How Do You Generate Fresh Ideas for Video Content?
Experts shared their insights on how to spark that creative fire and breathe life into video concepts.
Filming a video content is one thing. Crafting a piece that resonates with your audience, however, demands a deeper level of creativity.
So, the challenge in a digital landscape saturated with content isn’t just producing videos.
It’s generating fresh, compelling ideas that cut through the noise and leave a lasting impression.
We asked experts who have been invested in video marketing for quite a while this question:
“How do you come up with a fresh content ideas for videos?”
Combine unrelated topics for freshness
Have you ever watched Weird Al Yankovic’s music videos?
He took one word as inspiration and changed the entire concept of the song, leading to surprising and absurd results (similar to ‘Like a Surgeon’).
The power lay in matching together two concepts that seemed incompatible.
This approach created a sense of freshness, surprise, and captured attention.
Inspired by Weird Al Yankovic, I began to combine completely unrelated topics to generate new creative ideas.
Mateusz Calik, CEO, Delante
Analyze outlier videos for inspiration
My best tip for finding lots of great video content ideas is to search for “outlier” videos.
I use data-driven software like 1of10.com or a YouTube tool like VidIQ.
1of10 is specialized software that analyzes many of these outlier videos.
By examining highly successful videos, I can see what works for YouTube titles, thumbnail designs, and even content types that have succeeded on YouTube already.
I’ll only use ideas that look and sound good to me. I’ve only posted 16 videos, and I’ve got 2.34K subscribers already!
Integrate analytics into brainstorming
In my extensive experience with marketing strategies and brand activation at Thinksia, we’ve championed innovative video content by leaning into a deeply analytical yet creatively unrestricted brainstorming process.
A key strategy involves integrating real-time analytics and customer feedback directly into the ideation phase.
Another essential technique we employ in brainstorming sessions is what I like to call “divergent thinking zones.”
My team and I segmented into groups to develop wildly different approaches to the same problem, then reconvened to integrate the best elements from each concept.
Timothy J Williams, Principal Consultant, Thinksia
Embrace audience-centric creative risks
Immerse yourself in the target audience’s world — understand their pain points, aspirations, and the channels they frequent.
Don’t be afraid to take calculated, creative risks and experiment with unconventional ideas that could potentially disrupt your industry.
The most pioneering concepts often emerge from unconventional thinking.
Tristan Harris, Demand Generation Senior Marketing Manager, Thrive Digital Marketing Agency
Develop content from top YouTube creators
Tip #1: Study the best: Go to YouTube, find the best creators in your space, and study what content ideas performed the best for them.
Tip #2: Use a YouTube SEO tool: Grab a tool like TubeBuddy or vidIQ and search for common topics in your niche.
Tip #3: Get in your ideal customer’s shoes: Close your eyes and think like your ideal customer.
Connor Gillivan, Entrepreneur, Owner and CMO, TrioSEO
Tailor content to audience preferences
One practical approach is understanding your target audience and their preferences.
Knowing what resonates with them allows you to tailor your content to be more engaging and relevant.
Embracing experimentation and thinking outside the box can also help break creative barriers and lead to fresh, original concepts.
Jared Floyd, Executive Producer, Ajax Creative
Research and collaborate for creative ideas
I always begin with subjects that I have a strong interest in, since it allows me to truly enjoy making the videos.
In order to stay current with popular subjects and to get ideas from other creators’ videos, I also conduct a lot of research.
Then, brainstorm with friends or other artists. Naturally, I keep things interesting by including my audience and paying attention to their opinions and recommendations.
Daniel Florido, Chief Web Development and Director, Pixelstorm
Harmonize traditional methods with bold creativity
At the start of a video project, my team and I adhere to the foundational practices typical of marketing agencies: understanding target audiences.
We also analyze industry trends (what’s hot and what’s not) and assess our client’s budget and time constraints to gauge what’s feasible.
With this preliminary groundwork laid, we dive into the brainstorming phase.
As a team, we collaborate closely, sharing and refining initial ideas that show promise with just a few adjustments.
Annie Vann, Creative Director, Parklife
Capitalize on trends with unique twists
I dedicate time to exploring trending videos and discussions, considering how we can adapt or tweak popular topics to create fresh and engaging content.
I discuss these insights with my team to brainstorm ideas that capitalize on current trends while offering a unique perspective or twist.
That’s how we make sure that our video content remains relevant, creative, and effective.
Transform top blog posts into videos
If you want to generate compelling videos for your brand, turn to your blog analytics.
You can quickly and easily see your top-performing articles, which are all great starting points.
These are topics that people care about; that’s why they have so much traffic and engagement.
Then, we work all of this information into a script and create visuals to go with the presentation.
Syed Balkhi, Founder, WPBeginner
Use trends for relevant video content
I immerse myself in various sources of inspiration, from social media platforms to industry news and popular culture.
Then, I combine this trend awareness with creative brainstorming sessions where I jot down ideas, explore different angles, and think outside the box.
I also keep my audience’s preferences and feedback in mind, ensuring that the content aligns with their interests and needs.
Ha Malloy, Founder, Heat and Heartbeat
Support blog guides with video content
Work backwards from the internal data on the content you already have.
For example, if a long-form guide on your blog is working well, how can you create video content to support subsets of that guide and draw new audiences into the bigger picture?
Wendy Makinson, HR Manager, Joloda Hydraroll
Breadnbeyond is an animated explainer video company that brings authenticity and high quality to the table.
We specialize in crafting engaging animated explainer videos that can elevate your marketing campaigns.
Check out our portfolios to see examples of our creativity, or reach out to us with any questions you have.
Also, we have free marketing resources to help you stay ahead in the dynamic industry. Check it out here!
