30 YouTube Video Ideas for Marketers to Get Inspired By!

08/10/21         Author: Juan Bencomo         17 min reading



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If you are a marketer or business owner looking for some of the best YouTube video ideas to make a splash, you’ve come to the right place!

When we talk about marketing, we all know by now that no type of content can outclass video. It’s the medium that generates the most engagement, widespread appeal and consistently delivers the best results.

But none of that would be true today if it wasn’t for platforms like YouTube that provided the ground floor and tech to make video content readily available and accessible to everyone – which they have gotten better at doing over the years.

Now, with over 126 million unique monthly viewers in the U.S. alone, eschewing a presence on the platform is a mistake most businesses can’t afford.

Yet, constantly coming up with good ideas to promote or establish your presence there can be a struggle! Luckily, it’s a struggle we’ll help you with today 😉

Let’s jump right in.

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Explainer video by Yum Yum Videos

Content:

YouTube Video Ideas to Have People Find and Get to Know You

YouTube Video Ideas to Delight and Provide Value to Your Audience

YouTube Video Ideas to Establish Yourself in Your Niche

Bonus Round: A Few More Miscellaneous YouTube Video Ideas

Wrapping Up

YouTube Video Ideas to Have People Find and Get to Know You

Let’s kick things off with some popular YouTube content ideas geared toward the top and middle of your conversion funnel. That is to say, videos meant to have people finding your presence on the platform and getting to know who you are and what you have to offer.

1 – Explainer Videos

An extremely popular style for YouTube marketing, explainer videos use storytelling to effectively present your brand, product, or message to an audience in a way that stays with them long after watching. Users love content that helps them understand things (more on that later!), and if they find a piece that does so while also entertaining and charming them? Well, all the better!

A good explainer built around your product or brand can also double up as a great introduction to new potential customers and further those who already know you down your conversion funnel.

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2 – Intro Videos

What better way to have an audience get to know you than simply introducing yourself on the platform?

Make a video that tells people who you are, what you do, and most importantly, why you do it. If your YouTube marketing strategy hinges on regular content upload on your channel, make sure to mention upload schedules and giving them a bit of a rundown on what they can expect.

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3 – Meet the Team

In today’s social media marketing landscape, few things can be as effective at humanizing your brand and having people emotionally invested in it as putting a face to the name and logo!

Create a video that introduces your audience to the people that makes your company run. Tell them who they are and what they do. Bonus points if you can get them to share tidbits of why they love doing what they do or candid/funny tales of their work environment.

4 – A Day in the Life

This is another creative and charming YouTube content idea that lets you introduce your brand and yourself to an audience in a clever and entertaining way. Best of all? They tend to perform really well on the platform, making them a great addition to most marketing strategies on the platform.

As the name implies, these are all about walking your audience through the ins and outs of someone involved with your company. Showcase your routine, highlight things others might find interesting or appealing, and you’ll have a great piece of content that brings new eyes your way.

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5 – YouTube Ads or Commercials

A staple of any YouTube marketing strategy, these are videos meant to play at the top, mid, and end parts of other videos hosted on the platform to promote something.

They follow the form and function of traditional commercials or TV ads (hence, the name) and are meant to present you, your brand, or your products to a broader audience to grow your reach and scope. Simple, versatile, and extremely useful! You can find more like the example below for animated ads in our portfolio.

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6 – Tour Videos

We all love taking a peek behind the curtain! If you don’t believe us, just look at the success Google has had with content showcasing their unique workspaces and the people who make use of them regularly.

Take viewers on a tour of the spaces related to your business that they wouldn’t usually get to see, like server rooms or production lines. Show them something interesting, and they’ll respond with interest in kind.

7 – Event Coverage Videos

YouTube is filled with videos that seek to give viewers a sense of involvement and participation, and that’s a level of investment most companies would have killed for a few decades back!

Have anything interesting coming up in terms of events in your business? A new release, some company gathering, a celebration perhaps? Use the opportunity to record some footage and invite viewers to participate vicariously. Do it right, and you’ll appreciate the results as much as them.

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8 – Behind-the-Scenes Videos

While somewhat similar in concept to Tour videos, a behind-the-scenes piece isn’t limited to the physical space your company occupies. Instead, it seeks to give viewers a bit of insight into stuff they wouldn’t otherwise be privy to.

These videos work particularly well when paired with event coverage videos or to simply showcase the process that goes on, well, behind the scenes when your company does something!

9 – Highlight Reels

Last in this sub-section of popular video ideas – but certainly not least! – you have highlight reels, which can be a gold mine in terms of repurposing content and getting the most out of your YouTube marketing strategy.

As you work on creating some of the other videos we’ve touched upon already (and the ones that come after), you’ll end up with a lot of interesting footage on your hands. Take that opportunity to use that content in creative ways and make some highlight reels that might capture your audience’s attention and prompt them to watch the more extended version of the original pieces as well!

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YouTube Video Ideas to Delight and Provide Value to Your Audience

Now, it’s time to jump into some of the best ideas to win your audience over and keep them coming back for more of your content. These will probably form the bulk of your YouTube marketing strategy, content-wise.

10 – Tutorial and How-to videos

No video ideas list would be complete without these two on it, and that’s because YouTube viewers love this type of content.

It makes a lot of sense, too, when you think about it. We all come across issues in our daily lives that require expedited fixes or troubleshooting, and Tutorials and How-to videos are all about addressing those needs.

These two styles can help you establish yourself and your brand as a reliable and helpful resource of information. One that your target audience will appreciate and come back to – which helps attract new eyes to your content and send them on their way happier after watching.

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11 – Q&A Videos

Whatever niche your company operates in, people are sure to be asking you questions all the time. Why not have a video readily available tackling the most frequent and pressing ones?

Other videos’ comment sections, social media messages, and your company’s help and support desk can be invaluable sources to determine what questions you should address. You could even make a dedicated post on your platform of preference, asking your audience which questions they’d like to see addressed and go from there. Definitely one of the best YouTube content ideas on the list that you should experiment with!

12 – List Videos

Here’s another idea that puts a lot of flexibility in your hands, which gives a lot of room for creativity and innovation.

Much like fact compilations, these videos are primarily about curating content that your audience would find helpful or interesting and presenting it in a way they’d enjoy. Just pick a topic relevant to your audience, gather a shortlist of interesting data points, and presents them in a charming and easy-to-follow way. Extra points if you can inject a lot of personality and editorial commentary that helps distinguish your list from similar ones.

13 – Product Videos

It’d be impossible to talk about YouTube marketing and not talk about product videos. Put simply, these videos give you the best possible medium to present your product to an audience, short of putting the product in their hands.

Just make sure to cover your product’s key features, how it works, and any other aspect you think any potential customer would be interested in. Check out this example of product video production:

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14 – Unboxing Videos

A “YouTube originals,” you might say, Unboxings are a style of videos that was birthed and made popular on the platform.

In essence, an unboxing video revolves around a product, but the focus is placed on the packaging and its contents to showcase what people can expect when purchasing it. By and large, most YT viewers who have even a passing interest in your product will find these interesting and helpful, which makes them great for improving conversions at the later stages of a funnel.

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15 – Reviews

People love getting other people’s take on things, especially when decision-making is involved. That fact makes reviews a potentially game-changing addition to any YouTube marketing strategy and lands them rightfully on this list.

Are there any products that synergize well with yours? Have happy customers already sharing their takes on your products? Does your team have a favorite restaurant to eat together? Then why not put together a few reviews around those things? Your audience will appreciate them!

16 – Fact Compilations (YouTube Video Idea)

Compilation videos tend to perform well on YouTube, if for nothing else, because they cater to viewers’ appetite for short and easy-to-consume content. And the best thing is that this style is really flexible.

You can take the educational route and create fact compilations that appeal to your audience’s pain points. Or, if you want to be more direct in terms of promotion, you can always compile facts surrounding your company or product.

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YouTube Video Ideas to Establish Yourself and Build Authority in Your Niche

Since you are going through this list, you probably already know this, but it bears repeating: a successful YouTube marketing strategy hinges on your ability to establish and nurture your presence on the platform. Here are a few types of videos that will help you do just that!

17 – Testimonial Videos

In the same vein as reviews, testimonial videos are a powerful YouTube content idea you’ll want to include in your marketing push on the site.

You have a lot of great things to say about your company and brand, and that’s to be expected, but we are all aware of the intrinsic bias in such content. On the other hand, an awesome testimonial showcases an impartial third party sharing their positive view of your company and telling their experience of how it helped them. Definitely a YouTube video idea you shouldn’t ignore!

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18 – Webinars and Presentations

We already talked about how educational content tends to perform extremely well on YouTube, and Webinars or extended presentations can be a fantastic addition to your portfolio there.

Chances are you won’t be producing a webinar exclusively to upload to YouTube. But if part of your content strategy already includes some type of long-form seminar or presentation, don’t miss the opportunity to make it readily available to your audience on the platform as well.

19 – Expert Advice and Tips

Given that you are operating a business, there’s a good chance that you have know-how and insight that others interested in your niche might find useful or valuable. Why not make use of your experience and keen perspective and make some videos sharing your expertise?

Not only do these types of videos provide a lot of value and a unique perspective to your audience, but they also go a long way at establishing you as a reliable source of information on the matters that involve your brand.

20 – Insider Outlook Videos

Similar but distinct from expert advice videos, this style is more about you providing your take on niche-relevant news or seasonal events that both you and your audience would find worthy of notice. While less evergreen than similar types of videos, the timed nature of this piece of content can help you generate spikes of attention you can then leverage with other videos.

Are you getting into a “busy season” for your company? Have an original take on some event that just took place? By all means, do make a video giving your take on it!

21 – Company Culture Videos

These videos are both powerful and relatively straightforward: just make a video showcasing your brand’s culture or your company’s story.

A great video that showcases the good vibes and enjoyable work environment that makes your business run can go a long way in terms of branding and help potential and existing customers form a deeper connection with your brand.

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22 – Interview Videos

Like the previous two YouTube video ideas, interview videos can help you solidify and grow your presence on the platform by using your expertise and connections to interview other experts on topics relevant to your audience.

Moreover, interview videos can give you and other similar content creators and marketers an opportunity to synergize your efforts and create content that nurtures both of your audiences. Win-win!

23 – Debunk Myths and Misconceptions Video

No business operates in a vacuum, and that means that whatever your niche, there are some lingering misconceptions and myths surrounding your audience’s pain points (or even your products) that can have a negative impact on your overall marketing strategy.

Take those situations as an opportunity to create some content effectively debunking or clarifying such misconceptions. Both your audience and your bottom line will benefit from it.

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24 – Response Videos

Think of response videos as a hybrid between insider outlook and expert advice videos that you build around another piece of content on the platform.

Chances are that you aren’t the only brand or content creator making videos related to your niche. Response videos – a long-lasting tradition on YouTube – let you provide your take in response to a video made by someone else. Just make sure to be positive and constructive with these videos, and they can be a great addition to your growing YouTube marketing portfolio.

25 – Live Streams

All the benefits of most other YouTube video ideas we’ve covered so far, with the added benefit of FOMO and timed content! A good live stream can be challenging to pull off right but invaluable in terms of branding and building audience interest around a particular event or happening.

Have a new product line coming up? A big announcement you’d like to give a bit of a push buzz-wise? Announce and prep a live stream (which can follow most of the other styles we told you about in terms of format), and make sure to engage with live viewers once you do. Best of all? The VOD will remain on your channel, growing your content pool and the value it provides to viewers.

Bonus Round: A Few More Miscellaneous YouTube Video Ideas

While not overtly marketing-centric, we’ve left for this section a few more video ideas that tend to perform really well on the platform and can earn you quite a bit of attention if you use them correctly. The key with these is to be original, not trying to force it, and enjoying yourself with them!

26 – Funny Videos or Comedy Skits

Have you noticed that most of the content that goes viral tends to be funny in some manner? After all, people love to share content they enjoy, and everybody likes a good laugh! This is no coincidence; and a hint of why comedy skits and funny videos do so well on YouTube.

Maybe a few people on your team have a funny bone, or your industry happens to be comedy gold. Take advantage of such opportunities and make videos that showcase your brand while making people smile.

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27 – Motivational/Inspirational Videos

We all like to be encouraged, and as a business owner or marketer, you are most likely uniquely equipped to share a few uplifting words or an inspiring message to other people.

A genuine and heartfelt inspirational video is something few people could object to, and fewer still can resist. So, take some time to think about what you can say to lift your audience’s spirits and build a video around that message! It’s a YouTube content idea we guarantee your audience will appreciate 🙂

28 – Book Reviews

Since reading books often requires a bit of a commitment (in time and attention), book reviews tend to make for fantastic YouTube video ideas for beginners. As long as the books in question relate to your industry or to something relevant to your business and audience, your audience will appreciate your review, as you’ll be delivering useful information that can benefit viewers on multiple levels.

29 – Challenge Videos

A word of caution here: don’t be gimmicky. People can smell an attempt to capitalize on a trend from miles away, so, as with the other YouTube video ideas in this section, only tackle these videos if they are something you and your audience would genuinely be interested in.

That said, partaking in challenge videos can be great fun ­– as much for yourself as for your viewers! So, next time you see one of those funny challenges making the rounds, consider jumping on the bandwagon and have fun with it. It might net you quite a bit of attention if you do it right.

30 – Bloopers

After dedicating some time to the popular YouTube video ideas here, you are bound to end up with hours and hours of video content eventually. A lot of it you would have already used, but probably even more that got cut and left out in the editing room. Why not make use of that as well?

Blooper reels and outtake compilations tend to perform really well on YouTube and can be a charming and endearing way to humanize your company to your audience!

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Wrapping Up

As there it is, as promised, a list of some of the best YouTube video ideas you can start working on!

While hardly magic – it still takes a lot of planning, effort, and execution on your end – YouTube presents marketers and business owners with a never-before-seen opportunity to reach out and connect with their audience.  And it’s up to you to seize it!

So, what are you waiting for? Time to take these awesome YouTube video ideas and start creating content your audience will love. If you need a starting point, check out our article on video marketing agencies to help you produce your own piece.

We promise you won’t be disappointed with the results 😀

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Juan Bencomo

Juan Bencomo – Content Specialist and Chief Editor

A seasoned digital marketing expert, professional writer and translator, and the chief editor for all our web and blog content. Writing is his life, but when he’s not working his magic on our website and blog, he’s often found with his nose in a book, listening to some music, or playing video games.







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