This is a user generated content for MyStory, a YourStory initiative to enable its community to contribute and have their voices heard. The views and writings here reflect that of the author and not of YourStory.
How to create YouTube videos under lockdown
This is a user generated content for MyStory, a YourStory initiative to enable its community to contribute and have their voices heard. The views and writings here reflect that of the author and not of YourStory.
The current pandemic plaguing the entire world has brought everything to a standstill. Amidst all the chaos and panic around the world, there is one platform that has seen a massive rise in user interaction over the past couple of months. COVID-19 might’ve affected people’s lives drastically and changed the world economy as a whole, but YouTube has found its resurgence recently. With that being said, if you are a content creator on YouTube, get hustling, and put out videos. This would be probably one of your best shots to increase YouTube views.
Given that the world has gone into a complete lockdown, people are attempting to adapt to this new way of living. People who wrote off YouTube as a dying platform are eating their words. It has become a news network, an educational platform, or simply just a platform to while away your time in isolation. As the saying goes “strike while the iron is hot”. Currently, everyone is stuck within the confinements of their 4 walls. Whether you’re new to YouTube or a veteran, pushing out quality content now could mean a massive reach and possible blowing up of your channel. Now comes the main question. How to create YouTube videos under lockdown? Yes, it might be more difficult but it is not impossible and worth the time and effort.
1. Find a suitable recording device
Most of the top YouTuber’s have humble beginnings and uploaded their videos recorded on “potatoes”. With that being said, that doesn’t necessarily mean such a strategy will work in YouTube’s present condition. There’s a lot of competition out there and almost 300 hours of video are uploaded to the platform every minute. The quality of videos needs to be at least 720p. Anything lower and you’re risking losing out on views drastically. Fortunately, most smartphones nowadays make this pretty easy. If you happen to have a DSLR or a mirrorless camera lying around, that would be perfect.
2. Create a mini-studio/workspace
Unless you plan on vlogging, it would be in your best interest to set up a studio with whatever is available within the house. If you plan on streaming gameplay, a simple green screen would do to make some pretty interesting content. If you have a solid green sheet, this would do too. Creating a studio might seem counterproductive at first, but this will help in easily creating content once it’s properly set up. Lighting is something many often ignore when starting without knowing that this can either make or break the video. If you plan on uploading content in the beauty niche, a ring light (or a DIY version of the same) would help in creating good quality videos. Check out some lighting DIY that you can do right from the comfort of your home.
3. Research on your niche
This is by far one of the most important points to look into if you’re planning on starting on YouTube right now. If you’ve already found your niche, find out ways in which you can bring good quality content in those niches that target your stay-at-home viewers. Creating a video on traveling the world right now might easily tank. Once you have the stay-at-home version of your niche decided, the ideas for content will start flowing quite naturally.
4. Resort to inspiration, not plagiarism.
Being stuck in your house does not in any way legalize plagiarism. YouTube will take them down no matter what. With that being said, nobody expects you to always create content that has never been created before. What matters is that you put your unique spin to it. This will prevent your video from getting taken down and also increase the chances of getting viewed in the long run.
5. Interact with viewers to find out ideas with future content.
If you find yourself in a rut where you just can’t seem to think up good quality ideas, fear not for you always have a fallback. YouTubers who find themselves in such spots usually resort to reaching out to asking their viewers for ideas. This in itself has two benefits. By creating content based on what your viewers want to see, you are making sure that they will watch your videos when it comes out. Also, you increase the retention rate and also the chance of getting your videos liked. This, in turn, will lead to the YouTube algorithm pushing your videos into the recommended sections of other viewers. Check out how to increase YouTube watch time and subscribers organically so that you can start monetizing the content you create. That’s where the real gold is at.
What matters at the end of the day is that as a content creator, nothing should stop you from delivering content. One thing that every YouTuber will agree upon that consistency is key in beating the YouTube algorithm (along with some paid organic growth of course). During such trying times, this consistency mustn’t get disrupted. Needless to say, this should not come at the price of lowering your quality. Keep the above 5 points in mind and you’ll find yourself delivering content during this lockdown without even feeling a struggle.