Planning and Outlining YouTube Videos

Planning and Outlining
Why Is Planning and Outlining Important?

Whether you make vlogs or tech tutorials, planning your videos can help them perform better
on YouTube.
To be clear: the level of planning that you do before you shoot is completely up to you.
Some YouTubers have a vague idea of what they want to say before hitting the “record”
button. Others script out every single word.
No matter where you fall on that spectrum, here are some best practices for planning,
outlining and scripting YouTube videos.
Best Practices
Plan the First 15 Seconds
YouTube states that the first 15 seconds of your video are key .
Why? Because most of your viewers will decide to leave or stay depending on what they see
in the first 15 seconds of your video.
So no matter how much or how little you plan your shoot, make sure to map out the first 15
seconds of your video.
Specifically, you want to include a “hook” that gets people excited about the upcoming
content.
Hooks can be just about anything that grabs attention. But the most common types of hooks
are:
A brief summary of what your video’s about (“Today you’re going to learn…”)
An eye-catching visual
An attention-grabbing line (“I almost died…”)
A teaser for what’s coming up later
For example, the first few seconds of this video from Good Financial Cents definitely grabs
your attention:
Outline Key Points
Nothing’s worse than shooting a video… only to realize you forgot to mention something
important.
That’s why you want to jot down a handful of key points that are important for your video
before you shoot.
For example, Buffer’s YouTube Channel used to create videos without much planning
beforehand. They had a general idea of what they wanted to cover, but avoided using a
script or outline.
And it’s one of the main reasons their videos struggled with audience retention and
engagement .
So they tried outlining the 3-4 key points that they wanted to cover. Not only did this result
in a crisper video, but it helped boost their watch time by 61%.
Focus on Flow
It’s no secret that YouTube viewers are an impatient bunch. That’s why you want your video
to flow quickly from point-to-point.
And unless you’re a natural, an unplanned video will be full of “umm” and “aahhs” that can kill
your video’s flow and momentum.
So as you plan your video, outline how quickly you’ll move from point-to-point. Usually, the
quicker the better.
For example, if you’re shooting a vlog about your family’s trip to Disney World, you’d want to
plan your video so it isn’t bogged down by unnecessary details or anecdotes.
Ideally, your video should go from “our flight” to “our hotel” to “our favorite rides” in a snap.
That way, viewers stay engaged.
For example, this video from UrAvgConsumer highlights over 20 pieces of recommended
tech gear in just over 7 minutes. It’s a great example of the type of fast paced video that
tends to work really well on YouTube.
The “H.I.C.C.” Video Structure

The H.I.C.C. video structure is a simple (yet effective) structure for outlining YouTube videos.
Here’s how it works:
H=Hook
We covered the importance of hooking viewers in the first 15 seconds already. But to recap:
your hook is something that grabs people’s attention quickly… so they don’t click away.
I=Intro
Now that you’ve hooked your viewers, it’s time to quickly introduce your topic. You can also
preview what you’re going to cover, show an example, or tease something specific (like a tip
or surprising finding) that’s coming up.
C=Content
This is the main content of your video.
For a how-to video, this is the steps someone needs to follow. For a fitness video, this is the
workout itself.
C=Call To Action
Finally, you want to end your video with a call to action to like your video, comment,
subscribe, watch another one of your videos and follow you on social media.
The vast majority of Marie Forleo’s videos follow this formula.
For example, this video from Marie Forleo’s channel starts with a hook (Marie spinning around
in her chair) that quickly transitions to an introduction that previews the upcoming content.
Then, Marie delves into a few tips and strategies. Finally, the video ends with a crystal clear
call to action.
Shoot for the Edit

A big part of the planning process involves the actual shoot. This includes the camera angles
you’ll use, lighting set up, and more.
“Shooting for the Edit” is an approach to video planning that makes editing your video a
whole lot easier. It can also result in an overall better video.
In general, it simply means planning your shoot around the editing process.
Here’s how “Shooting for the Edit” works in detail:
Outline or script the material before you shoot (this results in fewer takes to sift through
and edit)
Before you record any material, check out 5-10 seconds of test footage to make sure
focus, lighting and audio is OK
Use a Clapperboard to keep track of takes, sections… and to help sync up audio and
video
Record multiple takes of important lines
Tips and Advanced Strategies

Try a Teleprompter: Do you script your videos? Then a teleprompter can be a huge
time-saver. That said, using a teleprompter definitely takes some getting used to. But
once you get the hang of it, you can record videos 25-50% faster than reading off your
script line-by-line. PromptSmart Pro is a high-quality teleprompter app for iPads.
Practice: Do a practice session or two in front of a mirror before you shoot. This can
help your shoot go more smoothly. Also, practice gives you the opportunity to see what
works (and what doesn’t) before you shoot.
Plan For B Roll Footage: B Roll footage is a great way to mix things up in your video.
Also, if you plan where you’re going to use B rolls in advance, you can read those lines
directly off of your script, eliminating the need for multiple takes.
Learn More
How To Write A Video Script For YouTube: An excellent video by Nick Nimmin on scripting
YouTube videos.
Shooting for the Edit: A thorough primer on the “Shooting for the Edit” approach (from
Wistia).
Developing your ideas: The YouTube Creator Academy hooks you up with a bunch of tips for
preparing your video shoot in advance.

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Planning and Outlining

Why Is Planning and Outlining Important?

Outline Key Points

your video’s flow and momentum.

The “H.I.C.C.” Video Structure

Here’s how it works:

This is the main content of your video.

The vast majority of Marie Forleo’s videos follow this formula.

Shoot for the Edit

Here’s how “Shooting for the Edit” works in detail:

Tips and Advanced Strategies

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