Main Topic
"I know I should be on YouTube, but I hate being on camera."
Here's what transformed my own approach to YouTube: Success on this platform isn't about becoming an influencer or showing your face, it's about sharing valuable ideas that position you as a key person of influence in your industry.
Many YouTube channels succeed not because of their fancy setups or charisma on camera (yes it helps, but is not the key factor necessarily).
They're winning because they're solving real problems for their audience.
Why We Resist the Camera
When I ask business owners why they avoid YouTube, I hear the same responses:
- "I feel cringe watching myself back"
- "I don't know what to say or how to act"
- "It feels egotistical to put myself out there"
- "I hate the idea of self-promotion"
- "I don't have the right equipment or setup"
The mindset shift that changes everything: You're not promoting yourself, you are promoting ideas that can help others. You're simply the messenger, and your content is the vehicle to deliver value and win business.
This is the same in sales, when you jump on a call with someone, are you talking about yourself, your achievements etc? I hope not cause then you might have to follow a sales coach for a bit. It's about the prospect, the viewer. You are trying to understand that person and then you try to provide value to them so they will trust you.
Creating content is exactly that, but instead of 1 on 1, it's 1 to many 24/7.
YouTube Content Types That Don’t Require Your Face
Even if that answer didn't satisfy you, there are ways that you can still be involved in creating content where you are not the main focus or not even on camera.
1. Screen Recordings with Voiceover
This format is perfect for tutorials, software demonstrations, and process breakdowns. You share your expertise through your voice while showing viewers exactly what to do. Up to you to have yourself in a little bubble on the corner of the screen or not.
I like to use Loom and share a Miro flowchart, a document with a breakdown or just share examples of other YouTube channels etc.
I spoke to Michael from Sell your Service, who found success after shifting to a whiteboard style type of content. He focuses on helping others through breaking concepts down.
Quick Implementation Tips:
- Use OBS Studio (free) or Loom (paid) to screen record
- Script your main points but speak naturally
- Focus on solving one specific problem per video
- Add simple annotations to highlight important elements
- It's exactly how you'd explain something to anyone in person
2. Faceless Explainer Videos
Animation or faceless content is an engaging way to visualize concepts and tell stories without showing your face. You can still be the voice over or hand this over to someone else.
This is more production heavy and so will need a bigger investment.
Here is an example of animation, it can be about anything.
My favorite channel right now (yes, about history)
Faceless content with stock footage, breakdowns, ... are very popular as well.
You will need strong script writers and editors to make this happen, thus the bigger investment.
3. Slideshow Presentations with Narrative
If the investment for proper animation or faceless content is too much as you are trying to justify the cost to create content, here is one that you should already have done and could be a good start to create more content consistently.
Turn your presentations and keynotes into content.
Part of what we do with Playstack is working with experts in the SEO space and we attend a good amount of in-person events. Last year we closed Jason 5 minutes before he jumped on stage to deliver his keynote and that keynote was the first video we posted on his YouTube channel.
I just found this channel as well, turning your normal presentations into a YouTube video.
I can provide a lot of examples for this type of content, what you need to keep in mind here is that you are providing value to your audience, it's not about you.
4. Expert Interview Format
Some of the most common types of content for businesses are interviews.
Yes, you are on camera, but you are not the main focus and I'm sure you've done some of these before and that didn't make you uncomfortable?
I can provide dozens of examples here, including our own podcast, this is pretty clear.
At least that is for the type of interview content where you talk to a guest who's an expert and this way value is provided to the listener or viewer.
Then you can also be the guest on others' podcasts and turn that into content for yourself.
But there is another way we can use interviews that is very effective.
5. Question-Answer
This is where I might plug our services slightly but this is very easily doable with your team.
Instead of working off a script or bullet points, you have someone interview you by just asking you questions and you answer that person, yes there is a camera in the room recording this or even can be done remotely on a call.
The answers you give, are gold for your audience, pure value.
In last week's newsletter Scripted or Freestyle? I spoke about the challenges of exactly those, yet this way it's a lot more natural and comfortable for you as the subject as you are talking to one individual.
This worked well again for Jason when we tried scripted content with a teleprompter, where he sounded a bit unnatural and robotic, we shifted to a question-answer style and it was a night and day difference.
This needs some preparation in the right questions and structure of how you ask them so it makes sense as a piece of content.
If long form is still too difficult, we send our clients 20 questions every month, which they then answer each within a month for short form content, no need for someone to be there to ask them.
6. Outsourced Content with Your Expertise
Hire on-camera talent to deliver your expertise.
That's the most drastic way to avoid being on camera, hire someone to do it for you.
Eric Presnall, a buddy of ours, is exactly that, businesses hire him to be their spokesperson. We've done this in-house as well for Saas tools.
I can go deeper into this, as it's always a dilemma who to put on camera, the founder, CEO or head of marketing?
So if it's not you that will be on camera, have a think who else could be to deliver your or your business expertise.
It's ok if it's someone else than you, and yes we usually say a face is important for people to connect to, but if you play your cards right, people connect with the value of your content and what your business stands for, rather than people watching you for.. you.
So yes, I get it, you don't like to be on camera, not many people like it, I had to get used to it too. Although I forced myself to do it as part of my development of getting comfortable and stepping away from the fact that it's not about you, not many people.. care.
Once people do care, you are already ahead of many others and the benefits of being on camera outweigh the fear.
