The Secret to Finding Good Video Editors for Your Channel

Summary

This video script offers a guide to finding the best YouTube video editors, advising against third-party platforms like Fiverr and Upwork due to quality and logistical issues. It recommends alternative methods such as networking, the 'rabbit hole' on Twitter, the 'stalker' method on YouTube jobs, local hiring, and job listings for quality long-term collaboration. The focus is on quality over cost and the importance of effective communication.

Takeaways

• ❌ Avoid using third-party platforms like Fiverr or Upwork for hiring long-term video editors due to quality and logistical issues.
• 💼 The quality of video editors on platforms is often lower because they juggle multiple clients, leading to less time for your project.
• 💵 Platform fees can reduce the actual pay of editors, which might lead them to inflate their prices, making long-term collaboration less feasible.
• 🗣️ Communication is crucial for long-term collaboration, and platforms like Fiverr and Upwork can hinder effective communication.
• 🔍 Use the 'networking method' to find video editors by connecting with other YouTubers and asking for recommendations.
• 🐦 Utilize Twitter for direct communication with potential editors and to find editors through the 'rabbit hole method' by following connections.
• 👤 The 'stalker method' involves browsing video editor profiles on YouTube jobs to find editors with verified reviews.
• 📍 Consider the 'local method' for hiring video editors in your area for better in-person communication and potentially higher quality.
• 🎓 Look for high school or college students for local editing work if you're willing to train them, offering a cheaper rate for good communication.
• 📋 Use the 'set and forget method' by creating a job listing on platforms like YouTube jobs to attract professional editors, though it may be more costly.

Q & A

Why should you avoid using third-party platforms like Fiverr or Upwork when hiring a YouTube video editor?

The quality of sellers on these platforms may not be as high for lower budgets, they take a significant percentage from freelancers which can lead to higher prices, and they can be clunky for long-term communication.

What are the three big reasons the speaker gives for not using platforms like Fiverr or Upwork for hiring video editors?

The reasons are: 1) Lower quality due to freelancers handling multiple clients, 2) High fees taken by the platforms from both the freelancers and the buyers, and 3) Difficulty in establishing long-term communication outside the platform.

What is the networking method for finding video editors as mentioned in the script?

The networking method involves connecting with other people within your space, such as reaching out to YouTubers for recommendations or asking who edited their videos.

Why is Twitter recommended for communication with YouTubers and editors?

Twitter is recommended because it is down-to-earth and allows you to get a good sense of a person by looking at their profile. It's also a good platform for starting conversations with editors.

What is the 'rabbit hole' method for finding video editors?

The 'rabbit hole' method involves finding a YouTuber, then looking at who they are following, and identifying potential editors by their taglines. Then, you reach out to them or go even deeper by looking at who those editors follow.

What is the 'stalker' method for finding video editors?

The 'stalker' method involves browsing video editor profiles on YouTube jobs, a platform that does not take commission and allows you to find editors with verified reviews.

How does the local method for finding video editors work?

The local method involves finding video editors within your local area, which allows for in-person meetings and better communication. However, they may charge more than online editors.

What is the set and forget method for hiring video editors?

The set and forget method involves creating a job listing on platforms like YouTube jobs or Seek, which can attract professional and established video editors. It requires an initial investment but saves time.

Why might local editors charge more than online editors?

Local editors may charge more due to higher average salaries in certain areas and the expectation of in-person meetings, which can add value to the service.

What is the speaker's advice on prioritizing when looking for a video editor?

The speaker advises prioritizing high quality over low prices, avoiding third-party platforms, and doing thorough research to find a video editor worth the investment.

Outlines

00:00

📈 My Journey with Video Editors and Why Platforms Like Fiverr and Upwork Aren’t Ideal

Over the past four years, the author has worked with around 72 video editors, learning through trial and error. They've now built a reliable team and are sharing insights to help others find quality editors. The first piece of advice is to avoid third-party platforms like Fiverr and Upwork when looking for long-term, high-quality video editors. These platforms might seem convenient, but their quality is inconsistent, especially for lower-budget projects. Many editors on these platforms juggle multiple clients, leading to less focus on individual projects. Furthermore, the platform fees result in less money for the editor, which often drives good editors away or causes them to increase their rates. While these platforms are suitable for one-off projects, they fall short for ongoing collaborations, especially due to communication limitations. Platforms like Fiverr restrict off-platform interactions, which hinders building a deeper, long-term working relationship.

05:02

🤝 The Networking Method: Leveraging Connections to Find Great Editors

The author introduces the 'networking method' as a highly effective approach to finding long-term video editors. This involves reaching out to YouTubers within your industry and asking for recommendations or directly asking editors who worked on their videos. Twitter is highlighted as a powerful tool for this, as it offers personal insight into potential editors through their profiles. Additionally, engaging in conversations on posts and threads can lead editors to approach you. The 'rabbit hole method' is a strategy where you follow the network of video editors on Twitter by checking who they follow, as good editors tend to connect with others of similar quality. This method is effective because many skilled editors aren’t actively promoting themselves but are still available for work.

Keywords

💡Third-party platforms

These are online platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork, commonly used for hiring freelancers, including video editors. The video emphasizes that while these platforms offer ease of access and a wide talent pool, they often aren't ideal for finding high-quality, long-term video editors due to issues like high fees, lower commitment from freelancers, and limited communication options.

💡Networking method

This is a strategy for finding video editors by connecting with others within the YouTube or content creation community. The method involves reaching out to other YouTubers for recommendations or directly contacting video editors you come across. It's highlighted as an effective way to find long-term, high-quality editors.

💡Rabbit hole method

A technique for discovering video editors by exploring who YouTubers or editors follow on social media, especially on Twitter. The idea is that high-quality editors tend to follow and be followed by other high-quality editors, allowing you to find hidden talent not commonly advertised on mainstream platforms.

💡Commission fees

These are the fees that platforms like Fiverr and Upwork charge both freelancers and clients. For example, Fiverr takes 20% from the freelancer and an additional 5% from the buyer, leading to reduced earnings for freelancers and increased costs for clients. This financial model often results in inflated prices and less incentive for long-term collaboration.

💡Long-term collaboration

This refers to building a sustained working relationship with a video editor over an extended period. The video stresses that long-term collaborations offer better consistency, quality, and communication, which are essential for maintaining a YouTube channel's content quality. Third-party platforms are often inadequate for fostering such relationships.

💡Local method

A strategy for hiring video editors who are geographically close to you, enabling face-to-face communication. The benefit of this method is the ease of communication and collaboration, but it often comes with a higher price tag. The video suggests that working with local editors can yield higher-quality results despite the increased costs.

💡Stalker method

Despite its name, this is a legitimate approach to finding video editors by searching profiles on platforms like YouTube Jobs. Unlike Fiverr or Upwork, YouTube Jobs doesn't take commission fees from freelancers, making it a more cost-effective option for finding qualified editors without intermediary costs. This method is seen as more efficient for identifying quality talent.

💡Set and forget method

This approach involves creating a job listing on a platform like YouTube Jobs or Seek and waiting for editors to come to you. It's a time-efficient way to find professional video editors, though it may involve some costs for posting the job. This method is ideal for those who are short on time but willing to pay for quality.

💡High-quality editing

High-quality editing refers to video editing that meets professional standards, with attention to detail, storytelling, and technical proficiency. The video argues that finding high-quality editing services is challenging through third-party platforms due to issues like low commitment, high fees, and communication barriers, making alternative methods like networking more effective.

💡Communication barriers

These are the obstacles that hinder effective communication between clients and freelancers, especially on third-party platforms. The video explains that platforms like Fiverr and Upwork restrict off-platform communication, making it difficult to build a rapport with editors for long-term projects. Such barriers can lead to misunderstandings, delayed feedback, and lower-quality work.

Highlights

The speaker has worked with nearly 72 YouTube video editors over the last 4 years.

They have compiled their experience into a guide to help find the best video editors.

Advises against using third-party platforms like Fiverr or Upwork for hiring video editors.

Quality of sellers on platforms may not be great for lower budgets due to their workload.

Platforms take a significant percentage from freelancers, affecting the pricing structure.

Good video editors are likely to be doing their own thing off-platform due to demand.

Platforms can be clunky for long-term communication.

Networking is an effective method for finding good video editors.

Twitter is recommended for communication with YouTubers and editors.

The 'rabbit hole' method involves following connections to find high-quality editors.

Editors with a strong social media presence may be harder to retain long-term.

The 'stalker' method involves searching editor profiles on YouTube jobs.

Local method suggests finding video editors within your local area for better communication.

Hiring high school or college students can provide good communication at a lower cost.

The 'set and forget' method involves creating a job listing on platforms like YouTube jobs.

Prioritizing high quality over low prices is crucial when finding a video editor.

Once a good video editor is found, it can save a lot of time and energy for channel growth.

Transcripts

over the last 4 years I've worked with

nearly 72 YouTube video editors and I've

made every mistake in the book but now

finally have a great team of editors for

both my agency and channel and so today

I'm going to compile all of that

experience into one simple guide so you

can find the best video editors for your

own channel But first you need to stop

using third party platforms the current

narrative for hiring any kind of YouTube

freelancer let alone video editors is

that you should use a platform like

Fiverr or upwork the reason this

narrative exists is because a lot of

people believe they can capitalize on or

even exploit the currency differences

between more and less economically

developed countries and also the ease of

use of these platforms now these

platforms are great but when it comes to

finding a highquality long-term video

editor there are three big reasons why I

wouldn't use them first I found that the

quality of sellers on these platforms

just isn't that great for lower budgets

now it isn't because they aren't good

it's instead because they are typically

working with a bunch of different

customers meaning they aren't able to

commit as much time to your project as

someone who isn't dealing with a whole

lot of people coming to them you might

expect an imong godi style documentary

edit for half price by working on one of

these platforms when in reality you'll

get something that isn't anywhere close

don't get me wrong though Fiverr and

upward can be really great for oneoff

projects but generally speaking when

you're looking for long-term quality

it's very hard to find it unless you

break the bank second you have the

logistics of how the platform works for

example Fiverr takes 20% from the

freelancer and charges the buyer in

additional 5% while upwork takes 10%

from the freelancer and charges the

buyer an additional 5% this means means

that if you agree on $100 for an edit

you as the buyer will pay around $15

while the editor will only take home $80

to $90 this system results in a lot of

really good Freelancers jacking up their

prices to offset the differences which

just isn't worth it when you're looking

for a long-term collaboration in reality

the demand for good video editors has

gone up massively in the last few years

so if they're decent they likely won't

be charging $ 20 to $30 on a platform

like Fiverr instead they're going to be

doing their own thing off platform which

leads me on to reason three the

platforms are typically just very clunky

when it comes to long-term communication

again oneoff projects I totally

recommend you use one of these platforms

but when it comes to long-term work that

you're going to be doing recurringly one

of the most important aspects you need

to consider is communication and when

working on a platform like Fiverr or

upwork it can be really difficult for

instance these platforms are very

particular about keeping sellers on

their platform and so they penalize most

forms of third-party communication

between buyers and sellers this results

and sellers being very hesitant to go

off platform and join your systems as

they're often using it as their

livelihood now at this point you know

why these platforms just won't work when

looking for a highquality long-term

video editor the good news however is

that I have a bunch of tried and tested

methods for finding good quality editors

the first of which I call the networking

method the networking method involves

connecting with other people within your

space for example you could reach out to

YouTubers that you know and ask them for

recommendations on who they're using or

who they know of that is looking for

some more work this method is actually

the the one I've used the most and would

say it's the most effective for finding

somebody good long term another option

when networking is to just reach out to

somebody whom you don't know and ask

them who edited their video the best

method for this involves using Twitter

in fact for all forms of communication

with YouTubers Twitter is going to be

your best friend simply because it's the

most down toe and you know everything

about a person by looking at their

profile and using Twitter if you find an

editor making posts or just find them

using the search bar you can start a

conversation with them and see if

they're looking for new work you can

also network with YouTubers or editors

in posts and threads that way you might

have editors reach out to you which can

make things even easier but when it

comes to Twitter I actually have another

technique that I call the rabbit hole

method to use this method you'll first

want to find a YouTuber and then see who

they are following then when looking at

their following try to find somebody

with the word editor video editor

YouTube video editor or anything similar

as their tagline after that you can

reach out to them and ask if they are

available for a project or go even

further into the Rabbit Hole by using

the same tactic on the editor's profile

file looking at who they follow because

I found that highquality editors tend to

follow other highquality editors and

vice versa so by looking at who editors

are following they'll get access to

editors that aren't being chased by

other creators remember not every

freelancer or person wants to be a

Creator and so there are a ton of

incredible editors out there without a

good social media presence and it does

make them harder to find but it also

means they are much easier to keep on

your team long term as they aren't being

tempted by other creators but if Twitter

isn't really your thing you can also use

the stalker method I call call this

technique the stalker method because

what you're essentially going to do is

stock video editors profiles on the

platform YouTube jobs now I know I said

earlier you shouldn't use external

platforms but this one is different

YouTube jobs doesn't take any commission

from the seller and they don't charge

you at all the only time they do charge

is if you want to create and advertise a

listing but you don't need to do that

instead you can just go to Talent filter

for video editor and then it's going to

show you editors with verified reviews

and collaborations from other YouTubers

using this method you're going to find a

nice balance between quality and price

but for those who aren't worried about

price and instead just want the best

quality possible you'll then need the

local method the local method involves

finding video editors within your local

area and by local I mean so close that

you can meet with them over coffee in

person the benefit of working with

somebody locally is that you'll have

access to meeting them and communicating

in person which is by far the most

efficient and effective method for

communicating objectives revisions and

issues and to be honest I've also found

that local editors are of much higher

quality the only issue however is that

local editors are going to charge you a

lot more than somebody online depending

on where you live for example here in

the US the average salary is way higher

than most other countries and a lot of

editors are going to expect around a

$5,000 a month or more full-time salary

there is a way around this however and

it involves hiring high school or

college students looking for more

experience now you won't get the same

quality but you will get the benefits of

great communication at a cheaper rate

and if you are talented enough yourself

you can always train them and finally

method six is the set and forget method

the setting forget method involves using

a platform like YouTube jobs or even

something more formal like seek to

create a job listing this will obviously

cost you a bit of money but it will get

you in touch with a lot of extremely

professional and established video

editors depending on what you are

willing to pay the other benefit of this

is that you'll only need to spend an

hour or two creating a listing and then

we'll have hundreds if not thousands of

people come to you and again it'll cost

you but if you're stuck for time this is

definitely one of the best methods all

in all finding a decent video editor

isn't going to be easy cuz you need to

prioritize high quality over low prices

stop using third party platforms and do

some digging to find someone that is

worth your time but once you do this

you'll save a lot of time and energy

that you can then put to better use in

growing your channel and presence as a

Creator thanks for

watching