How To Give Credit When You Use Someone Else’s Video Idea

Many YouTubers recycle each other’s video ideas. If you find a video you love, there’s no harm in recreating it for yourself. However, you should be careful not to mislead viewers into thinking it’s your original idea. Instead, take the proper steps to ensure the original creator of the idea receives the credit he or she is due.

Here’s how to give credit for someone else’s video idea.

1. If the creator is reachable, ask first.

If the video idea you want to use was posted by a vlogger you’re friends with or someone you could easily get in contact with, ask permission to use his or her video idea before you film. If you don’t have that person’s contact information, try finding a business email address or social media handle instead.

However, if the video you want to use originated from a large or popular channel, getting in touch with the creator may be much more difficult. If you’re not able to get in touch with them, just be sure to follow the other steps below to give them credit in other ways.

Vlogger Ricky Dillon loved beauty guru James Charles’s video about editing his followers’ selfies. Because the two are friends in real life, Ricky asked James if he could use the same video idea.

HEY so i got a lot of requests from yall to do james' idea of "facetuning my followers selfies" and james said he doesn't care if i do it BUT it got me thinking of another idea to facetune youtuber selfies LOL so what would y'all rather see? i may end up doing both but what first

— Ricky Dillon (@RickyPDillon) June 20, 2018

2. Start your video off by telling viewers where the video idea came from.

Your viewers should hear you give credit for the video idea right off the bat. Tell them whose video inspired yours in your intro. If you’re putting your own twist on the idea, make sure to explain that, too.

After Nigahiga started the “roast yourself” challenge, plenty of other popular creators took part in making their own versions. Lilly Singh opened her video by crediting him in a funny way.

3. Put his or her links in the description.

If you’re creating another video, then you should put the link to the original video in the description of yours. You can include the original creator’s social media and channel links as well so that your viewers can find him or her online easily.

When Zoella recreated AmazingPhil’s “7 Second Challenge,” she was sure to put the link to his video in her video’s description.

Recreating other vloggers’ videos is a great way to promote both channels involved. However, you should be sure to give credit where credit is due. Make sure your viewers know where the awesome video idea came from.

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Kristen Harris enjoys listening to a wide range of music, from Taylor Swift to, on occasion, Celtic instrumental. She also spends her time writing, reading, and baking.