6 Tips To Improve Your Youtube Video Quality

If you’re interested in becoming a YouTube marketer or have a channel you’ve been looking to optimize and get the best results from, there are a few things you’ll need to know and implement to be successful.At Raffiti Media, we’ve helped our clients, some of the biggest names in the game, to grow their YouTube channels exponentially.And we believe that to run a successful YouTube channel, you’ll need to provide engaging content, provide relevant keywords, and optimize it for SEO purposes.But before we get into how to improve your YouTube video quality, let’s do a quick recap on how to set up and optimize your channel for the best results.Here are a few of the basics on how to set up your YouTube channel. It's a short summary of an article we have titled The Ultimate Guide To Being A YouTube Content Creator.The first thing is to understand the platform and how it works for placing content in front of audiences. As a video format, YouTube is a part of Google, so search engine optimization is essential. As a platform, it can draw more people to your brand and channel than any other platform if you create engaging, relevant content that your audience wants.This brings us to our next point: create engaging videos people want to consume. You must identify your niche and what your target audience wants to create the best content.Next, be sure to make your channel clear and easy to identify what you’re showcasing.For example, if you’re in the digital marketing space, it won’t make much sense to have a bunch of Premier League Soccer clips unless you’re using those as a case study for some purpose. Even then, the SEO part of the platform may be confused, and your audience will be as well.Another tip is to create a publishing calendar to upload content regularly to keep your channel fresh and lively.Then, to succeed, you’ll need to promote your channel and brand through organic traffic and paid advertising to create traffic to your channel.Finally, you’ll need to analyze what videos gain traction and which are the most shared, liked, and commented on to optimize your future content production further.Okay, so now that you have a baseline of what you need to do for your YouTube content to gain traction and build your brand, let’s turn our attention to what may be the most critical aspect of this whole content creation, and that is how to improve YouTube video quality.

How To Improve Your YouTube Video Quality

Whether you're an experienced content creator looking to up your game or a new business trying to expand your reach to a broader audience, the key is to have high-quality videos.YouTube is a platform designed for people watching and engaging with videos for entertainment, education, and business purposes, so to be successful, you’ll need to create high-quality content relevant to your audience.Here are the keys to building a successful YouTube channel by improving your video quality:

1. Buy And Invest In The Right Equipment

In order to have high-quality videos on your channel, you’ll need to invest in quality equipment. You’ll need a high-resolution camera and microphones. A high-resolution camera will help you create crisp visuals, while a quality microphone will enhance audio clarity.When filming, to create a professional look, you’ll need to have a stabilizer like a tripod or other stabilizer to avoid shaky footage that makes your videos look homemade and amateurish.

2. Create Proper Lighting

Having the best camera on the market won’t do anything for you without proper lighting. Poor or great lighting can make or break your video quality, and natural lighting is always the best option.Try to create a production schedule that allows you to shoot your videos during the day near a window or in a well-lit room. However, you can invest in affordable alternatives to natural lighting with equipment like softboxes or ring lights.These lighting tools will eliminate shadows so that your videos have a more professional and well-lit look.

3. Create Engaging Content

When considering improving YouTube video quality for optimal engagement, don’t undervalue the critical role of creating engaging and valuable content that your target audience will enjoy.To do so successfully, create a publication plan for your videos in advance, including creating an outline or script, and make sure you're delivering valuable information or entertaining content.To find what your audience is searching for, engage with your viewers, ask them questions, and encourage them to leave comments or suggestions.Another hack is to look at what competitors are doing, what’s performing well, and think about how you can create your own version, with your own take on that type of content to suit your brand and channel.You’ll also want to create closed captioning for better access and engagement. Captioning allows viewers who need access to better opportunities to watch the content and read along, which is highly popular for people who consume in noisy areas.Finally, you’ll want to use relevant keywords that your audience uses to find similar content and include that in your description. Don’t forget to have a clear call to action that will motivate your audience to take the desired action.

4. Customize Your Thumbnails

Additionally, consider using a custom thumbnail for your video.By customizing thumbnails on YouTube instead of using auto-generated ones can significantly benefit your click-through rates and time spent watching your videos.The reason you want to customize your thumbnails is that they are the first visual representation your potential viewers will see when browsing through YouTube search results. They also are the first thing that people will see when they are provided with recommended videos. You can quickly grab their attention and entice them to click on your video when you customize your thumbnails, leading to increased views and higher click-through rates.This will ultimately help you grow your channel, expanding your audience reach. A visually appealing thumbnail can draw viewers' attention and increase the click-through rate.

5. Edit To Enhance Your Videos

The next step in creating highly engaging videos that will improve your YouTube video quality is to use various editing tools. Editing is a crucial step to improve the quality of your videos, so take the time to invest in learning how to use video editing software, or if you have the budget, consider hiring a professional editor.You’ll want to cut out any unnecessary footage that detracts from your narrative, add smooth transitions and overlays that add to your story, and include effects that accentuate and enhance the overall visual appeal.One of the editing keys is pacing, which is the rate and flow of your videos. They need to flow smoothly as it keeps viewers engaged.

6. Optimize Your Video Settings

After you’ve produced and edited your video, the next step when you upload it on YouTube is to ensure you optimize the settings for the best quality. You should select the correct resolution suitable for your content, whether it's 1080p or even 4K.Formatting your video correctly is essential for achieving maximum quality on YouTube.The preferred format is MP4 with a 16:9 aspect ratio and the H.264 video codec.This format is a widely supported option that provides a good balance between video quality and file size. If that’s not an option, you can explore other formats, including MOV, MPEG PS, AVI, WMV, FLV, WEBM, HEVC, and 3GPP. That said, using MP4 with the H.264 codec is recommended for optimal compatibility.Another technical thing to pay attention to is the video bitrate, which determines the video's overall quality. You want the highest bitrate, but the higher the quality, the longer it takes to upload.As you’re beginning to understand how to improve YouTube video quality, all that work does mean something. By improving your video quality, you’ll significantly enhance your audience’s viewing experience, which will help improve engagement.Here are some key benefits of improving video quality:

• Enhanced professionalism
• Improved viewer engagement
• Increased visibility in search engines
• Better audience retention
• Enhanced brand perception
• Improved social media presence

Improving your video quality on YouTube can be a time-consuming activity, but it is a worthwhile investment that can yield significant returns. With higher quality video, you’re able to attract more viewers and grow your audience, increasing their engagement with your brand and helping you to build a more substantial brand presence.Using high-quality equipment, including the camera you choose, the microphone you record with, and lighting will significantly improve YouTube video quality regardless of whether you’re new to content creation or a seasoned pro.At Raffiti Media, we are experts on the power of YouTube SEO and are dedicated to helping our clients, just like you, supercharge your brand and presence.If you’re looking to take your YouTube marketing to the next level, we offer YouTube consulting, social media consulting, and complete channel and brand management.So if you’re ready to get started, book your free one-on-one strategy call today.