I have been blogging since 2008 and got serious about my own YouTube channel in 2022, which is long enough to have made a fair number of the mistakes this library covers. Video also shows up in nearly every Fractional CMO engagement I take on, because I am always encouraging my clients to publish more and more video. I teach social media marketing at Rutgers Business School and influencer marketing at UCLA Extension, and video comes up in both rooms every term.
Video marketing is the practice of using video to attract, teach, and convert an audience, both on your own site and on the platforms where people already watch. From what I have seen, businesses get this wrong in three familiar ways. They buy gear before they have decided what to film. They push the same clip to every platform in the same aspect ratio and wonder why nothing lands. And they judge a channel on subscriber count, which is probably the number least connected to what a video actually does for the business.
The library below is organized by the job you are trying to do rather than by publish date. Fundamentals and strategy come first, then channel building, Shorts, getting found, and making money. Tools sit at the end on purpose. Decide what you are going to film first, then pick the thing you film it with.
Start here if you are still building the internal case for video, or if you are trying to work out where YouTube actually sits next to everything else you publish.
Video Marketing Statistics: 20 Numbers That Actually Matter in 2026. The business case in twenty numbers, including the finding that 91% of businesses now use video as a marketing tool and that the formats marketers rank highest for return on investment are all video.
25 Shocking YouTube Stats That Will Change Your Marketing Strategy in 2026. Twenty-five numbers on YouTube specifically, gathered to shape a channel plan for the year.
Is YouTube Social Media? Why the Answer Matters for Your Marketing Strategy. My answer is yes, on the evidence of user content, community, virality, and an algorithmic feed, and most brands still run YouTube as if it were a video host.
The 11 Types of Short-Form Video. Eleven short-form formats named and explained, for anyone who has been told to make more video and has no idea what to point the camera at.
Blogging vs Vlogging: Which Should You Do?. I get asked this constantly, and I answer it as someone who has done both since 2008 and 2022 respectively.
TikTok vs. YouTube: Which Is the Best for Content Creators in 2026?. A goal-by-goal map, where steady income points to YouTube, fast reach from a standing start points to TikTok, long-form depth points back to YouTube, and a Gen Z audience points to TikTok.
Once video is a yes, the next question is what goes in front of the camera. These cover the planning side, the formats that earn their keep, and the creative decisions that come before any editing happens.
15 Killer Video Marketing Tips to Succeed in 2026. Fifteen tips sorted into the four production phases, from pre-production through post-production.
Social Media Videos: How to Use Video to Grow Your Business in 2026. My practitioner guide to seven formats that convert, filming on a budget with the phone you already own, platform-by-platform fit, and the KPIs worth tracking.
Top 10 YouTube Video Ideas to Boost Your Content and Attract New Subscribers. Ten ideas for the reader staring at an empty upload schedule.
Brand Video: 10 Examples, 10 Types & 6 Tips to Inspire You. Ten types of brand video sorted into four groups: your company, your product, your customers, and experiential.
Product Videos: 7 Types (with Examples) and 6 Tips to Inspire Yours. Product video does its best work when it is built to inform and educate rather than to close, and this walks through seven types that do exactly that.
Animation or Real People in Your Online Video: Which is More Effective?. Jayson Duncan takes both sides of an argument that comes down to what the video is for.
The channel-level work, which is the part people tend to rush past on their way to uploading.
How to Create a YouTube Channel from Start to Finish. The full setup walkthrough for a platform with 2.7 billion monthly active users.
How to Become a YouTuber in 2026: 19 Steps to Success. Nineteen steps for anyone treating the channel as more than a hobby.
How to Get Subscribers on YouTube: What Works, and What My Own Analytics Say About the Number. Subscribers accounted for 3.2% of watch time on my own channel, and I use that number to explain what the subscribe button is and is not worth.
A Complete Guide to Branding for YouTube Creators. Brand accounts, video style, the watermark, and the channel page itself.
YouTube Cards. What cards are and how to use them, written for the businesses that upload a video with a title and a description and stop there.
How to Start Podcasting on YouTube. In 2025, 40% of podcast consumers named YouTube as their primary podcast app, ahead of Spotify and Apple Podcasts, so this covers channel setup, the Partner Program, and growing the audience.
How to Start a Faceless YouTube Automation Channel. You do not have to be on camera to build a channel, and this covers the automation systems behind faceless ones.
Shorts behave differently enough from long-form video that they get their own set of posts, from making a first one to working out why it went nowhere.
How to Make YouTube Shorts: A Guide for Newbies. The starting point if you have never published a Short.
15 Viral YouTube Shorts Ideas. Fifteen ideas spread across humor, how-to, unboxing, and brand story formats.
YouTube Shorts Looping: How to Do It and Why It Increases Video Views. A five-part method for turning replays into watch time.
Why are My YouTube Shorts Not Getting Views? 4 Potential Reasons. Four reasons a Short stalls, and what to change in each case.
When is the Best Time to Post Your YouTube Shorts? Try This.. My answer is to check YouTube Studio rather than copy a posting chart built on somebody else’s audience.
YouTube Shorts Monetization: What You Need to Know. Shorts pay out of an allocated Creator Pool at a 45% share, and the ads run between Shorts rather than on your video.
Publishing is the easy half. These posts cover the work that decides whether anyone ever sees the video.
YouTube SEO: Powerful Tips for Optimizing Your Channel and Videos. Syed Balkhi runs through eight channel-level checks and six per-video checks, plus captions, playlists, end screens, and the retention, CTR, and watch time numbers behind them.
8 Video SEO Best Practices Every Marketer Should Know. An eight-practice playbook covering hosting strategy, SEO-friendly content, metadata and captions, structured data, and promotion.
YouTube Thumbnail Best Practices: The Definitive Guide. Roughly 90% of top-performing videos use a custom thumbnail, and this covers what makes one earn the click.
The Best 15 Thumbnail Makers for YouTube. Fifteen thumbnail tools compared, for when you know what the thumbnail needs to say and need somewhere to build it.
7 Simple and Free YouTube Transcript Generators. Seven transcript tools that are free and skip the sign-up, which is what you want when captions are the goal.
The money questions get asked more than any others in this category, and the answers are less exciting than most people expect.
How to Make Money on YouTube in 2026: 7 Proven Revenue Streams for Creators. Seven revenue streams, from ad revenue and channel memberships to fan funding and brand partnerships, with the eligibility threshold attached to each one.
The Real YouTube Pay Per View: Uncovering Creator Earnings & Latest Rates (2026). YouTube pays per ad view rather than per view, and your rate moves with your niche and its advertisers, your audience geography, and your video length.
How Much Do YouTubers Make in 2026?. Most of what the big creators earn does not come from ad revenue at all.
Estimate Your YouTube Earnings with These 13 Money Calculators. Thirteen calculators and what each one asks you for, from views plus CPM to a channel URL.
7 Best Ways How to Promote Your Shopify Store on YouTube. For ecommerce owners, starting with the eligibility gate: the same admin email on both accounts, full monetization approval, a channel not marked as made for kids, and a supported country.
AI has changed the production side of video faster than any other part of marketing. These are the tool categories I have been testing, sorted by the job each one does.
How to Make AI Videos: The Definitive Guide. AI drafts the video and you still do the editing.
17 Amazing AI Video Generators to Start Using Today. A category I have been experimenting with for a while, where the best fits are explainer video, training video, and b-roll.
15 Magical AI YouTube Video Makers. Pick the one that matches what you already publish rather than the one with the longest feature list.
15 Incredible Text to Video AI Tools. Fifteen tools grouped by approach: avatar presenters, stock and template, and style transfer.
13 Script to Video AI Generators for Instant Video Creation. Thirteen tools that handle the text, the visuals, and the voice in one pass.
15 Free and Awesome AI Script Generators for Your Next Video. Scripting tools that turn a rough idea into something you can film.
19 AI Video Editors to Scale Your Video Marketing. Nineteen editors sorted into four types: avatar generators, template makers, clip repurposers, and timeline editors.
15 AI Video Enhancer Tools to Improve Your Videos. For footage you already shot that suffers from blur, shake, or low resolution.
25 Best AI Video Translators to Grow Your Audience. Twenty-five translators across three capability tiers: subtitles only, subtitles plus dubbing, and voice clone with lip sync.
Tools come after strategy rather than instead of it, which is why this section sits last. Once you know what you are filming and who it is for, these are the roundups I keep updated.
Which is the Best Video Editing App? Choose from These 17. Seventeen apps compared, and the answer starts with the device you edit on.
The 15 Best Free Video Editing Apps for the iPhone in 2026. Fifteen free iPhone apps sorted by skill level and use case.
13 Recommended Online Video Editors for Every Content Creator. Free and paid picks, stock footage and templates, captions and formats, and which editor fits which use case.
15 Cool Instagram Video Editors to Up Your Reels Game. Fifteen editors aimed squarely at Reels that hold attention.
The 23 Best Video Marketing Tools for 2026. Twenty-three tools organized by production stage, from creation through YouTube SEO.
15 Powerful YouTube Tools You Need to Grow Your YouTube Audience. Fifteen tools across six job types, on the principle that most channels need only one tool per job.
13 YouTube Video Summarizer Tools to Check Out. Thirteen tools that pull the main talking points out of a long video, which is as useful for research as it is for repurposing.
If you have never made a marketing video, read them in this order: Video Marketing Statistics for the business case, then Social Media Videos for the formats, then 15 Killer Video Marketing Tips for the production sequence, then Which is the Best Video Editing App to pick your editor. That is four posts and about an afternoon, and you will come out of it knowing what to film and what to film it with.
If you are already publishing and the numbers are flat, skip all of that. Read 8 Video SEO Best Practices, then YouTube Thumbnail Best Practices, then How to Get Subscribers on YouTube. From what I have seen, flat results are almost never a production problem. They are a discovery problem, and those three posts cover the three places discovery usually breaks.
Want the wider strategy that video plugs into? Grab the free preview of Digital Threads, my book on building a digital-first marketing operation.
And if you would rather have someone in the room helping you build this out, that is what I do as a Fractional CMO.
You don’t need 40 YouTube tools. You need one good tool for each job a video goes through: planning it, recording it, editing it, packaging it, publishing it and turning it into Shorts. Pick one per job and you can…
You need a video for your business. You know that much. What you probably do not know is which one. “Brand video” covers a company story film, a two minute explainer, a customer testimonial, and a thirty second thing your…
Most people looking up how to make YouTube Shorts already know where the record button is. What they do not know is which rules decide whether YouTube treats their upload as a Short at all. They also do not know…
You want more subscribers on YouTube. Fair enough. The subscribe button is the one thing every creator asks you to press, and the count sits at the top of your channel like a scoreboard. So let me answer the question…
In 2026, 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, and the content formats marketers rank highest for return on investment are all video. That makes video less a question of whether and more a question of how. After…
With 2.7 billion monthly active users, YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine and a legitimate business opportunity. Think about it: that’s more than a third of the global population potentially watching your content. Whether you’re building a personal brand,…
YouTube creators can earn real income through multiple revenue streams once they meet specific eligibility thresholds. The platform offers everything from traditional ad revenue to fan funding, channel memberships, and brand partnerships. But here’s what most creators get wrong: they…
Let me be direct with you: the question “how much does YouTube pay per view?” sounds simple, but the answer is anything but. I’ve spent years helping entrepreneurs and content creators build their digital presence, and this is one of…
Video has become the heartbeat of social media marketing. Whether you’re building your brand, nurturing leads, or driving website traffic, social media videos offer small businesses an unmatched way to connect with customers on a personal level. Nevertheless, many entrepreneurs…
Short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels are undeniably popular, but reliable platforms like YouTube remain essential for marketers and businesses. With the right plan and creativity, YouTube delivers exceptional results, backed by compelling stats that showcase its lasting…
Video content has become one of the most powerful ways to connect with audiences, educate customers, and grow a brand. No matter how engaging your video is, however, it won’t generate leads or awareness if no one can find it.…
YouTube has become the fastest-growing platform for podcast consumption. In 2025, 40% of podcast consumers report YouTube as their primary app for podcasts, surpassing Spotify and Apple Podcasts. This isn’t just a trend. It’s a fundamental shift in how audiences…
You don’t need to show your face to make money on YouTube. While everyone else is obsessing over ring lights and camera angles, smart creators are building profitable faceless channels using automation systems that work around the clock. After spending…
When people talk about social media, YouTube often gets left out of the conversation—despite being the second most visited website in the world. As a Fractional CMO and someone who’s helped brands build deeper relationships through digital content, I believe…
YouTube stands as a content creator’s gold mine. With 2.53 billion monthly active users, the platform offers unmatched potential to grow your audience and establish your brand. The problem isn’t understanding the potential: It’s often a lack of YouTube video…
Nowadays, more than ever, video content is vital for enticing potential customers. Young generations, in particular, spend countless hours on social platforms, checking out viral YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram videos. Whether you’re a marketer, content creator, or business owner, having…
I have been blogging since 2008 and started getting serious about my own YouTube channel more recently in 2022, so I often get asked this question of blogging vs vlogging. Both mediums have unique advantages and cater to different audiences,…
As you well know, eye-catching video content is critical for reaching target audience and boosting audience engagement. Regardless of the video post you’re trying to make, the right editor can make all the difference. These animation tools equip you with…
As a Fractional CMO, I am always encouraging my clients to publish more and more videos to take advantage of the increased visibility your content and company can get on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Every year I update my YouTube…
Making a career on YouTube is a dream for many young people. Unfortunately, selling products can be daunting early on. This is why many creators rely on ad revenue to keep them going during the initial months. Fortunately, there are…
There is a growing trend of content creators and businesses that are looking to take advantage of AI to make their content available globally through the use of AI translation. If you are considering the same, and have a YouTube…
Do you want to learn how to improve your YouTube SEO so that more people can find your content? If so, you’ve come to the right place! Regardless of your industry and marketing goals, there’s no doubt plenty of room…
YouTube has long been a place where people can create awesome content and then monetize it for extra cash. However, in the past few years, top creators have been able to make enough to quit their day jobs – so…
If you want to simplify your video content creation process, consider using AI script generators. These tools are simple and easy to use, making them ideal for most content creators and businesses. Key Takeaways ✅ AI script generators turn a…
Video summaries are the fastest way to consume long-form video content. Fortunately, there are tools that exist that can make it even faster! Enter the YouTube video summarizer tool, platforms which pinpoint the most important talking points within a piece…
Having accurate transcripts is vital for boosting your video marketing efforts. Having subtitles for your video are vital for grabbing the attention of people with hearing impairment. They also assist foreign-born viewers who might not understand everything you say. In…
We’ve known for a long time that content is king in marketing, in whatever form it takes; however, of all of the major digital content forms (text, audio, photo, video), video has become the most popular (especially in its short-form…
AI videos are enjoying an increase in use from companies of all sizes, in all markets. Although AI content is often discussed from the perspective of entertainment and individual social media use, artificial intelligence is immensely useful in developing videos…
Have you ever tried to sell a product using a video? Maybe you’ve seen some of those “how-to” videos where someone shows you how to cook a dish or clean a house. These kinds of videos work because they show…
No matter what kinds of videos you watch on YouTube, most of them need to compete with other videos in the algorithm. Like a regular search engine, YouTube serves up relevant videos based on keyword search. But unlike a regular…
One of the best ways to speed up your video creation process is by using AI-powered tools. With these programs, you can create incredible content in just a fraction of the time you would need otherwise. Even better, you don’t…
AI video enhancing tools are a fantastic option for any business wanting to produce the highest quality video content that they can. The software provides enormous value to bigger blogs and social media influencers who want to simplify their content…
Video marketing is one of those strategies that most companies have under-invested in despite its many business benefits. It’s been growing in popularity for years and, with the immense popularity of TikTok, doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.…
With an AI YouTube video maker, you can create incredible posts for your website and social media. These tools can cut down your daily video production by several hours allowing you to focus on other, more profitable activities. I run…
AI video generators are a tool category I’ve been experimenting with as of late. There are many potential use cases for them, and they can play an impactful role in educational video and anywhere stock video would otherwise do the…
These days, making money on YouTube has a lot of appeal. After all, a lot of people think that top YouTubers can spend just a few hours a day creating content, then rake in a fortune. The truth is that…
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Similar to other digital marketing tasks, AI-powered technology is already having a major impact on video creation and editing. These types of video editor software tools can automate various processes that would previously take you hours upon hours to finish.…
Shorts is one of the most crowded surfaces on YouTube, and short vertical video is now the default rather than the experiment. The format itself is not new, since TV commercials and other spots have run this length for decades.…
The explosion of the TikTok platform has forced many content creators to reconsider their strategy. While almost all of them previously devoted hours and hours to making long-form tutorial or explainer videos, we are seeing more and more short-form content…
While most of us are used to making videos for YouTube, Shorts are much newer. They were primarily a response to other platforms and their short-format videos, and they’re built for people to watch and then swipe past. In some…
As nearly everyone in our industry knows, video marketing is hot. Really hot. In fact, video marketing has been slowly taking over multiple social networks due to its overwhelming popularity. Although at one time it was expensive to produce, nowadays,…
If you want more views and clicks on your YouTube videos, you need a thumbnail that earns the click. In fact, it is non-negotiable. After all, you’ve invested significant time, creative energy, and money to create a beautiful YouTube video…
Whether you’re a professional who makes videos as part of your work, an amateur YouTuber, or even just a viewer, viral videos are often lots of fun. As a professional or a YouTuber, having your videos go viral can be…
For centuries, people have wanted to be rich and famous. And it used to be that this was difficult to pull off: the cost of publishing, producing music, or becoming a politician were prohibitive for most. However, the Internet Age…
A lot of businesses, not knowing better, will take that video that they finally got recorded and simply upload it to YouTube together with a title and description. While on other social networks this is pretty much all you can…
Social media marketing in general is a highly effective way to reach out to customers and build a brand community. However, this is an area that has evolved quite a bit over the years. It used to be that simple…
Once upon a time, YouTube was primarily known as a source of amateur video. For instance, people showed off their pets and the latest teenage pranks. You could log onto YouTube and have a few good laughs before switching to…
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