What do youtubers use to edit their videos? What tools do youtubers use for creating content? These are the questions that I get all the time. YouTubers are caught up with all the new gear. Being a good YouTuber is not all about the equipment. I would like to share with you some of my favorite tools that I personally use while creating my videos.
YouTube has space for many tools, but some are really vital to choose. You can use simple ones, or very complicated ones. There are some interesting kinds of the second option, but let’s start with the first.
Simplenote
Inspiration strikes in the most unexpected ways and moments. To capture every single idea that might pop out of the blue and not let it fall through the cracks, you need to go with the best note keeper.
Note-taking apps are flooding the Internet, but only a few are free and as powerful as Simplenote. It might not be among the most popular productivity tools, but its simplicity is what makes it one of the best tools for YouTubers and YouTube video creation.
With Simplenote, you basically open the app, write your notes, and then close the app. Simple as that. But it doesn’t really stop there. Simplenote synchronizes with all your devices, no matter their operating system. If you have a Windows computer at work, a Chromebook at home, and an iPhone in your hand, your notes are always accessible at any place, any time.
Jot everything down and access your notes exactly when you need them.
Evernote
Evernote is basically Simplenote (or any other note-taking/productivity app) on steroids. Being one of the most popular tools for YouTube video creators, writers, designers, etc., Evernote’s inspiring interface allows you to add multimedia to your notes to combine productivity with creativity.
This tool has it all. You can have different workspaces for YouTube, on-the-job tasks, and shopping lists under the same account, so you don’t have to switch between apps.
What’s more, the app is also available offline, which gives you full freedom to take notes on the go. For some users, Evernote’s interface might seem too intimidating. Play around with it, and you will get the hang of it in no time.
Trello
Trello became famous as a collaboration tool. However, in this gig economy we live in and freelancing on the rise, Trello has become a personal organizer for a bunch of independent creators.
As a web app, Trello is remarkably lightweight and easy-to-use. The user has cards, and different columns to land them on. For example, as a YouTube tool, you may use it for putting video ideas on your “Ideas” list, and when you decide it’s time to look into them, put them on your “Research” list.
All this might sound too advanced for someone looking for tools for beginner YouTubers, but when too many projects start coming in, you’ll notice how it will help you organize everything.
Hands down, Trello is one of the top free tools for YouTubers ever!
Google Drive
Of course, you know Google Drive. After all, with almost 1 billion users, Google’s popular cloud storage tool is definitely one of the most prominent solutions. It might look too business-like to you, but the truth is that it’s not.
You’d be amazed by the number of people in creative positions who use Google Sheets to evaluate ideas, write scripts on Google Docs, or store valuable media in Google Drive. With that being said, if you don’t use Google Drive already, do it right now.
Use Google Docs to write your video scripts, or you can have Google Sheets’ algorithms evaluate your ideas and track your data. In any way, this is not one of the best free tools for YouTube, but one of the best free tools in general.
Pen and paper
You might not be tech-savvy. And that’s completely fine. After all, posting YouTube videos doesn’t automatically turn you into a techie.
So, if you find out that productivity and note-taking apps don’t work for you, you can simply go with a notebook and a pen.
Write down your ideas, but never throw them away. Even after you’ve achieved a fanbase of 1,000 subscribers, there might be something in there that you can build on by using the experience you’ll have gotten.
Best Equipment for Beginner YouTubers
Starting a YouTube career shouldn’t come with huge expenses or breaking the bank. Start small and grow as your channel grows. On the list that follows, we’re looking into the basic equipment YouTubers need to start out.
They’re not free, but they will not hurt your wallet either.
Shooting videos
To be a video producer, you need to produce videos. Now, if those videos are not animated or made up of different third-party material chunks, you’re going to need something to start shooting.
A camera sounds like the best solution. Or does it?
In an era when technology has become greater in importance but smaller in size, a camera can be as tiny as a matchbox. Or a cell phone. Get yourself a smartphone with a high-quality camera (there are smartphones in the market even with 4K cameras today) and start shooting.
And you can always upgrade to a DSLR camera when the time is right.
Mounting your camera
Lists about what equipment YouTubers use always seem to forget about tripods, mounts, and clamps. But they’re all essential.
For cameras, you have tripods, but for a mobile phone, there’s also a plethora of mobile holders, mini tabletop tripods, and standers. Take some time, do a basic Google search, and you’ll find what you need immediately, so you can stop using a glass of water as a mobile stand.
Lighting it up
It’s your moment, and, as a result, you need to shine. Like, literally.
Beginners, however, usually film themselves in front of a window to fully leverage the sun’s power when shooting a talking-head video. But it doesn’t work for everyone — especially when you have a day job and catching the sun can be a true hassle.
Get yourself a softbox or a ring light. Amazon is full of film lights you can get for under $100. But wait! Be careful of the bulbs you’re going to use because they need to be specially made for video.
However, most video lighting sets come with out-of-the-box bulbs, so this will definitely give you a leg up.
Sounding like a pro
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Now that your audience can see you, you need to make sure that they can hear you as well. One of the most essential YouTube tools for beginners or advanced creators is a recording device. And luckily, you don’t have to break the bank to get one.
Global sound equipment Goliaths have released microphones that can easily work with low-cost video-recording equipment or even smartphones. Do your market research and find a microphone that best fits your needs. Don’t go with the most expensive ones because they might not be useful to you at the moment.
Again, start small and get your YouTube tools and equipment to grow as you grow.
Upping your video-editing game
If you’ve already invested in a DSLR or a video camera, congratulations. Now, all you need is an editing software tool to edit on your computer.
However, if you want to edit your content on a computer, you need to keep in mind that video-editing tools tend to be quite expensive, and they can be really time-consuming to fully figure out and feel comfortable with them. Let alone, you’re going to need a computer that can support the burdensome requirements editing programs come with.
If you want to give it a shot, though, Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premier are the most prominent video editing tools YouTubers use and come with all the features you need to produce professional final products.
But if you belong to those who produce YouTube videos from their phones, you definitely want to keep reading. Some really exciting, mobile editing tools for YouTube videos follow.Get our best content on audio clean-up and content creation in your inbox SUBMIT
Tools for YouTubers Who Want to Create Awesome Content
Unfortunately, a million-dollar idea is not enough. Its perfect implementation is.
Now that you know how to record your footage and audio under the perfect lighting circumstances, you need the tools that YouTubers use to create professional materials — either for YouTube or other social media.
Keep reading for a list to get you started:
Canva
Canva rose to popularity due to its simple interface, affordable pricing, tons of features, and the ability to choose a free plan. With Canva, YouTube creators can create visuals for thumbnails, social media posts, and images that they can include right in the video itself.
It’s not 2007 anymore, and every single detail matters. Visuals do not only make viewers feel like they’re watching a channel that looks good. Visually appealing content builds trust, engagement, and can turn a simple viewer into a fan.
Editing apps
It couldn’t be a piece on YouTubers’ tools without a reference to video editing apps.
The options are many, and they range from free video editing tools for YouTubers to high-end, expensive video tools for YouTubers. We’ve already covered software tools YouTubers use on a computer or a laptop. But what about mobile creators?
There’s, of course, a solution. Video-editing mobile apps like InShot, KineMaster, and Filmora come with features that can prove quite handy when you’re turning the footage into a video.
Click here for a detailed look at the best mobile video editing apps in 2020. Test them out and see which works for you best.
Conclusion
YouTube is a global phenomenon and there are millions of video makers worldwide. Without the right equipment though it’s near impossible to get started.