How to make the best YouTube videos

Want to improve your video content? Here's our guide on how to make the best YouTube videos.

YouTube, a cornerstone of the social media landscape, is a platform teeming with content from millions of creators, catering to billions of viewers globally. It serves as a hub for entertainment, education, news, and more, offering diverse content to satisfy a plethora of interests. Here, we’re providing a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to creating compelling YouTube videos. Get equipped you with the knowledge to potentially compete with viral sensations such as "Gangnam Style" by Psy, the "Baby Shark Dance," and "Charlie Bit My Finger"—some of the most viewed YouTube videos of all time.

We’ll also introduce you to AI video editing tools, how they can improve the quality of your YouTube videos, and how they can streamline video production to help you create even more viral content online.

Before recording

Creating a compelling video begins before the camera rolls. To produce the best YouTube videos, you must plan and prepare.

Scripting

Consider your video as a story that needs to be engaging and relevant. A well-structured script ensures that your content is delivered smoothly. Take inspiration from the playlist of popular YouTube channels. Watch a compilation of tutorials, unboxing videos, music videos, and more to study the structure and pace of their content.

Know your audience

Understanding your target audience is key. For example, if your video content caters to video game enthusiasts, use the lingo and share insights that resonate with them. Audience insights can also guide your video title, tags, and SEO strategy, which are crucial for the YouTube algorithm.

Study successful YouTube videos

Looking at the most popular videos of all time on YouTube can be a great learning experience. Whether it's an official music video like Bruno Mars's or an epic fail compilation by FailArmy, study them to understand what makes them captivating and why they went viral.

Recording a video

When it's time to record, quality is key. Here's what you'll need to consider.

Cameras and screen recording

A high-quality camera can enhance your content significantly. However, remember that even some of the best YouTube channels started with a smartphone camera. For screen recording, particularly for tutorials, software like OBS (for PCs) and the in-built screen recording feature on iOS devices come in handy.

Audio equipment, lighting, and background set

Invest in a good microphone for clear audio. Also, consider your setting. The lighting should be adequate, and the background set must suit your video content. If you're filming an unboxing video, a clean, well-lit table would work well.

Noise reduction

Ensure to record in a quiet, controlled environment. Post-production can fix minor issues, but it's best to reduce noise at the source.

Editing a video

A video's success doesn't only depend on recording; editing can make or break it. After you have your full video recorded, the next stage is post-production.

Video editing

Edit your video to enhance the viewing experience. Use software like Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro for professional results. For beginners, apps like iMovie (for iOS) or FilmoraGo can be a good start. Remember, MrBeast started editing his videos on a cracked version of Sony Vegas.

Audio editing

Enhancing your audio quality in post-production is key to creating a professional-sounding video. Ensure that your sound levels are well-balanced and that your audio is clear and free from unnecessary noise or distortion.

Adding subtitles/captions

Subtitles or captions are a great way to make your videos more accessible. They cater to the hearing impaired, those who can't play sound, and even those who simply prefer to watch videos with captions on. In addition, they can boost viewer engagement and watch time.

Dubbing for international audiences

If you're targeting a global audience, consider dubbing your videos into different languages, either by hiring a voiceover artist or using an AI dubbing tool. This allows you to reach more viewers by eliminating language barriers and can dramatically increase your videos' global appeal.

Metrics to track for making the best videos on YouTube

To evaluate the success of your YouTube videos, understanding the right metrics is vital. Some important metrics include:

• Views: The number of views gives an idea about the reach of your video.
• Watch time: It's not just about views, but also how long people stay.
• Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, and saves help gauge how much viewers interact with your content.
• Subscriber growth: An increase in subscribers after a video is a strong sign of success.
• Audience retention: It measures the average percentage of a video that your audience watches.

Create the best YouTube videos with the help of AI video tools

The utilization of AI video creation and editing tools for YouTube videos offers numerous benefits. Primarily, these tools significantly reduce the time and technical expertise needed to produce high-quality content. They come with features that automate various processes, such as optimizing video resolution, enhancing lighting, and editing sequences, which traditionally would have required manual intervention and a steep learning curve.

In addition, AI tools can generate smart suggestions based on the viewing patterns and preferences of your target audience, thus helping you craft content that resonates with them better. Advanced AI software can even assist in creating animations, generating subtitles, and performing language translations, making your videos more accessible to a wider audience. Lastly, they can handle large volumes of video data, enabling you to manage and streamline your content efficiently. These features collectively help YouTube creators focus more on content creation and less on the technicalities of video production.

Make engaging video content with Speechify Video Studio

Whether you’re making your first YouTube video, creating short-form videos for TikTok, or producing content for big-name studios like Netflix or Amazon Studios, AI video tools can vastly improve workflows while maintaining high-quality video content. That’s where platforms like Speechify Video Studio come in to help. Equipped with all the video editing and creation features you could ever need, this AI-powered platform is changing how beginners and professionals alike create engaging video content.

Discover what you can create with Speechify Video Studio.