Behind the Scenes: Crafting Engaging Content for YouTube and Podcasts

Hi everyone,

Creating family-friendly content for YouTube and Podbean is a process I truly enjoy each week. Let me take you behind the scenes and show you how I craft each type of content.

I’ll start by explaining the process behind my gaming videos first, as they are easier for me to explain. When starting a new series, I first decide which game to play. The next step is to choose whether to play the game in its vanilla form or with mods. If I opt for modded gameplay, I select the mods that will enhance the experience. For games like Minecraft, this can be an evolving decision if bugs pop up along the way.

The next step is to play the game while recording my gameplay and commentary using OBS. I utilize a dedicated Recording scene setup and have a key combination to start and stop recording seamlessly. Any reactions you hear from me are genuine and captured live during gameplay; I don’t edit the sound afterward. To avoid any copyright issues, I turn off the game’s in-game music before I start recording.

I then import the recorded video into Wondershare Filmora, where I add a title screen and sometimes an ending scene as well. I take a screenshot for the YouTube thumbnail and, if needed, add transitions to keep the video as smooth as possible. I then decide on what music to add, where it should go in the video, and what edits are needed for each track—such as reducing the volume and adding fade-ins or fade-outs.

Next, I decide on the episode’s title and export the video using Filmora’s built-in system to export it as an MP4 file. This MP4 file is what I upload to YouTube, with the screenshot becoming the YouTube thumbnail. While the video is being exported, I determine the YouTube description, appending a set of links for uniformity. I make sure to schedule any new uploads for the proper date at 4 am MST, while also adding the proper YouTube parts (subscribe and suggested video at the end, and perhaps a card with the series if it’s not the first episode).

Now that I’ve explained how I create each new gaming episode for YouTube, let me switch gears and explain how I write and record each new podcast episode, as the process is quite different.

The first thing I do is decide what topic I want to talk about in the podcast. This is easier if I am doing a series, as I either have a fixed set of episodes I want to research, write, and record, or at least a limited number of topics to choose from.

The next step is to search on Google for information about the topic I’m covering that week. I aim to pick at least two or three different sources to ensure a well-rounded understanding. This allows me to write the episode in my own words after comprehending the topic thoroughly.

I then proceed to write the topic using both OpenOffice Writer and Microsoft Copilot. I write out a paragraph at a time and ask Copilot for help improving it for flow. In fact, as I am writing this blog post, I am using Copilot to ensure you understand me clearly.

Finally, I proceed to record the episode using Audacity. I use headphones during recording to ensure that sounds from the speakers are not picked up by the microphone, allowing my voice to be heard clearly. After recording, I use Audacity to export the file as an MP3, adding metadata such as track name, recording artist, genre, track number, album name, and year. I then use Copilot to help me craft the episode description when I upload it to Podbean on Sunday.

As I currently cannot schedule podcast episodes on Podbean, I manually publish each one on Sunday morning. This is why they don’t come out at the same time each week and sometimes get published on Monday morning instead. I make sure to set the episode name, description, and duration in minutes and seconds. Once I get the funds to upgrade my subscription, I’ll start scheduling my podcast episodes as well. After publishing each episode, I share it on social media, and it is automatically added to my YouTube podcast feed.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my content creation process for both YouTube and podcast episodes. I hope you found it insightful and informative. If you enjoy my content and would like to support my work, please consider becoming a supporter on Ko-fi. Your support helps me continue creating family-friendly content and improving my setup. Every little bit helps and is greatly appreciated. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me!