Basic to Breakthrough Content: Crafting the Top 10 Simplest YouTube Projects

10 Easy YouTube Video Ideas Everyone Can Make It

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Do you need an easy video idea to keep your channel active? A fresh supply of YouTube video ideas is a necessary ingredient for a successful channel , but generating that fresh supply of ideas is easier said than done. When you’re stuck, the best thing to do can be to keep your ideas simple. Focus on being engaging instead of on coming up with an original idea nobody’s ever tried – your video will be original because you’re the one doing it and you’re unique.

They say that less is more, so let’s have a look at how you can apply this principle to practice and create amazing YouTube videos from small ideas.

1. Introduce Yourself
2. Vlog About Your Day
3. Express an Opinion
4. Review Anything
5. Your Favorite Songs / Movies / Etc.
6. What’s on Your Phone?
7. Make a Slideshow
8. Make a Tutorial
9. 10 Things About You
10. Video Rant

1. Introduce Yourself

Let the world know who you are and what you do. If you are planning on starting a YouTube channel, or if you’ve already been posting videos on a topic but haven’t formally introduced yourself, it’s a great idea to put some thought into an introduction video. Producing such a YouTube video will enable you to introduce yourself to your future subscribers and give them an idea as to what your channel is all about.

These kinds of videos make great channel trailers, and they’re a good way to highlight the topics you’ll be covering on your channel in the future.

2. Vlog About Your Day

Anything that happens during your day can become a topic for your YouTube vlog. Traffic jams, treacherous pets who keep stealing your shoes, or the ridiculous amount of things you had to do in a single day can all become topics for videos you upload to your YouTube channel. Being candid and spontaneous is a sure way to grab the attention of a viewer, but limiting the duration of a vlog to a few minutes is key to ensuring that viewers watch the video until the end.

Strive to make visually dynamic videos, because just sitting or standing and talking in front of a camera for a few minutes isn’t going to create much on-screen action.

3. Express An Opinion

Social media culture has enabled us to receive news instantly and react to it in any way we want. If you didn’t like the latest update of your favorite video game, or if you’re excited about a line of makeup that’s coming out soon, make a video about it and share your opinion with the community that follows you on YouTube.

Opinion videos are great conversation starters. Expressing an opinion through a YouTube video can get you a lot of comments and even inspire others to take action.

You can express your opinions on virtually any topic, but being respectful while doing so is for the best if you don’t want to find yourself in a YouTube feud.

4. Review Anything

Everywhere around you, there are items you can review. The Apple Watch and the latest season of Game of Thrones are equally good choices for a review video. However, when creating review videos you need to make sure that all the factual information you have is accurate, which is why it is much better to make review videos about topics you know a lot about.

Review videos can also be a source of revenue because a lot of companies sponsor YouTubers who review their products.

5. Your Favorite Songs / Movies / Etc

Are you a Tarantino fan? Why not? When you are struggling to find inspiration for your videos, just think about the things you like. Your subscribers are interested in you, so they’ll be interested in knowing about your favorite movies or music albums. Books, movies, and music are an inexhaustible source of fresh ideas because there is always a new song or a film you can talk about in your video.

You can do a ‘my 5 favorite songs’ type of video, or talk in detail about just one favorite.

6. What’s on Your Phone?

There were over two billion smartphone users worldwide in 2017, and this number is only going to continue rising in the next couple of years. Furthermore, thousands of YouTubers are already producing unimaginable amounts of videos about the latest apps or smartphone devices.

Finding a way to talk about the apps you like to use the most can be a good idea if you want to attract more visitors to your YouTube channel. However, you need to be clear about whether this is a lifestyle or vlog-style video covering a topic that usually exists in the tech genre, or if you are a tech YouTuber, so as not to confuse your audience (you don’t want people to start expecting app reviews if that’s not what you usually do).

7. Make a Slideshow

There’s no need to constantly produce new videos because you can just take some royalty-free music and create a slideshow from your old or new photos. The slideshow format will certainly allow you to try something different on your YouTube channel, while the photos you use in the slideshow can create a clear picture of who you are and what you do for your viewers.

If you are a photography enthusiast you can also plan the entire slideshow in advance and then make a short video about how you created the images in the slideshow.

8. Make a Tutorial

Education is our only hope for a better world so if you know how to do something well, don’t be afraid to share your knowledge. A tutorial is a powerful educational tool that enables you to guide people through the entire process of making origami, solving a complicated video editing problem, maintaining a motorcycle, or anything else.

YouTube channels that feature tutorials often have millions of followers, because YouTube is a popular place to go when you need information.

9. 10 Things About You

Being open is important, so why not share 10 things about yourself you think your audience would find interesting or which you think are important for people to know. The top 10 things structure is often used in YouTube videos because it provides a clear rhythm to a video clip, and it enables you to gradually increase the tension as the video progresses.

These types of videos tend to create a better relationship with your audience because they make the viewer feel as if they know the person on the screen.

10. Video Rant

Doing things when you are angry is usually a bad idea, but if you feel so strongly about a particular subject then creating a video rant can be a great idea. Rants don’t even have to be angry, they can be about something that puzzles you or something so great you just can’t get over it. These kinds of videos can get your YouTube channel a lot of comments, likes, and subscribers.

Don’t try to fake a rant, because they only work if they are natural. Scripting a video rant may be an interesting creative task, but genuine reactions are always more effective. If you want to deliver a more structured and planned video about a topic you feel strongly about, that’d be more like an opinion video.

Do you have any easy video ideas for other creators to try?

Start Editing Videos with Beginner-friendly Software

If you start your YouTube channel but have no video editing experience, Wondershare Filmora will definitely help you get over the problems. Download Filmora now!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Do you need an easy video idea to keep your channel active? A fresh supply of YouTube video ideas is a necessary ingredient for a successful channel , but generating that fresh supply of ideas is easier said than done. When you’re stuck, the best thing to do can be to keep your ideas simple. Focus on being engaging instead of on coming up with an original idea nobody’s ever tried – your video will be original because you’re the one doing it and you’re unique.

They say that less is more, so let’s have a look at how you can apply this principle to practice and create amazing YouTube videos from small ideas.

1. Introduce Yourself
2. Vlog About Your Day
3. Express an Opinion
4. Review Anything
5. Your Favorite Songs / Movies / Etc.
6. What’s on Your Phone?
7. Make a Slideshow
8. Make a Tutorial
9. 10 Things About You
10. Video Rant

1. Introduce Yourself

Let the world know who you are and what you do. If you are planning on starting a YouTube channel, or if you’ve already been posting videos on a topic but haven’t formally introduced yourself, it’s a great idea to put some thought into an introduction video. Producing such a YouTube video will enable you to introduce yourself to your future subscribers and give them an idea as to what your channel is all about.

These kinds of videos make great channel trailers, and they’re a good way to highlight the topics you’ll be covering on your channel in the future.

2. Vlog About Your Day

Anything that happens during your day can become a topic for your YouTube vlog. Traffic jams, treacherous pets who keep stealing your shoes, or the ridiculous amount of things you had to do in a single day can all become topics for videos you upload to your YouTube channel. Being candid and spontaneous is a sure way to grab the attention of a viewer, but limiting the duration of a vlog to a few minutes is key to ensuring that viewers watch the video until the end.

Strive to make visually dynamic videos, because just sitting or standing and talking in front of a camera for a few minutes isn’t going to create much on-screen action.

3. Express An Opinion

Social media culture has enabled us to receive news instantly and react to it in any way we want. If you didn’t like the latest update of your favorite video game, or if you’re excited about a line of makeup that’s coming out soon, make a video about it and share your opinion with the community that follows you on YouTube.

Opinion videos are great conversation starters. Expressing an opinion through a YouTube video can get you a lot of comments and even inspire others to take action.

You can express your opinions on virtually any topic, but being respectful while doing so is for the best if you don’t want to find yourself in a YouTube feud.

4. Review Anything

Everywhere around you, there are items you can review. The Apple Watch and the latest season of Game of Thrones are equally good choices for a review video. However, when creating review videos you need to make sure that all the factual information you have is accurate, which is why it is much better to make review videos about topics you know a lot about.

Review videos can also be a source of revenue because a lot of companies sponsor YouTubers who review their products.

5. Your Favorite Songs / Movies / Etc

Are you a Tarantino fan? Why not? When you are struggling to find inspiration for your videos, just think about the things you like. Your subscribers are interested in you, so they’ll be interested in knowing about your favorite movies or music albums. Books, movies, and music are an inexhaustible source of fresh ideas because there is always a new song or a film you can talk about in your video.

You can do a ‘my 5 favorite songs’ type of video, or talk in detail about just one favorite.

6. What’s on Your Phone?

There were over two billion smartphone users worldwide in 2017, and this number is only going to continue rising in the next couple of years. Furthermore, thousands of YouTubers are already producing unimaginable amounts of videos about the latest apps or smartphone devices.

Finding a way to talk about the apps you like to use the most can be a good idea if you want to attract more visitors to your YouTube channel. However, you need to be clear about whether this is a lifestyle or vlog-style video covering a topic that usually exists in the tech genre, or if you are a tech YouTuber, so as not to confuse your audience (you don’t want people to start expecting app reviews if that’s not what you usually do).

7. Make a Slideshow

There’s no need to constantly produce new videos because you can just take some royalty-free music and create a slideshow from your old or new photos. The slideshow format will certainly allow you to try something different on your YouTube channel, while the photos you use in the slideshow can create a clear picture of who you are and what you do for your viewers.

If you are a photography enthusiast you can also plan the entire slideshow in advance and then make a short video about how you created the images in the slideshow.

8. Make a Tutorial

Education is our only hope for a better world so if you know how to do something well, don’t be afraid to share your knowledge. A tutorial is a powerful educational tool that enables you to guide people through the entire process of making origami, solving a complicated video editing problem, maintaining a motorcycle, or anything else.

YouTube channels that feature tutorials often have millions of followers, because YouTube is a popular place to go when you need information.

9. 10 Things About You

Being open is important, so why not share 10 things about yourself you think your audience would find interesting or which you think are important for people to know. The top 10 things structure is often used in YouTube videos because it provides a clear rhythm to a video clip, and it enables you to gradually increase the tension as the video progresses.

These types of videos tend to create a better relationship with your audience because they make the viewer feel as if they know the person on the screen.

10. Video Rant

Doing things when you are angry is usually a bad idea, but if you feel so strongly about a particular subject then creating a video rant can be a great idea. Rants don’t even have to be angry, they can be about something that puzzles you or something so great you just can’t get over it. These kinds of videos can get your YouTube channel a lot of comments, likes, and subscribers.

Don’t try to fake a rant, because they only work if they are natural. Scripting a video rant may be an interesting creative task, but genuine reactions are always more effective. If you want to deliver a more structured and planned video about a topic you feel strongly about, that’d be more like an opinion video.

Do you have any easy video ideas for other creators to try?

Start Editing Videos with Beginner-friendly Software

If you start your YouTube channel but have no video editing experience, Wondershare Filmora will definitely help you get over the problems. Download Filmora now!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Do you need an easy video idea to keep your channel active? A fresh supply of YouTube video ideas is a necessary ingredient for a successful channel , but generating that fresh supply of ideas is easier said than done. When you’re stuck, the best thing to do can be to keep your ideas simple. Focus on being engaging instead of on coming up with an original idea nobody’s ever tried – your video will be original because you’re the one doing it and you’re unique.

They say that less is more, so let’s have a look at how you can apply this principle to practice and create amazing YouTube videos from small ideas.

1. Introduce Yourself
2. Vlog About Your Day
3. Express an Opinion
4. Review Anything
5. Your Favorite Songs / Movies / Etc.
6. What’s on Your Phone?
7. Make a Slideshow
8. Make a Tutorial
9. 10 Things About You
10. Video Rant

1. Introduce Yourself

Let the world know who you are and what you do. If you are planning on starting a YouTube channel, or if you’ve already been posting videos on a topic but haven’t formally introduced yourself, it’s a great idea to put some thought into an introduction video. Producing such a YouTube video will enable you to introduce yourself to your future subscribers and give them an idea as to what your channel is all about.

These kinds of videos make great channel trailers, and they’re a good way to highlight the topics you’ll be covering on your channel in the future.

2. Vlog About Your Day

Anything that happens during your day can become a topic for your YouTube vlog. Traffic jams, treacherous pets who keep stealing your shoes, or the ridiculous amount of things you had to do in a single day can all become topics for videos you upload to your YouTube channel. Being candid and spontaneous is a sure way to grab the attention of a viewer, but limiting the duration of a vlog to a few minutes is key to ensuring that viewers watch the video until the end.

Strive to make visually dynamic videos, because just sitting or standing and talking in front of a camera for a few minutes isn’t going to create much on-screen action.

3. Express An Opinion

Social media culture has enabled us to receive news instantly and react to it in any way we want. If you didn’t like the latest update of your favorite video game, or if you’re excited about a line of makeup that’s coming out soon, make a video about it and share your opinion with the community that follows you on YouTube.

Opinion videos are great conversation starters. Expressing an opinion through a YouTube video can get you a lot of comments and even inspire others to take action.

You can express your opinions on virtually any topic, but being respectful while doing so is for the best if you don’t want to find yourself in a YouTube feud.

4. Review Anything

Everywhere around you, there are items you can review. The Apple Watch and the latest season of Game of Thrones are equally good choices for a review video. However, when creating review videos you need to make sure that all the factual information you have is accurate, which is why it is much better to make review videos about topics you know a lot about.

Review videos can also be a source of revenue because a lot of companies sponsor YouTubers who review their products.

5. Your Favorite Songs / Movies / Etc

Are you a Tarantino fan? Why not? When you are struggling to find inspiration for your videos, just think about the things you like. Your subscribers are interested in you, so they’ll be interested in knowing about your favorite movies or music albums. Books, movies, and music are an inexhaustible source of fresh ideas because there is always a new song or a film you can talk about in your video.

You can do a ‘my 5 favorite songs’ type of video, or talk in detail about just one favorite.

6. What’s on Your Phone?

There were over two billion smartphone users worldwide in 2017, and this number is only going to continue rising in the next couple of years. Furthermore, thousands of YouTubers are already producing unimaginable amounts of videos about the latest apps or smartphone devices.

Finding a way to talk about the apps you like to use the most can be a good idea if you want to attract more visitors to your YouTube channel. However, you need to be clear about whether this is a lifestyle or vlog-style video covering a topic that usually exists in the tech genre, or if you are a tech YouTuber, so as not to confuse your audience (you don’t want people to start expecting app reviews if that’s not what you usually do).

7. Make a Slideshow

There’s no need to constantly produce new videos because you can just take some royalty-free music and create a slideshow from your old or new photos. The slideshow format will certainly allow you to try something different on your YouTube channel, while the photos you use in the slideshow can create a clear picture of who you are and what you do for your viewers.

If you are a photography enthusiast you can also plan the entire slideshow in advance and then make a short video about how you created the images in the slideshow.

8. Make a Tutorial

Education is our only hope for a better world so if you know how to do something well, don’t be afraid to share your knowledge. A tutorial is a powerful educational tool that enables you to guide people through the entire process of making origami, solving a complicated video editing problem, maintaining a motorcycle, or anything else.

YouTube channels that feature tutorials often have millions of followers, because YouTube is a popular place to go when you need information.

9. 10 Things About You

Being open is important, so why not share 10 things about yourself you think your audience would find interesting or which you think are important for people to know. The top 10 things structure is often used in YouTube videos because it provides a clear rhythm to a video clip, and it enables you to gradually increase the tension as the video progresses.

These types of videos tend to create a better relationship with your audience because they make the viewer feel as if they know the person on the screen.

10. Video Rant

Doing things when you are angry is usually a bad idea, but if you feel so strongly about a particular subject then creating a video rant can be a great idea. Rants don’t even have to be angry, they can be about something that puzzles you or something so great you just can’t get over it. These kinds of videos can get your YouTube channel a lot of comments, likes, and subscribers.

Don’t try to fake a rant, because they only work if they are natural. Scripting a video rant may be an interesting creative task, but genuine reactions are always more effective. If you want to deliver a more structured and planned video about a topic you feel strongly about, that’d be more like an opinion video.

Do you have any easy video ideas for other creators to try?

Start Editing Videos with Beginner-friendly Software

If you start your YouTube channel but have no video editing experience, Wondershare Filmora will definitely help you get over the problems. Download Filmora now!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Do you need an easy video idea to keep your channel active? A fresh supply of YouTube video ideas is a necessary ingredient for a successful channel , but generating that fresh supply of ideas is easier said than done. When you’re stuck, the best thing to do can be to keep your ideas simple. Focus on being engaging instead of on coming up with an original idea nobody’s ever tried – your video will be original because you’re the one doing it and you’re unique.

They say that less is more, so let’s have a look at how you can apply this principle to practice and create amazing YouTube videos from small ideas.

1. Introduce Yourself
2. Vlog About Your Day
3. Express an Opinion
4. Review Anything
5. Your Favorite Songs / Movies / Etc.
6. What’s on Your Phone?
7. Make a Slideshow
8. Make a Tutorial
9. 10 Things About You
10. Video Rant

1. Introduce Yourself

Let the world know who you are and what you do. If you are planning on starting a YouTube channel, or if you’ve already been posting videos on a topic but haven’t formally introduced yourself, it’s a great idea to put some thought into an introduction video. Producing such a YouTube video will enable you to introduce yourself to your future subscribers and give them an idea as to what your channel is all about.

These kinds of videos make great channel trailers, and they’re a good way to highlight the topics you’ll be covering on your channel in the future.

2. Vlog About Your Day

Anything that happens during your day can become a topic for your YouTube vlog. Traffic jams, treacherous pets who keep stealing your shoes, or the ridiculous amount of things you had to do in a single day can all become topics for videos you upload to your YouTube channel. Being candid and spontaneous is a sure way to grab the attention of a viewer, but limiting the duration of a vlog to a few minutes is key to ensuring that viewers watch the video until the end.

Strive to make visually dynamic videos, because just sitting or standing and talking in front of a camera for a few minutes isn’t going to create much on-screen action.

3. Express An Opinion

Social media culture has enabled us to receive news instantly and react to it in any way we want. If you didn’t like the latest update of your favorite video game, or if you’re excited about a line of makeup that’s coming out soon, make a video about it and share your opinion with the community that follows you on YouTube.

Opinion videos are great conversation starters. Expressing an opinion through a YouTube video can get you a lot of comments and even inspire others to take action.

You can express your opinions on virtually any topic, but being respectful while doing so is for the best if you don’t want to find yourself in a YouTube feud.

4. Review Anything

Everywhere around you, there are items you can review. The Apple Watch and the latest season of Game of Thrones are equally good choices for a review video. However, when creating review videos you need to make sure that all the factual information you have is accurate, which is why it is much better to make review videos about topics you know a lot about.

Review videos can also be a source of revenue because a lot of companies sponsor YouTubers who review their products.

5. Your Favorite Songs / Movies / Etc

Are you a Tarantino fan? Why not? When you are struggling to find inspiration for your videos, just think about the things you like. Your subscribers are interested in you, so they’ll be interested in knowing about your favorite movies or music albums. Books, movies, and music are an inexhaustible source of fresh ideas because there is always a new song or a film you can talk about in your video.

You can do a ‘my 5 favorite songs’ type of video, or talk in detail about just one favorite.

6. What’s on Your Phone?

There were over two billion smartphone users worldwide in 2017, and this number is only going to continue rising in the next couple of years. Furthermore, thousands of YouTubers are already producing unimaginable amounts of videos about the latest apps or smartphone devices.

Finding a way to talk about the apps you like to use the most can be a good idea if you want to attract more visitors to your YouTube channel. However, you need to be clear about whether this is a lifestyle or vlog-style video covering a topic that usually exists in the tech genre, or if you are a tech YouTuber, so as not to confuse your audience (you don’t want people to start expecting app reviews if that’s not what you usually do).

7. Make a Slideshow

There’s no need to constantly produce new videos because you can just take some royalty-free music and create a slideshow from your old or new photos. The slideshow format will certainly allow you to try something different on your YouTube channel, while the photos you use in the slideshow can create a clear picture of who you are and what you do for your viewers.

If you are a photography enthusiast you can also plan the entire slideshow in advance and then make a short video about how you created the images in the slideshow.

8. Make a Tutorial

Education is our only hope for a better world so if you know how to do something well, don’t be afraid to share your knowledge. A tutorial is a powerful educational tool that enables you to guide people through the entire process of making origami, solving a complicated video editing problem, maintaining a motorcycle, or anything else.

YouTube channels that feature tutorials often have millions of followers, because YouTube is a popular place to go when you need information.

9. 10 Things About You

Being open is important, so why not share 10 things about yourself you think your audience would find interesting or which you think are important for people to know. The top 10 things structure is often used in YouTube videos because it provides a clear rhythm to a video clip, and it enables you to gradually increase the tension as the video progresses.

These types of videos tend to create a better relationship with your audience because they make the viewer feel as if they know the person on the screen.

10. Video Rant

Doing things when you are angry is usually a bad idea, but if you feel so strongly about a particular subject then creating a video rant can be a great idea. Rants don’t even have to be angry, they can be about something that puzzles you or something so great you just can’t get over it. These kinds of videos can get your YouTube channel a lot of comments, likes, and subscribers.

Don’t try to fake a rant, because they only work if they are natural. Scripting a video rant may be an interesting creative task, but genuine reactions are always more effective. If you want to deliver a more structured and planned video about a topic you feel strongly about, that’d be more like an opinion video.

Do you have any easy video ideas for other creators to try?

Start Editing Videos with Beginner-friendly Software

If you start your YouTube channel but have no video editing experience, Wondershare Filmora will definitely help you get over the problems. Download Filmora now!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Perfect Your Video Subtitles on YouTube

How To Add Captions to YouTube Videos

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

By captioning your YouTube videos you help to make them accessible to more potential viewers. Subtitles are useful to viewers who have hearing impairments, whose first language is different from yours, or who are unable to watch your video with sound. Closed captioning can also be useful for you as a YouTuber because it helps with your SEO, or search engine optimization. Practicing better SEO can get your videos ranked higher in search results. Google and YouTube both index subtitles and transcripts much like they do your video’s description, unless you use automated captions.

This article will first explain how you can turn on subtitles for the videos you watch and then walk you through adding captions to your own videos.

How To Turn On Captions on YouTube

In order for you to be able to view subtitles for a YouTube video the uploader of the video will need to have added them, unless you change your account settings to display automatic captions.

To toggle subtitles on and off click on the Closed Captioning icon in the bottom right of your video player.

If the creator of the video has not added captions then you can enable automatic captions by going into your Account Settings and selecting Playback. Check the box next to Always Show Captions, and then check Show Automatic Captions by Speech Recognition. These captions may be flawed, but you will still be able to see the more accurate user submitted captions on videos that have them. The Always Show Captions feature may be useful not only to the hearing impaired, but to users who do not speak the same language as the video producer.

If you want to change the language of the subtitles click on the settings icon (the one that looks like a gear) next to the closed captioning icon and choose your language next to Subtitles/CC . If the language you want is not there select Auto-Translate and then pick a language. Google Translate will be used to generate subtitles in your chosen language.

Adding YouTube Captions in 4 Steps

1. Go to Video Manager in your Creator Studio and then look at your videos. Decide which one you want to add captions to.

2. Click on the drop-down menu next to the video you want to add captions to and choose Subtitles and CC.

3. Select Add New Subtitles or CC.

4. Choose whether to create your captions, upload a file that has them, transcribe your video, use automatic captioning, or use captioning software.

Create Subtitles or Closed Captions will allow you to create your subtitles on YouTube.

Upload A File allows you to upload a pre-made subtitle file from your computer. Supported file types include SubRip (.srt) and SubViewer (.sbv). You cannot use a word or PDF document for your subtitles.

Transcribe and Set Timings is where you can type a transcript of your video and set timings to sync it to your video. This differs from Create Subtitles or Closed Captions in that your transcript is all typed in to one text field.

Use Automatic Captioning will automatically use speech recognition technology to create captions. You can edit these auto-generated captions later if there are mistakes.

Use Captioning Software or Services is what you choose if you want to use a program or service to create the subtitles for your video.

The easiest way to add subtitles to your videos is to use Automatic Captioning. However, Automatic Captioning is imperfect and may result in your viewers getting a sloppy, skewed, interpretation of your video. Automatic captions are also not indexed by YouTube and Google the way subtitles you create or upload are. This means that they will not have any value to your SEO strategy. If you do not input your own captions or transcript you are missing out on an opportunity for better search engine rankings. Automatic Captions are great if you do not have time to input subtitles and need a temporary solution, though.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

By captioning your YouTube videos you help to make them accessible to more potential viewers. Subtitles are useful to viewers who have hearing impairments, whose first language is different from yours, or who are unable to watch your video with sound. Closed captioning can also be useful for you as a YouTuber because it helps with your SEO, or search engine optimization. Practicing better SEO can get your videos ranked higher in search results. Google and YouTube both index subtitles and transcripts much like they do your video’s description, unless you use automated captions.

This article will first explain how you can turn on subtitles for the videos you watch and then walk you through adding captions to your own videos.

How To Turn On Captions on YouTube

In order for you to be able to view subtitles for a YouTube video the uploader of the video will need to have added them, unless you change your account settings to display automatic captions.

To toggle subtitles on and off click on the Closed Captioning icon in the bottom right of your video player.

If the creator of the video has not added captions then you can enable automatic captions by going into your Account Settings and selecting Playback. Check the box next to Always Show Captions, and then check Show Automatic Captions by Speech Recognition. These captions may be flawed, but you will still be able to see the more accurate user submitted captions on videos that have them. The Always Show Captions feature may be useful not only to the hearing impaired, but to users who do not speak the same language as the video producer.

If you want to change the language of the subtitles click on the settings icon (the one that looks like a gear) next to the closed captioning icon and choose your language next to Subtitles/CC . If the language you want is not there select Auto-Translate and then pick a language. Google Translate will be used to generate subtitles in your chosen language.

Adding YouTube Captions in 4 Steps

1. Go to Video Manager in your Creator Studio and then look at your videos. Decide which one you want to add captions to.

2. Click on the drop-down menu next to the video you want to add captions to and choose Subtitles and CC.

3. Select Add New Subtitles or CC.

4. Choose whether to create your captions, upload a file that has them, transcribe your video, use automatic captioning, or use captioning software.

Create Subtitles or Closed Captions will allow you to create your subtitles on YouTube.

Upload A File allows you to upload a pre-made subtitle file from your computer. Supported file types include SubRip (.srt) and SubViewer (.sbv). You cannot use a word or PDF document for your subtitles.

Transcribe and Set Timings is where you can type a transcript of your video and set timings to sync it to your video. This differs from Create Subtitles or Closed Captions in that your transcript is all typed in to one text field.

Use Automatic Captioning will automatically use speech recognition technology to create captions. You can edit these auto-generated captions later if there are mistakes.

Use Captioning Software or Services is what you choose if you want to use a program or service to create the subtitles for your video.

The easiest way to add subtitles to your videos is to use Automatic Captioning. However, Automatic Captioning is imperfect and may result in your viewers getting a sloppy, skewed, interpretation of your video. Automatic captions are also not indexed by YouTube and Google the way subtitles you create or upload are. This means that they will not have any value to your SEO strategy. If you do not input your own captions or transcript you are missing out on an opportunity for better search engine rankings. Automatic Captions are great if you do not have time to input subtitles and need a temporary solution, though.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

By captioning your YouTube videos you help to make them accessible to more potential viewers. Subtitles are useful to viewers who have hearing impairments, whose first language is different from yours, or who are unable to watch your video with sound. Closed captioning can also be useful for you as a YouTuber because it helps with your SEO, or search engine optimization. Practicing better SEO can get your videos ranked higher in search results. Google and YouTube both index subtitles and transcripts much like they do your video’s description, unless you use automated captions.

This article will first explain how you can turn on subtitles for the videos you watch and then walk you through adding captions to your own videos.

How To Turn On Captions on YouTube

In order for you to be able to view subtitles for a YouTube video the uploader of the video will need to have added them, unless you change your account settings to display automatic captions.

To toggle subtitles on and off click on the Closed Captioning icon in the bottom right of your video player.

If the creator of the video has not added captions then you can enable automatic captions by going into your Account Settings and selecting Playback. Check the box next to Always Show Captions, and then check Show Automatic Captions by Speech Recognition. These captions may be flawed, but you will still be able to see the more accurate user submitted captions on videos that have them. The Always Show Captions feature may be useful not only to the hearing impaired, but to users who do not speak the same language as the video producer.

If you want to change the language of the subtitles click on the settings icon (the one that looks like a gear) next to the closed captioning icon and choose your language next to Subtitles/CC . If the language you want is not there select Auto-Translate and then pick a language. Google Translate will be used to generate subtitles in your chosen language.

Adding YouTube Captions in 4 Steps

1. Go to Video Manager in your Creator Studio and then look at your videos. Decide which one you want to add captions to.

2. Click on the drop-down menu next to the video you want to add captions to and choose Subtitles and CC.

3. Select Add New Subtitles or CC.

4. Choose whether to create your captions, upload a file that has them, transcribe your video, use automatic captioning, or use captioning software.

Create Subtitles or Closed Captions will allow you to create your subtitles on YouTube.

Upload A File allows you to upload a pre-made subtitle file from your computer. Supported file types include SubRip (.srt) and SubViewer (.sbv). You cannot use a word or PDF document for your subtitles.

Transcribe and Set Timings is where you can type a transcript of your video and set timings to sync it to your video. This differs from Create Subtitles or Closed Captions in that your transcript is all typed in to one text field.

Use Automatic Captioning will automatically use speech recognition technology to create captions. You can edit these auto-generated captions later if there are mistakes.

Use Captioning Software or Services is what you choose if you want to use a program or service to create the subtitles for your video.

The easiest way to add subtitles to your videos is to use Automatic Captioning. However, Automatic Captioning is imperfect and may result in your viewers getting a sloppy, skewed, interpretation of your video. Automatic captions are also not indexed by YouTube and Google the way subtitles you create or upload are. This means that they will not have any value to your SEO strategy. If you do not input your own captions or transcript you are missing out on an opportunity for better search engine rankings. Automatic Captions are great if you do not have time to input subtitles and need a temporary solution, though.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

By captioning your YouTube videos you help to make them accessible to more potential viewers. Subtitles are useful to viewers who have hearing impairments, whose first language is different from yours, or who are unable to watch your video with sound. Closed captioning can also be useful for you as a YouTuber because it helps with your SEO, or search engine optimization. Practicing better SEO can get your videos ranked higher in search results. Google and YouTube both index subtitles and transcripts much like they do your video’s description, unless you use automated captions.

This article will first explain how you can turn on subtitles for the videos you watch and then walk you through adding captions to your own videos.

How To Turn On Captions on YouTube

In order for you to be able to view subtitles for a YouTube video the uploader of the video will need to have added them, unless you change your account settings to display automatic captions.

To toggle subtitles on and off click on the Closed Captioning icon in the bottom right of your video player.

If the creator of the video has not added captions then you can enable automatic captions by going into your Account Settings and selecting Playback. Check the box next to Always Show Captions, and then check Show Automatic Captions by Speech Recognition. These captions may be flawed, but you will still be able to see the more accurate user submitted captions on videos that have them. The Always Show Captions feature may be useful not only to the hearing impaired, but to users who do not speak the same language as the video producer.

If you want to change the language of the subtitles click on the settings icon (the one that looks like a gear) next to the closed captioning icon and choose your language next to Subtitles/CC . If the language you want is not there select Auto-Translate and then pick a language. Google Translate will be used to generate subtitles in your chosen language.

Adding YouTube Captions in 4 Steps

1. Go to Video Manager in your Creator Studio and then look at your videos. Decide which one you want to add captions to.

2. Click on the drop-down menu next to the video you want to add captions to and choose Subtitles and CC.

3. Select Add New Subtitles or CC.

4. Choose whether to create your captions, upload a file that has them, transcribe your video, use automatic captioning, or use captioning software.

Create Subtitles or Closed Captions will allow you to create your subtitles on YouTube.

Upload A File allows you to upload a pre-made subtitle file from your computer. Supported file types include SubRip (.srt) and SubViewer (.sbv). You cannot use a word or PDF document for your subtitles.

Transcribe and Set Timings is where you can type a transcript of your video and set timings to sync it to your video. This differs from Create Subtitles or Closed Captions in that your transcript is all typed in to one text field.

Use Automatic Captioning will automatically use speech recognition technology to create captions. You can edit these auto-generated captions later if there are mistakes.

Use Captioning Software or Services is what you choose if you want to use a program or service to create the subtitles for your video.

The easiest way to add subtitles to your videos is to use Automatic Captioning. However, Automatic Captioning is imperfect and may result in your viewers getting a sloppy, skewed, interpretation of your video. Automatic captions are also not indexed by YouTube and Google the way subtitles you create or upload are. This means that they will not have any value to your SEO strategy. If you do not input your own captions or transcript you are missing out on an opportunity for better search engine rankings. Automatic Captions are great if you do not have time to input subtitles and need a temporary solution, though.

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Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

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