Key takeaways

Here are the things you need to know:

1. Develop a strategy for how you want to approach making YouTube videos
2. Pick a specific, relevant topic and observe trends within that area
3. Choose your equipment and have a good plan for a setup depending on your format
4. Write a script or some condensed key points depending on your presentation style
5. Check your surroundings to get the perfect backdrop and set up your equipment
6. Record your video. Try to keep things rolling even if you make mistakes, so you can keep your rhythm and re-record any mistakes afterwards
7. Choose your editing software; edit your video and audio
8. Create a thumbnail, catchy title, and a well-thought-out video description to rank well in searches
9. Upload your video!

How to make a YouTube video

1. Come up with a YouTube strategy

So, first things first. If you want to make YouTube content, you’ll have to figure out what you want to make and who you want to make it for. Of course, art for art’s sake is never a bad thing, and if you’re embarking on this YouTube journey to make what you want, more power to you! But it’s still worth considering an audience.

If you want visibility, you need to know your choice of format. Who would be looking for your videos? Do you have a unique voice and take on things? Do you want to make video essays? Do you want to make short-form or long-form reviews of TV shows or movies? Do you want to make gaming videos?

Consider utilising some techniques to make your videos and channel easy to find both on YouTube and search engines. Having a good, snappy username related to the topic of your channel that conveys your personality and voice is always a good idea!

It may also be worth considering some basic identifiers; these include your channel description, profile picture, header, and those extra visual presentation elements. Reach out to some artists you like on social media, and set up other social media accounts to promote your videos. Pick some intro music, maybe.

You don’t have to get this all done and ready before your first video, but doing it early will save you some headaches down the road and more easily grab the attention of prospective viewers.

2. Choose a specific topic

Now, you’ve probably already got an idea in mind, but just in case you don’t, with some ideas for your format it’s time to pick your topic. We already pointed to some general examples, but you can focus on all kinds of specific areas: music, comedy sketches, gaming news, history, architecture… Whatever you have a passion for or something you’re interested in and want to document your journey with!

You can go as narrow or broad as your drive takes you. So long as it comes from a genuine place, go for it!

The topic may also help dictate parts of your format. Are you doing location recording? Edited on-camera discussion? Long-form edited analysis? All of this will dictate the equipment you need to use and how you use it.

3. Get the right equipment

So, you’ll probably need at least a camera, a microphone, video editing software, audio editing software, and some basic accessories like tripods, windshields and a ring light. So, let’s discuss a little further.

Cameras

As far as cameras go, it may be easiest to start with your smartphone provided it’s modern enough, as the cameras on these are getting increasingly high-quality over time.

This, with a smartphone-compatible tripod, ring light, and a smartphone-compatible microphone like the Zoom AM7 MS if you’re an Android user or the Zoom iQ7 if you’re an iOS user, will make for a good low-cost option.

However, for some quick upgrades, the Zoom Q2n-4k is a compact and high-resolution 4K camera with a built-in X-Y stereo microphone for expansive sound. If you prefer a handheld camera, the Zoom Q8n-4k is a slightly expanded camera.

If you’re recording at a computer desk in an indoor environment consistently for something like gaming content or podcasting, the SubZero OPTYK-10 is a good HD webcam option, but it isn’t suited to portable or 4K recording.

Microphones

Depending on the content you create and where you record, there can be a lot of variation in what you should go for. In general, we’d recommend an on-camera microphone for all scenarios, whether they’re portable or stationary.

Our picks would be the Sennheiser MKE 400 Mobile Kit, as it gives you a comprehensive accessory kit as well as a great microphone if you’re interested in wired recording. Alternatively, there’s the Shure MoveMic MV-ONE or Rode Wireless Go II for wireless on-camera recording.

However, if your YouTube content is more voiceover-based, it can also be worth investing in a simple audio interface and studio microphone or a USB microphone to circumvent an interface. Whether that’s in addition to a camera and camera mic or in place of one will depend on the kind of videos you want to make.

In this case, we’d recommend the Shure SM7B for a rugged, broadcast-inspired dynamic microphone that you’ll have seen on countless videos already. The Audio-Technica AT2020 is a good affordable condenser if you prefer a more detailed full-range sound; there’s also a USB variant if you’d prefer to forgo an interface.

The Sennheiser Profile is a good USB-only pick that is direct, simple, and very natural on vocals. If you want a more relaxed, DIY feel and look to your videos, it’s becoming increasingly common to see YouTubers actively holding their microphones to keep their hands full while they talk and give off a more casual atmosphere. For this purpose, you can’t go wrong with a Shure SM58.

Depending on your style and the sound that you’d like, hopefully, you’ve found a choice for you. So long as you have a vocal mic you like and some way of plugging it into your computer, it’s hard to go too far wrong!

Audio interfaces and mixers

For audio interfaces, you should manage just fine with a simple one- or two-input interface. We’d recommend at least two inputs for podcasts, music creation, or recording with a single guest, so if any of these things fit your vision of the content you want to put on YouTube, go for dual inputs. A single-input interface for your one mic will be fine too, but can limit future options for guests and other recording sources.

Something affordable and no-frills like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 would be ideal.

However, we commonly see dedicated content creator mixers with vocal effects and samples, which can be useful if you do a range of content, like streaming as well as videos, or like to use creative comedic editing and skits in your videos.

The TC Helicon GoXLR is billed mainly for streamers, but this functionality has made them extremely popular for content creation of all kinds. And with YouTube livestreaming, having a stream-ready kit gives you options to get into that too!

4. Write a script or have some key points in mind

Depending on how tightly rehearsed you want your content to feel, you may or may not want to fully script your video. Usually, scripting can really help, even if it just makes you feel prepared for what you’re going to say on camera. For things like video essays and tutorials, this will keep your information factual and accurate, and give you space to deliver some writing flourishes to really make your mark on video.

If you want something more laidback and stream-of-consciousness, it’s still beneficial to write down your key points. These could be bullet points or shorthand – so long as you know what you mean and don’t leave out any pertinent information. In this case, it might still be useful to have something written down to keep yourself on track for transitioning between points as this is a common stumbling block with unscripted videos.

In general, try to make sure your video is tailored to answer questions either you or your audience have on your chosen topic, and try to answer these questions clearly in-between the rest of what you want to say.

5. Set up

You have your equipment, and you know the script or key points you want to get across in the video, now it’s time to set up. The first thing to plug in and get ready is your microphone. Then, set up your camera.

Record in landscape for long-form content (although portrait is good for YouTube shorts!), make sure your background is set up exactly how you want it, tidy and organised, maybe with some things you’ll be referring to or visual gags there for simplicity.

Try to avoid recording in front of windows as the inconsistent light from the sun as you record can really mess with your shots.

With that in mind, it’s also a good idea to sort your lighting – a ring light is good as it will give you consistent lighting throughout your recording process, and you can get small ones to attach to your camera’s tripod.

Check over your audio and test it to make sure it’s coming through clearly. Then, it’s time to hit that big red button.

6. Hit record

Record what you want to record! This could be any number of things: yourself, another person, a landscape, etc. Or you could be recording your computer screen for software tutorials for something like Photoshop or gaming videos.

Once you start, try to keep recording, even if you make a mistake. You can always edit out the mistakes and run an extra take later, or fix it with voiceover, but if you break your own flow you might miss out on some great presentation while you’re still in the recording mindset.

7. Edit your video and audio

Once you’ve got everything you need, it’s time to put it all together to make your video. You can use a range of software to do this.

Free solutions like Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve are gaining popularity with seasoned video editors, but similarly popular are paid solutions like Adobe Premiere Pro, Sony Vegas, and Apple’s Final Cut Pro for Mac users. These solutions are great for video, but may not always be fit for purpose with audio editing.

Free audio editing software like Audacity, Camtasia, and Audiate are direct and easy to use but can be somewhat limited. Audacity has a high learning curve for beginners but can scale up very easily to more professional skills whilst Audiate is limited in terms of advanced features, but fast thanks to its transcription.

If you really want to work with audio and video and make sure they’re aligned well, editing audio in a DAW and video in a video editor and then compiling them is often a more professional workflow. As such, it may be worth investing in a DAW.

Cubase and ProTools are extremely powerful and let you scale up your audio skills whilst also recording directly within them for voiceover and fixing flubs.

It may be worth picking up a de-noiser and audio cleanup suite like iZotope’s RX 10 Elements, as this can be loaded in most DAWs, free software editors, and video editing software alike.

Many DAWs don’t offer a proper de-noiser, so this can really help fix your recordings should anything catch you unaware until it’s time to edit!

8. Create a thumbnail and catchy title

You want to grab attention from your visuals. Thumbnails have an established style of the subject looking shocked with large text next to them claiming something sensational. This isn’t the only way, but it certainly will bring in the clicks. The logic with thumbnails is ultimately to create an intriguing visual that makes people want to click on the video because it stands out among the crowd.

Whichever way you do that can depend on your personal styling and the kind of video you’ve made. But everything from a good font choice to a good image counts for a lot here, whether that’s a striking landscape that looks like it was taken by a professional photographer or a key point in a video game you’re playing.

Think about the central emotion in your video and how you could summarise it visually to enhance the effect and let people know what they’re in for when they choose your video. Whatever it is, make it grab attention.

Then pick a succinct and catchy title. It can be an interesting question that you’re setting out to answer, a (slightly) hyperbolic claim, a direct description of your topic, or a poetic and intriguing phrase. Whatever your approach, this should be reinforced by your thumbnail, with the title or something expanding upon the title written in a sleek font that fits the imagery you’re using.

Or perhaps your thumbnail looks better with your title speaking for itself. Your visual style is yours to define, but generally, you’ll want some kind of text on there to help things stand out.

9. Upload your video to YouTube

Time for the final step – upload your video and release it to the world! Log into your YouTube account, go to your channel dashboard, configure the options for the overall video quality you want, and attach your edited file.

Then click that publish button and let YouTube do its thing.

Whilst it uploads, you can write your video title and description, upload your thumbnail, and set your audience and age restriction rules.

When it comes to uploading videos, choosing keywords, hashtags, and a well-written video description is extremely important for being found on search engines, so make sure you do that.

Then sit back and enjoy the satisfaction of having made your creative vision come to life.

Relax and then when you’re ready and inspired, plan your next one!

Our top tips

So, we’ve covered the main steps, but what other tips do you need to improve your content?

Create a snappy introduction

First impressions are key when trying to grab somebody’s attention. Make sure you have a unique, engaging, and snappy introduction. This will go a long way to endearing prospective viewers to you and your style.

Start with a well-scripted line that introduces the concept of your video. Depending on your topic or style, either summarise the topic, pose your central question, or open up with a joke that really shows off your personality. With one of these approaches, you’re much more likely to get viewers to stick around.

Use your keyword

Make sure you use a keyword from your title within the video and description! This will help your video rank on Google for searches related to your video’s topic.

Show off your passion

Be enthusiastic and passionate about whatever you’re discussing. Research your topics well and check as many sources as possible!

Write a good script

Try to develop writing skills to improve your video scripts. This can really help your confidence in front of the camera as you’ll feel better prepared, and it’ll help you stand out with your unique voice.

Prompt your audience to engage with the video

A typical call to like, comment, and subscribe can feel a little outdated now as audiences have become aware of it. However, your video performance still requires comments, likes, and subscriptions to perform well on YouTube’s algorithm and get recommended to the kinds of people who are likely to watch it.

So, while the direct approach can still help, it may be a good idea to go about it more creatively. Try and prompt comments and discussion on the video by posing a question related to the topic to your audience. State an opinion and ask if your viewers agree, make a self-aware joke about engagement, or discuss plans for your next videos in the outro of your video to hook people who’ll want to see those future videos.

How to promote your YouTube video

Promoting YouTube videos is a big part of what you’ll have to do between uploads. So, what can you do? Firstly, using other social media platforms can help, if you have a following on another platform like TikTok, Twitch, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or X (formerly Twitter), this can easily be leveraged to gain steam on YouTube. If not, it’s worth considering getting a presence on some, if not all, of these!

Promote your videos and discuss your ideas for future videos on whatever social media you feel most comfortable on. Post some jokes or talk about details you might have found while researching your topic that you can’t make work within the video. Any tangents you couldn’t make flow or had to cut for time can still be used to drive discussion of your video concept, even before you’ve uploaded it!

While you’re editing your video, find outtakes and highlights you can post as short-form videos to Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube shorts to lead people to your video. Reach out to and engage with other content creators in your space, and collaborate with them when possible.

Take a look at the YouTubers you’re inspired by and the kind of content they’re publishing, especially if their topics are related to or the same as yours. This can help you identify trends in video formats – what games are popular, how to structure discussion of your topic etc. – that you can then put your own spin on. How would you approach doing something similar? How would you do it differently?

FAQs

How do you make a good YouTube video for free?

Making a good YouTube video for free is entirely possible. Start by using your smartphone to capture video as most modern phones have high-quality cameras. Utilise editing software and focus on clear audio and good lighting to enhance video quality.

How do I make engaging YouTube videos?

Making engaging YouTube videos involves understanding your audience and creating content that resonates with them. Use storytelling to keep viewers interested, and always start your videos with a hook to grab attention. Consistent upload schedules and high-quality content foster viewer engagement.

How do I make a YouTube clip?

Making a YouTube clip involves selecting a highlight or an interesting part of longer content. Use video editing software to trim your footage to the desired length. Ensure the clip is concise and captures the essence of your message or story to attract viewers.

Final thoughts

Gaining traction on any social media site is hard, and YouTube is no exception. You have to develop a lot of skills simultaneously and constantly find ways to adapt to a highly competitive and ever-changing landscape whilst following trends and using relevant topics.

You also need to have a lot of technical knowledge and be able to utilise a lot of audio and video equipment properly. With this guide, hopefully you’ve come away with some ideas, the equipment you need to start out with, and how to set it all up, so you know how to make a YouTube video.