Consider delivery
I know it's not very "creative", however when making tutorials you do need to consider how you are going to deliver your tutorial to viewers. That depends on the platform you will be using, and what your potential viewers are searching for. Let's presume you are going to deliver via YouTube or another free platform like Facebook or IGTV. Actually, these options are a great way to build your audience and following, while you are organizing another platform, like FASO to potentially sell them through in the future.
First things first -research keywords!
What are people searching for? There are a lot of ways to do this and TubeBuddy's Keyword Explorer is a great tool. You can also bring up YouTube and just starting typing "how to paint...... " for example - you will see a long drop-down list of examples that people are searching for first up. Unless you have a very established channel, don't go for any of the top keywords, a longer tail keyword will get you more views for example "how to paint for beginners" may be a better option here.
Use the main keyword you have chosen in your YouTube title,description, and first up in the tag box as well - yes they rate the tags in order :) Then, add a whole heap of related keywords including the top ones. YouTube is one of the biggest search engines in the world (second only to Google, funnily enough), so it's worth getting this "backend" part as right as you can.
Audio
When filming your tutorial, it is really important that you havegood audio, especially if you are going to be talking. Invest in a lavalier mic, (lapel mic) or if you're filming on an iPhone (a perfectly acceptable option these days), there are lots of mic's that attach to your iPhone directly or remotely via bluetooth for example. Do some research on the internet about this first - there are heaps of quality options that will not break the bank.
If you have used music in your video please ensure you add any relevant credits for this in an outro title. Copyright strikes can occur when music is used on a video (and licensed and/or paid for by the original video creator) and uploaded to a different creator's YouTube channel, so this is something important to consider. The use of creative commons licensed music is encouraged for this reason, or via YouTube's free Audio library.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/orhttps://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/
How do I place a credit for this music in my project?
Title Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/
Tripod
Depending on what you're using to film - on iphone, Gopro, digital SLR etc, you will need some kind of tripod or arm to steady your camera. Find the best angles and try to organize some close-ups too - even if it means painting the same thing twice or more.
Lighting
Lightingis also extremely important. Take some time to set up your scene so you have the best lighting without any glare spots etc. Have a look at a couple of YouTube clips on setting up lighting. It really does make a difference.
Consider your background
Make sure the background is engaging without feeling cluttered. This takes some practice too.
Engaging content
This is by far the most important element of a successful tutorial, particularly on YouTube. It's also the most elusive element! Try to deliver your content in an authentic, engaging way - let your passion for the subject and the process shine through, and this will spark interest in your viewer.
Self-deprecating humour always comes across well too. If you don't like the camera, don't put yourself in the frame! Just focus in on your artwork and do voice-overs instead.
Editing
Editing is also important but far less than it used to be! Be sure your tutorial makes sense to viewers, ensure the audio is clear, your transitions aren't jarring, and add some background music underneath (quietly - you don't want your viewers distracted by noisy, jarring background music).
Incompetech.comis a great place forcreative commons licensed music, which you can use free of charge - as long as you credit the author in the end titles (there are instructions on the website, easy to follow).
There are plenty ofediting programsaround that are aimed at beginners and you don't need a cinematography degree to operate :) Imovie is a great place to start. Or outsource your editing. *Read more below.
Lastly -keeping it relatively shorthelps. You know what you like watching - try to replicate that experience for your viewers!
Hoping that helps in your own tutorial journey! It used to be so much fun going viral - let's bring it back :D
Written By Frankie Sharman from Colour in Your Life team and from Mark Waller's channel Explore Acrylics
*Outsource your editing
If you are making a video and are reluctant to do the editing, you can outsource your editing. Why not see if Sophia, our filmmaker, is available.Email her today with your proposal.
