Recording your video is the first step for putting out engaging content on YouTube.
No wonder YouTubers put a lot of thought and prep work even before they press the record button to ensure their content engages with their community.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the entire process of making a YouTube video including how to:
1. Develop a YouTube video strategy
2. Get the necessary equipment
3. Write the script
4. Set up your backdrop
5. Record your screen
6. Edit your videos
7. Optimize your videos for YouTube
We’ll also introduce you to the fastest and easiest video editing software in the market that will allow you to create stunning videos for YouTube in minutes!
Let’s dive right in!
1. Developing a YouTube Video Strategy
Before you start recording, you need to hash out a YouTube video strategy. This doesn’t need to be a complex roadmap for every video you’ll create in the next 12 months, but you should at least have an idea of the type of content you should create.
There are several tried-and-true types of YouTube videos that you can make to garner the attention of your audience. The most popular types of videos on YouTube include:
- How-to videos
- Tutorials
- Product review videos
- Gaming videos
- Educational videos
- Comedy/Entertainment videos
Which type of video you should record depends on what your YouTube channel is all about. Don’t try to be too broad. It’s always best to focus on your niche and try to appeal to a clearly defined audience.
Determining your Target Audience
Before you start recording, you need to understand exactly who you’re making the video for. Even if you’re just vlogging, you still need to have an underlying topic—a thread that will somehow tie all your video content together.
A good place to start is by asking yourself, “Why would anyone want to watch my videos?” There is no one right answer to this question. Some people want to learn a new skill or find a solution to a problem, and others might be looking for pure entertainment. The thing is—you can’t and shouldn’t try to appeal to everyone.
Think about who your audience is:
- What are their wants and needs?
- What problems do they have, and how can you solve them?
- What will they gain from your video?
If you’re running a business YouTube channel, it should be easy to answer these questions. You should already have a good idea about who your potential customers are and what would make them interested in your products or services.
If you’re just starting out a YouTube channel and want to hit a breakthrough on the platform as an individual content creator, you need to figure out what type of channel you want to build. It’s always a good idea to focus on something you’re good at—whether it’s gaming, playing an instrument, cooking, or any other activity.
Regardless of the topic, your YouTube channel will revolve around, there’s one thing you need to keep in mind—your videos need to provide value to your target audience. Don’t focus on what kind of video you’d like to make, but rather what kind of content your audience will enjoy.
2. Getting the necessary equipment
Most people never try their luck on YouTube because they believe they need to have professional equipment and decades of video editing experience to make a high-quality video.
This couldn’t be further from the truth. You don’t need a $3000+ video camera for YouTube. In fact, you can create gorgeous videos with a simple $15 webcam or your smartphone. If you’re planning on creating explainer videos, you won’t even need a camera—you’ll use a screen recorder instead.
Although you won’t need professional equipment to get started on YouTube, you will need some basic gear to ensure your videos are of decent quality. At the very least, you’ll need the following equipments:
#1 - Microphone
A good-quality microphone is a must if you want to take YouTube seriously. Even if the content itself is super-engaging, entertaining, or valuable, people won’t sit through a 30-minute video if they can’t hear or understand half of what you’re saying.
This doesn’t mean you need a radio-quality microphone, but you can’t exactly expect to have superb audio if you’re using a built-in microphone on your webcam. At the very least, you should use a headset with a good quality mic, provided you won’t be recording yourself talking.
That said, the better option would be to purchase a decent microphone. You’ll find good quality ones at any computer store at affordable prices. You can always upgrade to a professional quality microphone down the line once you start making some money from your YouTube channel.
You should always test the audio quality before you start recording. There are dozens of websites like Mic Test, where you can test your microphone and hear the playback. This should give you a pretty good idea of what your videos will sound like.
#2 - Webcam or Camera
Cameras can be quite an investment. The budget options start from a couple of hundred dollars, while high-end cameras often have five-figure price tags attached to them.
Unless you’re planning on making videos that require you to shoot outdoors and absolutely require a camera—say hiking videos—a webcam will suffice.
We’re not saying that a high-quality camera won’t improve the overall look of your video—it most definitely will. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that high-end cameras come with dozens of different options you need to tweak. So, unless you have experience handling a professional camera, it’s best to stick to a webcam at first and upgrade down the road.
#3 - Lighting
Whether you’re recording a video using a camera or a webcam, lighting will have a huge impact on how the footage will look. You don’t need studio lighting per se, but you should have at least a few sources of light if you want to create a professional-looking video.
You can’t rely only on natural light or on the one source of light you have in your room—most of the time, your footage will be too bright or too dark. The trick with lighting is to have everything in the shot equally lit.
The common consensus regarding lighting is to have a three-point light system. This system includes:
1. The key light—The brightest light source, providing most of the illumination
2. The fill light—Secondary light source necessary to remove the shadows cast by the key light
3. The backlight—Additional light source for the subject. The idea is to separate the subject from the background and give the footage some depth
Image source: Martech Zone
You don’t need any fancy equipment to create this setup. A couple of $15 clamp lights will do the trick if you position them correctly.
3. Writing the script
Recording YouTube videos takes a lot more work than just pointing a camera at yourself and saying whatever comes to mind.
Before the camera starts rolling, you should have a clear idea about:
- Everything that will be in your shot
- What you’re going to talk about in the video
- What the final product will look like
Improvisation might work for vlogs, but if you’re creating a how-to video, a tutorial, or something along those lines, you can’t exactly “wing it.”
The best way to approach creating a new video is to write a script beforehand. One thing to understand when it comes to making videos is that the script doesn’t only include the dialogue. Ideally, your script should also cover all the different shots, angles, and visual effects you’ll add in post-production.
Although writing a detailed script takes a bit of time, it’s still a much better approach than “going in blind” and shooting a video without a plan. Even with the best video editing software for YouTube, there’s only so much you can do with bad footage. If you can envision what your video will look like in the end and prepare accordingly, you’ll spend much less time editing it.
If a script sounds like too much work, we strongly suggest creating an outline for the video. List all the main talking points and the different camera angles you’ll be using. This way, you’ll prevent stuttering during the video and will have an idea of how long each scene should take, so you won’t have to spend hours editing out the mistakes.
4. Setting up the backdrop
Although it should be a given, people often tend to overlook their backdrop when shooting videos for YouTube. Whether you’re recording a video in your room, in the office, or capturing your screen, you want to make sure that there’s no clutter that would divert the viewers’ attention.
Once you determine where you want to shoot, you need to:
1. Set up the lighting
2. Position the camera
If you’re planning on filming from multiple angles, check each one and pay close attention to all the different elements that will be in the shot. Clean up your backdrop, if necessary, and remove any elements that might be distracting to your audience.
Alternatively, you could also use a green screen. You can find a decent green screen for under $20 online, and it will let you “kill two birds with one stone.” On the one hand, you won’t have to worry about the backdrop of the video, and on the other, you’ll be able to add any kind of background to your footage during editing.
5. Recording your screen
The same goes for if you’re making a screen recording—you should take the time to clean your desktop. Sort the files into appropriate folders and remove everything that’s not absolutely necessary from your desktop.
When you’re creating professional business videos that involve screen capture, the general rule of thumb is to either record in full screen or have as little stuff on your desktop as possible.
You’ll also need software that enables screen capture. There is no option to record your screen directly from the platform, and there isn’t a single dedicated YouTube video recorder.
There are plenty of online tools you can use to record your screen. Here’s a table with a few of the most popular options:
|
Screen Recording Software |
||
|
Name |
Platform |
Pricing |
|
Camtasia |
Windows and Mac |
$249 lifetime license for two computers |
|
OBS Studio |
Windows, Mac, Linux |
Free |
|
Screencastify |
Chrome |
Free for five-minute videos $49/year for a full license |
|
Movavi Screen Recorder |
Windows and Mac |
Free version with a watermark available $59.99 for a lifetime license |
|
Bandicam |
Windows |
$39 for a lifetime license |
All of the screen recording tools are fairly straightforward. Typically, all you need to do is choose whether you want to capture the entire screen or a specific portion of it, and hit Record.
6. Editing your videos
After you record all the different scenes, it’s time to move on to editing. This is the part that deters the vast majority of people from posting videos on YouTube—they believe only professional videographers can create captivating videos.
In reality, most YouTubers edit their own videos when they’re first starting out. If you follow any big channel on YouTube from its early days, you’ve probably noticed how the quality of their videos improves gradually over time. It takes a lot of time and effort to master video editing, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend months watching hundreds of video editing tutorials to get started.
With the right video editing tool, you can create stunning videos in minutes instead of days, even if you don’t have any previous experience. InVideo is a browser-based video editing platform that makes video editing quick, easy, and fun! We offer YouTube templates and many other video templates, so you don’t have to start from scratch.
You can browse through our extensive template library or use the search bar to find the perfect template for your YouTube video in seconds. Once you find the one you like, click Use this template, and you’ll be automatically redirected to the video editor.
Video editing made easy with InVideo
From here, you can upload your footage and edit all the different elements of your video.
The user interface is clean and intuitive, so you’ll have no trouble navigating the tool, even if you have absolutely no video editing experience.
In the middle of the screen, you’ll see a preview of your video. To edit the existing elements, like the text or the logo in the example above, all you need to do is click on them and type your own text or upload your brand’s logo.
Alternatively, you can click on the desired element from the timeline below the video to fine-tune it. You’re not limited to the elements in the pre-made templates by any means. To remove one, all you need to do is select it and press Delete on your keyboard.
Adding transitions, effects, music, stickers, and enhancers is just as easy! Select one of these options from the left-hand side menu, choose the one you like from our extensive library, and drag and drop it on the video.
In minutes, you’ll have a stunning video ready to be uploaded to your YouTube channel! The best part about InVideo is that you can edit and export up to 60 videos each month absolutely free.
With our free plan, you’ll have full access to all of InVideo’s features, so you can learn video editing and hone your skills at your own pace. Get started with InVideo today and see why it’s the fastest, easiest video editor on the market.
|
InVideo Key Features |
|
|
Intuitive Interface |
Easy to use drag-and-drop interface that lets you create stunning videos in minutes |
|
Over 5000 professionally designed templates |
Pre-built templates so you don’t have to start editing from scratch |
|
Effects, transitions, stickers, animated text, enhancers |
Enhance your videos with professional effects and transitions, even if you have absolutely no video editing experience |
|
Extensive music library |
Choose from hundreds of royalty-free tunes and add background music to your video with a single click |
|
Intelligent Voice Assistant (IVA) |
Fine-tune your videos to perfection with the help of our advanced AI |
7. Optimizing your videos for YouTube
Once you create a breathtaking video with InVideo, all that’s left is to upload it, right? Not exactly.
Remember, your goal isn’t only to post a video on the platform. If it barely gets any views, all the effort you invested during recording and editing will be wasted. That’s why we want to share a few tips that will help you generate thousands of views and perhaps even make your video go viral.
The first thing you need to pay attention to is the YouTube video size. You likely won’t hit the file size limit of 128GB or go over the 12-hour maximum, so that’s not something to worry about. One thing you should keep in mind is that an ideal aspect ratio for YouTube videos is 16:9, which is the default option if you use InVideo. As far as video resolution goes, you can upload a video of any quality, but we recommend 1920×1080 or better resolution.
Next, you want to create an eye-catching thumbnail, write a video description, and tag your YouTube video. Use keywords relevant to your topic in the title and the description. This will help your target audience find your video on the platform, whether through search or through YouTube video recommendations.
It’s always a good idea to add music to your YouTube video, as well as to create an intro you’ll use for all your videos that will introduce the audience to your channel.
Once you’ve taken care of all the technical details, you can promote your channel on social media to fast-track your YouTube career.
As the views start coming in, we suggest interacting with your audience by replying to and liking their comments—this is the best way to build a YouTube community and grow your presence on the platform.
