Being a content video creator sounds like a fun and lucrative thing to do. You make videos about stuff you're interested in and profit from them. Unfortunately, becoming a content video creator isn't an easy task.
Behind every successful creator is a challenging journey of struggle and effort. Before posting your first video, there are investments to be made, followed procedures to implement, and so on. It can be challenging to stay organized and on track with your attempts to become a creator when there's so much to wrap up.
This article will provide you with the ultimate checklist to create your first video.
Table of Contents
Production
It's a general fact that producing a high-quality video requires a lot of work. Though, you can always take the easy route and generate low-quality content. But that will not get you far in the long run. It'll be just a complete waste of time and effort. Meanwhile, quality content will draw followers and rank in search engine results.
To begin, you must identify your niche and purpose for creating content.
1. Find Your Niche And Goal
The very first step in creating content is to determine your niche. Figure out which topics you'll be concentrating on in your videos. It can be hard to choose one when tackling many subjects and opportunities. Select the one you're knowledgeable about as a result. It can be something based on your interests or expertise. A fitness coach, for example, can produce content about workout routines or healthy eating habits. This is an excellent way to remain consistent and attract your target audience.
Another benefit is increasing your knowledge in such areas and becoming actual experts if you focus on such subjects. Then when you find your niche, identify your goal.
What do you hope to accomplish with your videos? Do you want to help others by producing voice over instructional content? Or maybe you want to entertain people by sharing stories. Define the goal you wish to achieve with your channel so that your video will have a purpose. Doing this will help you start strong and consistent rather than tackle everything at once.
Maybe you want to be a content creator solely for the money and recognition. While focusing on this goal is perfectly fine, you should still ensure you're providing valuable content to your audience. You won't be capable of attracting a solid audience, community, or monetizing your channel if you don't do so.
2. Plan Your Setup And Style
Before recording your first video, you must first plan your setup and style. Get ideas from popular channels across video platforms and see which videos perform well.
Here are some video types and a widely used arrangements:
Vlogs
These are candid and interactive videos to share your ideas or stories. You can take your camera around with you or mount it on a tripod for a half-body view of yourself and communicate directly to the camera.
Birds-Eye-View
This is ideal for unboxing or processing videos. Place your camera on a tripod to obtain a better view of your working space.
Screen
You can record your screen and proceed with your work if it's digital.
Skit
It is a unique way of telling a story. Because the audience gets to see more of your surroundings, this referred to shooting style as a medium or long shot.
Also, it's normal for you to switch around different types of shots to paint a complete picture. If you're switching between different types of snapshots, you'll be needing a script and a storyboard. Focus on the main points and information you want your viewers to gain.
It's all about keeping the viewers interested in your video. Later on, you can always cut anything that isn't essential or entertaining with a video editor.
3. Polish Everything With An Editor
You will need a simple and easy editor to use for your first video. Windows Movie Maker or iMovie are the best places to start because they are uncomplicated and free to use. It's best not to invest in the best software at this point. All you have to do now is to absorb every detail of editing videos. Always keep it simple when editing. You wouldn't want to distract your viewers from the message with too many graphics or different text fonts. It is tempting to take advantage of all of the software's functions and keep everything natural and consistent.
Publishing
Though you have produced a high-quality video, your job is still not done yet. Before you upload your video on Youtube or any other platform, there are a few things you should check, such as making a thumbnail, writing an optimized description, and so on.
4. Write An Eye-Catching Title
While you should avoid writing a click-bait title, you should avoid making it too ordinary and generic. Let's say you wanted to post a video called 'Dogs' or 'Cooking Breakfast.' There are numerous existing videos with the same title. As a result, making yours stand out would be difficult. But adding a few details to your title, such as 'Scrubbing Golden Retrievers' or 'How to Cook An English Breakfast,' will make it more unique and exciting.
In addition, your title should also be keyword-focused. Because search engines can't watch videos and understand their content, you should be adding specific keywords in the title if you want users to find your videos.
5. Enter A Full Description
Write a brief introduction to the video's topic and include all of the video's sources. You should also insert credit links to any material you used, a link to any resources mentioned in the video, or even a link to your social media or website. Keep in mind that keywords in the title are given the highest priority by search engines, followed by descriptions and tags. As a result, ensure that you include your keyword in the detailed description, particularly in the first two lines, since it appears alongside the video in search engine results.
6. Add A Thumbnail
The thumbnail determines whether or not people will click on your video. For this reason, it makes perfect sense to make an effort to create the thumbnail. Regardless of what you do, strive to make your thumbnail consistent from the start. Many small creators fall for the mistake of putting too much text onto a thumbnail image. Take note that smartphones account for more than half of all views. As a result, ensure that your thumbnail is minimal and conveys one or two messages.
Conclusion
Every successful creator has undergone a long and challenging road of struggle and effort. There are investments to be made, procedures to follow, and so on before you upload your first video. With so much to do, staying organized and on track with your endeavors to become a content creator might be difficult.
Fortunately, the checklist above will help you start your journey–your first video.