Being a YouTuber requires juggling multiple tasks, from brainstorming video ideas to editing and promoting content. It’s no surprise that staying productive is crucial for success. But with so much to do, how can you ensure you’re working efficiently and getting the most out of your time?
Here are some top productivity hacks tailored to each stage of your YouTube workflow:
Ideation
Capture inspiration everywhere
Keep a notebook or voice recorder handy. Ideas can strike at any moment, and if you don’t write them down, you might lose them forever.
Schedule brainstorming sessions
Dedicate specific times each week to brainstorm new video concepts. Use mind maps or online tools like Trello to organise ideas visually and streamline the ideation process.
Inspiration List
Create a list of sources that inspire you, such as books, movies, websites, or other YouTube channels. Refer to this list when you’re feeling stuck for ideas to spark creativity and generate new video concepts.
Research trending topics
Explore trending searches and social media discussions to identify potential content gaps and audience interests. This can help you stay ahead of the curve and create content that resonates with your audience.
Tap into the Audience’s POV
Tap into your audience’s point of view to unlock a wealth of endless ideas in minimal time. Engage directly with your audience and actively seek their feedback and suggestions.
Maintain a Content Calendar
Keep track of your video ideas, and filming schedules, and upload dates in a content calendar. This helps you stay organised, plan, and ensure a consistent flow of content for your audience.
Outline & Scripting
Utilize Voice-to-Text Technology
Make use of voice-to-text technology to efficiently capture your ideas and outline your script without the need for manual typing.
Utilize Mind Mapping Tools
Employ mind mapping tools to visually organize and connect your thoughts and ideas before getting into the detailed outlining process. This approach can help you see the bigger picture and identify key themes or concepts for your video.
Set Timer for Each Section
To avoid spending excessive time on any one aspect of your outline, consider setting timers for each section. This time management technique can help you stay on track and allocate your time effectively, especially in the research process.
Prepare a Structured Framework
Develop a structured framework for different types of videos that you create regularly. This approach saves time by eliminating the need to start from scratch for each new video.
Focus on Key Points
Prioritize the key points and messages that you want to convey in your video. Avoid getting bogged down in unnecessary details, as this can lead to a bloated script and detract from the main focus of your video.
Shoot
Planning Your Shots
Before filming, create a shot list to ensure you capture all necessary footage and avoid wasting time during the shoot.
Batch Filming
To maximize productivity, consider filming multiple videos or scenes in one session. When shooting multiple videos at once, you can use artificial backgrounds or change small elements to create a feel of newness in each video.
Limiting Takes
Try to get the shot right within a few takes to avoid spending too much time on one scene. To achieve this, rehearse your lines and actions beforehand and be well-prepared.
Delegating Tasks
If possible, delegate tasks such as setting up equipment or managing props to others to save time and streamline the filming process.
Using a Teleprompter
If you have a script, consider using a teleprompter to avoid wasting time on retakes due to forgotten lines. A teleprompter can help you deliver your lines confidently and smoothly.
Minimizing Distraction
Inform your housemates or colleagues about your filming schedule to minimize interruptions and maintain focus during filming.
Edit
Organize Your Footage
Keep your footage organized by labelling and sorting clips based on the content, scene, or take. This will save you time when searching for specific shots during editing.
Use Keyboard Shortcuts
Learn and use keyboard shortcuts in your editing software to speed up your workflow. This can significantly reduce the time it takes to perform common editing tasks.
Batch Similar Edits
Group similar tasks in the process and apply them to multiple clips and videos in one editing session. This approach streamlines your workflow, reduces context switching, and helps you complete editing faster.
Utilize Templates and Presets: Use editing templates and presets for effects, transitions, and colour grading to quickly apply consistent styles across your video.
Consider Outsourcing
If editing is a bottleneck in your workflow, consider outsourcing it to professional editors. This can save you time and ensure high-quality editing while allowing you to focus on other aspects of content creation.
Creating Thumbnail & Title/Description
Schedule-Focused Time-Block
Allocating focused, uninterrupted time blocks for thumbnail creation, title crafting, and description writing can facilitate deep work. It will allow you to dive deeply into these tasks and produce high-quality content with greater efficiency.
Standardize
Creating a set of templates for thumbnails and a standard format for titles and descriptions as per your channel’s identity can save you time and maintain consistency across your videos.
Outsourcing Possibility
The creation of thumbnail titles and descriptions can also be outsourced to freelancers or agencies, just like editing. This can free up your time to focus on other things and simplify your workflow to a huge extent.
Publishing & Monitoring Growth
Schedule Your Uploads
Schedule your video uploads using YouTube’s feature to publish them at optimal times for your audience. This allows you to schedule multiple videos simultaneously and ensure peace of mind.
Utilize Analytical Insights
Analyze your video analytics to understand what’s effective and what needs improvement. Use these insights to guide future content creation and optimization.
Leverage Technology
While YouTube provides a good analytics dashboard, using tools like Quintly and Tubebuddy to monitor your analytics will help you do so more effectively in less time.
By implementing these productivity hacks, you can streamline your YouTube creation process, free up valuable time, and propel your channel towards success in an efficient way.