Top Tips for Creating a Video Game Tutorial
The video game industry is rapidly expanding, with stakeholders earning handsome paychecks from the trajectory. You don’t have to be a game developer to earn from this lucrative industry. Players can earn from entering tournaments, but you can take a different path. You can showcase your skills on YouTube and become famous while teaching others what you’ve learned.
According to Google, YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world. With over 1.5 billion users, you can share your gaming tutorials and reach a broad audience. People can have fun and escape from reality while learning from you. However, there are no guarantees that your videos will become popular. Some factors will determine if people find your videos exciting and share them with friends.
We have highlighted some of them in the tips below:
Invest in the Right Gear
Investing in the right gear doesn’t necessarily mean getting expensive equipment. First, understand the equipment you need, research where to get it, and make a purchase. To film high-quality videos, you may need a video camera. Your smartphone may not produce the desired quality.
Remember that you’ll need to record audio explaining every move you make. People may close your video and find other things to watch if your audio is unclear. Investing in a microphone will help you provide high-quality audio. A capture card will be necessary if you need to film gameplay while using a console.
After recording your video content, you’ll need to edit it before posting. You can use free video editing programs available online, but they may not include all the necessary features. They are, however, a good starting point. You can always advance to higher-end options once you master how video editing works and have gained a following.
Before purchasing any software, research the internet about its features, packages, and any other benefits. Read online reviews and learn how other customers describe their experience with the software.
Is it About You or Gameplay?
You want to comply with YouTube regulations to avoid getting YouTube to flag or remove your videos. Besides recording yourself playing the game, a commentary is necessary. You can decide to upload gameplay footage or record yourself playing the game.
Gameplay footage helps you illustrate what you are talking about and help your audience understand it better. You can do something several times to give the audience a chance to grasp it fully. With gameplay, the main aim is to help others without necessarily making it about you.
Recording yourself playing the video game gives your audience an idea of who you are as a person. It can help build your brand as a gamer, allowing you to connect with your audience. You can also include images and other short videos when recording yourself.
Make it Fun
Your tutorial should be as engaging as possible. People use video games and other forms of entertainment to escape from reality, and you shouldn’t make it hard for them. And again, people learn better if they are having fun.
Don’t make your audience listen to you without seeing the action. Your tutorial should make it easier for people to play the game, and they want to see it practically. An exciting tutorial can make people feel like they are playing the game themselves.
Remember to record your audio separately. Many people fail to do so, talking over the gameplay. The result is that the tutorial comes out as overwhelming and may cause confusion in your audience. Many people will not understand it, rendering your video ineffective.
To avoid this, use a good microphone to record the audio separately and use the editing software to merge the audio and video. Good software will achieve this seamlessly and provide output your audience will love.
Choose a Game You Know
A tutorial aims to make people understand the basic and complex ideas involved in playing a particular game. Therefore, choose to play what you know. It is the best strategy to make a successful video. You will have an easy time explaining the moves and what gamers should expect.
If an expert makes a wrong move, people can find it funny. They will even enjoy the expert’s reaction. However, people will not enjoy watching you struggle if you don’t understand the game properly. They will not stay to watch your video.
Even if a game is trending, don’t play it if you don’t understand it. Stick to the games you know and share your knowledge. You will find it easy to respond to questions the viewers may ask in the comments section.
If you really think that a tutorial on a particular game will reach more people(because it’s new or trending), learn about it first. Don’t make a video about the game until you consider yourself an expert. Once you perfect your skill, you can make the tutorial and share it with your audience.
Hone Your Video Editing Skills
You don’t want people to categorize your videos as “just another tutorial.” They should stand out. To separate yourself from the crowd, you should do things differently. Capitalize on video editing to ensure that everything falls in the right place. The audio content should perfectly merge with video content.
Interestingly, you can learn video editing skills from online resources that are available for free. A quick search on YouTube will give you plenty of video editing tutorials. Of course, you have to start with the basics and perfect the skill as you progress.
Identify a specific format and learn more about it. You may need to do more research other than YouTube videos. Familiarize yourself with reliable editing software and make your exciting videos.
Final Thoughts
Posting your video game tutorials on YouTube is an excellent way to make other people have fun and learn from you. However, you need to be creative enough to stand out from the millions of people posting similar videos. If you can create interesting videos, people will enjoy watching your content. You can then monetize your content and earn money while having fun.