From DIYs and relationships, to being yourself and exploring the globe, we asked 10 creators attending Buffer Festival this year on their top tips for crafting and producing the best content on YouTube.
Kent Heckel on Being a Student and a YouTube creator
You will never be able to take any steps forward in making videos if you aren’t confident or believe in yourself. If you want to talk to a camera and upload that to YouTube, confidence is more important than anything. Do what you do for a reason and make content for yourself, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t make videos or aren’t welcome in this community.
The Sorry Girls on the Craft of DIY-ing
Don’t get stuck on the small steps. The majority of the time we question if our DIY is heading in the right direction but in the very end we are so proud of the final result after everything comes together. We have found that practice makes perfect, both for DIY-ing and our YouTube channel. The more you work at something the easier it becomes and the better your finished product will be. That being said, no one is perfect but as long as you are challenging yourself and growing, that’s all that matters.
Raya Encheva on Travelling and Creating Content Online
It can be really difficult to find the time to manage, edit and post the content, but it’s extremely helpful to create a bit of a routine for yourself. Whether it’s before bed or in the morning, find what works for you and stick with it. When it comes to what you’re creating, remember that people want to watch your videos for you! Make it a bit personal – show your experience, and share your thoughts as you go.
Michael Rizzi on Creating Sex-Ed videos
Find a way to marry education with entertainment. Think back to health class in high school–no one was seriously listening because it was all dry sex education. I think in order to get people listening and engaging with sex education, there needs to be comedy and personal anecdotes.I think that kind of content speaks to people because there’s likability and a feeling of humanness!
Hannah Witton on Creating Relationship Based videos
My main tips is to be open-minded to learning new things from people who comment on your videos. Also, try to be as inclusive as possible in the language you use.
Corey Vidal on Getting Started
If you’re having trouble getting started on YouTube, go look at some of your favourite YouTuber’s first videos. Chances are, those videos are something they’re really embarrassed about. I cringe at my first 5 years of videos! Don’t worry about making your first video perfect. Just start creating. You’ll get better over time. Videomakers don’t make “video”, they make “videos”! So get creating.
Anna Brisbin on Being Yourself
The internet is a gigantic place. No matter what, there will be somebody out there who loves exactly what you do and would love to see people like you on YouTube. There’s a place for everyone.
Tim Kellner on the Best Shooting Times Wherever You Are
When I’m shooting photos and video, the first thing I look for is the light. My favorite time to shoot is in the blue hour right before sunrise and then the first few minutes right after. Good or interesting lighting can make something that might normally be boring into a great image. It’s just another tool you can use to show emotion in your shots.
Nadine Sykora on Travelling as a Career
Learning how to create videos and how to travel are two very different things. To be a travel vlogger, you have to practice both. Try and master both separately, before combining them, that way you’re not overwhelmed. If you’ve never traveled before, take your first trip without your camera and just learn how to travel and get around. Then on your next trip, bring the camera and start recording!
Karen Kavett on Balancing Projects
Have both a to-do list and a calendar. Put deadlines and video publishing dates on your calendar as an overview of everything you have going on. Then, put your to-do list in a Google Doc so it’s easy to move things around. Write down what you’re going to be doing each day for the next two weeks, which gives you a clear agenda so that you can be sure to finish all of your projects by their deadlines.
Janine Maral is culture writer and content strategist. She enjoys podcasts, Notion, and internet communities.
