Here are some first YouTube video ideas to get you started.  When you’re after inspiration of what to make your first few types of videos about, what to say in them and how to get started filming, I’ve got some ideas for you when you watch the video below.

If you prefer to read, the blog content is below the video …

So, what ideas do we have for our first YouTube videos?

Well let’s first decide what your content pillars are for your business.

Content pillars are the main topics that your business will talk about and are the foundation for your content marketing plan.

There are generally between 2 and 6 content pillars for your business and for me, mine are video, social media, content creation, self development and business building, so I have 5 content pillars. Therefore any content that I produce whether it’s on my website, YouTube channel or Instagram and other social media platforms, my content relates to one of these 5 topics.

These aren’t set in stone

… and yours don’t have to be either, just make your current best guess and know they are likely to change as you continue on your journey.

So for instance, if you’re a yoga teacher, your content pillars may be 1) exercises 2) nutrition 3) meditation and 4) products. This would give you 4 content pillars, so 4 main topics related to your business and you could create an endless supply of content under each one.

So maybe for your first YouTube video …

… for your yoga business, you may want to do ‘5 quick warmup techniques to prepare for your yoga session’. Forgive me, I know nothing about yoga but you understand the idea. You may want to do a video under the nutrition umbrella and that could be ‘7 healthy meals to make in under 30 minutes’ and for equipment you could review your favourite clothing that use use in your yoga sessions, you get the drift.

Note that these video ideas fit nicely under the pillar and have a title that sounds doable and solves a problem that your viewer has, with speed or ease.

Always think about answering their questions …

… solving their problems and making their life easier with ease, speed and clarity.

Always give valuable content that delivers on the promise in your title and it’s only when you’ve tested probably around your first 8 videos will you understand what’s working and what’s not.

To do research for the content that you’re going to create, there are various things you can do to find an endless supply.

First of all, go to Google and type in your niche and then space a. See what Google gives you for yoga space a, then do space b and so on until you’ve gone through the alphabet. You can also type in words such as ‘best’ before your niche or quickest, easiest, cheapest etc and these will give you many suggestions for what people are looking for. Also pay attentions to the questions that Google says that people are asking around this niche, they are shown further down the page.

Use YouTube for inspiration …

YouTube is a search engine too and will give you bags of ideas to emulate. Do not copy someone else work. It’s not right and you have absolutely no need to. You are a creative yourself and are more than capable of putting your own spin on a topic. By all means use the same keywords in your title for you topic, if someones video is ranking well, but don’t copy their content inside.

Use a tool such as ‘Keywords Everywhere’ to help with your keyword research. This is a paid tool but it’s very reasonable and should only work out at only a couple of dollars a month to use, if you purchase a credit of say $10 to start.

Another great website for video content ideas …

You can also use sites such as answerthepublic.com, where you type in your niche and it gives a massive number of suggested topics and questions being asked. You get a couple of searches a day free, so have a go and see how you like it, that’s answerthepublic.com.

Have a look in the books section of amazon

Again, type in your niche and see what comes up. Scroll down to the comments and see what’s being said, what people think is good or lacking in the book. Also see if you can click in and see the table of contents inside the book, some show you this. This is another great source of ideas for your topic and may spark an idea for you.

Always have a glance at the magazine rack in the supermarket. Pick out magazines in your niche and even ones that aren’t and see what clever headlines they use on the front covers, to grab attention.

Note these down in the notes on your phone …

Take a picture or screen shot anything you like the look of because otherwise you’ll forget. It’s nice to have a constant bank of ideas to help you consistent, which of course is helpful when it comes to growing your YouTube channel.

Now I like to have a script for my videos, this keeps me on point then know that I have included everything. You may like to ad-lib so bullet points on post it notes may work for you.

However you do it, structure your video in the following way:

• First start with a hook, something to encourage curiosity to click and watch.
• Secondly, tell the viewer what they’ll learn by the end of the video. You can also mention that if they stay around ’til the end, you’ll have a bonus piece of information too, to help with viewer retention and watch time.
• Then tell them a sentence to 2 about you and why they should trust you, so for me, I told you that I give you content that’s helped me along my business building journey so that you don’t have to make the mistakes that I did.
• I then said for you to make sure you don’t miss anything, by hitting the subscribe button and click the bell to be notified when I upload a new video for you.
• I then got into the meat of the video and started to deliver the content as per my promise.
• Make sure that you include what you said you would, and some …
• Then ask the viewer for a micro action, between your content points. I asked you to comment below on a couple of occasions. I then continued with more content as we started to talk about what to say in your videos.
• Wrap it up with a summary, any bonus content and a call to action for the viewer such as get your free download or watch another video.
• So, to sumarize, you’ve got your hook for curiosity, give them a description of what they’ll learn in the video, then a bit about you and why they should listen, then get into the content you promised. Next, ask for a micro action such as liking, commenting, subscribing and then a summary.

So now, you’re ready to film your Video …

I film my videos using my smartphone. I have it on a rig and tripod, plus I use a BOYA BY-M1 lavalier mic. I’ll link to what I use in the description below. I also use the Teleprompter app on my phone to help with my script and I talk about this and give you lots more in my free guide ’10 tips to filming like a pro with your smartphone’, so make sure you grab that HERE before you start. This gives you tips on lighting, background, audio, positioning to name a few and will certainly help to get you started.

Smartphone Camera settings for your videos

I personally film in 1080p and it’s up to you if you want to shoot in 4K, but remember it increases file size and processing but the choice is yours and you can alter this in your camera settings on your phone.

But most importantly, start where you’re at and work with what you’ve got to just get going. Don’t wait for perfection, just get your first YouTube video ideas up there with what I’ve given you and make a start.

Take a look at these other blogs HERE, they will help you too.

Here’s a list of the equipment I use:

Smartphone Rig: https://amzn.to/3n6qyjs​

Tripod: https://amzn.to/3swBB6A​

Lavalier Mic: https://amzn.to/2P2Arlq​

3.5mm Jack – Lightening Adapter: https://amzn.to/3v0YJM7​

Smartphone Rig Mic: https://amzn.to/3dwpYbu​

SC7 Cable (mic – phone) needed if using with smartphone: https://amzn.to/32ySWks​

Studio Soft Box Lights: https://amzn.to/32yh4nz​

Blue Light Blocking Glasses: https://amzn.to/3gojOvO​

Smartphone Desk Tripod: https://amzn.to/3dAeyTS​

Desk Phone Holder and selfie Light: https://amzn.to/3aqJ8h0​

Blue Yeti Mic: https://amzn.to/3gpR1XS​

How do you introduce your first YouTube Video?

I personally keep my introduction short and sharp, only because people are interested in getting the information that they came for. Although some may tell you that it increases watch time, padding and fill that aren’t related will have the adverse effect. If the viewer gets bored, then they will tune out and look for a more interest ing video.

I tend to introduce myself briefly, ‘Hello, I’m Elaine and welcome to my channel’ … I then tell the viewer what they will learn, so that they know exactly what’s in the video and if it’s for them or not.

My advice would be to keep it concise and on point, that way you will keep the correct viewer and repellants the wrong one.

What should a beginner post on YouTube?

I would say that it doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, you should always create content that’s relevant to your ideal client.  I would also suggest that your content is niched and not scattered around a topic, that way YouTube recognises you as the ‘go to’ for a particular topic, once it has worked out what your channel is about. That way it will show more of your relevant content to more people.

What are some good topics for YouTube?

Good topic ideas are topics that are relevant to your channel and business. If you can jump on a trend that’s relevant, then all well and good, great idea. Grab the traffic whilst it’s there, although only if it’s relevant, otherwise it’s a waste of time. Maybe you’ve attended a large event or visited somewhere famous that you can relate to your content? You may be able to divert some of their traffic your way.

If you’re not a business and you want to start a channel about your hobbies or what you enjoy, then create what lights you up. This way you’ll stay consistent but still keep some kind of a theme so that YouTube knows what to rank you for.

Why is video so powerful for our business?

Well for starters, our social media platforms love video and prioritise video in the algorithm, meaning that your video is more likely to get better reach than a static post, proving that your content is engaging of course.

Video also inspires people to take action better than a static post does as a video conveys emotion and your story more effectively, which can land a connection instantly.

YouTube especially, is a great asset to our business over time, as these long form videos can bring traffic to our website and business for years to come. They’re much like having a member of staff working 24 hours a day/7 days a week, without having to pay a salary!

There has never been a better time to start creating videos for our business

The barrier entry to creating videos for our business has never been lower, nor easier.  Most of us have phones in our pockets that are more than adequate to create video content and the barrier for most is the confidence to get started.

Besides which, many of your competitors still aren’t using video.

It’s a faster way to grow your audience and builds relationships, authority and trust in a way like no other content does, which is more likely to turn your audience in to life long customers.

They feel like they know you when they see your face and hear your voice regularly which increases the trust factor.

Marketing is constantly changing and now more than ever, people crave connections and true relationships. Video is the nearest thing to an in-person experience that quickly shows your authenticity and builds that alliance.

More people prefer to watch a video than read an article as it’s less effort and it’s instant information

So you can start by answering questions that you’re asked or problems that you know your audience have. When someone watches a review or a tutorial of a product on video, it gives them more confidence to make a purchasing decision and when you’re the one they trust, they’re more likely to buy from you.

Videos that show the real you, that aren’t overly polished and produced is a great way to show your personality and grow your personal brand. Just speak to the camera like you’re talking to a friend and keep it informal, whilst still being professional, and use language that make you relatable and likeable, no stuffy spiel, because people want to buy from people they like and trust, and that they feel are just like them.

So it’s easy to get started, just start with what you’ve got, most people have a smartphone which is ideal to make your videos with and it’s most definitely going to increase the visibility of you and your business.

Creating content with your smartphone to attract your ideal people is a great way to grow your list and your audience.

Using video on platforms such as YouTube gives you long term content, working 24 hours a day for years to come, creating assets within your business that you can reuse time and time again.

YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine, owned by the first largest search engine in the world, Google. This stands to reason that when you’re solving people’s problems and providing information and solutions to what they’re searching for, your growth is inevitable.

When you’re giving valuable content and you include a call to action, such as to sign up for your amazing free download, you’re going to see increased growth numbers within your business, ultimately leading to more sales.

Your video content can then be used across several platforms

… including social media, your website as well as podcasting, ensuring that you’re everywhere that your customers are, and when you’re being seen regularly, this creates authority and trust.

When viewers have watched your content, you then have the ability to show them more of the same, through retargeting them and again giving the impression that you are everywhere and increasing the visibility of your brand. This is one of the most effective and cheapest way to use paid traffic to reach your ideal people, which then gets them into your funnel and turns cold traffic to warm.

Provide them with video content that entertains, inspires, educates or that motivates them to take positive action and your content will be engaging and effective.

So make a list of what content you could produce that would have this effect on your viewers and know that video content for your business is what’s going to get you that increase in audience growth and sales.

Here’s 5 types of video content that you can do to grow your business.

1) Inspirational Content that creates affinity and connection. This is content that shows that you completely understand where your listener is at and that they can have the outcome that they desire. You could tell them about the journey that you’ve been on, let them see that you’ve had the struggles that they’re having and that you’ve overcome them by doing x, y and z.

2) Show them a different or new way with your content. Create awareness for your audience, that just because we’re told that it’s expected of us to do something in a certain way,  then we turn this around. This not only creates polarising content that affirms your core beliefs and values but it either draws or repels the listener, making sure that you have only more of the right people in your audience.

3) Inform and Educate your listeners – This is content that answers their questions and gives solutions to problems. This can be in the form of ‘how to’ videos and blogs or maybe go live with Question and Answer sessions. What questions do you get asked on a regular basis or that you see in comments on social media? Maybe you have a new product that you can showcase or review, that can really increase the buyer likelihood. Give super helpful information that gives your audience the next step.

4) Entertain – You don’t have to be a stand up comedian here, however humour does endear the people on your wavelength for sure. You can show something of interest in your business, maybe behind the scenes, or vlog at an event that you’re attending, especially if it’s within your industry or something that’s trending.  This type of content can work because it’s showing the authentic you, showing your style, humour and mannerisms that only you have and people are interested in others daily activities.

5) Case studies – This is storytelling at it’s finest when you can show a client’s story that has produced a transformation, especially the result and outcomes that your audience want. You can also strengthen this with testimonials too, which is so powerful because the endorsement is coming from someone else. You can also weave in the reasons why you do what you do and the big benefits for doing so. Team this with a tasteful sales pitch and you’re selling without being sleazy.

For me, video is the preferred choice of medium to provide content for my audience

Since creating content using video, I 3X’d my email list in the first 6 months and doubled my Instagram following in the same period. It’s also allowed me to make deeper connections with my audience and I’ve found the same loyal fans engage consistently. This all contributes to the ‘know, like and trust’ factor that is crucial for people to spend money with you.

Video just makes it so much easier for me to have a constant supply of content for my platforms. I create a video and I then repurpose this information to drive traffic across all platforms and use it as a content carousel. We all have a smartphone these days, which makes it so easy to put content out, so get started with your smartphone video today ago grow your business faster.

This isn’t complicated or overwhelming when you have a plan, so what’s your reason for not getting started with video with your smartphone today?

Happy filming!

Here’s a free guide ’10 tips to filming like a pro with your smartphone’, so make sure you grab that HERE before you start. This gives you tips on lighting, background, audio, positioning to name a few and will certainly help to get you started.