How to Mix Text & Video on a Shoestring Budget

How to Add Video to Text

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

It may be challenging to capture the attention of your audience if the video openings or PowerPoint presentations contain too much text. Striking a perfect balance between the visual and textual elements isn’t always easy, especially if the text is the only way to convey essential information to the audience.

Luckily, video editing and presentation software products offer the tools you will need to combine video and text. In this article, we are going to show you how to add a video to text in PowerPoint and Filmora.

Part 1: How to Add Video to Text for Free with PowerPoint?

An effective PowerPoint presentation should contain proportionate amounts of textual and visual elements. Using too many images, videos or animations can make following a presentation difficult, just as too much text can render a presentation too static.

Adding videos to titles or subtitles you include in a slideshow you’re creating in PowerPoint can help you create a presentation that is both informative and visually entertaining. The process of combining videos with text in PowerPoint isn’t overly complicated, but you will still need to go through it several times in order to become familiar with it.

You should start by creating a new slide and adding a textbox to it. Proceed to type the word or phrase into the textbox and go on to format the text. Pick the font that matches the style of your presentation and make sure that the text size is large enough for the video to be visible.

Head over to the Insert tab, select Rectangle from the Shapes menu, and create a rectangular shape over the entire slide. Right-click on the slide and choose the Send to Back option from the menu. In this manner, you will position the rectangle you created behind the textbox.

The next step you will have to take is to create the cut-out of the text within the rectangle. Select both the text and shape you placed in the background before clicking on the Format tab that is located near the end of PowerPoint’s ribbon.

Find the Insert Shape option and choose Subtract from the Merge Shapes drop-down menu. The shape of the text in the textbox will be applied to the object in the background, which enables you to add a video to that text.

Click on the Insert tab, and then choose the Video option from the Media menu. You can insert a video that is stored on a local hard drive or the Internet to PowerPoint. The video will cover the entire slide, so you must right-click on it and select the Send to Back option.

You can then fine-tune the video playback settings from the Playback tab. Preview the results before you move on to the next slide in your presentation, and make necessary adjustments if you don’t like how the video merged with the text.

Part 2: Adding Video to Text in Filmora

Besides presentation software, you can also use video editing software products to add a video to text. Filmora lets you add a video to text in just a few simple steps. You can first make a text video with animation first, and then use the picture in picture feature to add the video to text. Here are the detailed information about how to add a video to text in Filmora.

You should start by creating a new project in Filmora and importing the video you want to add to the text into the project. Click on the Titles tab, and choose the title that matches the visual style of your project.

Set the preferred duration of the title by dragging one of its ends to the left or right after you place it on the timeline, and then double-click on it to customize it. Click on the Advanced button once the Text tab opens and insert the text into the Input Text box.

Proceed to select a font and adjust the text size before deciding if you want to animate the text . When done, you should export the title as a video file, and then import it back into your project.

Now it’s time to add the text video and the background video to the project media library, and then place the two videos one above the other. Since we’re adding video to text, the text video should be placed above the background video.

Click on the video that contains text to gain access to the Video tab of the Editor panel and then expand the Compositing menu. Change the Blending Mode to Multiply, and the text in the overlaying video should be filled with the parts of the footage from the video below it.

Optionally you can enhance the colors in the background video or adjust the size of the text before exporting your project from Filmora.

Conclusion

There are so many different ways to create visually striking content, and adding videos to text is just one among numerous techniques that enable you to make a PowerPoint presentation or an opening of a video more interesting to watch.

Merging text with video is equally easy in PowerPoint and Filmora, so you just have to choose which software better suits your needs and select the materials that fit the style of your project. Learning how to add a video to text won’t take too much of your time, as this process can be completed in just a few quick steps. Which software are you using to add a video to text? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

It may be challenging to capture the attention of your audience if the video openings or PowerPoint presentations contain too much text. Striking a perfect balance between the visual and textual elements isn’t always easy, especially if the text is the only way to convey essential information to the audience.

Luckily, video editing and presentation software products offer the tools you will need to combine video and text. In this article, we are going to show you how to add a video to text in PowerPoint and Filmora.

Part 1: How to Add Video to Text for Free with PowerPoint?

An effective PowerPoint presentation should contain proportionate amounts of textual and visual elements. Using too many images, videos or animations can make following a presentation difficult, just as too much text can render a presentation too static.

Adding videos to titles or subtitles you include in a slideshow you’re creating in PowerPoint can help you create a presentation that is both informative and visually entertaining. The process of combining videos with text in PowerPoint isn’t overly complicated, but you will still need to go through it several times in order to become familiar with it.

You should start by creating a new slide and adding a textbox to it. Proceed to type the word or phrase into the textbox and go on to format the text. Pick the font that matches the style of your presentation and make sure that the text size is large enough for the video to be visible.

Head over to the Insert tab, select Rectangle from the Shapes menu, and create a rectangular shape over the entire slide. Right-click on the slide and choose the Send to Back option from the menu. In this manner, you will position the rectangle you created behind the textbox.

The next step you will have to take is to create the cut-out of the text within the rectangle. Select both the text and shape you placed in the background before clicking on the Format tab that is located near the end of PowerPoint’s ribbon.

Find the Insert Shape option and choose Subtract from the Merge Shapes drop-down menu. The shape of the text in the textbox will be applied to the object in the background, which enables you to add a video to that text.

Click on the Insert tab, and then choose the Video option from the Media menu. You can insert a video that is stored on a local hard drive or the Internet to PowerPoint. The video will cover the entire slide, so you must right-click on it and select the Send to Back option.

You can then fine-tune the video playback settings from the Playback tab. Preview the results before you move on to the next slide in your presentation, and make necessary adjustments if you don’t like how the video merged with the text.

Part 2: Adding Video to Text in Filmora

Besides presentation software, you can also use video editing software products to add a video to text. Filmora lets you add a video to text in just a few simple steps. You can first make a text video with animation first, and then use the picture in picture feature to add the video to text. Here are the detailed information about how to add a video to text in Filmora.

You should start by creating a new project in Filmora and importing the video you want to add to the text into the project. Click on the Titles tab, and choose the title that matches the visual style of your project.

Set the preferred duration of the title by dragging one of its ends to the left or right after you place it on the timeline, and then double-click on it to customize it. Click on the Advanced button once the Text tab opens and insert the text into the Input Text box.

Proceed to select a font and adjust the text size before deciding if you want to animate the text . When done, you should export the title as a video file, and then import it back into your project.

Now it’s time to add the text video and the background video to the project media library, and then place the two videos one above the other. Since we’re adding video to text, the text video should be placed above the background video.

Click on the video that contains text to gain access to the Video tab of the Editor panel and then expand the Compositing menu. Change the Blending Mode to Multiply, and the text in the overlaying video should be filled with the parts of the footage from the video below it.

Optionally you can enhance the colors in the background video or adjust the size of the text before exporting your project from Filmora.

Conclusion

There are so many different ways to create visually striking content, and adding videos to text is just one among numerous techniques that enable you to make a PowerPoint presentation or an opening of a video more interesting to watch.

Merging text with video is equally easy in PowerPoint and Filmora, so you just have to choose which software better suits your needs and select the materials that fit the style of your project. Learning how to add a video to text won’t take too much of your time, as this process can be completed in just a few quick steps. Which software are you using to add a video to text? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

It may be challenging to capture the attention of your audience if the video openings or PowerPoint presentations contain too much text. Striking a perfect balance between the visual and textual elements isn’t always easy, especially if the text is the only way to convey essential information to the audience.

Luckily, video editing and presentation software products offer the tools you will need to combine video and text. In this article, we are going to show you how to add a video to text in PowerPoint and Filmora.

Part 1: How to Add Video to Text for Free with PowerPoint?

An effective PowerPoint presentation should contain proportionate amounts of textual and visual elements. Using too many images, videos or animations can make following a presentation difficult, just as too much text can render a presentation too static.

Adding videos to titles or subtitles you include in a slideshow you’re creating in PowerPoint can help you create a presentation that is both informative and visually entertaining. The process of combining videos with text in PowerPoint isn’t overly complicated, but you will still need to go through it several times in order to become familiar with it.

You should start by creating a new slide and adding a textbox to it. Proceed to type the word or phrase into the textbox and go on to format the text. Pick the font that matches the style of your presentation and make sure that the text size is large enough for the video to be visible.

Head over to the Insert tab, select Rectangle from the Shapes menu, and create a rectangular shape over the entire slide. Right-click on the slide and choose the Send to Back option from the menu. In this manner, you will position the rectangle you created behind the textbox.

The next step you will have to take is to create the cut-out of the text within the rectangle. Select both the text and shape you placed in the background before clicking on the Format tab that is located near the end of PowerPoint’s ribbon.

Find the Insert Shape option and choose Subtract from the Merge Shapes drop-down menu. The shape of the text in the textbox will be applied to the object in the background, which enables you to add a video to that text.

Click on the Insert tab, and then choose the Video option from the Media menu. You can insert a video that is stored on a local hard drive or the Internet to PowerPoint. The video will cover the entire slide, so you must right-click on it and select the Send to Back option.

You can then fine-tune the video playback settings from the Playback tab. Preview the results before you move on to the next slide in your presentation, and make necessary adjustments if you don’t like how the video merged with the text.

Part 2: Adding Video to Text in Filmora

Besides presentation software, you can also use video editing software products to add a video to text. Filmora lets you add a video to text in just a few simple steps. You can first make a text video with animation first, and then use the picture in picture feature to add the video to text. Here are the detailed information about how to add a video to text in Filmora.

You should start by creating a new project in Filmora and importing the video you want to add to the text into the project. Click on the Titles tab, and choose the title that matches the visual style of your project.

Set the preferred duration of the title by dragging one of its ends to the left or right after you place it on the timeline, and then double-click on it to customize it. Click on the Advanced button once the Text tab opens and insert the text into the Input Text box.

Proceed to select a font and adjust the text size before deciding if you want to animate the text . When done, you should export the title as a video file, and then import it back into your project.

Now it’s time to add the text video and the background video to the project media library, and then place the two videos one above the other. Since we’re adding video to text, the text video should be placed above the background video.

Click on the video that contains text to gain access to the Video tab of the Editor panel and then expand the Compositing menu. Change the Blending Mode to Multiply, and the text in the overlaying video should be filled with the parts of the footage from the video below it.

Optionally you can enhance the colors in the background video or adjust the size of the text before exporting your project from Filmora.

Conclusion

There are so many different ways to create visually striking content, and adding videos to text is just one among numerous techniques that enable you to make a PowerPoint presentation or an opening of a video more interesting to watch.

Merging text with video is equally easy in PowerPoint and Filmora, so you just have to choose which software better suits your needs and select the materials that fit the style of your project. Learning how to add a video to text won’t take too much of your time, as this process can be completed in just a few quick steps. Which software are you using to add a video to text? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

It may be challenging to capture the attention of your audience if the video openings or PowerPoint presentations contain too much text. Striking a perfect balance between the visual and textual elements isn’t always easy, especially if the text is the only way to convey essential information to the audience.

Luckily, video editing and presentation software products offer the tools you will need to combine video and text. In this article, we are going to show you how to add a video to text in PowerPoint and Filmora.

Part 1: How to Add Video to Text for Free with PowerPoint?

An effective PowerPoint presentation should contain proportionate amounts of textual and visual elements. Using too many images, videos or animations can make following a presentation difficult, just as too much text can render a presentation too static.

Adding videos to titles or subtitles you include in a slideshow you’re creating in PowerPoint can help you create a presentation that is both informative and visually entertaining. The process of combining videos with text in PowerPoint isn’t overly complicated, but you will still need to go through it several times in order to become familiar with it.

You should start by creating a new slide and adding a textbox to it. Proceed to type the word or phrase into the textbox and go on to format the text. Pick the font that matches the style of your presentation and make sure that the text size is large enough for the video to be visible.

Head over to the Insert tab, select Rectangle from the Shapes menu, and create a rectangular shape over the entire slide. Right-click on the slide and choose the Send to Back option from the menu. In this manner, you will position the rectangle you created behind the textbox.

The next step you will have to take is to create the cut-out of the text within the rectangle. Select both the text and shape you placed in the background before clicking on the Format tab that is located near the end of PowerPoint’s ribbon.

Find the Insert Shape option and choose Subtract from the Merge Shapes drop-down menu. The shape of the text in the textbox will be applied to the object in the background, which enables you to add a video to that text.

Click on the Insert tab, and then choose the Video option from the Media menu. You can insert a video that is stored on a local hard drive or the Internet to PowerPoint. The video will cover the entire slide, so you must right-click on it and select the Send to Back option.

You can then fine-tune the video playback settings from the Playback tab. Preview the results before you move on to the next slide in your presentation, and make necessary adjustments if you don’t like how the video merged with the text.

Part 2: Adding Video to Text in Filmora

Besides presentation software, you can also use video editing software products to add a video to text. Filmora lets you add a video to text in just a few simple steps. You can first make a text video with animation first, and then use the picture in picture feature to add the video to text. Here are the detailed information about how to add a video to text in Filmora.

You should start by creating a new project in Filmora and importing the video you want to add to the text into the project. Click on the Titles tab, and choose the title that matches the visual style of your project.

Set the preferred duration of the title by dragging one of its ends to the left or right after you place it on the timeline, and then double-click on it to customize it. Click on the Advanced button once the Text tab opens and insert the text into the Input Text box.

Proceed to select a font and adjust the text size before deciding if you want to animate the text . When done, you should export the title as a video file, and then import it back into your project.

Now it’s time to add the text video and the background video to the project media library, and then place the two videos one above the other. Since we’re adding video to text, the text video should be placed above the background video.

Click on the video that contains text to gain access to the Video tab of the Editor panel and then expand the Compositing menu. Change the Blending Mode to Multiply, and the text in the overlaying video should be filled with the parts of the footage from the video below it.

Optionally you can enhance the colors in the background video or adjust the size of the text before exporting your project from Filmora.

Conclusion

There are so many different ways to create visually striking content, and adding videos to text is just one among numerous techniques that enable you to make a PowerPoint presentation or an opening of a video more interesting to watch.

Merging text with video is equally easy in PowerPoint and Filmora, so you just have to choose which software better suits your needs and select the materials that fit the style of your project. Learning how to add a video to text won’t take too much of your time, as this process can be completed in just a few quick steps. Which software are you using to add a video to text? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Initiating a Thriving YouTube Channel? Avoid These 8 Essential Blunders

8 Mistakes People Should Avoid as a New YouTuber

Richard Bennett

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

In the ten years that I’ve been a YouTuber, I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I learned from those mistakes and have helped many new YouTubers start their own channels. Here is a list of eight common mistakes that new YouTubers should avoid, along with tips to do things in a better way.

1. Failing to have a long-term vision

One common mistake that a lot of new YouTubers make is failing to have a long-term vision. Without a long-term vision, you’re more likely to poorly brand your YouTube channel, drop your YouTube channel activity in busier times, and, midway through, change the type of content you create and upload. None of these are good for your channel!

If you can think of the kind of content you’ll love to consistently create and share in the long-run, you’ll not only be able to narrow down your brand and effectively communicate to your audience who you are and what your channel is all about, but you’ll also have a better idea on what to put out next.

2. Choosing an ineffective custom URL

Another mistake I made with my first YouTube channel was choosing an ineffective custom URL. Because my last name is Kim, I wanted to make my custom URL “YouTube.com/kimagination.” But it wasn’t available. So, I took “kimaginati0n” with a zero where the “o” should be. I thought it was a good idea back then but it was a terrible idea.

Choose a custom URL with words that can’t be confused with other similar-sounding words. For consistency across all your different social media accounts, try to choose a custom URL that matches the usernames of all your other social media channels. If the username you want isn’t available, then keep on trying to come up with a good name that is available. When you’ve secured the same username across all your different social media channels, you can then very simply promote yourself and all your social media channels by displaying just the social media icons followed by your one username.

3. Coming up with titles that won’t get searched

Many new YouTubers make the mistake of titling their videos in an ineffective way. Rather than coming up with titles that more people might search, they either come up with titles that summarize what the video is about as a whole or title their videos the way big YouTubers do.

Big YouTubers can take advantage of non-searched, curiosity evoking titles like “You won’t believe what just happened…” because they already have a huge following. Their channels aren’t depending on getting discovered through search. But yours is. So come up with titles that people are actually searching.

As an example, let’s suppose you vlogged your time backpacking around Europe last summer. Don’t title your YouTube video “My Summer Backpacking Trip.” Instead, title it “Going Up The Eiffel Tower | Beautiful View of Paris!” This way, all the people who are curious about visiting Paris, the Eiffel Tower, and seeing what the view is like from the top of the Eiffel Tower might find your video.

4. Failing to have a thumbnail strategy

New YouTubers tend to think about their thumbnail images after they’ve finished editing their videos together. This is way too late in the process for something that is so incredibly important in getting views.

Even before filming, you should think about how you’re going to title your video to get the most views. After that, you should then try to picture, in your head, a thumbnail image that matches your title and creates curiosity and excitement. When you go into filming, you can then make sure to include some footage of you recreating that image.

5. Making weak intros

After you’ve managed to get someone to click on your video through your effective title and thumbnail image strategy, the next challenge is to keep that person watching your video without closing it too early. A typical viewer on YouTube decides within the first ten to fifteen seconds of landing on a video whether or not he or she will stay or leave. This short window of time is so important to set the tone of the rest of your video and build excitement and curiosity in your viewer with an effective, high-energy intro.

New YouTubers often make the mistake of having weak intros. Starting at the beginning of a story makes sense, right? The beginning, however, is not always the most exciting. Consequently, new YouTubers lose their audience’s attention too early on.

To read more on how some of the most successful YouTubers effectively do their intros, check out my blogpost on “How To Edit YouTube Videos Like a YouTuber .”

6. Forgetting to engage with subscribers

An important thing to do as a new YouTuber is engaging with your subscribers. Some new YouTubers, though, are so focused and busy with the production side of things that they forget to do the community side of things, including responding to comments. By not responding to comments as a new YouTuber, you hurt your potential to get more comments consistently from your subscribers. If your video’s comments section is very active, YouTube ranks your video higher in the videos it recommends to viewers.

Connecting with your audience shouldn’t just be limited to YouTube either. Use your other social media channels to connect with your audience as well.

7. Not promoting with social media

YouTube isn’t the only social media platform that people are spending their time on. People are spending their time on all kinds of different social media platforms, like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The more content in all of these platforms that you create to promote your video, the more potential your video has to be seen by their users.

New YouTubers sometimes forget to promote their videos and channel using other social media platforms. Consequently, they miss out on the opportunity to get views from multiple sources of social media.

8. Spamming comments

Commenting on other YouTube videos is another way to get your channel discovered from people reading over comments. If your profile picture and comment appears interesting enough, out of curiosity, people just might click your username to have a look at your channel.

But rather than leaving interesting comments that are related to the video, rather than adding to the conversation, some new YouTubers desperate to get more subscribers make the mistake of spamming videos with “check out my YouTube channel!” comments.

Spam comments annoy YouTubers. It would be much more beneficial to your channel to build good relationships with other YouTubers to possibly collaborate on a video together in the future.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

In the ten years that I’ve been a YouTuber, I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I learned from those mistakes and have helped many new YouTubers start their own channels. Here is a list of eight common mistakes that new YouTubers should avoid, along with tips to do things in a better way.

1. Failing to have a long-term vision

One common mistake that a lot of new YouTubers make is failing to have a long-term vision. Without a long-term vision, you’re more likely to poorly brand your YouTube channel, drop your YouTube channel activity in busier times, and, midway through, change the type of content you create and upload. None of these are good for your channel!

If you can think of the kind of content you’ll love to consistently create and share in the long-run, you’ll not only be able to narrow down your brand and effectively communicate to your audience who you are and what your channel is all about, but you’ll also have a better idea on what to put out next.

2. Choosing an ineffective custom URL

Another mistake I made with my first YouTube channel was choosing an ineffective custom URL. Because my last name is Kim, I wanted to make my custom URL “YouTube.com/kimagination.” But it wasn’t available. So, I took “kimaginati0n” with a zero where the “o” should be. I thought it was a good idea back then but it was a terrible idea.

Choose a custom URL with words that can’t be confused with other similar-sounding words. For consistency across all your different social media accounts, try to choose a custom URL that matches the usernames of all your other social media channels. If the username you want isn’t available, then keep on trying to come up with a good name that is available. When you’ve secured the same username across all your different social media channels, you can then very simply promote yourself and all your social media channels by displaying just the social media icons followed by your one username.

3. Coming up with titles that won’t get searched

Many new YouTubers make the mistake of titling their videos in an ineffective way. Rather than coming up with titles that more people might search, they either come up with titles that summarize what the video is about as a whole or title their videos the way big YouTubers do.

Big YouTubers can take advantage of non-searched, curiosity evoking titles like “You won’t believe what just happened…” because they already have a huge following. Their channels aren’t depending on getting discovered through search. But yours is. So come up with titles that people are actually searching.

As an example, let’s suppose you vlogged your time backpacking around Europe last summer. Don’t title your YouTube video “My Summer Backpacking Trip.” Instead, title it “Going Up The Eiffel Tower | Beautiful View of Paris!” This way, all the people who are curious about visiting Paris, the Eiffel Tower, and seeing what the view is like from the top of the Eiffel Tower might find your video.

4. Failing to have a thumbnail strategy

New YouTubers tend to think about their thumbnail images after they’ve finished editing their videos together. This is way too late in the process for something that is so incredibly important in getting views.

Even before filming, you should think about how you’re going to title your video to get the most views. After that, you should then try to picture, in your head, a thumbnail image that matches your title and creates curiosity and excitement. When you go into filming, you can then make sure to include some footage of you recreating that image.

5. Making weak intros

After you’ve managed to get someone to click on your video through your effective title and thumbnail image strategy, the next challenge is to keep that person watching your video without closing it too early. A typical viewer on YouTube decides within the first ten to fifteen seconds of landing on a video whether or not he or she will stay or leave. This short window of time is so important to set the tone of the rest of your video and build excitement and curiosity in your viewer with an effective, high-energy intro.

New YouTubers often make the mistake of having weak intros. Starting at the beginning of a story makes sense, right? The beginning, however, is not always the most exciting. Consequently, new YouTubers lose their audience’s attention too early on.

To read more on how some of the most successful YouTubers effectively do their intros, check out my blogpost on “How To Edit YouTube Videos Like a YouTuber .”

6. Forgetting to engage with subscribers

An important thing to do as a new YouTuber is engaging with your subscribers. Some new YouTubers, though, are so focused and busy with the production side of things that they forget to do the community side of things, including responding to comments. By not responding to comments as a new YouTuber, you hurt your potential to get more comments consistently from your subscribers. If your video’s comments section is very active, YouTube ranks your video higher in the videos it recommends to viewers.

Connecting with your audience shouldn’t just be limited to YouTube either. Use your other social media channels to connect with your audience as well.

7. Not promoting with social media

YouTube isn’t the only social media platform that people are spending their time on. People are spending their time on all kinds of different social media platforms, like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The more content in all of these platforms that you create to promote your video, the more potential your video has to be seen by their users.

New YouTubers sometimes forget to promote their videos and channel using other social media platforms. Consequently, they miss out on the opportunity to get views from multiple sources of social media.

8. Spamming comments

Commenting on other YouTube videos is another way to get your channel discovered from people reading over comments. If your profile picture and comment appears interesting enough, out of curiosity, people just might click your username to have a look at your channel.

But rather than leaving interesting comments that are related to the video, rather than adding to the conversation, some new YouTubers desperate to get more subscribers make the mistake of spamming videos with “check out my YouTube channel!” comments.

Spam comments annoy YouTubers. It would be much more beneficial to your channel to build good relationships with other YouTubers to possibly collaborate on a video together in the future.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

In the ten years that I’ve been a YouTuber, I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I learned from those mistakes and have helped many new YouTubers start their own channels. Here is a list of eight common mistakes that new YouTubers should avoid, along with tips to do things in a better way.

1. Failing to have a long-term vision

One common mistake that a lot of new YouTubers make is failing to have a long-term vision. Without a long-term vision, you’re more likely to poorly brand your YouTube channel, drop your YouTube channel activity in busier times, and, midway through, change the type of content you create and upload. None of these are good for your channel!

If you can think of the kind of content you’ll love to consistently create and share in the long-run, you’ll not only be able to narrow down your brand and effectively communicate to your audience who you are and what your channel is all about, but you’ll also have a better idea on what to put out next.

2. Choosing an ineffective custom URL

Another mistake I made with my first YouTube channel was choosing an ineffective custom URL. Because my last name is Kim, I wanted to make my custom URL “YouTube.com/kimagination.” But it wasn’t available. So, I took “kimaginati0n” with a zero where the “o” should be. I thought it was a good idea back then but it was a terrible idea.

Choose a custom URL with words that can’t be confused with other similar-sounding words. For consistency across all your different social media accounts, try to choose a custom URL that matches the usernames of all your other social media channels. If the username you want isn’t available, then keep on trying to come up with a good name that is available. When you’ve secured the same username across all your different social media channels, you can then very simply promote yourself and all your social media channels by displaying just the social media icons followed by your one username.

3. Coming up with titles that won’t get searched

Many new YouTubers make the mistake of titling their videos in an ineffective way. Rather than coming up with titles that more people might search, they either come up with titles that summarize what the video is about as a whole or title their videos the way big YouTubers do.

Big YouTubers can take advantage of non-searched, curiosity evoking titles like “You won’t believe what just happened…” because they already have a huge following. Their channels aren’t depending on getting discovered through search. But yours is. So come up with titles that people are actually searching.

As an example, let’s suppose you vlogged your time backpacking around Europe last summer. Don’t title your YouTube video “My Summer Backpacking Trip.” Instead, title it “Going Up The Eiffel Tower | Beautiful View of Paris!” This way, all the people who are curious about visiting Paris, the Eiffel Tower, and seeing what the view is like from the top of the Eiffel Tower might find your video.

4. Failing to have a thumbnail strategy

New YouTubers tend to think about their thumbnail images after they’ve finished editing their videos together. This is way too late in the process for something that is so incredibly important in getting views.

Even before filming, you should think about how you’re going to title your video to get the most views. After that, you should then try to picture, in your head, a thumbnail image that matches your title and creates curiosity and excitement. When you go into filming, you can then make sure to include some footage of you recreating that image.

5. Making weak intros

After you’ve managed to get someone to click on your video through your effective title and thumbnail image strategy, the next challenge is to keep that person watching your video without closing it too early. A typical viewer on YouTube decides within the first ten to fifteen seconds of landing on a video whether or not he or she will stay or leave. This short window of time is so important to set the tone of the rest of your video and build excitement and curiosity in your viewer with an effective, high-energy intro.

New YouTubers often make the mistake of having weak intros. Starting at the beginning of a story makes sense, right? The beginning, however, is not always the most exciting. Consequently, new YouTubers lose their audience’s attention too early on.

To read more on how some of the most successful YouTubers effectively do their intros, check out my blogpost on “How To Edit YouTube Videos Like a YouTuber .”

6. Forgetting to engage with subscribers

An important thing to do as a new YouTuber is engaging with your subscribers. Some new YouTubers, though, are so focused and busy with the production side of things that they forget to do the community side of things, including responding to comments. By not responding to comments as a new YouTuber, you hurt your potential to get more comments consistently from your subscribers. If your video’s comments section is very active, YouTube ranks your video higher in the videos it recommends to viewers.

Connecting with your audience shouldn’t just be limited to YouTube either. Use your other social media channels to connect with your audience as well.

7. Not promoting with social media

YouTube isn’t the only social media platform that people are spending their time on. People are spending their time on all kinds of different social media platforms, like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The more content in all of these platforms that you create to promote your video, the more potential your video has to be seen by their users.

New YouTubers sometimes forget to promote their videos and channel using other social media platforms. Consequently, they miss out on the opportunity to get views from multiple sources of social media.

8. Spamming comments

Commenting on other YouTube videos is another way to get your channel discovered from people reading over comments. If your profile picture and comment appears interesting enough, out of curiosity, people just might click your username to have a look at your channel.

But rather than leaving interesting comments that are related to the video, rather than adding to the conversation, some new YouTubers desperate to get more subscribers make the mistake of spamming videos with “check out my YouTube channel!” comments.

Spam comments annoy YouTubers. It would be much more beneficial to your channel to build good relationships with other YouTubers to possibly collaborate on a video together in the future.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

In the ten years that I’ve been a YouTuber, I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I learned from those mistakes and have helped many new YouTubers start their own channels. Here is a list of eight common mistakes that new YouTubers should avoid, along with tips to do things in a better way.

1. Failing to have a long-term vision

One common mistake that a lot of new YouTubers make is failing to have a long-term vision. Without a long-term vision, you’re more likely to poorly brand your YouTube channel, drop your YouTube channel activity in busier times, and, midway through, change the type of content you create and upload. None of these are good for your channel!

If you can think of the kind of content you’ll love to consistently create and share in the long-run, you’ll not only be able to narrow down your brand and effectively communicate to your audience who you are and what your channel is all about, but you’ll also have a better idea on what to put out next.

2. Choosing an ineffective custom URL

Another mistake I made with my first YouTube channel was choosing an ineffective custom URL. Because my last name is Kim, I wanted to make my custom URL “YouTube.com/kimagination.” But it wasn’t available. So, I took “kimaginati0n” with a zero where the “o” should be. I thought it was a good idea back then but it was a terrible idea.

Choose a custom URL with words that can’t be confused with other similar-sounding words. For consistency across all your different social media accounts, try to choose a custom URL that matches the usernames of all your other social media channels. If the username you want isn’t available, then keep on trying to come up with a good name that is available. When you’ve secured the same username across all your different social media channels, you can then very simply promote yourself and all your social media channels by displaying just the social media icons followed by your one username.

3. Coming up with titles that won’t get searched

Many new YouTubers make the mistake of titling their videos in an ineffective way. Rather than coming up with titles that more people might search, they either come up with titles that summarize what the video is about as a whole or title their videos the way big YouTubers do.

Big YouTubers can take advantage of non-searched, curiosity evoking titles like “You won’t believe what just happened…” because they already have a huge following. Their channels aren’t depending on getting discovered through search. But yours is. So come up with titles that people are actually searching.

As an example, let’s suppose you vlogged your time backpacking around Europe last summer. Don’t title your YouTube video “My Summer Backpacking Trip.” Instead, title it “Going Up The Eiffel Tower | Beautiful View of Paris!” This way, all the people who are curious about visiting Paris, the Eiffel Tower, and seeing what the view is like from the top of the Eiffel Tower might find your video.

4. Failing to have a thumbnail strategy

New YouTubers tend to think about their thumbnail images after they’ve finished editing their videos together. This is way too late in the process for something that is so incredibly important in getting views.

Even before filming, you should think about how you’re going to title your video to get the most views. After that, you should then try to picture, in your head, a thumbnail image that matches your title and creates curiosity and excitement. When you go into filming, you can then make sure to include some footage of you recreating that image.

5. Making weak intros

After you’ve managed to get someone to click on your video through your effective title and thumbnail image strategy, the next challenge is to keep that person watching your video without closing it too early. A typical viewer on YouTube decides within the first ten to fifteen seconds of landing on a video whether or not he or she will stay or leave. This short window of time is so important to set the tone of the rest of your video and build excitement and curiosity in your viewer with an effective, high-energy intro.

New YouTubers often make the mistake of having weak intros. Starting at the beginning of a story makes sense, right? The beginning, however, is not always the most exciting. Consequently, new YouTubers lose their audience’s attention too early on.

To read more on how some of the most successful YouTubers effectively do their intros, check out my blogpost on “How To Edit YouTube Videos Like a YouTuber .”

6. Forgetting to engage with subscribers

An important thing to do as a new YouTuber is engaging with your subscribers. Some new YouTubers, though, are so focused and busy with the production side of things that they forget to do the community side of things, including responding to comments. By not responding to comments as a new YouTuber, you hurt your potential to get more comments consistently from your subscribers. If your video’s comments section is very active, YouTube ranks your video higher in the videos it recommends to viewers.

Connecting with your audience shouldn’t just be limited to YouTube either. Use your other social media channels to connect with your audience as well.

7. Not promoting with social media

YouTube isn’t the only social media platform that people are spending their time on. People are spending their time on all kinds of different social media platforms, like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The more content in all of these platforms that you create to promote your video, the more potential your video has to be seen by their users.

New YouTubers sometimes forget to promote their videos and channel using other social media platforms. Consequently, they miss out on the opportunity to get views from multiple sources of social media.

8. Spamming comments

Commenting on other YouTube videos is another way to get your channel discovered from people reading over comments. If your profile picture and comment appears interesting enough, out of curiosity, people just might click your username to have a look at your channel.

But rather than leaving interesting comments that are related to the video, rather than adding to the conversation, some new YouTubers desperate to get more subscribers make the mistake of spamming videos with “check out my YouTube channel!” comments.

Spam comments annoy YouTubers. It would be much more beneficial to your channel to build good relationships with other YouTubers to possibly collaborate on a video together in the future.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett