Creating a Video for YouTube or GoodTube

aster internet speeds mean websites with rich media capabilities.   YouTube, GoodTube and GodTube are all video sharing sites that millions of people visit each day.  The ability to reach a worldwide audience is as simple as uploading. You know the technology is there, you know the audience exists now what to say.

There isn’t a  formula for a successful online video it depends on a number of factors- your message, your audience and your platform.  It is important to lay out a simple plan for the videos you put online considering all of these things.

The first step of any successful campaign is to watch your competition. When considering online video, don’t just watch non profit videos or cause related videos watch all videos. You are competing for the attention of the online audience, everything is game.  Take some time to watch the most popular YouTube videos in all categories. Then take sometime to watch popular videos that relate to your cause on more specific sites like GodTube, GoodTube or DoGooder.tv. Take note of the videos that capture your attention and those that don’t.

Then select five videos from the ones you view and put them in one of the following categories:

Humor- videos that get attention and keep it with something absurd
Dramatic- videos that grab your attention by focusing on the drama of a situation
Edgy- captures your attention by challenging your views
Emotional – video that captures your attention by playing to one of your emotions
Sexual(non pornographic)- captures your attention by appealing to ones sexual nature

After you have categorized the five videos ask yourself, which category could I use to tell the online world about my cause? Then focus on that category, watch the videos you put in that category, watch the first thirty seconds and try to identify what caught your attention. Watch the rest and identify what held your attention.  Now ask how can I incorporate this into my video?

It is also good to take sometime and watch a couple awful videos. Videos that don’t hold your attention, bore you in the first 10 seconds and ones you would never watch again. If you start mentally taking note of the good and the bad in online videos you will teach yourself how to create a great video.

Stay tuned to GoodBlog for more video tips. If you want some sound advice on production check out these simple production tips from the producer of “Profiles In Caring”. An emmy nominated tv series about non profit organizations and volunteering.