If you’re planning to create a YouTube video, this checklist
will help you plan and execute the best possible production. It covers
pre-production (including the strategy and script), production, and
post-production. It also covers the key ingredients of a successful video,
including camera, lighting and audio.
Once you have an idea of what you want to make, you need to
write a video strategy that will guide your creative approach. This should be
based on the type of video you are making, your target audience and the core
message you are trying to communicate. It should also include a budget and what
success will look like for the video (in terms of leads, sales or pipeline).
You may also need to consider if you need to hire talent
(actors, presenters) and if you need extra equipment. This can be expensive, so
it’s always worth weighing up the pros and cons.
This is an important step in the video production process
and can be a major impact on your final video’s speed, dynamic and audience
appeal. It’s worth thinking ahead to the people you’ll be using and considering
their style, tone of voice and whether they can deliver your script well. It
can also be a good idea to get them involved in the video script itself.
If you need to work with talent or have them come to your
location, it’s a good idea to set the dates and times in advance. This will
give you plenty of time to find someone to fill in for a missed day and make
sure you can film all the shots you need.
It’s also a good idea to collaborate with other people,
especially those who know your target audience and how they might respond to
the content you’re creating. This is a great way to bring in additional ideas
and potentially fill in gaps that you might have overlooked.
The last thing you need is a video that looks amateur or
doesn’t have the professional touch it deserves. This will definitely affect
your YouTube ranking and could mean that you miss out on potential sales or
leads from YouTube viewers.
If your video is going to be shot outdoors or on a location,
you’ll need to make sure it’s set up to be camera-ready. This can be anything
from creating a backdrop to setting up lights and cameras in the right places.
It’s also a good idea to have a plan for how the location will look when the
video is finished, even if you can’t be there in person.
Once your video is shot, it’s a good idea to put it through
a few edits to remove any unwanted footage or bloopers. You can do this by
importing your best takes into a video editing software and then organizing
them, adding a voice over if needed and synchronizing the sound. You can also
add special effects, music and other elements to your video to boost it’s
professionalism.
