Content Creators: Hannah Witton On 5 Things You Need to Make Compelling and Powerful Videos

Passion — none of this matters if you don’t care about what you’re doing. It’s the passion that will drive you and make the time, patience and practice does not seem so burdensome.

In today’s digital realm, videos are more than just visuals; they’re stories that captivate, resonate, and leave an indelible mark on viewers. From journalism and activism to education and marketing, video content has emerged as an indispensable medium that engages audiences like no other. But what does it take to create compelling, resonant videos in an age where nearly everyone has a camera in their pocket? Crafting a powerful video involves more than just technical skill; it demands an understanding of storytelling, the subtlety of editing, the emotional impact of sound, and an innate ability to connect with an audience. In this interview series, we are talking to content creators, video editors, sound designers, and digital storytellers to share the “5 Things You Need to Make Compelling and Powerful Videos.” As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Hannah Witton.

Hannah Witton, an award-winning online creator and author, has been a pioneer in the sex and relationships space on YouTube. Often discussing the intersections with disability, chronic illness, and life with a stoma, her journey has been one of inspiration and empowerment for many. Hannah was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when she was 7 years old and at 24, she needed emergency surgery to remove her colon and now lives with a stoma. Since finishing her sex ed work at the end of 2023, after over a decade of content, she now focuses on consulting and mentoring other online creators. Her YouTube channel has garnered over 730k subscribers and 110 million views, cementing her status as a prominent figure in the online content creation landscape. Additionally, she continues to make content around fashion, books, body image, feminism, work, and parenting, drawing from her diverse range of knowledge gained from her successful years on YouTube.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up? Can you share some formative experiences from your upbringing that shaped your creative instincts?

How long have you got? I grew up in Manchester, went to uni in Birmingham, and then, after I graduated, moved to London. Just moving southward through the major cities of England… with a brief stopover just outside of Paris when I was 19, which was actually where I was living when I started making YouTube videos. I went to a performing arts school and always loved theatre, acting, dancing, and singing, which I did in various after-school clubs throughout school. But then I ended up taking a more academic route through college and uni. I think my creative instincts have come partly from my love of performing, and let’s be honest, being the centre of attention. But also, my love of organisation, spreadsheets, and ticking things off lists. So, it lends itself very nicely to basically running your own production company and also being the “star.”

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I discovered the world of YouTube and vloggers when I was 16 but didn’t really get into watching it until I was 18. I just loved it and was so captivated by people essentially performing in their own bedrooms and putting it on the internet for anyone to see and engage with. They were funny and creative, and there was a real sense of community, and I just knew I wanted to be a part of it. So, I took the plunge and in 2011, I started making my own (terrible) videos and putting them on YouTube. I threw myself into the online community and within a year had built a small audience, had lots of “internet friends” and had seen my first YouTube AdSense pay check.

Who or what were your early influences in the field of video creation or storytelling

Definitely the likes of Hank and John Green of the vlogbrothers, Charlie McDonnell, Elmify, Rosianna Halse Rojas, Lex Croucher and Sanne from BooksandQuills (many of whom I’m still friends with now!)

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

The most interesting?! I can’t guarantee that, and so much has happened it’s hard to pick one and it also depends on your definition of interesting. I could tell you very passionately about how I love blackjack and played for hours at a casino in Las Vegas on an all expenses paid trip (other than gambling!) with a brand and although I didn’t win, I didn’t lose as much money as I expected to — which I count as a win! Or that I’ve been lucky enough to interview some different celebrities over the years? Or the time I went to Barcelona with my best friend to document being behind the scenes on set for an ethical porn shoot and we even got to be (clothed!) extras in the film!? Or… Actually, maybe I can’t beat that story.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I try to laugh at it now, but it was so painful! I made the classic mistake, which, honestly, I think is a rite of passage for YouTubers — forgetting to turn the mics on. However, this happened when I was interviewing the legend that is Russell T. Davies. Luckily, he and his team were very nice about it, but I was so embarrassed, and I have definitely conducted myself more professionally since.

You have such impressive work. What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? Where do you see yourself heading from here?

I feel like my whole career has been one big, exciting project after another, and actually, I’m in a season of my life and work where I’m trying to quell my instinct to find the next shiny object and create something new. I’m taking things a bit slower after some very full-on years juggling work, chronic illness, pregnancy, and becoming a mum.

The interesting and exciting project I’m working on at the moment is my family, work/life balance, and mental health! That being said, because I can’t help myself, over the past year, I have slowly been building up my work as a consultant and coach for other creators — helping them in the behind-the-scenes of their creative businesses, figure out priorities and goals, feel aligned in what they’re doing, and avoid burnout.

I love this work — I’ve helped people with their Patreon launch strategies, acted as a sounding board for ideas and a professional accountability buddy, and also helped a creator with their content strategy around taking maternity leave. It’s been really fulfilling work using my skills and knowledge of the last almost 15 years and using it to help other creators, and this year, I’m hoping to get fully certified as a coach too.

Okay, let’s now move to the main part of our interview. Can you help articulate why video is such an important media form to master today?

Video is important because it can feel so personal and engaging to the person on the other side. It can build a certain level of connection that other media forms can’t and it’s also just harder to look away from so it’s easier to grab people’s attention with it.

What are a few of the most common mistakes you have seen people make in their videos?

I’m a culprit of this too because I love to waffle but not getting to the point soon enough. I know the whole strategy of providing a hook to tease and then leaving the golden nugget at the end of the video to keep people watching all the way through — I get it. But oftentimes, the big reveal ends up being a disappointment, and I just wish they’d got to the point sooner. I respect the hustle, but if you’re making me wait, it’d better be good-otherwise, you’ve lost my trust, and I won’t stick around next time.

What do you think sets apart a great video from a good one?

I think regardless of format, genre or platform, a great video for me is one that truly connects with someone and that you remember. I’ve watched so many videos — YouTube, reels, TikToks, over the years and most of them you forget but occasionally there are the ones that just stick with you. And that’s a great video.

What are your “5 Things You Need to Make Compelling and Powerful Videos” and why?

1. Time — video can be a lot more labour intensive than other mediums. While there are definitely ways to be more efficient, those are also things that you will learn with time.

2. Patience — if you’re expecting big results straight away, please lower your expectations. Enjoy the journey of trying something new and learning a new skill.

3. Practice — it’s no secret that with anything you get better (and quicker) with practice. My first videos are so horrifically cringey to watch.

4. Passion — none of this matters if you don’t care about what you’re doing. It’s the passion that will drive you and make the time, patience and practice does not seem so burdensome.

5. Community — find your people. Whether that be peers, collaborators, team members etc. You learn so much just by talking to other people. I’ve been making videos for almost 15 years and always feel a bit self-conscious in public when vlogging because of the beep noise that my camera makes when you start recording. A YouTube friend of mine literally told me the other day that I can turn that off in the camera settings! Thank you, Simon!

What are your favorite software, or online tools you use to make amazing videos?

I religiously use Frame.io with my video editor to give notes on edits. Notion is what I use for my entire video production workflow, and honestly, I don’t bother with the in-app editing tools of the likes of Reels and TikTok unless the video is one take. I’m an old-school YouTuber! Of course, I edit most of my TikToks in Adobe Premiere Pro!

Are there any hidden gems or underutilized features you’d recommend?

Captions! It’s definitely worth investing in captions — I use a service called Rev for my YouTube videos and have done so for years. Making your content more accessible can increase your reach — not only to Deaf and hard-of-hearing people but also to those whose first language is not English (most of the world!). And if it’s a social media video, it also helps people who don’t have sound turned on! As soon as I see there are no captions I’m gone, especially in the days of having a baby sleeping on me all day every day. What was that person talking about? I’ll never know!

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

What an ask. But if we’re thinking about scale — most amount of good to the most amount of people — it has to be climate change (which, let’s be real, is connected to every movement: workers’ rights, antiracism, feminism, migrant rights, anti-colonialism, reproductive rights etc. etc.) But honestly, I’ve been adjacent to the activist space, in my sex and relationships education work, for over a decade, and I don’t want the pressure to inspire a whole movement — it can completely crush individuals, it’s too much to ask of one person. But even though I no longer make sex ed content, I try to do my bit through little acts of influencing, like having a fairly anti-consumerist angle on my lifestyle content and making lots of secondhand fashion content.

Are you on social media? How can our readers follow you online?

I feel like every 5 years it changes but currently you can find me on YouTube (More Hannah), Instagram, TikTok, Patreon and Substack (Hannah Witton)

This was so informative, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!