YouTube video ideas: how to best engage your audience

If a picture’s worth a thousand words, how many do you think a video is worth? Ten thousand? A hundred thousand? According to Dr. James McQuivey, a minute-long video is worth 1.8 million words. Now, can your YouTube video ideas engage audiences in 1.8 million words? If not, then they should, especially since video content can be so much more influential than text or pictures!

Like an ideal blended whiskey, YouTube videos blend sound with movement. And these two things work together to make complex ideas easier to grasp while capturing dwindling attention spans. So, to help jumpstart your video inspiration here’s a guide to why YouTube videos are so popular and 5 YouTube video ideas to help grow your brand.

Why are YouTube videos so popular with audiences?

YouTube videos are so popular because they revolve around 3 core attention pillars.

Brand intent
Audience engagement, and they
Generate awareness

1. YouTube videos allow customers to understand brand intent

YouTube users usually have an objective in mind compared to other video platforms.

Think about it. If you wanted to:

a) find a simple solution to a problem, like how to unblock the garbage disposal?

b) learn a skill, like the easiest tips on using adobe, or

c) watch something quick and entertaining, like the best comedy compilation; would you use YouTube?

Since YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine next to Google, you’d be correct if you answered yes. YouTube videos let you step into the shoes of your target audience. So, you can think of the questions they want to ask and address the answers directly in the title and description of your videos.

2. Videos are more engaging than text

For text to be successful, it relies on excellent copy, grammar, and catchy phrases to get a specific tone or point across. Conversely, videos rely less on copy because they offer audiences a tailored, easy-to-consume message. And since viewers retain 95% of a video’s message compared to 10% when reading the text, videos can make messages more evergreen.

3. Videos can generate awareness

Posting a video is just one step in the video process system because YouTube isn’t the end destination of your content. It’s more of the beginning. For example, YouTube users can easily share video content through other mediums like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email, and more. And if more people view your video, you’ll get more likes and comments, which generates awareness of your content.

What makes a good YouTube video stand out?

What are good YouTube video ideas, you ask? Well, a good YouTube video that stands out to audiences has three key features: an attention-grabbing title, eye-catching visuals, and an intriguing voice over – or voice overs..

Attention-grabbing title. That split second when someone glances at your video’s title is usually a make-or-break moment – will they click play or move on? For a good title to pop, it must be unique, on-topic, and riveting. So instead of barbeque, why not DIY barbeque in 3 steps.
Create eye-catching visuals. After a long hot summer’s day at the office, what image appeals more, a warm can of soda or a soda swimming in ice cubes and lemon slices? The answer is obvious – telling a story draws audiences. So, use tools like color, creative animation, exciting footage, and lighting to create an idea that audiences can act on.
Use an intriguing voice over. Ever tried to watch the 6 pm news on a muted TV? You could probably follow the story from the images, but crucial facts and details would just slip away. So, using a professional voice actor in your videos works with on-screen images to speak to your audience quite literally. Image the effect an explainer video with a David Attenborough narration would have on audiences. It seems to me that the …….

5 good YouTube video ideas to get views

Good YouTube video ideas are often the ones that go viral. How many times have you watched the Marvel cast’s ice bucket challenge? But viral videos doesn’t mean creating hundreds of kitten videos or dance challenges. So, here are 5 YouTube video ideas to get you views:

YouTube video ideas: image of a director and videographer discussing a shot.

Company culture videos – put a face to a company. Customers get to see the company’s and employees’ spirit. Humor and emotion make the company appear more like a helpful neighbor than a building full of workers. Zendesk’s about us video, for example, integrated a humorous tone making the faces behind little chat boxes people often interact with real and relatable.
Behind-the-scene (BTS) videos – offer audiences a peek behind the curtains. There are 2 types of BTS videos: a) Promotional, which helps showcase a new product or service more realistically, and b) Day by Day. These videos show what the team typically does daily.
Explainer videos – Explainers aren’t a nice-to-have piece of content anymore; they’re a crucial marketing tool. They offer easy demonstrations, step-by-step tutorials, and other valuable lessons. For example, QuickBooks shows audiences how to use the Invoice With Google Calendar app in a fun, quirky 1.17-minute video. So you can use explainers to deliver vital information quickly and interestingly.
Product/service review videos – today, companies can sell anything on online platforms, from toothpicks to plumbing services. So, making review videos can demonstrate your product/service’s functionality, versatility, and overall customer satisfaction.
Ask me anything (AMA) videos – follow an interview-type video where the CEO or another company employee could answer questions with a specific theme. Like, Ask our CEO anything about… or Ask us anything about our… Here, the company can share real-life stories and exciting moments building the business. And customers learn about products they like or have yet to try.

Final thoughts on YouTube video ideas

The video market is competitive, so you can’t just start uploading videos and expect to see results overnight. To get people to watch your video, you need to use YouTube video ideas that people are searching for. To make your videos unique in the eyes of your audience, you must have an attention-grabbing title, eye-catching visuals, and your most powerful tool – intriguing voice overs. So now that you have an arsenal of YouTube video ideas, it’s time to make some incredible videos.

Whether you decide to make a company culture, behind-the-scenes, explainer, product/service review, or ask-me-anything video, hiring a pro voice actor adds a sense of intrigue to your video that makes it stand out to audiences. And you’re bound to find the voices you need on Voice123. Why not post a project for free to find the voice that fits the bill for your YouTube video ideas?