Learn: 10 Video Tips for YouTubers and Content Creators

The popularity of video content has skyrocketed in recent years. And, with millions of content creators in the mix, it can be difficult to obtain the hits you want. Luckily, there are several steps you can take to differentiate yourself from the rest. Here are our 10 tips to help you flourish as a video content creator on YouTube and beyond. 

Set a specific goal

Getting started is tough without a primary objective in mind. Are you educating your audience on a certain topic? Persuading people to contribute to a social cause? Prioritize your purpose and hone in on your desired takeaways before jumping into the technical elements of video production.

Regardless of your main goal, focus on storytelling instead of just selling something. Your message will resonate with more people when they understand your motivation and passion for creating the content that you do. 

Keep it short

Social media platforms tend to prefer short-form videos. If you’re posting footage to Instagram, for example, try to keep it around 15-30 seconds. Facebook is more forgiving for videos, but it’s still best practice to limit the runtime to a minute or less. 

While YouTube has seen a surge of successful long-form videos recently, videos at or below five minutes typically see the most engagement. Remember to take advantage of features such as YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.

Grab viewers' attention early

Whenever you post, you combat short attention spans and waves of other videos for people to watch. The average person gives a video approximately eight seconds before deciding to watch the rest or keep scrolling, so it’s important to define what the video will cover in that time. If you’re uploading an instructional video, note what the video is about at the beginning and show a quick glimpse of the result viewers can achieve. Engaging your audience in this way increases the chances of them sticking around.

Write a great script

It always helps to write a script, no matter the length of the video. Even if you have a general idea of what you want to say, it can be easy to forget the game plan once you start filming. Having a script handy will provide structure just in case things go awry. 

While scripts are useful, avoiding sounding robotic when reading from them is important. Connecting with an audience is much easier when your tone is casual and conversational. 

You don’t need to stick directly to the script, either. A script can be used as a jumping-off point instead of a word-for-word guide. Feel free to riff and rearrange your wordage on the fly so dialogue flows more naturally.

Improve your audio and video quality

Nothing will make someone scroll past a video faster than bad audio. People will often overlook below-average video quality, but poor audio is a different story. When possible, always avoid using your phone’s built-in microphone. Instead, consider picking up a condenser or stereo microphone for professional audio. Or, opt for something simple yet crisp like a Rode Lavalier.

To make your video footage look more professional, make use of different types of videography shots, including close-ups, wide angles and establishing shots.

Use the right camera gear

While video quality isn’t as crucial as audio (especially for short-form social media videos), pairing strong storytelling with stunning visuals always gives you an advantage. For new content creators, start out with an easy-to-use, all-purpose camera like the Sony A6000 or the Canon G7 X II. If you’re a vlogger, consider an affordable on-the-go option like the DJI Pocket 2 or get the Sony ZV-E1. Check out our Sony ZV-E1 review for vlogging.

For more help choosing the right camera gear for YouTube and vlogging, check our the best Canon gear for YouTubeand top cameras for vlogging on a budget.

Include a call to action

Every video should have at least one call to action (CTA). Are you promoting a product? Directing viewers to a website? Encouraging people to donate? Your CTA can be as small as asking viewers to like and subscribe to your YouTube channel. Whatever the CTA is, make sure it’s established clearly – and show its benefits rather than simply shouting it out.

Add subtitles

Subtitles aren’t just useful for the 400 million+ people who are hearing impaired. A survey by Verizon and Publicis Media showed that a whopping 80 percent of Americans are more likely to watch videos in their entirety when subtitles are available. This means the vast majority of people will scroll straight past a video that doesn’t feature subtitles. 

Multiple Facebook publishers have confirmed that 85 percent of their viewers watch without turning the sound on. LittleThings and Mic, two sites that each average roughly 150 million monthly views on Facebook, said an overwhelming percentage of their followers are uninterested in watching videos with sound on. 

YouTube offers an auto-subtitle feature, which can be a useful starting point. Once you've fixed any errors, download the subtitle file (usually an SRC file) and upload that to your other platforms.

Optimise your content

Doing keyword research isn’t the most enjoyable aspect of video making, but it certainly pays off – especially on YouTube. Before uploading a video, make sure the title of the native file contains a keyword related to the video. Keywords should also be included in captions, tags, hashtags, titles and descriptions to push your videos further up in search results. If you need help finding relevant keywords, try a tool like Ahrefs or Google Trends. 

It also helps to categorise your videos and create custom thumbnails that will attract viewers and reel them in.

Repurpose your content

You put in work to create content, so let the content work for you, too. Repurposing content across multiple platforms is an excellent way to gain as much exposure as possible.

Take advantage of each platform’s features to expand your reach. If there’s a standout segment from a 5-minute YouTube video of yours, upload it as a quick TikTok video. Repurposing your videos will help you build brand recognition while reaching different audiences. 

For interviews, camera gear guides and more, visit the MPB content hub.