YouTube Studio\u2019s Inspiration<\/strong> feature takes this a step further. You can find it under the Content menu, along with your Videos, Shorts, and Playlists. Here, AI will generate ideas (usually in the form of title\/thumbnail pairs) based on what your audience is watching and searching for \u2013 blended with what\u2019s trending more generally and other platform data. The title\/thumbnail pairs are okay as possible starting points, but the Inspiration interface keeps you pretty confined to surface-level feedback loops (i.e., save, reject, or explore \u2018more like this\u2019).<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where Ask Studio<\/strong> comes in. As a conversational AI that draws from your channel\u2019s data and YouTube platform patterns, its interface gives the most flexibility in terms of exploring content ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From YouTube Studio, you can start up Ask Studio using the sparkle\/diamond icon at the top of the web page (pictured below).<\/p>\n\n\n This opens a chat window that contains some chat suggestions, including: \u201csuggest new video ideas\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I like to go beyond this, because what\u2019s performed well in the past doesn\u2019t necessarily align with my current direction, but I might want to \u201chold\u201d both as considerations for creating new content. So I start by typing in the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBased on recent video performance, as well as the videos I\u2019ve uploaded more recently as an indicator of the types of content I\u2019d like to create, suggest new video ideas for my channel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending on where I\u2019m at with this, Ask Studio might recognize a \u201cshift\u201d in direction as part of its response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019ll also tell me what it considered to generate new ideas. This list usually contains factors like recent uploads, which videos are currently driving the most \u201cinterest\u201d (e.g., UTM and Excel troubleshooting content), and its own comment analysis to identify recurring view \u201cpain points.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then it\u2019ll list out some suggestions.<\/p>\n\n\n Since I started using Ask Studio, the interface for this has changed a bit, and now includes a little bookmark icon (pictured above) that will save any idea generated to the Inspiration section of YouTube Studio \u2013 which you can always find again under Content > Inspiration > View saved (pictured below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n I could stop there, but \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before leaving this exploratory chat, I like to have Ask Studio explore these options a bit more, because the saved Inspiration will generate slightly different explorations due to the fact that those Inspiration explorations don\u2019t have the context from this initial chat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once I have those initial ideas explored a bit more, I do two things: (1) I copy and paste those responses back out into my own file and (2) sometimes, I also save the \u201crefined suggestion\u201d to Inspiration as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The copy and paste file allows me to annotate with highlighting as well as compare and incorporate some of the saved Inspiration notes, which gives me the basis for fleshing out and really considering the suggestions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I start by highlighting any shift-related information that Ask Studio has identified. After that, I\u2019ll go through and highlight the headers for the individual ideas so I can start grouping that data together for myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then I go into Inspiration, get a cold read on the idea \u2013 using the new analysis of the idea from Ask Studio \u2013 and combine anything interesting in there with the saved notes I already have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then I look things over to see if I care at all about making this video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At first glance, this might seem like a false dichotomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n YouTube channel growth might be 100% of your business growth plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But that\u2019s not my situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m a consultant first and foremost, and a solopreneur, so my channel might be something I monetize on the side, but it needs to also serve a different function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since the goal of this article isn\u2019t to guide you through creating or refining your own content strategy, I\u2019m sharing just the most important criteria I use that help me navigate the tension between platform and business growth, and keep me aligned with my business vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a first pass, I review to see if any of the particular content suggestions are things I think my clients need to know about. This is a separate consideration from just growing my channel for the channel\u2019s sake, although both could grow the business in different ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, honestly, if it\u2019s not something I\u2019m willing to consult for in the future, or a question I\u2019ve answered for a client in the course of a past engagement, then I usually skip the idea entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reach \u2013 eyes on your content \u2013 is obviously needed for both YouTube and business growth. While I want to maximize reach, virality \u2013 and the poor fit audience for my services that might come with it \u2013 doesn\u2019t serve my business. In fact, enough of this type of content could skew my audience \u2013 and the way the algorithm serves up my content \u2013 away from my intended target groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One interesting thing here: Regardless of fit, the Ask Studio title suggestion as well as what it thinks the video should cover can be an interesting insight into terminology \u2013 maybe not in terms of what humans will use, but what algorithms might associate in terms of search queries and the content it\u2019ll serve up in response. That might present an opportunity to explore the idea a bit more \u2013 but with different title packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes I\u2019ll get a suggestion that reinforces an idea that was already on existing idea list \u2013 but that I was waffling on for some reason. Seeing it or something similar pop up on the Ask Studio list of suggestions can eliminate my waffling and bump the idea up the priority scale as something to produce sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This criterion is completely subjective, but incredibly important for me as the voice over \u2013 and sometimes featured face \u2013 of my video content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If I can\u2019t get excited about a topic (or at least feel a real interest in it), then I\u2019m going to sound \u2013 and look \u2013 like my audience shouldn\u2019t care about it, either. That\u2019s a flop waiting to happen. My time and effort are better spent elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ideas that pass the assessment criteria get moved over to my running list of content ideas. Then I delete the copy\/paste document, as this isn\u2019t really the type of document you go back to, so holding on to it is really just adding digital clutter. Besides, once you\u2019ve added new content to your YouTube channel, you\u2019re better served by starting a new exploration of possibilities from where you\u2019re at \u201cnow\u201d than trying to mine gold from where you were \u201cback then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This process can get ideas on your list if you\u2019re in a rut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next natural step might feel like production and workflow considerations: style choice (e.g., voice over or talking head), video recording and editing technicalities, platform-specific packaging concerns to get it out in front of your audience (e.g., title, thumbnail, chapters), and other distribution plans to maximize reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, in between those two steps, you still have some questions to answer as you vet your own idea suggestions:<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to Use YouTube\u2019s Ask Studio to Generate Video Ideas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nClarifying and Refining the Idea Seed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Business Growth vs. YouTube Channel Growth: Vetting Video Ideas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Assessment Criteria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Consulting Alignment<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Reach and Audience Alignment<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Idea Prioritization<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Spark<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Saving the Good Ones (Viable Ideas Only)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Where to go from here?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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