What Are Content Buckets And How To Use Them
What Are Content Buckets?
One of the most effective methods YouTubers use to organise their content is through content buckets. But what exactly are content buckets, and how can they help you grow your channel?
Let’s break it down!
What Are Content Buckets?
Content buckets are categories or themes that a YouTuber focuses on within their channel. You can think of them as sub-topics that branch off your channel’s main theme, offering variety while keeping your content relevant. Each bucket represents a different type of video you consistently produce to attract and engage viewers, while maintaining your connection with core audiences
For example, if your channel is focused on fitness, your content buckets might include:
- Workout Tutorials: Specific exercise routines.
- Healthy Eating: Nutrition advice and meal prep tips.
- Motivation: Mental health and fitness motivation videos.
These categories help guide your content creation while ensuring you hit different aspects of your audience’s interests.
Why Are Content Buckets Important?
Consistency and Branding
A well-defined set of content buckets helps maintain a consistent theme on your channel. Your viewers know what kind of content to expect from you, which builds trust and brand identity.
When someone subscribes to your channel, it’s often because they’re interested in a particular type of content or "bucket". Consistent buckets allow you to cater to that interest while establishing a recognizable brand.
Balancing Audience Retention and Growth
One of the biggest challenges for YouTubers is balancing the needs of their existing audience with the desire to attract new viewers. Content buckets make this easier. By creating videos within multiple categories, you cater to different viewer preferences within your niche.
For example, a fitness YouTuber might attract new subscribers with workout tutorials but retain them with nutrition advice and motivational content. This variety helps keep both new viewers and core audiences engaged.
Simplifying Content Planning
Defining your content buckets also makes planning your video schedule more efficient. Instead of struggling with what to post next, you can rotate through your buckets, ensuring you’re regularly covering the key topics your audience cares about.
This approach not only keeps your content fresh but also ensures you’re consistently providing value across multiple areas of interest.
Data-Driven Decisions
Once you establish your content buckets, you can monitor how each category performs. Over time, you’ll be able to adjust your strategy, focusing more on the high-performing buckets and possibly dropping or evolving those that aren’t working as well.
Testing New Buckets
It's important to keep experimenting with new buckets. As viewers see more and more of the same topic, it can lead to viewer fatigue. So to avoid this, it's important to add new buckets to your content.
Once you have established content buckets, you're able to test out new buckets whilst still providing content relating to previously proven buckets. This allows you to still provide for your audience but also to experiment with potential buckets. If a bucket doesn't work for your channel, you can just stop posting it - but if it does work then you have another content bucket to add to your channel!
Below is a clip of Leroy ter Braak, a YouTube Strategist who explains the benefits of content buckets and how to experiment with them.
You can check out the full video here on our podcast channel to learn more.
How to Define Your Content Buckets
Identify Your Core Themes
Start by identifying your channel’s main theme or niche. What is your channel about? Fitness, cooking, travel, personal finance? Once you’ve defined the core theme, break it down into 3-5 sub-categories that reflect the different types of content you want to create.
Segment Based on Audience Interests
Your content buckets should reflect the various interests of your audience. For example, if your channel is focused on personal finance, you might create buckets around saving tips, investing, and debt management.
This allows you to cater to a broad spectrum of viewers within your niche, meaning none of your viewers will feel excluded from your channel.
Ensure Relevance
Your content buckets should align with your channel’s main focus while providing variety. For example, if your channel is about gaming, avoid buckets that are too far removed from that theme, like cooking tips or travel advice. Staying relevant keeps your content engaging.
Track and Adjust
Once you’ve implemented your content buckets, regularly track their performance using YouTube analytics. Identify which buckets are bringing in views and viewers, and adjust your strategy accordingly. This will help you continuously refine your content.