab a drink and get comfortable, so that you’re primed to learn…How to
become a top content creator on YouTube! Let’s jump straight in and take a deep
dive into our very first topic…Planning your First YouTube Shoot

Planning and Outlining

Planning and outlining are the key factors that will make or break your success on
the YouTube platform.

Planning your videos is so crucial because it helps you to structure your content,
which results in a superior outcome for your viewers. Sitting down to plan and outline
your YouTube video content will be helpful no matter what type of content you
create, whether you produce how-to guides, interviews, reviews, or vlogs.

You can plan a little or you can plan a lot, it’s completely up to you. Some people
prefer to have a rough idea of where they are going before they press record, while
others like to plan down to the last little detail, even scripting every word they say.

Regardless of the approach YOU plan to take, there are some golden rules for
perfect planning that will help you structure your videos for success. Keep watching
as we reveal our pro tips for success when it comes to structuring your YouTube
shoot.

Planning for success on YouTube

Focus on the first 15 seconds

The first 15 seconds of your video is so important that YouTube even mentions this -
because this is the make-or-break time period where your viewers will decide
whether to continue watching or go elsewhere.

If you can wow viewers with an enticing first 15 seconds, chances are you’ll have
hooked them in, and they’ll stay on to watch the rest of your content. Regardless of
how much planning you intend to do, it’s always worthwhile thoroughly planning out
this part of your video.
To create a truly great first 15 seconds, you first need a “hook”, which is something
that will get people initially excited, so they want to stick around to watch what’s
coming next. Think about your target viewer demographic when creating your hook,
what is it they want to learn or find out about and how can you communicate that
they’ll get this if they stick around?

Here’s some examples of some solid hooks:

● Give a quick overview of what your video is going to cover -“Stay tuned to
hear about….”
● An attention grabbing visual or animated image
● An intro screen that amps up the excitement
● An opening line that gets people sitting up and taking notice “Did you know
there’s evidence we’re not alone in the universe?”
● A teaser video with short highlights that showcase what’s coming up later on
in your content

Outline the key points you want to make

You don’t want to record your video only to remember that you forgot to include an
essential topic or important detail. Even if you’re not going to script your content
word for word, you should still write down all the key points you want to cover in your
video before you shoot it.

Noting down core points helps keep you on track when you hit record - and it will
give you an idea as to how to best structure your video, so you can fit in all the
information you want.

Aim for a seamless flow

People on YouTube are often short on patience, and they want content that smoothly
seaways from point to seamless point. They definitely don’t want waffle and they’ll
switch off if your video is vague, unclear, or hard to watch - investing in some
planning beforehand will definitely help you avoid these pitfalls.

If you’re not an experienced pro, you’re likely to stammer, stutter and pause a LOT,
and this isn’t great for your video’s flow. To combat this, jot down how you’ll switch
over to the next point, ideally as quickly as possible.

If you were making a vlog about a trip to Spain for example, you’d want to cover
several topics and smoothly switch between each one to help keep viewers
watching. You might start with your journey, then transition to the part about your
hotel, and then switch to sightseeing, before winding up by covering restaurants and
nightlife.

Structure is EVERYTHING
When it comes to creating content for YouTube, your video structure is of paramount
importance and there are 4 critical elements to this that you should always try to
include.

1) Your Hook

We’ve already talked about why you need a hook in the first 15 seconds of your
video to persuade viewers to continue watching, and it’s something that definitely
shouldn’t be skipped. Pick a hook that will excite and inspire your target audience
and intrigue them enough to make them want to stick with your video, so they don’t
click away.

2) Your Intro

Once you’ve got your viewer’s attention, you need to ensure they keep watching, so
you have to swiftly mention your video’s main topic. Alternatively, you can give a
brief overview of your video, or show them a highlights reel of what’s coming up. Or,
if you are about to drop something big - now would be the time to tease your
audience. Don’t be too vague, give a tempting hint as to what you’ll be revealing, just
don’t tell them everything - yet.

3) Content

Your main content needs to be angled to have maximum appeal to your audience
and should be in a format that they enjoy and can easily understand. Are your
audience fitness fanatics who want visual guides so they can work out better? Or are
they gamers interested in in-depth reviews of new releases?

Whatever your audience wants, you must give it to them, so it helps to know your
target demographic well beforehand. Have a look at some popular channels in the
genre you will be targeting, to see the type of content they produce, so you get a feel
for the type of videos your audience wants to watch.

4) Your Call to Action

When it comes to winding up your video, don’t forget to include a call to action that
specifically asks your audience to perform a task. This could be watching another of
your videos, liking your content, subscribing to your channel, or following you on
social media, or it could be anything else you can think of.
The important thing is to not ask people to do more than one or two things, as this
will only confuse them, and the chances are they won’t take any action at all. Keep
your request clear, short, and simple and make it as easy as possible for viewers to
perform the task you want. If necessary, tell them exactly how to perform this action,
i.e. if you want them to search for a particular video, tell them exactly what to look
for.

Planning your shoot

Planning is also an important component when it comes to your actual video shoot.
There are several elements you will need to prepare beforehand, from setting up
your lighting to deciding on the camera angles you will be using in your video.

If you plan your shoot in advance and think ahead to the editing stage, you’ll save
yourself a lot of editing time. You’ll also get a far better result when you actually hit
the record button.

Make an outline. First jot down a rough script or outline for your video before you
begin recording, so you know the basic structure of what will happen in your content.

Choose and set up your rig. Decide on the lighting setup you will use, as well as
the background, and make sure your microphone is working. Check your camera is
working and set up correctly too, so you’re ready to go.

Try everything out first. Before recording the whole thing, do a short test run.
Record 15-20 seconds of video so you can see whether your camera, lighting and
sound will work well for your shoot.

Consider Clapperboards. Clapperboards can act as markers that aid in the

synchronisation of your audio and video and can help you keep up with the number
of takes you’re doing.They make it easy to see what take you’re at, when it comes to
video footage - and with audio, the noise they make helps you identify where your
audio should match with the start of your video. This will be useful, especially as you
will likely need to make several takes of important sections of your video.

Teleprompters can help too. If you prepare a script for your content, you can use a
teleprompter, and this can help you cut down on takes and get tricky parts correct.
Reading from a screen can feel a little awkward at first but once you’ve got it down
teleprompters can be an invaluable tool. They can actually help you record up to
50% quicker than if you were reading from a script, so they are definitely worth the
learning curve. Try out high quality apps like Big VU for Android, or Prompt Smart
Pro for iPad, if you want to give teleprompters a shot.

Practice makes perfect. It’s a good idea to run a dress rehearsal for your video
before you actually shoot, without the camera on. This will help you get comfortable
with your script and identify any problems, sticky bits, or unnatural sounding parts
before you get in front of a camera. You can use a mirror so you can see yourself
and how you come across, which can help you to adjust anything that’s not optimum.

Plan for B Roll footage too. B roll footage is anything that’s not in your main script,
so it could be an interesting panorama, an intriguing shot, or an unexpected line. By
interspersing this type of footage in your video, in the editing stage, you can add in
texture, which helps to hold viewer’s interest. Think about the type of B Roll footage
you might want to include in advance - do you want to include cutaways, hot takes,
or interesting scenic shots?

Shooting your content

Once you’ve created a solid plan for your content, you need to move on to the
technical aspects of shooting, from picking what equipment you will use, to deciding
on camera angles, lighting, and filming techniques.
There are an almost unlimited number of possibilities when it comes to available
options for your shoot, and you are only constrained by your budget and the other
resources at your disposal, like your skill.

Whether you will be using a pro rig and studio, or simply filming on your smartphone,
there are some essential best practices you should always bear in mind, if your goal
is to produce the best video possible. Keep watching as we show you our standout
ways to shoot star content your viewers will LOVE…

Decide on a unique style

The most successful content creators on YouTube all have a distinct style that’s
highly unique to them. Having your own style is a huge help when it comes to
standing out on the platform, as it immediately makes you more memorable to your
viewers.

Define a standout style that fits well with the type of content you are producing and
you will get an important edge on your competitors who are covering a similar topic.

Essential Elements of Selecting a Style that Suits

Your shoot setting - Where will you be shooting your videos, indoors or outside?
Will they be taking place in a formal, polished environment with a branded backdrop,
or are you aiming for something more relaxed and natural? Whatever you choose it
should be in line with the image you are looking to put across, and it should be
appropriate for the content you will be shooting.
Your clothing - What will you be wearing for the shoot? If you’re going to be
appearing in your own videos, then you should consider your wardrobe, as your
attire should sync with the type of content you are publishing.

If you’re running a gaming channel for example, it’s okay to dress more casually, but
if you’re going to be giving out business advice, you’ll need to make more effort.
Clothing can be an important signal to viewers, as it lets them know what they can
expect. If you’re dressed in workout gear, they can be pretty sure they’re going to be
watching you perform some routines, while if you’re professionally presented in more
formal clothing, they’ll be ready to take you seriously.

Your props - You won’t need props for every video you shoot but they can really
help to add interest when used appropriately. If you’re teaching people how to play
guitar, you might have your instrument to hand and an amp, or if you’re
demonstrating how to prepare meals, you might go for a chopping board, apron, and
a set of cooking knives.

Your backdrop or background - Selecting the right background is an essential part

of defining your YouTube video’s style. If you want to look professional you may
choose to opt for a branded backdrop, or if you want to up the impact, you could go
for a plain background, like a white sheet or a black wall. On the other hand, if you
want to emphasise some realism, it may be better to opt for a more organic
background, like your bedroom or gaming room, which would be perfect for an
unboxing channel, or for game reviews.

Your soundtrack - Music and sound effects can be fundamental to mood setting,
and if you are planning to incorporate either of these elements in your content, you
need to give it some thought.

What kind of tone do you want to strike? If it’s one of elegant refinement, you’ll won’t
want to use a thrash metal track, but if your channel is oriented to hardcore rock
fans, this would be the ideal choice!

REMEMBER: Ultimately, when it comes to selecting your style, the choice is yours,
and you can tweak it as you go along. As time goes on, your content creator identity
will become more defined anyway, as you become more confident. Because of this
natural development, it’s a good idea to periodically assess where you’re at, so you
can note how your style has progressed and identify how you can best enhance it.

Your Frame

This refers to everything viewers will actually see in the end product that is your
published YouTube video and it should centre the most important elements that
make up your content. If you produce interviews, that would be your guests,
whereas, if you’re running a nature channel, it might be the animals or wildlife you’re
talking about. Of course, if you’re a vlogger, who focuses on reviews, then the focus
should be on yourself.

Your Shots

When it comes to the types of angles and shots you can select from, your
possibilities are almost infinite, though most YouTube content creators tend to focus
on 3 particular primary types.

These 3 main types of shots are used for their effectiveness and when you’re
starting out, it’s a good idea to simplify your options by focusing on these specific
modes of shooting.

Each of the following 3 types of shot has their benefits and works best for particular
types of content and situation. Having the ability to sync your shot style to the
content you are producing will help your video look much more professional.

The 3 main shooting styles for YouTube content creators:

Wide Shots - Wide angle shots are best for when you have several people you need
to feature in the frame, like if you’re conducting an interview with multiple guests, or
filming a sports game. They are also great for travel or nature vlogs, where you
might want to display the environment around you.

Medium Shots - Medium shots are always a solid choice as they are so versatile
and can work well for many types of video content. If you are unsure what shooting
style to pick, this is a great choice to opt for, as it is hard to get it wrong when you opt
for a medium style shot.

Close up Shots - If you want to add a personal touch, say if you’re shooting a vlog,
a close-up style shot is ideal, and they work well when you want to zoom the focus
on to a specific item or action too. Close up shots are great for adding emotion and
drama, but you don’t want to overwhelm viewers where this type of intimacy would
be inappropriate. Think about the type of content you are producing and the emotion
you want to convey, before employing the close up shot.

REMEMBER: Switching between the different types of shots and the angles you use
to film content is a great idea if you want to add dynamism and interest to your
channel. You don’t need to pick one shot type and stick to it but it’s smart to choose
one particular type to focus on, as this can help to define your signature, and will
make your content stand out more to your viewers.

Your Lighting

Lighting is a crucial component of your content as even if you get your shot style,
sound, and framing correct, if you have inadequate lighting it will spoil your content’s
appeal. It’s hard to incorporate too much light, and most videos don’t have enough,
which results in a grainy, dull appearance. This not only looks unprofessional, it
makes it difficult for your viewers to see what’s going on - and as YouTube is a visual
platform, this will result in them switching off.

Though there are multiple lighting rigs you can choose from, there are only a few
types of lighting. Learning about these types and how each works best for different
situations and settings will help you to narrow down your options.

There are two general categories of lighting:

1. Ambient lighting
2. Direct lighting

Ambient Lighting

This is the kind of light that illuminates your shot naturally, like daylight, if you are
filming outdoors. It could also be light that comes through your window, or from your
overhead lamps.

This type of light isn’t usually enough to light your video, so to achieve this, you’ll
need to emphasise your shot with another type of light - Direct light.

Direct Lighting

Direct lighting is any type of light that is specifically focused on your video’s main
subject, whether that’s a person, an object, or a place. It helps to remove unflattering
shadows and lighten up your shot, making it easier for people to see the action.

Now you understand the difference between ambient and direct lighting, it’s time to
move on to…

The 5 main types of light:

Natural Lighting - Natural light is flattering but it’s also unreliable, even if
you’re shooting outdoors, especially on dull days. This type of light includes
any lighting that filters into your home and illuminates a room that originates
from the outside i.e nature. It’s hard to come by, but you can address this
issue by using a hand-held reflector panel. However this still might not be
enough to light up your shot, so you may want to take advantage of one of the
other types of lighting options as well.

Fluorescent Lighting - Using fluorescent lighting is an effective way to get a

LOT of light into any shot and because of this it’s commonly used for both a
direct and ambient light source. However the main drawback to this type of
 light is the harsh result it can often give. To combat this, many people choose
to use a soft box over their fluorescent bulbs, which can help to diffuse the
effect.

LED Lighting - LED lights aren’t as harsh as fluorescent bulbs as they don’t
emit as much light per bulb either, so you’re likely to need a lot more of them
to adequately light your shot. However, they offer up some major pluses -
they don’t heat up anywhere near as much as fluorescent lights do, and are
more compact, so they are easier to carry around, plus they’re easy to dim or
brighten.

Ring Lighting - A superb choice for close ups, ring lighting can act as a sole
direct light source for your entire shot, if you’re shooting in this style. This type
of light won’t be effective at all for medium or wide angle shots though, so if
you’re planning on incorporating these in your content, you’ll need to look into
other options.

Reflectors - You can use reflectors in a couple of ways to enhance your

shots, either to soften a direct light source, or to amplify the light available.
They come in handheld or hands-free options, and though you can purchase
professional reflectors, they can be as basic as a piece of white board, or
card.

REMEMBER: When it comes to setting your lighting up, there is no one correct way,
as this will depend heavily on the type of equipment you are using, as well as the
environment you are shooting in. On top of this, you need to consider the mood you
want to convey, if you are going for a more mysterious or homely vibe, moodier
lighting might suit your content style better, whereas if your goal is to look business-
like, you’ll need a cleaner light.

There are 3 basics you should ALWAYS remember, whatever type of rig you have
and whatever style you are shooting in.

1. Have an ambient light source - whether natural daylight, or overhead bulbs

2. Have some type of direct light focused evenly on your video’s main subject
3. Have your background illuminated with a bright light

Your audio

Your audio is another fundamental component of your content, as it can mean the
difference between viewers going elsewhere or staying on to watch. If your
soundtrack is riddled with glitches, too quiet or has too much echo, people won’t
stick around as this makes for an unpleasant experience. Luckily, you don’t need a
ton of expensive kit to make your audio polished and professional, as there are some
simple steps you can take instead, to ensure it sounds great.
Golden Rules of Great Audio
Soundproof Your Environment

Audio mistakes are tricky to address once you reach the editing phase, so it’s better
to do everything you can in advance to ensure your raw footage is error free. Before
you hit record, the first thing you should check is your recording environment, as it’s
difficult to edit out echo or a loud background noise after the fact.

Is there any noise coming from your surroundings?

Viewers hate excess noise, but it’s important not to limit your checks to just the
room you’re recording in, as noise from other rooms, or even outside, can get
captured on your audio too.

Check your electronic equipment as well. You might not notice it on a day to day
basis, but recording equipment can amplify the noise of electronic sounds, so check
there are no buzzes or beeps emitting from your computers, or other devices.

If you do accidentally pick up some excess noise, you’ll find it easier to remove
constant quiet sounds, like those that can come from a computer than you will traffic
- but it’s better to ensure they aren’t there in the first place.

Always perform a dummy run first, so you can find out if your audio has excess echo.
This is sometimes called reverb, and it’s a major deal breaker for your viewers. If the
room you’re recording in has too much echo, there’s an easy and inexpensive fix -
just place some blankets on the ground and on the walls, to help muffle the
reverberation.

The 4 Types of Microphones you can use to record your YouTube content

● Shotgun or Boom Mic - This is the ideal mic if you’re looking to record audio
within a particular area, i.e. an interview when there’s one person directly
talking
● Lav Mic - A small, portable mic you can wear, the Lav mic’s output isn’t quite
as high quality as the Boom mics, but it’s decent. Having a microphone that
gives you the ability to position it where you need often more than makes up
for the slight drop in quality, as it enables you to capture sound in awkward or
unusual situations.
● Camera Mic - Camera mics are almost never the first choice of those who
know anything about audio, as they are usually not great quality. On top of
this, it can be tricky to find a spot where the camera is positioned to record
both audio and video optimally.
● Smartphone Mic - If you have to choose between the two, it’s better to opt for
a smartphone mic than a camera mic, as it’s easier to place your phone
 nearer to the sound you want to record. Quality varies, depending on the
model of phone - iPhone’s generally have a decent level of output, but
cheaper models may perform less well.

Use Drones for dynamism

Drone footage adds an exciting dimension to your content and now it’s relatively
cheap to capture great shots using this technique. In the past, filmmakers had to rely
on expensive helicopters, cranes, and scaffolds to shoot from an aerial perspective,
but by using quadcopters, aka drones, you capture content from the sky, without a
costly layout.

Including Drone footage in your videos will definitely up the dynamism of your
footage, but drones also allow you to access awkward or unusual angles with greater
ease. If you’re filming a building for example, and want to show it off from all angles,
or you need to zoom in on high up features, drones can truly come into their own.

Quadcopter footage is also perfect for creating panoramas, or overhead tours, as

they offer you ultimate control. Want to show off every nook and cranny of a site or
give a bird’s eye view of an event? With drones, this is easy. Combine your drone
shots with a high-quality editing program such as Adobe Premier and you can polish
up your content, so it really wows your audience. Weave in breath-taking aerial shots
with cutaways to your studio shoot and an upbeat soundtrack, and you’ll offer up the
perfect mix of content that will keep your viewers engaged.

A quality drone should be a key part of every filmmaker’s arsenal, as it will help your
content to stand out and get watched, due to the dynamic shots you’ll be able to
produce.

Quality doesn’t mean you have to spend $1000’s though, as there are many drones
on the market now that offer pro-type capture but are extremely affordable, such as
the DJI Spark model. You can cut costs even further if you are on a tight budget by
using your smartphone combined with a quadcopter, allowing you to capture edgy
footage from up on high, at an ultra-low cost.

YouTube Video Editing

Once you’ve recorded your YouTube content, the next step is to edit the footage
you’ve got, so it’s polished up before you publish. Editing is an essential step that
you should never be tempted to skip, as it’s the crucial ingredient that takes a video
from okay to amazing.
Almost all of the most watched channels on the YouTube platform will employ edits
to ensure their content stands out, but luckily you don’t need to endure years at film
school to produce content that looks pro.

Keep watching to discover our top editing techniques for novices that you can use to
take your YouTube videos to the next level…

Select High Performance Software

The software you choose to edit your content will be key to the end result, so select
carefully and consider your options. Though there are popular programs that many
YouTubers use to edit, there is no one right program that you should choose.
Instead, you’ll need to consider several factors, including the type of content you are
putting out, the skills you have, and your budget.

If you’re looking to edit content for YouTube, you might consider…

Adobe Premiere The most popular video editing software choice by far, Adobe
Premiere is used by many professional YouTubers due to the impressive number of
features it has. It also has a relatively easy learning curve, as well as awesome
navigation.

iMovie If you have a Mac, you can take advantage of this free built-in editing
software, which is straightforward and simple to use. As you get more ambitious, you
may want to branch out, but it’s a great program for novices who are starting out on
their editing journey.

Final Cut Pro If you’re serious about the editing process, you might want to consider
this one, as it’s the same grade of software pro movie studios employ. There is a
steeper learning curve to master but if you have the time and patience, the results
will be worthwhile. With the features this software offers, you can really polish up
your YouTube content to make it stand head and shoulders above the rest.

Camtasia If your content features a lot of screencast captures, this handy editing
program will be your new best friend - and the best part is, it’s built for beginners.
With the ability to directly publish content to YouTube and an interface that’s one of
the easiest to navigate around, you’ll be able to create the kind of content that
pushes your viewer ratings sky high.

Consider Colour Correction

You might have invested in a pro lighting rig and set everything up to perfection but
that doesn’t mean you won’t have some adjustments to make in the editing process.
Even the pickiest producer generally finds there’s a little tweaking to do, especially
when it comes to colour correction.
Whether it’s increasing the vibrance on your videos or counteracting grey tones that
make your subjects look dull or shadowy, colour correction can make your videos go
from blah, to brilliant. It’s easy to course correct if your shades are a little off - just
use your editing software to add filters and adjust any hues that are spoiling your
YouTube content.

Programs like DaVinci’s Resolve offer free colour correction options, and many come
bundled with editing software as a bonus, or you can try out Hit Film which also
offers colour correction and editing and is a popular choice for many vloggers.

On-Screen Graphics

Adding in on-screen graphics can give a boost to your content, helping to keep
viewers engaged and adding interest. Many top YouTubers make use of visual
elements to amplify their content and crank up the entertainment factor - and by
adding in some graphics you can enliven your own videos.

Whether you’re annotating a particularly hilarious moment with a cry laugh face,
highlighting a critical fact with a flashing border, or pointing out a factual error in what
someone’s claimed by having a animated thumbs down layered over their screen
image - graphics will give your content the glitz you might not have known it’s been
missing.

If you want to incorporate graphics, programs like Adobe After Effects are great for
adding pro-style on-screen graphics effects to all your YouTube content.

Mix things up with B-Roll footage

B-roll footage refers to takes that aren’t meant to be part of your content’s main
narrative. Though this kind of content can be used in a number of different
situations, it often appears as a cutaway on-screen while someone is talking, to
demonstrate the event they are discussing. If you’re trying to explain a concept B-
Rolls can also help to demonstrate it, so you’re not just telling, you’re showing.

Adding in B-Roll footage is a great idea as it livens up your videos, rather than
having one monotonous piece of film that just focused on one spot. This is especially
helpful if there’s not much visual action going on, like if you’re sitting interviewing a
guest, or just talking to the camera.

Mixing things up with B-Rolls will help to increase interest, which will give a boost to
your Audience Retention rates - so it’s an idea we definitely recommend!

PRO TIP: There’s another way B-Rolls can be used - to cover up errors that either
can’t be edited out or would spoil the flow of your video if they were. For example, if
you’ve recorded a track where the sound is great, but the video footage is a bit iffy,
you can use B-Rolls to hide the parts of your video that aren’t so great.
Angle Changes

Ideally you don’t want to present one long static shot to your viewers, but what do
you do if your content consists of yourself sitting in a studio talking to the camera?
By changing your camera angle, you can give your audience the impression of
dynamism, helping to add in interest and switch things up.

Did you know, you don’t even need to switch up your camera angle while you’re
filming? Though you can do this if you want and you know how, if you have the right
footage, you can actually adjust this in the post-production phase instead.

With wider shots you can also add in a nifty zoom trick in the editing phase that lets
you simulate movement back and forth, towards and away from your subject matter.
It’s not necessary to edit in too drastic camera angle changes - adding in just a little
shift will make all the difference, taking your videos from ordinary to amazing.

Shed “Dead Air”

Dead Air refers to the points in your video where absolutely nothing is happening -
and even if you’re a skilled pro, you’re always going to capture some in your footage.
This is a big no no for viewers but no matter how hard you try and keep it to the
action, there will always be some boring bits that just need to be edited out.

Remember your goal is to produce a video that is highly entertaining - with no dull
parts. When it comes to editing your video, keep in mind every second counts - and
cut accordingly.

Don’t be afraid to use a heavy hand when you edit - in this case less really is more.
Only keep the best quality footage in, and make sure it’s as entertaining as it can be
- ask yourself, is it necessary to the narrative? If the answer is no, cut it. Your
viewers (and your ratings) will thank you for it.

Bring your videos to life with music

Many YouTubers use music to ramp up the energy and excitement because it’s a
simple yet highly effective trick. Music can be the magic ingredient that can change
the whole vibe of your video, providing you’ve selected the right soundtrack.
Because music is so powerful though, it can also have the opposite effect if you’ve
opted for an inappropriate track.

Imagine trying to read a serious news report over a background of heavy metal, or
perform a high energy workout to a slow, tear-jerking ballad?

Top 3 tips for adding tracks to your YouTube content

● DON’T turn up the volume - Music shouldn’t be overbearing and it should

never be the first thing viewers notice unless that’s the point of your video.
 The goal is to use it to enhance, so it invokes a mood but viewers don’t really
notice it’s there. You can easily add in tracks using audio editing software like
Adobe Audition - just make sure you adjust the volume and effects, and play it
back, so you hear how your tweaks sound.
● Employ Loops - Did you know it’s not a good idea to play a backing track
from start to finish? Most filmmakers and vloggers don’t go for the full version
of a song, instead they loop a 30-60 second section throughout their content.
You don’t have to just use the one track looped all the way through, you could
use 1 at the beginning and then switch to another one later on.
● Try to evoke the right mood - Your music should match the tone of your
video, and for many types of videos, tracks that are upbeat but not too
extreme will be the best choice. There will be times however, where you want
to invoke some drama, and that’s when you might want to add in a sad song,
or some hardcore beats. To see what type of music fits your content best,
watch your footage with different tracks added as background music - and see
what fits better.

Collaborating and Getting Feedback

If you have a team of vloggers or you collaborate with colleagues on your content,
you’ll need access to drafts of your video that everyone can edit and view. It’s tricky
to keep passing Google Drive or DropBox links but luckily there is a better way - you
can make use of dedicated collaboration software like Frame.io or Wipster.

Employing software like this is an easy way for everyone to give their feedback, or
edit video content without the hassle of back and forth emails to ensure everyone
has the latest Google Drive link.

Ensure your Export Settings are Accurate

YouTube has its own list of recommended export settings for your videos, but if
you’re using editing software, often you can publish right from your chosen program.
As long as it’s up to date, most software programs that allow you to publish directly
to the platform should have accurate settings already enabled, but you should
always run a quick check, just in case.

REMEMBER: To look their best on YouTube, your videos need to be HD ready

(720p or 1080p) and should also have an aspect ratio of 16:9.

YouTube Cards
YouTube Cards allow you to add interactive elements to your content and this is an
extremely useful feature if you’re looking to promote something. Cards can be used
to get almost anything you can imagine in front of your audience, from your
merchandise to your blog, as well as your other content, and playlists.

Viewers can see your YouTube Cards whether they are watching on a mobile device
or on a desktop, and you should certainly make use of this feature, as Cards can
give you a helpful boost, where you need it most.

Top Tips for using YouTube Cards

Push your Newest Content

If you’ve just created a video, you want everyone to watch, don’t just rely on your
subscribers, who’ll get an automatic notification, or your social media posts, get more
viewers watching with Cards.

1. First, pick a selection of videos from content you’ve already created that
relates to your new video. If you just published a vlog on marketing hacks, you
might link to videos covering sales closes, blogging, and affiliate schemes.
2. Add a card to each of these related videos that links to your latest content.
3. Do this for EVERY new video you want to promote and every time someone
watches your old content, they’ll get a recommendation for your new, relevant
video.

REMEMBER: Verbally ask people to click on your card in your videos if you want to
get even more viewers - and remind them why i.e “Interested in more marketing and
sales tips? Learn to close by clicking on etc…”

Working in a verbal mention does take a little advance planning as you need to know
what videos you will be producing in advance before you shoot your content. It’s
worth taking this extra step though as it can help you double or even triple your
viewing figures, giving your latest content a boost and helping raise your YouTube
stats.

Be strategic

There are multiple SEO ranking factors YouTube uses when it assesses how it is
going to score your content in search, but one of the most critical is Audience
Retention. This is the amount of your video people actually stay to watch and the
bigger this amount is, the better you’ll rank. To get ranked well though, you have to
attract a lot of viewers, and this is where Cards can really help to boost your stats.
By employing YouTube Cards in your content, you can direct viewers to the videos
that already have a good Audience Retention rate, making it more likely they’ll get
watched - and then ranked by YouTube. To discover which of your videos have the
highest Audience Retention stats, you can use YouTube Analytics to view the
performance of your content.

Find a video with good Audience Retention, then use Cards to push more viewers to
that content.

Use Cards to keep viewer’s attention

Did you know the very best time to use Cards is when your viewers are about to lose
interest?

This is because it helps to prevent them from clicking out by directing them to more
of your content instead

To find out the parts in your videos where you should use cards, navigate over to
YouTube Analytics, and check out your Audience Retention report. Observe the dips
where people tend to stop watching, these are important for your YouTube stats, as
when viewers lose interest, they generally click to visit another channel.

This isn’t great news, which is why it’s a smart idea to employ Cards to retain
viewer’s interest. By inserting Cards at the moment where you tend to lose viewers
you can recapture their interest and direct them to another relevant video of yours, or
to one of your playlists.

If you do this, you should start to see a boost to your Retention Rate after a while,
providing you already have a significant number of viewers.

Perfect your Teaser Text and Custom Messages

YouTube cards don’t offer extensive customisation options, but you do get the option
to personalise your Teaser text and add a Custom message.

Your Teaser text will be the text that displays on your card before users click, while
your Custom message is the text that shows up once the card expands, after it gets
clicked.

3 Top Tips for Tweaking your Teaser Text and Custom Message

● Outline the benefits in your Teaser. Don’t just tell users to “watch this video
now”, tell them why they should, by highlighting the benefit. If the video they
just watched was all about how to make great YouTube Content, and you
 want to push them to a related video, you might say something like “Need
more YouTube subscriptions?” or “How to boost your subs”
● Always ask viewers to take action. You should always include a short call
to action in your Custom Message that directs users to perform a simple task.
You might say “Click through to watch” if you were encouraging them to view
your content, or “Check out my deals” if you wanted to direct them to view
your merchandise.
● Let them know the link. Will you be directing people to more of your videos?
If so, you need to let them know why - so tell them how the video you are
recommending is relevant. You can do this by saying “Related: How to get
more subs” or “Follow up with my subs guide” to outline to your viewers that
they will be watching a video on a relevant topic.

Add Cards Late in Your Videos

According to YouTube, it’s better to use cards later on in your video than it is at the
start, so you don’t detract from your content. In fact, the platform recommends you
don’t use cards before the last 20% of your video.

When you include cards towards the end of your content, you can keep viewers
engaged, while priming them to view more of your videos. They are a handy feature
you can employ to max out your views, as well as a way to direct people to some of
your less watched, but very relevant content.

Track Card Performance

If you are including cards in your content, you’ll want to check on their performance
and you can do this by checking out detailed stats in YouTube’s Creator Studio.
Here you can see how effectively you are employing cards, as you’ll be able to
check:

● How many viewers are actually clicking on your cards?

● Which types of cards are high performers, and which are performing poorly?
● Which of your videos have the highest performing cards?

As well, you can see how much traffic and how many views your cards are
generating, so you can identify how effective they are and see where you might need
to make adjustments.
Finding affordable high-performance
equipment
To create great content, you need a solid rig, but that doesn’t mean you have to
have an extensive budget or spend over the odds. By shopping smartly, and opting
for low-cost but high performance, or discounted pre-used items, you can create a
pro-looking result, without the heavy cost.

Don’t just rush in and purchase, even if it seems like you’re getting a great deal. If
you do this, you may end up with equipment that’s subpar, doesn’t work, or
inappropriate for your needs.

When it comes to picking up equipment for your YouTube videos, reviews and
product recommendations are a huge help. You need to use discernment though, as
many bloggers and vloggers now post-paid for reviews that are geared to pushing a
particular product.

Savvy strategies for selecting shooting equipment

Check out Amazon reviews

Amazon now offers a variety of vlogging, camera, and audio equipment at a range of
different price points, but the main benefit of shopping on the site is that there are
1000’s of user reviews.

With that being said, and even though it’s against Amazon’s policy, some sellers still
use fake reviews. This can be misleading, but there are still some ways to tell a fake
amazon review from a genuine one.

Guide to sidestepping fake product reviews on Amazon

1. First, only look at products that have a large number of reviews, as this
immediately whittles down the likelihood that they will all be fake.
2. Next look at the users who are posting reviews - do their profiles look
legitimate, and have they reviewed many other products? If they have
reviewed other products, are all their reviews positive? This can be a big red
flag, as it can mean they only review products when they are incentivised to
do so.
3. Since Amazon changed their policy on paid for reviews, many users often
state that they are posting an incentivised review - as this is required by the
site. Are all the reviews for a product stating that they got the product for free,
or at a significant discount? If so, what these users are saying likely won’t be
as trustworthy as reviews from completely impartial buyers would be.
 4. Once you’ve weeded out all the likely fakes, read as many reviews as you can
- are they all saying the same thing, and does this veer towards negative or
positive?

Look on YouTube specialist forums

Specific forums dedicated to YouTube, like ytalk.com and thetubeblog.com can be a

goldmine of information for creators on the platform. Lurk for a while and you can
pick up some great tips on how to get hold of affordable and effective equipment to
shoot your YouTube videos. Some forums also have a section where creators sell
their second-hand kit but be careful and make sure you are buying from a website
with payment protection.

Read Vlogger blogs

As well as YouTube creator forums, there are numerous blogs run by filmmakers
and tech enthusiasts, which can aid you greatly in your search for quality equipment.
Peekathis.com and diyhomevideostudio.com are two solid choices, as they often
feature unbiased reviews of cameras, mics and more, alongside product
recommendations.

Don’t forget YouTube too

YouTube itself can be a treasure trove of information when it comes to finding the
right vlogging gear, as there are many channels dedicated to the art of creating
content for the platform. Check out content from creators like Nick Nimmin and
Mandy Sommers for top rated video guides to setting up a slick home studio on the
cheap, as well as Arnold Plays for unbiased equipment reviews.

Consider renting

There are a lot of affordable products available for YouTube amateur content
creators, but what if you want to take advantage of the benefits of a pro rig?
Professional equipment can help you take your game to the next level - but it can be
pricey.

A good alternative can be to use filmmaking equipment rental services instead.

Some rental companies even offer the option to purchase at a significantly reduced
price, after you’ve already put a specific amount towards renting out the product.
Rental equipment enables you to get your hands-on top-grade audio, video, and
lighting gear, for a fraction of the cost of purchasing outright.

Many pro-grade products are also available for rent on a weekly basis. Renting is an
excellent idea, if you want to have professional equipment available at any time but
want the option to change it up when you want to upgrade. Check out sites like
ShareGrid, hireacamera.com and wedio.com to discover a wide range of rental
equipment for YouTube film making.

Save with secondhand equipment

Secondhand equipment can be a superb way to save money and start your home
studio on the cheap, enabling you to get your hands on high performance gear
without paying store prices. You could look on sites like eBay and preloved, but it
won’t necessarily always be your best bet as the condition of products can greatly
vary. It’s a much better idea to purchase from dedicated used equipment sites, like
parkcameras.com, or specialist forums like BB List, which offers buyers payment
protection.

REMEMBER: Not all reviews are the same

When you are evaluating equipment via product reviews it’s important to keep in
mind the fact that not all reviews carry equal weight. Some sites post affiliate links,
which means they have cut a deal with manufacturers or retailers to push particular
products. You should be able to discern whether blog reviews are genuinely
unbiased, by the type of links they post - are they promoting affiliate URLs or are
they directly linking to the product?

Another way to tell if sites have a bias towards particular products is by looking at the
range of products they recommend - do these tend to be from one or two retailers, or
is there a broader spread?

Comparison reviews that feature many products are superior

The king of the product review is the comparison review, where similar products are
evaluated and compared alongside each other. Even with comparison reviews you
have to be careful though, as some sites will review products unfairly because they
are incentivized to do so. You can find good quality comparison reviews on blogs like
techradar.com, who feature a wide variety of products and assess them with no
particular bias.

Thanks for watching!

Did you enjoy watching this Video Guide to YouTube Content Creation?

We wanted to present the most crucial information you’ll need to start shooting and
editing content for YouTube viewers - and we’d love to know what you thought!
Was there a content creation tip you found particularly useful, a piece of advice that
helped you plan out your shoot, or did we help you to acquire equipment for a pro-
style shoot? If so, tell us - as we want to hear from all our beloved students.

If you felt this guide was informative, would you consider being our hero and leaving
us a review? The review system on Udemy goes from 1 - 5 stars, with 5 stars being
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We reply to every single piece of feedback we receive, and your great reviews and
input help us to create even more useful content for you.

Now you have a QuickStart guide to creating YouTube content at your fingertips- if
you ever need a quick reminder, just watch this video again.

It’s time to go and put all our advice into practice, beginning with planning your very
first YouTube shoot! We know that if you are willing to use the strategies in this
video and apply a little bit of effort, you can shine on the YouTube platform, and
we’re excited for you to get going, so you start building your presence there.

Thanks so much for watching and remember to keep an eye out for more helpful
content from our team, as we are always working on new Guides and Courses to
help you succeed online.

Stay prosperous and keep learning - and don’t forget to let us know how you get on!

Ing. Tomas Moravek and the Team