The Most Time-Consuming Part of Making YouTube Videos Is…

One graph that demystifies the post-production process!

For the past 10 years, I’ve been editing videos for creators and brands on YouTube. I often hear things like, “YouTubers have it easy…it’s not even a job!”

While I agree that creative work can sometimes feel more “fun,” there is a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that goes into creating a video worth watching on YouTube!

So, I recorded the process for one video edit I did last week. ⌛️

Why? To show you just how long it takes to get a video from raw footage to being live on YouTube.

Also remeber that pre-production (planning + ideas) and production (filming) are not included, just post-production (editing + uploading)!

To take away some of the mystery of being a content creator.

Here’s the breakdown:

Spoiler alert: Not surprisingly, video editing takes the most time. Post-production is mainly editing!

Here’s what happens after you film a video for YouTube:

1. Editing (65.57%): Making cuts and changes to the video to create a final piece.
2. Export (2.73%): Rendering & saving the final video as a file that can be shared.
3. Upload (2.73%): Adding the video to your YouTube channel.
4. Captions (8.20%): Typing out the words said in the video. (Use AI to help you with this.)
5. Title (1.37%): Coming up with the perfect name for your video.
6. Description Box (2.73%): Writing out supplementary info to include, helpful links, or a brief summary of your video.
7. Tags (2.73%): Adding keywords to help people find your video.
8. Cards (1.37%): Adding clickable pop-ups within the video.
9. Schedule (0.27%): Deciding when your video goes live on YouTube.
10. Thumbnail (12.30%): Creating the image viewers see before they click on your video.

Now, this graph will look slightly different for each video and creator, but the essence of the work remains.

For example: notice how I intentionally sandwich the two most time-consuming post-production parts to be the end-caps of the process:
Editing & Thumbnail Creation.

(Combined, they take up 77% of the entire post-production process.)

This is a creativity hack: I love doing the hardest part of the process first, and then again last. It helps me sustain creative energy throughout.

New Creators: I hope this helps demystify the process!

Seasoned Creators: Remember that you’re not alone in spending most of your time editing. We all share that journey.

Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, if you’re looking for video editing tips, make sure to follow my YouTube channel Ellevon Editing for free monthly tutorials on all things video editing, content creation, creativity, and YouTube. 🎬