Although YouTube has been around for over a decade, it has become more relevant as a content marketing tool in recent years. About 55% of content marketers use YouTube as part of their strategy, according to Social Media Examiner’s 2020 report.
If you’re feeling ready to hop onto the platform — or revive an inactive account — it’s not too late. We’ll share tips for brainstorming content ideas as well as 39 video ideas to get you started right away. Finally, we’ll share an AI marketing tool that can generate relevant video ideas for any niche in seconds!
How to brainstorm great YouTube video ideas to grow your following
Creating video content for YouTube can feel like shouting into the void, especially if you're not in the habit of it. Let’s get you started with creating content, using this five-step method:
1. Figure out your topics of interest
Knowing your niche and goals is essential for getting started on YouTube. While both of those things can evolve over time, having a good grasp of your starting point will give your content direction. It will also help you find and reach a target audience more easily.
As with all kinds of niching, try to be specific. For example, if you’re creating content around finance, it’d be helpful to know what kind and for whom. For instance, personal finance videos for millennial women. The same would apply to creating videos for gamers or DIY content.
2. Learn from your competitors
As a video content creator, you need to know what others in your niche are doing. Not because you want to copy video for video, but for inspiration — and also to see what viewers like.
So, when you visit your competitors’ YouTube homepages, filter their videos by “Most Popular” and see what kind of content is doing well. This shows you what topics, video lengths, and even filming styles appeal to viewers.
3. Do some keyword research
Now that you’ve got a taste of the content options available, it’s time to dig deeper with keyword research. Video keyword research is different from written keyword research, but there are some easy workarounds. Here are a few useful tips for how to find keywords for your YouTube descriptions and video titles:
- Use YouTube’s autocomplete feature which works like Google’s autocomplete function. For this you’ll need a basic idea of content options to feed into the search bar and then autocomplete will do the rest.
- Invest in Ahrefs: This keyword tool allows you to search YouTube keywords using their Keyword Explorer tool. Just set it to YouTube instead of Google.
- Search Google for keywords with video search engine results: If you can’t use Ahrefs and you already have a list of keywords to get started on, try running them through Google to see if videos pop up in the search engine result pages (SERPs). If you see several videos, it means searchers value video results for that keyword.
4. Define your budget
Even with all the keywords and video ideas in the world, making videos costs time and money. Evaluate your budget to see which kinds of videos you can shoot now and which ones may need to be shelved for later. This will help you narrow down your ideas.
5. Use a video idea generator
We’ll be recommending a couple of options later in this article, but these tools can save you tons of time! The best ones take both SEO and subject matter relevance into consideration, helping you to create videos that will appeal to your audience.
10 YouTube video ideas for content marketers
If you’re a content marketer searching for ways to promote your company, services, or products, here are some tried-and-true ideas for your next YouTube video.
1. Answer a frequently asked question
In this type of video, you generally answer a question your team has received on social media or in your inbox.
2. Clear up misconceptions
False information and wild assumptions are a dime a dozen these days. By debunking false information and setting the record straight about key topics, you can help your audience make more informed decisions and, as a result, earn their trust. Plus, videos that bust myths can also be highly shareable, increasing the reach of your content marketing message. So if you're looking to make a positive impact on your industry, creating these kinds of videos is a good play.
3. Do an expert interview
What makes expert interviews such a great content marketing strategy? For one, they allow you to tap into the expertise of others in your field. This can not only help to educate your audience, but also help them see you as a thought leader in your industry.
Additionally, expert interviews can be a great way to build relationships with other professionals in your field. These relationships can then be leveraged to create even more content down the line.
4. State your company’s stance on an industry topic
Speaking of thought leadership, if you want your content marketing to stand out and produce business results, you need to be bold. That means not being afraid to take a stand, stir the pot a little, and get your audience thinking.
Opinionated content—video content included—is more likely to generate a buzz and conversations than bland content that passively agrees with the most popular points of view. So, as long as your viewpoint is well-thought-out, the extra attention can go a long way in building your cred, driving sales, and getting other business outcomes.
5. Livestream an event
YouTube allows you to livestream events, and this works especially well for virtual events. You can then decide whether or not to download or save the live stream afterward.
6. Run a webinar or presentation
Finally, YouTube allows you to run a basic webinar for free. And if you’re unsure about your video editing skills, you can always upload a Powerpoint presentation to get your toes wet the first time.
7. Share an event recap
If livestreaming isn’t for you, simply recap your event on YouTube either orally or by including relevant video clips.
8. Discuss a news item
Make a video discussing a news item that affects your target audience. Your video could break down what a new law means for a certain demographic, for example.
9. Customer testimonials
There's no greater proof of your product or service's value than hearing about it straight from satisfied customers. So, you should definitely share written testimonials on your website and in your marketing materials. But video testimonials have some major advantages.
For one, they're more engaging and more likely to hold viewers' attention. They're also more personal since viewers can see and hear the customer's enthusiasm firsthand.
10. Show product use cases
Help docs are fantastic. But sometimes you just need to see how a product fits your use case. The same goes for your potential and current users.
So, if yours is a product-based business, consider creating videos to show how your product can be used for what your target audience needs. You’ll be able to retain current users better and earn repeat business. Plus, you’ll attract more new users and customers since they’ll be able to see clearly how your product is relevant to them.
10 YouTube video ideas worth trying for businesses
In addition to the ideas above, here are some more than work for promoting a business.
1. Meet the team
You can take several approaches to this one, but overall, it pays to keep it short and sweet while keeping the team spirit strong. This example from Adobe shows the teammates’ personalities while educating viewers on the behind-the-scenes work.
2. Do an office tour
Show off your cool office space, while promoting your product or service. These kinds of real-life videos have a way of engaging your audience.
3. Tell a story
Don’t be afraid to get in front of the camera to share your brand’s story. This is also a great video to share on your company’s About Us page.
4. Share a tutorial
Tutorial videos show how to use your new product or how you use a product to carry out a task. Some visual learners prefer video DIY tutorials to how-to articles. Jasper shares an in-depth tutorial for those using their AI copywriter.
5. Share helpful tips and tricks
YouTube is often one of the first places people go when they want to learn something. So, even if you don’t do a full-fledged step-by-step tutorial, sharing your best tips and hacks there can extend your reach in a way that a blog post or ebook may not be able to. Plus, sharing snippets of your knowledge and expertise on YouTube can help to drive traffic to your blog posts and website.
6. Share a travel vlog
Did you and your team take a work trip recently? Share it on your YouTube channel to show people a glimpse into your team dynamic. This can be especially handy if you’re hiring and want to attract fresh talent that fits your company culture.
7. Create video case studies
If your business isn’t a household name and you’re up against fierce competition, you need all the credibility you can get to make sales. Video case studies are a great way to showcase your business in a positive light and emphasize how what you do benefits your potential customers.
8. Share exciting company announcements
Not everyone will read the news article on your website. And not everyone will open your announcement email. So, creating video announcements will increase the reach of your message, especially if you already have a good-sized audience on YouTube.
Additionally, since viewers will be able to see and hear your excitement in a way that they can’t through text, video announcements are an effective way to get them excited about what’s next for your company.
9. Post teasers
As a follow-up to the last point, you don’t have to wait until you have an announcement to make to create a video. You can create teaser videos to get people curious about and hyped for the grand opening of your new brick-and-mortar location, the launch of your new product or whatever you have going on behind the scenes. This way, when you make the official announcement, you’re likely to get more engagement because people have been waiting for more details.
10. Plug your partners
Do you have a business partnership with another brand? If so, promote them in your YouTube videos. Not only will they appreciate the gesture but you’ll draw attention to both businesses and, hopefully, make some sales.
10 engaging YouTube video ideas for creators
If you’re a creator, how can you build your personal brand and promote your projects on YouTube? We’ve got some ideas for you.
1. Record a channel intro
If all else fails, start off with a channel intro or channel trailer. This is a short (usually under a minute-long) video that explains to new viewers what your channel is about. NerdWallet has a fun, fuss-free intro video for their YouTube channel.
2. A day in the life vlog
Viewers are curious about how other people live and work. Show a day working at the office, working remotely, or otherwise using your time efficiently. You can throw in some productivity tips to make your vlogging even more enjoyable for viewers.
3. Share your top tools
Anyone who's ever tried to learn a new skill knows that it can be frustrating. There are so many different tools out there, and it's often hard to know which one is the best for you. By sharing your favorite tool with up-and-coming creators, you not only help them out but also earn loyal fans.
Plus, even if your audience aren’t interested in becoming creators themselves, they’ll love the behind-the-scenes look at your creative process.
4. Share your influences and inspirations
Ready for a tongue-twister? People want to know who the people they admire admire. Especially if you already have a loyal following, even if it’s small, it’s smart to share what or who inspires you as a creator. It’s a simple way to spark interest and generate engagement, especially if you and your audience share some of the same influences.
5. Recap your journey as a creator
People love a good success story. So don’t be afraid to share the ups and the downs of how you got where you are today.
6. Make a promo video
If you have a product or service separate from your YouTube channel, you can also make a promo video (aka an advertisement) showing it off. These are also known as explainer videos when combined with good storytelling.
7. Do a public challenge
Building in public and, by extension, learning in public are hot right now. Could you do a 7, 14 or 30-day challenge? Not only could a series of challenge videos help you level up your work and stay accountable, but it can also keep your audience consistently engaged. And, hey, you could even inspire them to do the challenge with you, which would bring more attention to the source of the challenge—you!
8. Start a do-it-with-me challenge
Don’t want to do a solo challenge? Do an interactive one! Invite your audience to join you. Create periodic YouTube videos to document your progress and encourage challenge participants to do the same.
9. Make a YouTube Shorts skit
YouTube does short videos now (much like TikTok videos and Instagram Reels). Make a skit or short intro video in that format for a low-pressure start.
10. Draw your life
This YouTube trending video is one way to tell your personal or brand story. See how comedian and former talk show host Lilly Singh does hers.
9 effective YouTube video ideas for affiliate marketers
Lastly, here are some foolproof video ideas for your next YouTube video if you’re an affiliate marketer.
1. Film a review
Product reviews highlighting what works and doesn’t can help show your expertise. Just remember to be kind and professional in your review videos.
2. Do video comparisons
Besides reviews, you can also do video comparisons. They’re a bit more complex because they require you to evaluate various features, advantages, and disadvantages of products or services against one another. But this is exactly the reason they’re great for affiliate marketers.
They build trust, showing that you’ve done your research rather than promoting any product with a decent commission. And, more importantly, that you understand the use cases, needs, challenges, and goals of the potential users and, as a result, are qualified to help your audience make an informed decision.
3. Teach a life skill
Many adults struggle with basic life skills such as changing their tires or filing their taxes. Teach them step-by-step in a video. Bonus points if you have a product to sell that fills that need.
4. Do step-by-step walkthrough videos
Like tutorials, walkthrough videos can help potential customers determine if a product or tool is right for them. Seeing a walkthrough—especially if it’s for their specific use case—can be very persuasive and get you more clicks on and commissions from your affiliate links.
Additionally, your audience will want to know that you actually use and like the tools you promote. So, the more you make your videos about how you use a product, the better.
5. Share your first reaction to new releases
Reaction videos can be fun to film and engaging for your audience. Not to mention that they’re a great way to show that you’re up on the latest in the industry. This can make your recommendations seem more trustworthy and make you the go-to source for info on products or services that don’t have a ton of content on them yet.
6. Do live case studies
As we mentioned before, case studies are great ways to build trust in what you’re promoting. But you don’t just have to do one case study video per case. You can keep your audience engaged over a longer period of time by doing live case studies, releasing video updates at various stages of testing a product, for example.
7. Discuss your filming setup
YouTube viewers are eternally curious about gadgets, camera choices, and filming setups. You can make a video discussing yours — and share affiliate links for viewers ready to purchase.
8. Make a top 10 list
Books, favorite movies, TV shows, music videos, video games, funny videos, work resources, dogs? Top 10 anything — go for it.
9. Host a giveaway
Can you get your audience a special deal on one of your affiliate products? Create a video explaining what the product is, what the prize is, and how people can enter to win.
This will attract attention, sure. But you might be surprised at how many people click your links and make a purchase even if they didn’t win.
2 video idea generators for creating engaging YouTube content
When you run through these ideas, you’re going to need more and we’re here to help. We recommend two tools for generating consistent YouTube video content ideas.
1. Jasper
Our foremost tool for generating video ideas is Jasper, our very own AI writing assistant. Jasper’s Video Topic Ideas template — one of 52+ content templates — is designed to provide an endless array of video ideas. All you have to do is input your keyword and Jasper gives you relevant topics based on keyword research and what competitors have posted.
And it gets even better. Once you’ve picked an idea to run with, Jasper can help you outline and write the video script in no time. Check out the YouTube script outline Jasper created for our fictional video on learning Spanish.
It includes a ton of great talking points including how to say your name, age, where you’re from, and more. And this outline could easily be expanded with other Jasper templates like Video Script Hook and Introduction and the AIDA framework template for each point in the outline. For example, check out some of the hooks and intros Jasper gave us.
Pricing: Jasper plans start at $39 for access to 50+ templates, including the ones we showed you above.
2. WeShare
This is another video ideas tool that works differently than Jasper. WeShare simply shows you what competitors have produced with that keyword, but leaves the actual idea generation for your own videos to you, which can be stressful.
Pricing: WeShare is free to use.
Top 2 video title generators for clickable YouTube videos
1. Jasper
AI writing assistant Jasper also has a Video Titles template dedicated to generating catchy titles for your YouTube video creations. You can tweak the title tone from convincing to friendly to witty and everything in between. Here’s a sample of offerings the AI generated for our “Learning Spanish” video:
2. Tube Ranker
This free YouTube video title generator tool also provides a variety of title ideas for your videos. However, many of the titles are formulaic and out of context, but still worth a shot if you’re a hobbyist YouTuber.
Enter the world of video marketing
Besides generating video ideas and video titles, using video marketing requires that your videos actually be informative. We recommend Jasper because it’s a multi-faceted AI writing tool that not only provides ideas and titles but can also help you with creating detailed video scripts. Plus, you can take Jasper with you anywhere you write on the web, which is one reason it's a top Chrome extension for YouTube creators.
Want to learn more about Jasper and see how it can help you come up with YouTube video ideas, summarize YouTube videos, and scale your video marketing efforts? Check out the Jasper Bootcamp.
If you’re ready to step up your content game, sign up for Jasper today.
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