Using the Blog for Video Content – It Worked for One Channel
When I built the writing channel on YouTube, I used the blog to drive video development. Essentially, I wanted to give the visitors to the blog an option to either read or watch the content. It worked out exceptionally well for both the website and the YouTube channel.
This week, I’m experimenting with the same strategy. Of course, this also means that I’m going to have to find time somewhere to update the old articles.
In any case, the blog can easily provide a long list of topics to cover on YouTube.
Using the Blog as Video Scripts
You can use the text from a blog post as scripts for your videos. Essentially, you read off what you’ve already written and perhaps add a bit more flair while you speak. So, don’t be afraid to make a few comments or jokes while reading from the blog post.
Another way you can use blog posts for video content is by using the headings as bullet points. For example, the heading above this text is “Using the Blog as Video Scripts.” I would use that as a bullet point of what to talk about while recording. This gives the video a bit of a fresh feel without feeling like it’s copied directly from the post.
Won’t you get in trouble from Google or YouTube for duplicate content? Nope. In fact, a lot of YouTubers will use the blog and read it one-for-one. I usually try to add a bit of commentary here and there. But regardless, you can record directly from the blog post.
Of course, you want to be sure you’re reading from your own text. Reading from someone else’s blog could land you in a bit of hot water due to copyright infringement.
Embedding Video into Blog Posts
Once the video is recorded, it’s easy to embed it into the blog post from whence it came. This is especially true if you’re using WordPress to embed videos. In that case, you can simply copy the URL from YouTube and paste it into your post. WordPress will do the rest.
You can also use a variety of YouTube plugins to do everything from adding a facade for performance boosts to adding an entire playlist to show on the blog.
When you embed your videos into the blog, visitors have the option to read or watch. And you might be amazed by how many people will do both. The fact of the matter is that you could see additional views and watch time directly from your website.
The more you market the channel, the more attention it gets. Embedding the video directly into its blog post helps, especially if you’re covering a popular topic.
As I record each video, I’ll embed it into the corresponding post once it goes live. At the moment, that probably won’t translate into a lot of views. But it’s better than just letting the video sit on YouTube with my fingers crossed.
One Blog-to-Video Per Week
Because I have so many things on my plate, I’m only going to be able to upload one video per week, using the blog as a script. This is in addition to the three-per-week Valheim hardcore series. So, in total, the YouTube channel should be getting four throughout the week.
Since the gameplay footage is ultra easy to edit, this shouldn’t put more of a burden on me. While the videos render, I work on the blog post so that I’m not tapping CPU resources. In the future, I hope to build a computer specifically for video content. But until then, I’m using what I have available.
Is one serious video per week enough to drive and keep an audience? I don’t know, to be honest. I know that my writing channel grows a bit even on weeks when I have nothing but a single live stream. Plus, it also depends on the topics I cover in the videos.
If no one is looking for it, no one is going to watch it. Regardless, it’s going to be interesting to see how much the channel grows over the next few weeks.
Gameplay Instead of Talking-Head Video
Unlike the writing channel, I think I’m going to avoid “talking-head” videos as much as possible. A lot of gaming content on YouTube is essentially voiceovers during gameplay. From my point of view, that would make things so much easier overall.
If all I had to do was read the text off the blog post, it would greatly cut down production time.
The videos for the writing channel can take anywhere from two to six hours, depending on the topic. A lot of that is me messing up the words while recording. There is a reason why my videos have so many jump cuts.
So, I don’t know how often I’ll actually be on camera outside of live streams. It’ll be a different style of video than what I’m used to, that is for sure.
Experimenting with vidIQ Topics
I use vidIQ to come up with all kinds of ideas for WriterSanctuary. It’s been such an effective tool that I am seriously considering upgrading to the Boost account to manage all three of my YouTube channels. I just want to make sure I can afford the upgrades first.
If I were to upgrade today, it would cost me $284.75 per year to manage everything. That’s a pro-rated amount, considering I just paid $90 for the pro plan. I currently pay for the Pro version for a single channel, and the video suggestions from vidIQ are some of the most top-performing in terms of traffic and watch time.
I would definitely say that vidIQ is worth the money in that regard. The income from AdSense alone has more than paid for vidIQ Pro. The issue I am having at the moment is that I don’t know if I can afford the upfront payment of $284.75.
Each month I wait, it’ll get higher in price as less time will be pro-rated from the Pro payment.
Setting Up a YouTube Experiment at Tube Arcanum
The moment I said the word “experiment,” a little bug in my head said it was time to create a new spreadsheet. I love collecting data.
I would love to have all of my YouTube channels monetized before the end of the year. Now that the writing channel is doing great, it’s time to get the gaming channel moving. And what better way to see if something works than to collect data and calculate estimations of success?
Well, I find it motivating, anyway.
For this experiment, I’m going to set it up at TubeArcanum.com. That is my YouTube-focused blog that I use for teaching WordPress tips and tricks on the writing channel. So, since all of this centers around creating videos on YouTube, it would make for a great page and some blog posts.
Plus, I would love to see the data of how well a video performs if it’s based purely on the content of a blog post. If you’re interested in seeing if this content strategy works, be sure to bookmark, follow, or subscribe to Tube Arcanum.
Do You Prefer Videos or Blog Posts?
A lot of people tend to gravitate to one or the other when it comes to videos and blog posts. For me, it depends on the topic. Some tutorials are easy to follow as a video, but written tutorials don’t need to be paused. It’s easy to throw a blog post on my second monitor and follow the instructions.
Nonetheless, I do spend a lot of time on YouTube for a variety of purposes. From tips and tricks to entertainment, you cannot deny the power of video.
And when you have both a YouTube channel and a blog, you can easily expand your reach.
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