1/8/16, 5:32 PM 10 Fundamentals of a Creative Strategy - YouTube Page 1 of 14 https://ytkenobi.appspot.com/page/lesson/creative-fundamentals-bootcamp?hl=en-GB 10 Fundamentals of a Creative Strategy in the course: Foundations for success boot camp Got a viral video that pulled 100,000 views? Great! But now what? Chances are, if the audience loved it, they’ll want more. Think beyond the one-video hit and consider developing a series of videos that are just as popular. Use these guidelines to test your ideas and give them the best chance of success on YouTube. 2 hours Best practices Basics
Transcript
1/8/16, 5:32 PM10 Fundamentals of a Creative Strategy - YouTube
Page 1 of 14https://ytkenobi.appspot.com/page/lesson/creative-fundamentals-bootcamp?hl=en-GB
10 Fundamentals of a Creative Strategyin the course: Foundations for success boot camp
Got a viral video that pulled 100,000views? Great! But now what? Chancesare, if the audience loved it, they’ll wantmore. Think beyond the one-video hit andconsider developing a series of videosthat are just as popular. Use theseguidelines to test your ideas and givethem the best chance of success onYouTube.
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Best practices
1. Shareability
Will viewers share these videos?We use “shareable” interchangeably with “viral” – the idea that people watch your videos andimmediately want to share them. Sharing or recommending videos is powerful because people arelearning about YOU from the people THEY trust the most – their friends and family. We think peopleshare videos partly because of what the videos say about themselves. For example, sharing afunny video demonstrates their sense of humour. Smart content makes them look smart. How willyour videos make people look when they share them? What was the last thing you shared in socialmedia? What made you share it?
Some ways to be shareable:
See it in action
Shareability fundamentalsShareable content often getspassed along by your viewers’
family and friends. Make sure to think abouthow your video could appeal to those outsideyour core audience. When you’re thinkingabout video ideas, ask yourself whether eachconcept feels compelling enough to share. Is
Shareability: I forgot my phoneViewers love content thatreflects their own experiences,
and it’s likely they will share it with their like-minded communities and social networks.(Video in English)
Will viewers share these videos?We use “shareable” interchangeably with “viral” – the idea that people watch your videos and
Be topical: When a story is breaking, join the conversation by crafting an episode around it.
Be relatable: Strike a chord with viewers on a subject they can relate to, whether it’s a broadtopic like mobile phone habits, or a niche topic like life in London.
Be valuable: Try to provide practical value to the viewer. Tutorials rank among the most helpful,frequently used videos on YouTube.
Be remarkable: Upload a demonstration of exceptional talent or ability.
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it useful? Interesting? Will it trigger anemotional reaction?
2. Conversation
Are you speaking directly to your audience?YouTube is an incredibly social platform. Viewers see their favourite stars as friends.
Talking to the audience builds loyalty and repeat views. As you look at series ideas, consider how tohave a dialogue with your audience. Establishing such a bond can mean the difference betweensimply finding an audience and creating loyal fans.
Some ways to be conversational:
See it in action
Conversation fundamentalsBeing conversational is aneffective way to strengthen your
relationship with your fans and make yourvideos feel authentic.
Conversational: LET’S DO THIS!from Shay CarlIn this video, Shay Carl shares
his struggle to lose weight with his fans. Heopens up and speaks directly into the camerain an intimate, conversational way. (Video inEnglish)
Are you speaking directly to your audience?YouTube is an incredibly social platform. Viewers see their favourite stars as friends.
Talk to the audience in your core videos: The entire show can consist of this element, or just asegment of it.
Talk to the audience in separate uploads: If you don’t want to have a “video blog” section,consider making supplemental videos to check in with subscribers, say thanks or respond tocomments.
Be authentic: It should feel like a conversation because it is. For full effect, it’s critical that theface of the channel comes across as real, honest and genuine.
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3. Interactivity
Can you involve the audience?Imagine if you had the power to affect what happens in your favourite TV show – how thrilling wouldthat be? One of the unique advantages of making content on YouTube is that you can give theaudience the chance to participate.
Interactive videos are effective because they show viewers that the channel is as much for them asit is for the creator. So, as you develop show ideas, see if you can involve the audience in whatyou’re making.
Some ways to be interactive:
See it in action
Interactive fundamentalsInteractive content gives youraudience a chance to participate
in what you create. It makes them feelimportant and included, and this buildsloyalty. What interactive elements can youadd to your videos?
Interactive: Questions andAnswers #2 (ft. Charlotte Lu)“The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” is a
scripted, interactive series. Here, a fictionalcharacter makes a Q&A video to talk with theaudience. (Video in English)
Can you involve the audience?Imagine if you had the power to affect what happens in your favourite TV show – how thrilling would
Ask the audience questions directly: Be sure to respond to their answers in a subsequentvideo.
Ask the audience to submit ideas for future episodes: If you use their idea, make sure to givethem a shout-out.
Incorporate viewer video submissions: With permission, feature clips your fans have submittedto you.
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Does this idea have strong recurring elements?Top creators agree that consistency is a must if you want to build a loyal audience, but that canmean different things to different people. Some creators consistently release videos on the sameday and at the same time. Others suggest it’s all about consistent formats, so fans know what toexpect. Using the same face or personality across your videos might be your consistent element.Even a consistent tone of voice can be helpful. Regardless of how you achieve it, make specificelements of your channel cohesive when you plan your content. How can you improve consistencyon your channel?
Some ways to be consistent:
See it in action
Consistency fundamentalsTop creators agree thatconsistency is a must if you
want to build a loyal audience. It’s effectivebecause it instils a sense of familiarity andexpectation among fans. How can you bemore consistent with your own content?
Consistent: True Facts AboutThe CuttleFish from zefrank1Ze Frank makes learning fun in
his “True Facts” series. The comedic voice-over and the stock nature footage are theshow’s key consistent elements. What otherconsistent elements do you see in “TrueFacts”? (Video in English)
Top creators agree that consistency is a must if you want to build a loyal audience, but that can
Package your show format clearly: Come up with a durable idea that can sustain interest overmultiple episodes.
Upload on a regular schedule: Stick to delivering videos on a certain day, and communicate thisto your audience.
Feature a consistent personality: Sometimes a likeable and charismatic person can be the“glue” of the channel.
Stick to your theme: New show ideas shouldn’t stray too far from the theme and voice alreadyestablished on the channel.
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Is there a clearly defined audience?Viewers love seeing videos they can relate to, so try tailoring your content to a specific group ordemographic. This could be a large group, such as parents of toddlers, or a small niche, such ascollectors of Disney toys. Either way, we’ve found that the more you can define your intendedaudience, the more traction you’ll get.
Some ways to be targeted:
See it in action
Targeting fundamentalsChannels can grow quickly whenthey connect with passionate
communities. Understand who your audienceis and define specific characteristics to attractthem.
Targeted: What kind of Asian areyou? from HelpmefindparentsIndividual videos can hone in on
particular communities and trends. Thisexample highlights the experiences of AsianAmericans in a creative way. By flippingcultural norms, it resonated with a broadercommunity as well. (Video in English)
Viewers love seeing videos they can relate to, so try tailoring your content to a specific group or
Target audience from the channel level: SkyDoesMinecraft is entirely devoted to players of thegame Minecraft.
Target audience from the show level: Ingrid Nilsen’s channel includes all sorts of content, buther series “Get Ready With Me” targets a specific age group who is particularly interested inmakeup and fashion.
Target audience from the individual video level: Sh*t Sri Lankan Mother’s Say focuses on one-off videos for a specific audience.
Target an underserved audience: Some audiences get little attention in other media; they’llreward creators who pay attention to them on YouTube.
6. Sustainability
If the audience loves it, can you make more of it?
If the audience loves it, can you make more of it?To set yourself up for long-term success, you need to build a sustainable operation that will
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If the audience loves it, can you make more of it?To set yourself up for long-term success, you need to build a sustainable operation that willmaintain viewer interest over time. Think about what it takes to produce your series. If youraudience really loves it, are you able to create more considering the location, the equipment andbudget? Is this a topic or type of production that you’ll continue to love well into the future?
Some ways to be sustainable:
See it in action
Fundamentals of sustainabilityGrowing and maintaining asuccessful channel can be a
long road, so it’s important that you developideas that make sense on a practical level.Will your channel concept stand the test oftime – from an audience retention point ofview and from your personal ability toproduce it?
Sustainability: Christmas Face(A Song) from Rhett and LinkRhett and Link often make high-
gloss productions, but not to the point that itslows their flow of uploads. They reservetheir main channel for bigger productions,while their second channel houses theirlighter, quicker-to-produce content. (Video inEnglish)
Think light and nimble: Try to produce in a way that’s less time and labour-intensive. Typically,the less involved the production, the longer that you can sustain it.
Be realistic: Understand what it will take to produce the series, and how long that it will providecontent for your channel.
Block shoot: Record several videos in one day to maximize resources.
Know what’s next: Have a plan for what you’ll deliver to your audience after the current series isfinished.
7. Discoverability
Will your videos surface in Search or Related Videos?YouTube is one of the most-used search engines in the world. People pour onto the site looking for
Will your videos surface in Search or Related Videos?YouTube is one of the most-used search engines in the world. People pour onto the site looking for
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video content around all kinds of subjects. Sometimes these queries centre around hot topics ortrending events, like an amazing sports clip, an election or the Olympics. Other times, peoplesearch for information, such as how to fix a water heater or how to do the “smoky eye” makeupeffect. Either way, discoverable videos pile on extra views and potential new subscribers.
Some ways to be discoverable:
See it in action
Fundamentals of discoverabilityDiscoverable content can takemany different forms on
YouTube. Think about how to incorporatetrending and evergreen content into yourvideo repertoire. How will you make yourchannel more discoverable?
Discoverable: 8 Valentine’s DayGifts That’ll Blow Her Mind: TheAnti-List #1 from Barely Political
When you tailor content around a specificevent, your videos become morediscoverable. Viewers tend to search forcontent around big events and "evergreentopics" – topics that never go out of style.(Video in English)
Build trending topics into your show: Design your series in a way that the episodes can engagetrending topics in news or pop culture. Use resources like Google Trends, Twitter Trends andsites like Trendspottr.com to find out what’s being discussed.
Make “evergreen” content: Create videos that answer common questions or solve commonproblems. Videos like “How to tie a tie” draw continuous traffic, day after day.
Be an optimisation wizard: Take a look at our lesson on getting discovered and learn how tobest optimise every video with effective titles, tags and descriptions.
8. Accessibility
Can a brand new viewer fully appreciate every episode?When looking at new series ideas, it’s worth considering that a significant percentage of people maydiscover a single episode through a social feed, a search result or a Related Video. Therefore it’simportant to have videos that don’t require a lot of context.
Can a brand new viewer fully appreciate every episode?When looking at new series ideas, it’s worth considering that a significant percentage of people may
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A show with “stand-alone” episodes is helpful because, if you’ve uploaded 50 episodes, thoserepresent 50 chances for a new viewer to stumble upon your work, enjoy it and subscribe for more.As you develop a new show idea, ask yourself if a new viewer can appreciate each episode byitself. We’re not saying you have to have a fully accessible show, but it can help a channel growfaster.
Some ways to be accessible:
See it in action
Fundamentals of accessibilityKeep accessibility in mind whencreating new content. Make
videos that are open to new viewers, ordevelop ways to provide context for yourviewers.
Accessible: Epic Chef – PizzaChallengeEpisodes of shows like Epic
Chef are accessible because they’re self-contained, providing entertainment withoutany need for context. (Video in English)
Don’t tie each episode to the pilot: Design the show so that each episode doesn’t rely on aspecific backstory that’s only described in Episode 1.
Show a brief recap of the situation: Create an intro sequence that reviews what the audiencemay have missed so they have context for what they’re about to watch.
Make a strong Call To Action pointing back to the pilot episode: Let viewers know where theycan learn the backstory. Use annotations or links in the description.
9. Collaboration
Is there room to feature other YouTubers?Nothing boosts subscriber counts faster than collaborating with other creators who have passionatefans – especially those who are making similar videos. Partnerships are great opportunities toexpose your content to new viewers who are likely to enjoy what you do.
When the guest star promotes the video, your work is seen by another loyal audience who already
Is there room to feature other YouTubers?Nothing boosts subscriber counts faster than collaborating with other creators who have passionate
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knows how to use YouTube – how to subscribe, comment and favourite videos. If they like you,they’ll subscribe to you too.
Collaborating is also a great way to build relationships inside the very vibrant and active communityof creators.
Some ways to collaborate:
See it in action
Fundamentals of collaborationPartnerships with other creatorsprovide great opportunities to
expose your content to new viewers who arelikely to enjoy what you do. What channel(s)would you like to collaborate with? Whatdoes your channel have to offer in a newpartnership?
Collaborative: Head SqueezeVsauce special: Can musicmake you smarter?
On James May's popular science channel,Michael Stevens from Vsauce guest stars todiscuss whether music really is good for thebrain. Both creators share a passion formusic, and Michael offers a unique scientificangle. (Video in English)
Build a “guest chair” into your show: Design the show in a way that makes it easy and logical tohave guest stars.
Reach out to partners who fit: Find creators in your genre or niche who serve a similaraudience.
Be as specific as possible: YouTubers are busy with their own channels, so when reaching out,be as clear and specific as possible. A well-prepared script is often welcome.
Make them proud: Feature guests prominently and in a positive light so that they’ll be happy topromote the finished product.
10. Inspiration
Is this idea coming from a place of genuine inspiration?Top YouTube creators will often tell you that loving what you do is of the utmost importance. Not
Is this idea coming from a place of genuine inspiration?Top YouTube creators will often tell you that loving what you do is of the utmost importance. Not
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ActivitiesPut your new knowledge to work in the activity below!
to save your answers.
only will it give you more stamina as a creator, but viewers can identify true inspiration, or the lackof it. Therefore, you’ll want to be seen on camera as authentic, interested and, most importantly,passionate. This comes naturally if you’re truly inspired.
If you’re an individual, make videos that will make you happy. It happens to be key to building fans.If you’re part of a company, strive to make content that’s true to brand, and find talented people whoare inspired by the channel’s mission.
Some ways to find inspiration:
See it in action
Fundamentals of inspirationUse your authenticity andenthusiasm to create great
content for your channel. What inspires youas a creator?
Inspired: Veritasium’s passionfor scienceThe creator behind Veritasium is
a science experiment enthusiast and knowswhat he's doing. He has a ton of credibilityamong his viewers and a clear passion forfiguring out how stuff works. (Video inEnglish)
Pay attention to what you love to watch: Think about what you enjoy from television, movies,news or blogs, and consider making something in the same vein.
Iterate based on what you most enjoy: Try different formats and observe what audiences likebest. But also observe what you enjoy doing – hopefully they’ll be the same!
Avoid producing videos just because you think they’ll be popular: In the long run, making videosyou don’t want to make will most likely lead to frustration.
For companies: Brainstorm ideas that are true to brand.
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View questions
Introductory question – What do you think it takes to make great videos? Share your top threeinsights.
Shareability: Think about the last video (not your own) that you shared through social media. Whatwas it and why did you share it? What did you actually write when you shared it?
Conversation: Who will be the face of the channel, and how will this person have a dialogue withthe audience?
Interactivity: Share one example (or more) of the most creative use of interactivity in a YouTubevideo. Why did you choose this example?
Consistency: What will be the consistent element of your show idea or channel?
Targeting: Look at your channel’s demographics in YouTube Analytics and read the comments onyour videos. How would you describe your audience? List what you think they like about yourvideos.
Sustainability: How do you plan to sustain the production of your videos?
Discoverability: Imagine what you would search for on YouTube if you were looking for your videos.Try it out. List the top three search results that come up as you start entering the search phrase.
Accessibility: If you’re creating a series, what elements do you need to put in each video so aviewer has enough context to understand and enjoy it?
Collaboration: List a channel that you might want to collaborate with. Why do you think this channelis a good match?
Inspiration: Which channels inspire you and what is it that draws you to them?
Final question – What you are most passionate about, and how will you incorporate that into your
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Follow-up
channel idea?
How conversational are your videos?
See all your videos’ comments in one place with the comment moderation tool. See how manycomments are being made over time across one video or all videos with the Comments report.
Does your content promote interactivity?
Gauge your viewers’ reaction to your videos: use the Comments and Likes and Dislikes reports totrack how much your viewers are interacting with your videos. You can also download these reportsand compare the number of comments and likes/dislikes to the daily views to understandinteractivity on a per-view basis.
Can you sustain your series?
Look at your upload frequency. Do you feel you can keep up with the current release schedule?Experiment with different upload schedules and monitor subscriber engagement through the Trafficsources report in YouTube Analytics.
Can you continue interacting with your most engaged fans?
Moderate comments in one place – it’s easier than ever to respond to commenters across all yourvideos.
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Use the Subscribers report in YouTube Analytics to see how many new subscribers you’re addingto your channel every day, and compare that to the daily views that you’re getting on your channel.Look for increases in new subscribers per view and find out what led to those changes.
How do you measure the impact from a collaboration?
Download the Subscribers report in YouTube Analytics. Calculate the average new dailysubscribers for a period of time before your collaboration video was published; then compare thatnumber to the actual daily subscribers that you received every day after the collaboration. Thedifference between the two numbers is a rough estimate of the number of new subscribers yourcollaboration generated.
How do I know which blogs and social media sites are sharing my videos?
Use the Traffic sources and Playback locations reports to understand which blogs and social mediasites are driving traffic to your videos. In the Traffic sources report, look at the traffic that is comingfrom “External websites”. In Playback locations, look at the sites that are driving traffic from“Embedded player”. In both cases, you should consider reaching out to the sites listed in thesereports to feature your future videos.
