How to Make a YouTube Video

YouTube is a popular social media website that has 1.9 billion users[i] visiting the site every month to watch videos. A kid named Ryan runs a YouTube toys review channel and is the highest-earning YouTube user with an income of $22 million in 2018. YouTube is not just a fun channel where you can share videos with friends and view videos posted by others, you can also earn money from it. The money comes from advertising and sponsorships. You can think of earning money only if internet users like the videos you post and make it popular.

Whether to just share with your friends or to earn money, you too can make a YouTube video very easily. Anyone can make a YouTube video, as long the video meets the content standards of the website. If you were thinking of making a YouTube video that could get you millions of likes, here’s how you can do it.

• Create a YouTube account

The first step is to have your own YouTube account. You can use your email ID and provide your personal details to register with the social media giant. Once you complete the verification process, your account is created. You can now use the ‘Upload video’ option to start sharing videos. Before doing anything, it is advisable to go through the YouTube policy on videos to ensure you don’t share any video that could violate guidelines.

• Plan your video

Now that you have an account, the next step is to create a video. Plan what video you are going to upload. If you are doing it just for fun, you can post just about anything, even videos of your kid playing. However, if you are looking to create money from videos, you need to provide content that users enjoy. Decide your audience first. Whom are you targeting through your videos – kids, teens, young people, corporate crowd, or homemakers? Once you decide this, you can then plan your video.

You may have made a video during your last trip to a safari park, where you saw a lion hunt a deer. That could be good enough to get your video many views. Such videos cannot be created every day. If you want to have a channel, where you post videos regularly, you need to decide on a genre. You can talk about a subject that you find interesting and know about. You can run a cookery show, you can review a product, you can create a DIY video – the potential is unlimited.

You need to know something about the subject and have sufficient information. All this needs to be worked out at the planning stage. One more thing to do in the planning stage is to make a script. If you are planning a video where you are going to talk about something or present information, it is better to prepare a script beforehand. Take time to create the script and review it. Remember you are not making a college or business presentation, you are making a video that should be interesting.

While creating a script, keep the tone informal. Write down what you will say. Draft it in such a way that it creates an impact and allows you to get your message across. Depending on the type of video you are planning, add humor, interesting quotes, stories and anecdotes to make your video lively.

• Arrange for the resources

You can make a video with nothing more than your mobile phone. If you want to make a professional video, then you need to arrange some resources for it. You can either purchase them, borrow them from a friend, or hire them on rent. The resources you needed are:

1. Camera: You need a good quality camera. You can use your mobile camera if it has a good resolution. Else, you can use a DSLR or a video camera.
2. Sound: If you are shooting in a small room, the microphone of the camera may be sufficient. An external mic will provide better sound quality.
3. Light: If you are shooting outdoors on a sunny day, you need not worry about lighting. Otherwise, you may need extra lighting.
4. Video editing software: Once the video is ready, you can edit it to make it more professional. You need software for this. You can use freeware from the internet or buy professional video editing tools.

• Go ahead and shoot

Shoot your video. If you are going to use editing, then you can shoot parts of your video separately and then stitch them together using editing software. Otherwise, you need to shoot everything at one go. Practice what you are going to talk about in advance, so you don’t make too many mistakes. Take the help of friends to shoot the video and to provide you feedback on how you are doing.

Be natural and speak in a conversational tone. If you feel you are not photogenic, you can add graphics, pictures, or animations in the video so that the video doesn’t focus entirely on you. Once you shoot the video, review it and if you are not happy re-shoot it.

• Edit the video

If you use editing software, download the video on to your laptop/PC and edit it. You can cut out parts that didn’t come out right. You can blend two videos, add special effects, and add text and graphics. You can do many things to make your video look attractive. Don’t rely too much on special effects though,the content matters more.

• Upload the video

Once your video is ready and you are happy with it, go ahead and upload on YouTube. Once you upload, you can again review it finally before clicking on the publish button. Your video is now online. Your work is not over though. You need to promote your video among your friends and on social media. This will help make the video viral and bring in viewers.

All the best for making your first YouTube video!

[i]https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/youtube-stats/

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