How I Plan YouTube Videos
It is now coming up to 4 years of me making YouTube videos. Although I have not amassed millions of followers, I have built a solid community around photography and travel. As we speak I have just shy of 90,000 subscribers and average around 300,000 monthly views.
In this blog, I would like to share with you my strategy and thought process regarding how I plan my videos, what types of videos I publish and why. This blog is really for anyone who would like to pursue YouTube or any form of content creation for that matter. However it is best suited for YouTube and perhaps blogs too.
The first question you need to ask yourself is what will your viewer get out of watching your video. The second question is what is the ultimate purpose of your video. By answering these two questions, you will usually land in one of the following categories.
Teach
As the title suggests, this video will teach the viewer something new. People will click on it in order to learn about a topic or they would have found it through search. For example videos on exposure, composition, colour theory and so on. You can also share your experience so that others can learn from your mistakes. These videos need to be concise, straight to the point and simple to digest. If you can teach well, this will gain you the most subscribers.
Research
This is when a viewer is searching for specific information to help them make a decision. Popular videos in this category include gear reviews and travel guides. As with the previous example, this type of video needs to be clean, concise, straight to the point and free of any fluff or filler. People don’t care about your day, they are there to find out if this camera is right for them or not. Although these can make for good videos, I would also consider making a blog to accompany them. Many people prefer to read when they are looking for specific information. Although you can pick up a few subscribers, generally they will not stick around unless you are super niche in the subject they are searching on. Most people just want to grab information and get out.
Inspire & Entertain
The final category is more subjective because what will inspire and entertain one person, can completely bore someone else. These types of videos will come a little later once you know your audience. For example my mini travel films, POVs and even more philosophical discussions will come under this category. Here you will not really pick up anyone new but you will convert existing viewers into subscribers. These videos will also increase the connection between your current subscribers and you / your channel. These videos can be longer and not as regimented. Chances are people who are watching them are already invested in you.
Once you know what your video is going to be about, next you need to figure out how it will be seen. There is no right or wrong and testing what works is the only way to do it. Also this would be different for everyone. Below is what I learned from my channel.
SEO
The first and arguably best way is to make your video searchable. This could be a gear review or a tutorial or even a top 5 European destinations. Either way it has to be something that people search for. Spend some time thinking what you would search for if you were one of your subscribers. Also this is not just great for YouTube but for Google too. So make your videos as searchable as possible by using the right keywords.
Clicks / Explore Page
The second way to get your video out is to have a very catchy title and thumbnail that gives you a high click through rate. The higher that rate, the more likely it is that YouTube will push your video resulting in the video going viral or at least breaking out of your usual viewership. There is no magic bullet for this no any way of predicting what will work and what won’t. However title and thumbnail are probably more important than the video itself in this category. Obviously the video still needs to deliver.
Evergreen
This type of video can be a combination of the previous two but the main thing that makes it unique is that it will always be relevant. For example a camera review has a shelf life of a couple years max. However an evergreen video will remain relevant for years to come. A good example is videos regarding composition or lighting. Some camera gear can make for evergreen videos too such as lenses.
Core Audience
Finally there is nothing wrong with making a video that only your core audience will see. These videos will not get many views and they will not bring any new subscribers. But the ones who have been following you and invested in you, will appreciate them very much.
Planning Videos
With all that said, I feel that the best method is a healthy mixture of all of the above. I typically make 3-4 videos per month and I try to have at least one of each in the mix. However my general preference would be to make more SEO optimised ones.
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If you're planning to visit London or you’re a local and want to know some of the best locations for photography, this guide is for you.
What you need to know:
- 170 Page PDF document (94mb)
- 50+ Locations
- 100+ Photo spots
- Only covers locations that consistently deliver good photo opportunities
- Clickable maps
- GPS Coordinates
- What 3 Words Coordinates
- Addresses
How will this guide help you:
- Save you time and give you a clear checklist of where to go
- Show you real world photos I took from the suggested locations
- Show you coordinates for those photos if you want to take the same
- Give you feedback on any pitfalls with specific places and attitudes to photographers
- Food / Drink / Restroom suggestions
- Lens choice suggestions
- General visiting advice
- Inspire you to head out and shoot by removing the “where shall I go” barrier
This guide is a result of years spent living and photographing London in all conditions and seasons. I have only recommended locations that have consistently delivered good photos that I have been happy with. This guide does not cover every spot, that would be impossible and a lifetimes work. This guide is there to put luck in your favour when visiting the capital.
Please note that due to the nature of digital products, refunds are generally not accepted. However, if you experience any issues, feel free to contact me and I’ll review your situation individually. You are welcome to use this product for personal or commercial projects, but you may not copy, distribute, or resell the files in their original or modified form.
Finally I want to say a massive thank you for supporting me. Buying this guide is the most direct way you can support my work thus allowing me to make more videos / photos / tutorials for you.
Thank you for your support!
This Fujifilm XT4 set-up guide is designed to save you time and get your camera set up and working just like I do. You will learn what the major features do and why I chose to set them in a certain way. I will show you how to assign the buttons and custom menus in order to have the most important features at your fingertips. Finally, I will walk you through how I expose and focus.
This guide is not a replacement for your user manual and does not cover 100% of the features. It covers the features that, in my experience, 90% of the people use 90% of the time. This is based on years of personal experience.
This guide is best suited for those who want to be up and running quickly with a tried-and-tested set-up.
This is a digital download and not a physical product. The download is around 21mb.
Please note that due to the nature of digital products, refunds are generally not accepted. However, if you experience any issues, feel free to contact me and I’ll review your situation individually. You are welcome to use this product for personal or commercial projects, but you may not copy, distribute, or resell the files in their original or modified form.
Finally, I want to say a massive thank you for supporting me. Buying this guide is the most direct way you can support my work, thus allowing me to make more videos, photos, and tutorials for you.
Thank you for your support!
This Fujifilm X100V set-up guide is designed to save you time and get your camera set up and working just like I do. You will learn what the major features do and why I chose to set them in a certain way. I will show you how to assign the buttons and custom menus in order to have the most important features at your fingertips. Finally, I will walk you through how I expose and focus.
This guide is not a replacement for your user manual and does not cover 100% of the features. It covers the features that, in my experience, 90% of the people use 90% of the time. This is based on years of personal experience.
This guide is best suited for those who want to be up and running quickly with a tried-and-tested set-up.
This is a digital download and not a physical product. The download is around 16mb.
Please note that due to the nature of digital products, refunds are generally not accepted. However, if you experience any issues, feel free to contact me and I’ll review your situation individually. You are welcome to use this product for personal or commercial projects, but you may not copy, distribute, or resell the files in their original or modified form.
Finally, I want to say a massive thank you for supporting me. Buying this guide is the most direct way you can support my work, thus allowing me to make more videos, photos, and tutorials for you.
Thank you for your support!