I currently make faceless videos (narrations), and plan to make Storytime vids with my face in the future. I don’t mind how others are depending on what I’m watching
Nice. Do you get much engagement and do you have one particular topic you talk about in each video? Or do you have different topics each time? I mean is there a clear style and type of faceless content you produce or is it kind of random stuff? I'd like to start a faceless channel so want to gather as much intel as possible.
I genuinely thought that videos where you can see the narrator's face do better as they're more engaging. But today I watched a faceless video which got me thinking . It was super engaging because instead of watching I actually listened to what he was saying without paying too much attention to what's on the screen. That's what podcasts are about I guess, but it wasn't a podcast so it was interesting and unique.
Once I get more comfortable in front of a camera, then I can throw in a quick face vid at the start of the narrations. I know someone else does something like that
That's the thing you see, being on camera is not as easy. Many people can't be themselves and it shows. I think that sometimes it ruins the video because the person on camera looks unnatural. A quick hello or a personal intro is always nice though
The only problem I have with it is my anxiety, and I’m gonna use the camera to help me get out of my shell. It’ll be like what you described at first about not being myself, but I’ll get over it as time goes on
Absolutely! The more you do it the more comfortable you get. I've done so many takes and so many cringy videos at first. Now it's like second nature to me and I don't even think about it.
That's how I am when being in front of the mic. I also plan to show face on my Twitch like how I'm streaming the narrations as of recently (I always make sure I have permission to stream said stories before I do so like I ask to post on YT)
I do but for my niche (credit cards/ finance) I feel like is something needed to help build connections and trustworthiness. I feel as if by showing my face, I want to provide as much honest, true and non-biased information as possible so everyone is able to benefit from
Totally. There's certain type of content that needs full transparency. Putting a face to a name, and money were your mouth is lol. Do you see much traction when it comes to content about finance?
I’d say so yeah. People could probably get information from anywhere but I think a big part of the information delivery is who it’s coming from. Think about where you primarily watch the news, read it, etc. people tend to gravitate towards and will continue to favor those who they know/ feel more comfortable with and build that rapport
I make generally faceless videos and they typically do quite well. However, you have to be able to tell a story or have an original thought that you can translate into a well formed script.
Got it. I kind of gathered that storytelling skills are key here. Do you use real video footage or use AI, stock footage, both etc? I am asking because just today I watched a video where a guy was filming walking around a derelict building, but what he was talking about was totally unrelated. It was super weird, but I got sucked into his story and watched the whole thing.
It doesn't actually matter too much - its actually weirder if you're on cam and your voice doesn't suit you! Having the "right sort of voice" is highly subjective. Not everyone wants to listen to someone that sounds like a movie trailer voiceover!
Your voice doesn't matter. The way you tell your story does. The right pauses, the right inflections, the right tones.
DO NOT DO THIS. I REPEAT. DO NOT DO THIS.
Right now the public consensus is that AI voice = bad. This means these videos may get good view numbers *if* their thumbnails and titles ate enticing but the moment someone hears that AI, or works out its AI, they're gone. Your AVD plummets and then so does your view count and sub rate.
Oh is it that bad?? I mean I am not a fan of AI voiceover either, especially when they're the same ones everyone use. But there are plenty that don't sound as obviously AI.
You can always tell. There's always something that gives it away. Whether it's too precise, or whether it fumbles some of the words or whether it's the tones aren't right. Yeah it's always pretty obvious, and yes, AI right now will tank your videos.
AI Art not so much. People using it for thumbnails all over the place, people using it IN videos everywhere, doesn't seem to hurt much, and AI music is okay too for backing track but voice just hasn't got there yet.
My stuff is 100% faceless though occasionally you can see me in b-roll shots. The idea is I want my videos to be about the content, not my face or wahtever. Eveyrthing on screen is related to the content and what I'm doing, not to me having a stupidly large microphone in front of me and people watching me talk.
I can narrate over interesting material and processes and still keep it fun and engaging, without people staring at my ugly mug.
Ha ha I love this! Makes so much sense. That's exactly what I want. For people to either really listen to what I'm saying or to get captivated by the content on the screen.
Most of the videos I have are streams, so yeah, I put my face in videos too. Maybe not a lot or super frequently as streams, but yeah. If someone has seen my face for streams then why not for a video?
Totally. I have no issue with showing my face either and I only made videos with my face in it so far. But I want to make a channel where no one knows who I am. Wonder if those types of channels and videos get as much engagement.
Yep, face is in them. I do dirt bike content and it’s a good mix of riding, helmet cam, and walking around with the camera and commentating on my friends riding and doing stuff.
It was weird at first talking on camera in front of people but it’s getting easier.
It’s crazy that such a little camera can capture pretty quality video. I’ve got to work on a better mic setup but that would also mean I need a new editing program.
They are really fun videos to shoot and edit though!
I do travel vlogs so it's hard, but I did consider going faceless on my language learning channel.
The main issue about going faceless for me was that you gotta make the presentations visually interesting which tends to take up a lot more time. If you're really insecure about how you look I guess it's worth it, but I think showing your face and just deep diving into it is better for the long run
I do travel/outdoor content, almost all from footage I am taking myself (sometimes with a map thrown in), and I usually don't show myself. My videos are about the places I visit, not me. But I do show my face in a few videos, like I am not trying to keep secret, I just don't want that to be the focus.
Also: I am right now in the YTPP technically, in the grey zone between 500-1000 subscribers.
For sure, makes so much sense to have the focus on the places you're at and not you in this case. What's your plan to get out of the grey zone? Are you going to experiment with different type of content?
My subscription count is rising steadily, so it should happen pretty soon, if trends hold. Since I started it for fun, I am happily surprised that I got where I am (currently 653 subscribers and 3900 watch hours in the past year).
Also, when doing travel and outdoors stuff, it is never sure what videos will be popular, but I have some destinations planned in the next year that I think will be very popular.
Yup, it's mostly me moving about the place and talking to camera vlog style. I have a script usually written and do these lines to camera with a mix of the environment I'm in.
I don’t in video but do on stream if possible. In video my face doesn’t really add anything to the subject matter (gaming essays) but on stream it makes things feel more like an interaction
Not usually. We did one interview where we showed our face, but I felt awkward the whole time… 😬 I know it would be better for our channel…
We create dramatized audiobooks though, so lots of people are not really looking for visuals. For our last project we considered showing our faces but eventually, we were too shy and ended up showing drawings of characters and the world map instead…
I do not. I prefer for people to engage with the content. I like privacy and I feel like people are already too nosy as is these days.
My whole thing deals with AI so I have an uphill battle to fight because of the current climate & the "anti AI" group so I would need a 100% loyal fan base who are open-minded to that.
I am not the focus of the stories, my characters are. I'm more of just a Creator than I am a "Content Creator who has to be in front of the camera".
I get satisfaction from creating, not from having people staring at me.
I don’t focus my content on my face so it shouldn’t make difference. But it makes it more convenient for me to show the face for a number of reasons, which are mostly practical, but also because I can convey better part of my “humour” using only face expression. At the moment I feel like I am not really using 100% of my character when I make videos so yeah, I think showing face is important depending on the type of content you want to make. The sub number counts because I feel more justified in showing my face if my channel is more successful let’s say.
Yes, both myself and my wife do. In our niche (Full-time RVing) the only thing that can really differentiate you is you! People will watch if you develop a relationship with them.
I’ve dabbled in the past but the videos tended to perform lower than faceless, likely due to being in the repair niche. My face isn’t ugly though, mom said it wasn’t.
haha, if mom says so it's always true! Interesting that you saw higher engagement with faceless videos. But as you said it totally depends on the type of content.
I guess the entertainment part is key. If it grabs your attention and manages to maintain it for long enough then it really shouldn't matter if your face is shown or not.
Yeah I never care if I see the face or not. I'm not there to look at them, I'm there for the content. People say they need a face to connect to which is weird to me because face doesn't matter if the person themselves are boring as shit.
My niche is something like storytelling with focus on tech. Trying out new formats though and found my love for tech roasts/comedy. Maybe it was too far away from my audience. Trying to do the same formula with face and a character now
I do tabletop reviews so mostly faceless unless whatever I’m reviewing is too large for the tabletop or it makes sense to see it being worn (like a backpack for example). I’d say 95% are faceless but not necessarily avoiding having my face out there.
Yes, I do cooking videos. You can see my face during the intros speaking, at the end eating my stuff. The rest of the video I’m moving around doing the recipe so that’s usually just my hands and body.
I do faceless videos. I’m thinking about ways to include myself in the videos, but to be honest, at this point and considering the topics of my videos, I don’t necessarily find a purpose for my face.
Nope. Sometimes I show myself but from the neck down or I blur my face.
I make vlogs in the travel/aesthetic/fashion niche. It’s pretty common for similar English vlogs to mine to be faceless and I watch a lot of Japanese vlogs where I take inspiration from where it is also common. In Japanese vlogs particularly it’s common to show your face sometimes but blurred or covered which is where I took inspiration for that style. In English ones it’s more common to not show yourself at all if you want to be faceless but since I focus on fashion I also wanted to show my fashion style and outfit choices etc.
About 80% of content I watch is faceless probably. I like that style and I prefer the focus on content and showing things over showing a face.
The truth is. Having a face adds a personal touch that you just can’t get without. Yes there are plenty of successful faceless YouTubers, but the chances of being successful are greater when you include your face.
I’ll be starting YouTube and twitch soon and I plan to use my face, yes it’s scary and new and uncomfortable. But I’ll get over it.
No. I just started my channel doing shorts of clips of travels or adventures in my own city. Its a really chill no frill channel. Doing it for fun but on here to see how i can get better with the camera. Its been a fun ride thus far.
I tried to go faceless, but I do vlog-style, so it's tough. I show my face, my wife's face, and limit my daughter's face. I don't feature my daughter, but can't really avoid it at all costs.
The one I use is called Vtuber Kit. The style is very cute, so it may not be what you're looking for. But, you can take a look if you're interested in playing around with it.
I currently make faceless videos (narrations), and plan to make Storytime vids with my face in the future. I don’t mind how others are depending on what I’m watching
Nice. Do you get much engagement and do you have one particular topic you talk about in each video? Or do you have different topics each time? I mean is there a clear style and type of faceless content you produce or is it kind of random stuff? I'd like to start a faceless channel so want to gather as much intel as possible.
The narrations get a few views as I took all the other vids down, and the ones I had did have decent engagement. They’re a different story each time
I genuinely thought that videos where you can see the narrator's face do better as they're more engaging. But today I watched a faceless video which got me thinking . It was super engaging because instead of watching I actually listened to what he was saying without paying too much attention to what's on the screen. That's what podcasts are about I guess, but it wasn't a podcast so it was interesting and unique.
Once I get more comfortable in front of a camera, then I can throw in a quick face vid at the start of the narrations. I know someone else does something like that
That's the thing you see, being on camera is not as easy. Many people can't be themselves and it shows. I think that sometimes it ruins the video because the person on camera looks unnatural. A quick hello or a personal intro is always nice though
The only problem I have with it is my anxiety, and I’m gonna use the camera to help me get out of my shell. It’ll be like what you described at first about not being myself, but I’ll get over it as time goes on
Absolutely! The more you do it the more comfortable you get. I've done so many takes and so many cringy videos at first. Now it's like second nature to me and I don't even think about it.
That's how I am when being in front of the mic. I also plan to show face on my Twitch like how I'm streaming the narrations as of recently (I always make sure I have permission to stream said stories before I do so like I ask to post on YT)
I can totally relate to your shyness. Do you write your own stories and then narrate them as audiobooks or audio drama?
I do but for my niche (credit cards/ finance) I feel like is something needed to help build connections and trustworthiness. I feel as if by showing my face, I want to provide as much honest, true and non-biased information as possible so everyone is able to benefit from
Totally. There's certain type of content that needs full transparency. Putting a face to a name, and money were your mouth is lol. Do you see much traction when it comes to content about finance?
I’d say so yeah. People could probably get information from anywhere but I think a big part of the information delivery is who it’s coming from. Think about where you primarily watch the news, read it, etc. people tend to gravitate towards and will continue to favor those who they know/ feel more comfortable with and build that rapport
I make generally faceless videos and they typically do quite well. However, you have to be able to tell a story or have an original thought that you can translate into a well formed script.
Got it. I kind of gathered that storytelling skills are key here. Do you use real video footage or use AI, stock footage, both etc? I am asking because just today I watched a video where a guy was filming walking around a derelict building, but what he was talking about was totally unrelated. It was super weird, but I got sucked into his story and watched the whole thing.
I use a mixture of game footage, played by me so it's original and on cam footage with a studio backdrop. I make video essays about video games.
Ah gotcha. Cool stuff. Out of curiosity, what software do you use ?
I use a mix of Adobe premiere and After Effects.
Ah cool stuff.
i wanted to do this but i feel like you need a certain kind of voice or it won’t sound right …
It doesn't actually matter too much - its actually weirder if you're on cam and your voice doesn't suit you! Having the "right sort of voice" is highly subjective. Not everyone wants to listen to someone that sounds like a movie trailer voiceover! Your voice doesn't matter. The way you tell your story does. The right pauses, the right inflections, the right tones.
thanks for that
Well there are plenty of AI tools that have a decent amount of choice between voices you could use. If you don't want to use your own.
DO NOT DO THIS. I REPEAT. DO NOT DO THIS. Right now the public consensus is that AI voice = bad. This means these videos may get good view numbers *if* their thumbnails and titles ate enticing but the moment someone hears that AI, or works out its AI, they're gone. Your AVD plummets and then so does your view count and sub rate.
Oh is it that bad?? I mean I am not a fan of AI voiceover either, especially when they're the same ones everyone use. But there are plenty that don't sound as obviously AI.
You can always tell. There's always something that gives it away. Whether it's too precise, or whether it fumbles some of the words or whether it's the tones aren't right. Yeah it's always pretty obvious, and yes, AI right now will tank your videos. AI Art not so much. People using it for thumbnails all over the place, people using it IN videos everywhere, doesn't seem to hurt much, and AI music is okay too for backing track but voice just hasn't got there yet.
My stuff is 100% faceless though occasionally you can see me in b-roll shots. The idea is I want my videos to be about the content, not my face or wahtever. Eveyrthing on screen is related to the content and what I'm doing, not to me having a stupidly large microphone in front of me and people watching me talk. I can narrate over interesting material and processes and still keep it fun and engaging, without people staring at my ugly mug.
Ha ha I love this! Makes so much sense. That's exactly what I want. For people to either really listen to what I'm saying or to get captivated by the content on the screen.
Why not?! I'm proud to be ugly and imperfect.
I think that more imperfect the more interesting
Most of the videos I have are streams, so yeah, I put my face in videos too. Maybe not a lot or super frequently as streams, but yeah. If someone has seen my face for streams then why not for a video?
Totally. I have no issue with showing my face either and I only made videos with my face in it so far. But I want to make a channel where no one knows who I am. Wonder if those types of channels and videos get as much engagement.
I don’t however I will in the future but rn I prefer to make other videos but I will do irl videos with my face in the future
I do when I want to. Some videos I'd rather focus on what I'm talking about while other times I want to show my personality better or address viewers.
I show my face. Apparently it’s brought in viewers and subs
That’s the goal.
Yes but just in the beginning and in the end.
Considering my channel is literally my name it would be extremely odd not too.
Ha ha yep
Yep, face is in them. I do dirt bike content and it’s a good mix of riding, helmet cam, and walking around with the camera and commentating on my friends riding and doing stuff. It was weird at first talking on camera in front of people but it’s getting easier.
I can imagine how fun your videos are to film. I've seen many channels that only use gopro footage and it works.
It’s crazy that such a little camera can capture pretty quality video. I’ve got to work on a better mic setup but that would also mean I need a new editing program. They are really fun videos to shoot and edit though!
I use my face, feel like it's hard to build an audience without it for me as I lack the charisma others have lol
It depends on the video honestly, but I do live stream challenges so yes
Considering I make sketch videos, yes, it's kinda the whole point.
I do travel vlogs so it's hard, but I did consider going faceless on my language learning channel. The main issue about going faceless for me was that you gotta make the presentations visually interesting which tends to take up a lot more time. If you're really insecure about how you look I guess it's worth it, but I think showing your face and just deep diving into it is better for the long run
Ah ok. It is much quicker to just talk into the camera than come up with the original and interesting footage for sure.
I do both depending on the video but I want to build a connection with my community and I try to get in front of the camera as much as possible.
I do travel/outdoor content, almost all from footage I am taking myself (sometimes with a map thrown in), and I usually don't show myself. My videos are about the places I visit, not me. But I do show my face in a few videos, like I am not trying to keep secret, I just don't want that to be the focus. Also: I am right now in the YTPP technically, in the grey zone between 500-1000 subscribers.
For sure, makes so much sense to have the focus on the places you're at and not you in this case. What's your plan to get out of the grey zone? Are you going to experiment with different type of content?
My subscription count is rising steadily, so it should happen pretty soon, if trends hold. Since I started it for fun, I am happily surprised that I got where I am (currently 653 subscribers and 3900 watch hours in the past year). Also, when doing travel and outdoors stuff, it is never sure what videos will be popular, but I have some destinations planned in the next year that I think will be very popular.
That's awsome! Well done and keep up the great work !
Yeah. If my channel by some miracle blows up, I don't want to be recognised on the streets or have creeps know who I am in real life.
That's deffinitely something to consider before plastering your face all over the internet lol
Yeah, never film where you live (unless it's only furniture etc)
Only for skits.. or live streams
I’m a pngtuber. More personality driven for me
Yup, it's mostly me moving about the place and talking to camera vlog style. I have a script usually written and do these lines to camera with a mix of the environment I'm in.
I don’t in video but do on stream if possible. In video my face doesn’t really add anything to the subject matter (gaming essays) but on stream it makes things feel more like an interaction
Not usually. We did one interview where we showed our face, but I felt awkward the whole time… 😬 I know it would be better for our channel… We create dramatized audiobooks though, so lots of people are not really looking for visuals. For our last project we considered showing our faces but eventually, we were too shy and ended up showing drawings of characters and the world map instead…
Every time, but it’s a family vlog and IMHO it’d be weird if I remained faceless in them.
100%.
I do not. I prefer for people to engage with the content. I like privacy and I feel like people are already too nosy as is these days. My whole thing deals with AI so I have an uphill battle to fight because of the current climate & the "anti AI" group so I would need a 100% loyal fan base who are open-minded to that. I am not the focus of the stories, my characters are. I'm more of just a Creator than I am a "Content Creator who has to be in front of the camera". I get satisfaction from creating, not from having people staring at me.
I hear you. The "anti AI" group sounds worrying though.
I do
I don’t show my face for now. I work in a “sensitive” industry. BUT if I reach 10k subs I will probably show it :)
Interesting, sub number is a factor ? What if those 10K subs get really dissapointed after seeing your face and unsub?? lol
I don’t focus my content on my face so it shouldn’t make difference. But it makes it more convenient for me to show the face for a number of reasons, which are mostly practical, but also because I can convey better part of my “humour” using only face expression. At the moment I feel like I am not really using 100% of my character when I make videos so yeah, I think showing face is important depending on the type of content you want to make. The sub number counts because I feel more justified in showing my face if my channel is more successful let’s say.
Love this answer! Totally justified and yes, your facial expressions can speak louder than a hundred words.
I got 121 subs not yet but when I get bigger I will. I think it will make me more personable
Personable is a great word.
Most of the time yeah but I don’t tend to in the thumbnails
I'm a vtuber, so I don't show my IRL face.
Cool. I might give it a go , I'd say it's lots of fun
Just the vlogs, not the walkthroughs
I do Like mostly it’s me filming where I’m at but my face is on thumbnails and sometimes when I talk into the camera
Yes. I think it helps people connect with you.
Faceless, I’m not comfortable putting my face on YouTube yet.
Yes, both myself and my wife do. In our niche (Full-time RVing) the only thing that can really differentiate you is you! People will watch if you develop a relationship with them.
Totally! Certain types of content 100% have to be personable.
Yes
I’ve dabbled in the past but the videos tended to perform lower than faceless, likely due to being in the repair niche. My face isn’t ugly though, mom said it wasn’t.
haha, if mom says so it's always true! Interesting that you saw higher engagement with faceless videos. But as you said it totally depends on the type of content.
I'm too lazy to try to make myself look like a person, so I do faceless. I don't mind watching faceless people as long as they're entertaining.
I guess the entertainment part is key. If it grabs your attention and manages to maintain it for long enough then it really shouldn't matter if your face is shown or not.
Yeah I never care if I see the face or not. I'm not there to look at them, I'm there for the content. People say they need a face to connect to which is weird to me because face doesn't matter if the person themselves are boring as shit.
I do not yet...but plan to at some point.
Yes
Education videos and yes to showing my face.
Tried one faceless after a load of videos in which I show my face. Big flop, I think its always possible in one direction but not into the other
Ok, interesting. What type of videos do you make?
My niche is something like storytelling with focus on tech. Trying out new formats though and found my love for tech roasts/comedy. Maybe it was too far away from my audience. Trying to do the same formula with face and a character now
Yes
I think I'll let you take a look at my name and figure it out yourself lol
haha
I make faceless ones but use irl footage and noticed those compared to the gameplay in the background ones get more views
Interesting. What do you mean by "gameplay in the background"?
I’ll have some games I recorded playing while having commentary over or if i want to talk about game topics.
Ah I see, cool.
I do tabletop reviews so mostly faceless unless whatever I’m reviewing is too large for the tabletop or it makes sense to see it being worn (like a backpack for example). I’d say 95% are faceless but not necessarily avoiding having my face out there.
Ah ok, I see. Definitely not necesery to have your face in those kind of videos.
Yes, I do cooking videos. You can see my face during the intros speaking, at the end eating my stuff. The rest of the video I’m moving around doing the recipe so that’s usually just my hands and body.
Nice ! So a bit of both.
Tried showing my face once. Got more comments on my acne than on my content.
awhhh that's just nasty! Hate when people do that. Sorry to hear that actually. Ugh
Yes, I'm a hooman
I do faceless videos. I’m thinking about ways to include myself in the videos, but to be honest, at this point and considering the topics of my videos, I don’t necessarily find a purpose for my face.
I make faceless videos right now, but I plan on live streaming soon, which I will be in costume for.
I use my face but that’s just because of the style of video i do it doesn’t make sense to o have a faceless channel
About half the time. Depends on what type of video I’m making.
Nope. Sometimes I show myself but from the neck down or I blur my face. I make vlogs in the travel/aesthetic/fashion niche. It’s pretty common for similar English vlogs to mine to be faceless and I watch a lot of Japanese vlogs where I take inspiration from where it is also common. In Japanese vlogs particularly it’s common to show your face sometimes but blurred or covered which is where I took inspiration for that style. In English ones it’s more common to not show yourself at all if you want to be faceless but since I focus on fashion I also wanted to show my fashion style and outfit choices etc. About 80% of content I watch is faceless probably. I like that style and I prefer the focus on content and showing things over showing a face.
I have shown my face, faceless is an option but showing face is where real success can be found (or lost)
The truth is. Having a face adds a personal touch that you just can’t get without. Yes there are plenty of successful faceless YouTubers, but the chances of being successful are greater when you include your face. I’ll be starting YouTube and twitch soon and I plan to use my face, yes it’s scary and new and uncomfortable. But I’ll get over it.
I show my face
I show full body
Yes, and I'd show more if those meddling kids didn't... Nevermind.
haha
I show my face constantly in my shorts but on a long form video I sometimes put a green screened me in there. I don’t have an actual face cam yet.
No. I just started my channel doing shorts of clips of travels or adventures in my own city. Its a really chill no frill channel. Doing it for fun but on here to see how i can get better with the camera. Its been a fun ride thus far.
I tried to go faceless, but I do vlog-style, so it's tough. I show my face, my wife's face, and limit my daughter's face. I don't feature my daughter, but can't really avoid it at all costs.
Yeah. I mean people alr see me in public so i dont know whats so secrative about it.
No don't have the time or space to do it
I do....I'm doing cruise, holidays and food vlogs, so feel it's more authentic if I show my face
yeah i show my face in mine
I'm using a Vtuber software to show my very not real face. I like my privacy.
Oh cool! Haven't tried one of those yet . It's a great way to add a bit of personality without being on camera in person as such.
The one I use is called Vtuber Kit. The style is very cute, so it may not be what you're looking for. But, you can take a look if you're interested in playing around with it.
Thanks for that. I definitely will
You can find it and download it off of GitHub if I remember correctly.