How to Edit YouTube Videos: a Complete Beginner’s Guide
The popularity of YouTube videos has exploded over the past few years, making it an excellent place to promote your business or brand with your own video content. However, uploading videos to YouTube isn’t as simple as it sounds, especially if you want the videos to look their best to attract views and conversions.
Follow this guide on how to edit YouTube videos to begin on your journey to YouTube life!
Step 1. Learn the interface and functions of your video editor
Easy-to-use video editing software for YouTube helps create high-quality content more efficiently, and it allows creators to produce a large volume of videos without sacrificing quality. Before you begin editing your YouTube videos, you’ll need to choose the right software for your project and understand how it works.
The first thing you should do when you launch your Youtube video editor is spend some time getting acquainted with its interface. Video editors are complex programs, and they can be intimidating at first. But most share a similar structure made up of several key components viz:
1) A project panel that holds all of your imported media (video clips, audio tracks, and so on) as well as any additional elements you add to your timeline (text, graphics, and so on).
2) A source monitor that lets you view a clip in detail before you add it to the timeline.
3) A timeline or sequence where you can edit and arrange all of the components that make up your video — this is where most of the actual editing takes place.
4) An effects panel where you can apply color correction and other enhancements to your video clips; this is also where you’ll find transitions for moving from one scene to another.
5) An export panel where you’ll select your desired output formats and settings before sending your finished.
Step 2. Import your footage
Next, you need to import your media into the video editor’s library. This is where all of the assets for your project will live until you export the finished video.
Once everything is in your library, you can drag and drop it onto the timeline — this is where all of the magic happens! Your timeline will include a track for audio and one or more tracks for videos, which can be edited individually.
When working with multiple clips, focus on one track at a time; this makes things less confusing when cutting and rearranging clips.
Step 3. Choose your favorite shots
The next step to editing a video is to figure out what shots you have and decide which ones you like. This can be a little daunting if it’s your first time. Don’t worry though, you will get the hang of it quickly!
Start by selecting a shot and watching it all the way through. Ask yourself, “Did this shot turn out exactly how I wanted it to?” If not, you’ll probably want to cut it out or shorten it. Then move on to the next shot and repeat the process.
If you are having trouble deciding, just choose your favorite shots as a starting point and go from there.
Step 4. Insight into transitions
Transitions play an important role in video editing. They help viewers understand the passage of time or add some visual interest and excitement to scenes. Some transitions are simple and easy to create while others require a bit more work and creativity.
From basic cuts to dissolves and wipes, transitions can help you create a compelling video that keeps your audience hooked. There are a number of different types of transitions, so it’s important to learn how each one works before adding them to your videos.
A note about adding transitions: it is best to apply them to a single track at a time rather than using them between clips on different tracks. This helps keep things organized and can speed up the export process later on.
Step 5. Add Audio to your video
There are several audio options available. To add music, click the Audio tab on the left-hand side of your screen. YouTube will pull up a vast library of pre-licensed music that you can use in your video. Since you don’t have to pay for this library, you don’t have to worry about getting sued for copyright infringement.
You can also upload your own audio tracks or audio from other sources. Just click ‘Upload’ and select the file you want to use.
Think about your target audience, brand voice, and video message when choosing an audio track. For example, if you are making an explainer video for your finance blog, you might want to use a calm piano track. But if you are creating a video for your travel blog, you might choose something more upbeat and cheerful.
Step 6. Export your video
Finally, it’s time to export your masterpiece. Make sure you save your edited project as a new file before you export it to free up space on your device. The export process is simple — just click File > Export As and choose the format you want.
You can opt for YouTube-friendly formats like .mp4 or .mov if you’re uploading your video to the site, or choose a specialized format like .avi for high quality but big files.
Takeaway
Video editing can be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be.
Video editing is a skill that takes time to learn and master — but you don’t need to be an experienced professional filmmaker to get started. With some planning and creativity, you can start creating your own videos to share with friends, family, colleagues, and even potential clients.
Whether you are brand new to video or just want a refresher on video editing tools and techniques, this beginner’s guide will help you get started!
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