Anyone can make a YouTube video. You could probably upload your first within the next hour. What’s astronomically harder is learning how to make a YouTube video that truly stands out. Not just a good YouTube video, but a great one.
Great is now possible. Google’s 2024 Why We Watch 2.0 report concluded that “commercial and user-generated platforms [like YouTube] have now reached near-parity in terms of their ability to deliver high-quality content.” We’ve seen Lindsay Ellis’ video essays nominated for a Hugo Award, Jenny Nicholson’s Star Wars hotel video picked up by Rolling Stone and The New York Times, and Kurzgesagt cited in academic journals for their coronavirus guide.
There’s no reason for anyone aspiring to become a YouTuber not to aim that high. It’ll take time and effort, but Google’s own research and advice from successful creators combines to offer a powerful roadmap.
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1. Get the right equipment.
“86% of viewers said that clear visuals and good audio are essential for high-quality content.” —Why We Watch 2.0
Quality content is tied to quality equipment, but learning how to produce YouTube videos with clear visuals and good audio needn’t cost the Earth. Here are the basics necessary for quality content:
- Camera: Smartphones are fine. Adjust settings to shoot in 4K at 30 fps, use the built-in grid to frame your shots, turn off HDR, record in landscape, and always use the back camera rather than the front.
- Microphone: A good microphone is crucial for reducing background noise and improving clarity. Beginners should try a USB condenser mic for simple plug-and-play setup.
- Ring light: Ring lights produce even light around your face, which is ideal for talking-head-style videos or streaming.
- Tripod: Choose a traditional tripod for stationary shots, gorilla pods for creating unique angles, or a handheld gimbal for stability while moving.
- Editing software: Free built-in editors such as Clipchamp (Windows) and iMovie (Mac) work for beginners. Upgrade to Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro after you find your feet.
2. Dive deep.
“The freedom to go deep on narrow subjects allows creators to produce content that truly connects with viewers on a personal level.” —Why We Watch 2.0
Google actually measured neural responses as part of a brain study to understand viewing behaviours. The most emotional responses came from creators perceived as authentic and relatable since “they share their unfiltered passions, perspectives, and expertise.”
Viewers respond to creators who exhibit genuine passion for their chosen subjects, and YouTube proves you can get really niche and still accrue millions of views. Just look at:
- Quinton Reviews’ eight-hour The End of Victorious (7.4 million views)
- Defunctland’s 105-minute Disney’s FastPass: A Complicated History (25 million views)
- Summoning Salt’s 113-minute The History of Tetris World Records (6.2 million views)
These are huge videos on relatively obscure subjects, yet the passion, research, and storytelling ability of their creators draws a massive viewership that’s often willing to wait months for their next work. Those creators truly commit to making each video something special.
“The most important element is passion and enjoyment for whatever you’re doing, because that’s what creates your individual niche,” gaming YouTuber Yammy (4 million subscribers) told Glamour.
3. Know what each video is saying.
“I think in order to have good content, all you have to do is have something to say.” —Alan Melikdjanian, aka Captain Disillusion (2.5 million subscribers)
Great videos provide more than information or even entertainment – they’re about telling stories. Ask yourself why you’re creating this video. What is its main theme or message? Who are its main characters or subjects?
Take Lemmino’s (5.9 million subscribers) video on the Kennedy assassination that focuses entirely on one single location: the infamous Texas School Book Depository.
“It sort of evolved and became about that over time because the question I was trying to answer was, ‘What happened?’ not, ‘Who did it?’ or, ‘Was it a conspiracy?’” Lemmino says. “There are hundreds of videos like that on YouTube already…but not a single one specifically about what happened inside this very crucial location.”
It’s original and creative, and it offers a new perspective – all because the creator was careful to consider exactly what question he was trying to answer and what his video was going to present.
4. Create scripts and storyboards.
“I edit the scripts a lot to try to make sure that they don’t drag in places, and it kind of carries people from one part to the next.” —Jenny Nicholson (1.35 million subscribers)
YouTube may seem the place to improvise given how casually many videos are presented, but don’t discount the importance of scripting. Nicholson’s content seems relatively laid back and friendly, but she values scripting to keep content moving briskly. It’s why even her four-hour Star Wars hotel video is engaging throughout.
Equally important is the storyboard, a visual representation of what’s happening through each scene. Planning ahead can help you capture B-roll footage (if filming for yourself) or know exactly how much stock footage you’ll need to illustrate what you’re saying.
5. Learn to edit.
“High-quality content means content that…exhibits technical excellence in terms of camera work, editing, aesthetics, and overall production.” —Why We Watch 2.0
Top YouTubers are serious about editing. Just check out Internet Historian’s breakdown of the editing behind a seemingly simple shot in his Costa Concordia video. Even the mid-video ads he uses to make money on YouTube are tightly edited and highly entertaining.
Creators who largely speak directly to camera also appreciate the value of editing. Take this video from Patricia Bright (2.7 million subscribers) as an example. She edits in close-ups and quick cuts to keep the energy up and occasionally adds text to underline her words.
By selecting the best shots; adding effects; cutting any pauses, ums, and ahs; and perhaps including background music, you’ll make your video more interesting and professional.
“You don’t need to have any formal education; just open the editing software and start messing around with it,” professional YouTube editor David Stack, whose clients include MrBeast (454 million subscribers) and Brent Rivera (41 million subscribers), told Business Insider. “And the more you watch YouTube, the more you’ll learn what works.”
6. Encourage audience participation.
“Today’s fans aren’t simply watching; they’re engaging in direct, collaborative relationships with the creators they admire. More than half of viewers agree that their content selections collectively create a sense of belonging.” —Why We Watch 2.0
Part of getting viewers to engage is asking them to leave comments or crafting a pitch-perfect call to action (CTA) to end your video, especially when you’re producing user-generated content.
Important stuff, but engagement is about more than getting people to take certain actions. More fundamentally, it’s what creates a sense of connection between creator and viewer. To foster that kind of engagement, treat the video as a kind of conversation with your viewers. Emote and raise questions as if you’re really talking to a single individual rather than a camera or a faceless, amorphous group of followers.
KSI (16.9 million subscribers) is particularly good at this. Note how he interacts with viewers through the camera in this try-not-to-laugh video. It feels like you’re in the room with him.
