Are you looking for a way to connect with your audience on YouTube? Here, NetInfluencer covers how to use Q&A questions, how to create a strategy, and details on YouTube’s Live Q&A feature.

The Value of Q&A Questions

Although creating high-value content for your YouTube channel is essential for audience retention and engagement, followers want to get to know you personally. By answering their questions, you provide them with a look into your life beyond the camera and help them relate to you on a more human level. It also helps build trust and support as you grow your platform.

Creating a Q&A video allows you to discuss past content and ask for suggestions on what to develop in the future. When your content is in line with what your audience requests, viewers feel appreciated and are likely to stick around. Q&A videos are another way to develop your online persona and show authenticity. Even if there are several content creators in your niche, being honest with your audience can set you apart from the competition.

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If you’re looking to repurpose your content to attract new audience members, consider including a link to your Q&A video in your newsletter. You can also post it on your official website to give potential followers and brand partners a chance to get to know you better. 

Creating a YouTube Q&A Strategy

Now that you know more about the importance of answering questions from your audience, let’s dive into how you can create the best Q&A video. 

Collect Questions

To make your Q&A video as personal as possible, field questions directly from your audience. If you’re active on other social media platforms, consider teasing your upcoming question-and-answer session and ask for feedback in the comments of a post. Platforms like Instagram have “ask me anything” features, making it easy for creators to collect questions. 

Consider using Google’s “People Also Ask” feature to develop your questions further. You can also research questions on online forums like Reddit and Quora. If you have an email list, consider sending out a request for questions from subscribers. 

Draft Answers

Once you have collected your questions, create a script while you shoot your video. Having a written script for your audience Q&A ensures you cover all topics and helps you stay on track. Even if you prefer to film a more informal video, make sure you at least have some bullet points in front of you, so you don’t leave anything out. 

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Additionally, drafting your answers beforehand allows you to include relevant SEO terms to help you rank higher in searches. Pre-planning your Q&A also helps ensure your video is in line with the rest of the videos on your channel. 

Film Your Video

Once you’ve fielded audience questions and drafted your answers, choose an ideal location to film your Q&A video. If you typically film content in a more formal setting, consider using a more relaxed area, like your living room or home office. Shooting in an informal location brings more authenticity into your Q&A session and helps you become more relatable. 

You can also enlist a moderator’s help to ask your audience questions, making your video more of a conversation. If your Q&A video is prerecorded, you can shoot your questions in a series of clips and piece them together later in the editing process. You can also review your answers and make any necessary updates and changes before publishing them to your channel.

If you’re doing your Q&A through a livestream, make sure to do a practice run beforehand. Have your script handy, so you stay on topic and try your best to avoid rambling. Set a goal for how many questions you plan on covering and stick to a predetermined time limit. 

Finalize and Publish Content

To finalize your Q&A video, enlist the help of a professional editor or use editing software to clean up your content. Consider adding transitions between each question and mark them to allow your audience to skip to specific points within the video. You can also use captions to keep your viewers engaged and include gifs or animations to bring humor and variety into your video. 

Once your video is ready, publish it on your YouTube platform. Share the video across your other social media channels and include a call to action. Encourage viewers to like your video, leave a comment, and subscribe so they can stay up to date on future content. 

Q&A sessions can often generate new ideas for content. Consider taking a frequently-asked question and turn it into a video of its own. Analyze your audience’s questions for any patterns and themes and use the data to tailor future content for your platform. 

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Be as Genuine and Authentic as Possible

I have used Q&A videos in the past as a way to connect with my audience and create engagement. These videos are valuable because they allow my viewers to get to know me better and ask any questions they may have about my content or my life in general. By answering their questions, I am able to connect with my audience on a more personal level and build a stronger relationship with them.

My best tip for creating successful Q&A videos is to be as genuine and authentic as possible. Don’t be afraid to share personal stories or experiences, as they can help your audience relate to you better. Also, be sure to answer all questions as honestly and thoroughly as possible, and take the time to thank your viewers for their participation. This will show your audience that you value their feedback and are dedicated to creating content that they will enjoy.

Will Gill, Event Entertainer, DJ Will Gill

Live Videos Create Engagement

A Q&A-style event is a great idea in 2023 and can be done on other platforms than YouTube, like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and more. These days, it can be tough to create buzz about something, so promoting an actual event (a live webinar event) can actually help you promote something. I’ve promoted and launched live videos in the past to great success!

Rather than watching a video that is published and stagnant for all of time, a live video can be more like a ‘breaking news’ event if done correctly. Obviously, you want to offer value to your audience, whether that be through insight, something free, or even discounts. Aside from that, you must properly plan it and make it as tight as possible. It should be professional and organized, with special guests joining easily and a bit of structure to what you’re doing. If you do this, a live video can provide tremendous value for you!

Shaun Connell, Founder and CEO, Credit Building Tips

How To Use YouTube’s Live Q&A Feature

Connecting with your audience in real-time is a great way to boost engagement and foster loyalty to your channel. At the end of 2022, YouTube announced the launch of a ‘Live Q&A’ feature. One of the issues creators experience is difficulty sorting through audience questions during a livestream. With the new Live Q&A feature, questions are submitted and managed in a more organized way. The host can also pin questions as they respond to them, making it easy for the audience to follow along.

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Other YouTube livestreaming features include Super Thanks and the ability to invite guests to go live. Through the Super Thanks feature, audience members can show appreciation through monetary donations. There are four preset dollar amounts, ranging from $2 to $50. Super Thanks is similar to YouTube’s Super Chat feature, where viewers can pay to make their comments stand out during a livestream. 

YouTube is also piloting its “Go Live Together” feature with a pool of creators. Currently, guests can only join via phone, not from a computer or webcam. Additionally, any advertising revenue will go to the host. This new feature is in line with other social media platforms, as TikTok and Twitch also have co-streaming capabilities.