Balancing Quantity and Quality

Super Pawsitive

Super Pawsitive

I Love YTtalk
So, I've had this problem for a while now and I'm still fairly sure I have no idea how to fix it.

The problem is this: I enjoy making heavily edited "high quality" (if you can call it that.) content. Though these typically take some time to make. Roughly two weeks if not more. So, there's a dilemma here. I'm not uploading as frequently as I would like to have been. I know I've said on here that I've had varied results on YouTube without being consistent before, though that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to be consistent.

I've also had people who have subscribed to my channel, almost badger me for more content. Right now I'm kind of at a stand still. How do I create more content for my channel without losing the quality that my viewers have come to expect from me?

My first thought was to make more of my "Afterthoughts" videos, which are more or less commentary of a particular subject that I bring to light. Though those are also very heavily scripted (which is the hardest part for me).

Another thought was to do more "Worth A Play" videos, which is my series where I quickly tap on cheap/free to play games.

People have also asked me if I've wanted to do content such as 30 minute playthroughs of games. Where I basically play a game for 30 minutes as though it were an LP and give my impressions as we go along. (Think TotalBiscuit's "WTF is..." series but with retro games.)

OR to do all out LPs on my channel. Though that is a jump TOO far for me to want to gap. As the differences in audience are quite vast from Let's Playing to Video Game Reviews!

My final thought is to try and "StockPile" videos in order to get ahead. Though that would also mean a bigger gap in time from now up until my next upload. (Which, I would probably try to get like...5 videos ahead.)

I'm just lost :(
 
The same here:

We usually have heavily edited movies (often around 10 min. long - usually a trip vlog or some event with many sub-events in it). This will come once per two weeks (sometimes more often sometimes less). As we usually upload two movies per week - the rest are kind of short supporting movies - restaurants reviews, food reviews or just something small and spontaneous like the total lunar eclipse two days ago. I think the most important think is to always keep the main theme of your channel in your movies - for us this is - with kids in Japan or just kids/family vlog in Japan and for you... you know better. Just keep your main theme clearly visible in All your movies!
 
I was actually going to suggest something like "WTF is...", so just play a game for like 5-10 hours (or completion, whichever comes first), gather your thoughts a bit a do 10-15 minute video of your impressions. For a small channel it's not really worth it to make 30-50 minute videos when 10-15 minutes starts to be the top of the attention span of viewers anyway. Only when you have seriously solid follower base that actually will make it through your videos can you consider longer videos.

This way you'll spend 2-3 days getting to know the game more or less inside out, and then one more day to create the video. Easy to get one video per week done. I also have some other swift ideas, but I'm going to keep them to myself so as not to let all the "secrets" out for others ;)

Having a stock of videos is a good idea, but the problem with that is that then you're less able to learn from any possible (technical) mistakes as well as the fact that you need to spend a tremendous amount of time to create them in the first place - more easily to do this before having released any other content, yet then we're back to the first problem.

But definitely do not sacrifice the quality for the quantity.
 
It's the same dilemma for me. My full time job and the quality standard I apply to my videos don't allow for more than a monthly schedule. I was thinking about creating for lightweight videos. Probably updates on which kind of projects I am working on and which kind of video will be up next.
This could be also used as an engagement platform by telling the audience to choose one of two videos you have in the making.
 
From more of a viewers perspective I'd chose quality over quantity every time. If your content is worth the wait then people will wait, even in this fast moving internet age. Varying content could make it easier and maybe you could create your high quality videos on a monthly basis? I agree with the idea of keeping a running theme on your channel but won't this restrict your audience? Just wondering.
 
I was in a situation like that. The solution I came up with was being on a biweekly uploading schedule. 2 weeks is usually enough time, and if I need more time, say, 3 weeks, then I upload a quicker, easier to make video (a.k.a. filler lol), then I have more time. As much as I'd LOVE to have a weekly uploading schedule, considering the amount of time I take on most of my videos, that's just not even close to feasible. (30-50+ hours)

But, biweekly is enough to keep me motivated, but it's also enough time that I don't feel incredibly overwhelmed.
 
I think it is most important not to loose focus on one important aspect: having fun doing it and not endangering your work/private life with the YouTubing. I also fight with this problem at the moment and have settled with a 3-vids-a-week option that lets me grow slowly, but still is quite challenging.

But you can't really ask any other youtuber, because the amount of videos you can do is related to the type of content.
 
This was a dilemma for me that almost resulted in cancelling some series' prematurely and even the entire channel at somepoint. Just take a more relaxed approach for now, if it takes 1 week to edit a video, take 1 week to edit that video. I'm doing a bit of a mix too. I have certain LPs that I edit heavily, primarily my GTA stuff, since it's multiplayer or when playing story the same guy I play online with is with me while we recording the LP. For my solo stuff, I generally don't edit unless inspiration strikes, I try not to force things but I found a technique that has worked really well for me in the past; is to spend multiple sessions each on a different day editing.
Example:
Day 1
Phase 1: I do all my audio enhancements on the commentary, conversions whatever. Prep the video and start watching, I keep an eye on both the commentary track and the gameplay audio track to monitor for dialog and commentary while watching the video at the sametime. So I basically make my cuts. If inspiration strikes during this stage I work with it, sometimes it could be as simple as text or ranging to spending 30mins just to make a 5 second scene funny. So phase 1 is focusing on editing.

Phase 2: if I have time & energy left I'll rewatch the video but this time focusing not on editing but purely just watching the video in a more relaxed state, this allows me to pick up on things I may have missed to add more text or add better edits, I usually do this in a larger screen so I'm not distracted by the tracks lol, I do this just once to see how it goes, depending on the series (if it's like a solo serious LP I usually just do the first phase), I'll either export or leave it for day 2.

Day 2
If I wasn't happy with the previous video, I go back to phase 2, since I've already made my original cuts. This is a good method because you come back to the video with a fresher, clearer mind. I'll sit down rewatch the video, again just focusing on the video not editing but I'll try to see if inspiration strikes. If the video doesn't offer room to edit, I don't touch it any further, there is such thing as too much editing and I believe I've done it a few times :S You can actually do this as much as you want (I've once taken 2 weeks to edit a video that was <10mins long) but I suggest that if you've hit the 3 day mark to just cut your losses.
 
XXLRay said:
I guess it's better to have an audience that asks for more than viewers begging you to stop making videos :)
Click to expand...

Who wouldn't want an audience like that? :) As a newbie I still believe if you're passionate enough about your videos then others will enjoy them too! Positivity for the win!
 
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