Plan your channel niche and content calendar in Notion

~30 min

Define your channel niche, set up a content planning system, and brainstorm your first 10 video ideas.

1. Create a "YouTube" workspace in Notion with sections: Ideas Backlog, In Progress, Published, and Analytics
2. Build a Content Calendar database with columns: Title, Status, Publish Date, Topic, Script Link, and Thumbnail Status
3. Define your niche: what specific topic will you cover, and who is your target viewer?
4. Brainstorm 10 video ideas - use YouTube search autocomplete to find topics people are actively searching for
5. Pick your first video topic: choose something you know well and can explain clearly

Set up your recording environment and record your first video

~45 min

Set up a simple recording setup and record your first video. Done is better than perfect.

1. Set up your recording space: face a window for natural lighting, use a clean background, and minimize background noise
2. Use your phone, webcam, or camera to record - prop it at eye level and frame yourself from the chest up
3. Write a loose outline (not a word-for-word script) with your key points: hook, 3-5 main points, and a call to action
4. Hit record and talk through your outline naturally - don't worry about mistakes, you'll edit them out
5. Record in Descript directly or import your video file after recording

Edit and polish with Descript

~45 min

Edit your video in Descript by editing the transcript - remove filler words, cut dead sections, and add polish.

1. Import your video into Descript - it will auto-transcribe the audio
2. Read through the transcript and delete any filler words ("um", "uh", "like") - Descript removes them from the video automatically
3. Cut out any long pauses, tangents, or sections where you lost your train of thought
4. Add title cards or text overlays for key points using Descript's Scenes feature
5. Export the final video in 1080p - YouTube recommends MP4 with H.264 codec

Design click-worthy thumbnails in Canva

~15 min

Create a thumbnail that makes people want to click. Thumbnails are the single biggest factor in whether someone watches your video.

1. Open Canva and create a custom design at 1280x720px (YouTube's recommended thumbnail size)
2. Use a close-up face photo showing an expressive emotion - faces drive clicks
3. Add large, bold text (3-5 words max) that creates curiosity or states the benefit
4. Use contrasting colors that pop: bright backgrounds with dark text, or vice versa
5. Save as a template for consistency, then export as PNG for best quality

Optimize and upload to YouTube

~15 min

Upload your video to YouTube with an optimized title, description, tags, and thumbnail to maximize discoverability.

1. Go to YouTube Studio and click "Create" → "Upload Video"
2. Write a title that includes your target keyword and creates curiosity (keep it under 60 characters)
3. Write a description: first 2 lines should hook the reader (they show in search), then add timestamps, links, and relevant keywords
4. Add 5-10 tags related to your video topic and upload your custom thumbnail
5. Update your Notion content calendar to mark this video as Published with the URL and publish date