5 Tips for making more professional videos

You are probably already making videos? Or you are probably looking to make more professional videos for your business? Whether you’re putting together a tutorial or demonstration, recording the happy moments of your life, or whatever reason has made you reach for your camera. Like any other type of content, video offers an opportunity to connect with your audience personally and help them identify with your brand/product.

And with social media channels providing more and more opportunities to share videos on their platforms, it makes sense to be creating them. In this article, we want to help you to make professional videos. These small steps will help your videos stand out and support your viewers to engage more.

Use a tripod and an external microphone

Use a tripod and an external microphone. Your audio quality is vital to an excellent professional video. Most people believe that video is all about fancy cameras, but you won’t communicate your message if you have poor audio.

Bad audio can also be distracting. No matter how exceptional your video quality is, bad audio will detract your viewer faster than almost anything else. Also, tripods or stabilizers are essential to make your videos look more professional.

It helps the viewer see your video. There’s nothing worse than having a product video with a shaky camera that doesn’t let the viewer know the product. Find the right stabilizer for your needs, and use this when making your video.

Script your video

When you’re filming yourself talking in front of a camera, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment and end up improvising. But that’s a mistake. You often go off on tangents or stop making sense altogether.

Even worse, viewers can tell when they’re watching an unscripted video that the presenter made up on the spot. You don’t have to write out every single word of your script, but make sure you know what points you want to cover before you start shooting.

You don’t need fancy equipment like teleprompters or cue cards. Write it out or type it into your smartphone, and refer to it while recording.

Use B-roll or Graphics

You can make professional videos by using a b-roll or graphics that enhance your message. B-roll is the background footage used in a video. It can be anything from establishing shots of cityscapes to b-roll of people working in an office. B-roll is an easy way to up the production value of your video because it adds context, depth, and interest.

For example, if you interview a baker who mentions her favorite frosting, cut to b-roll of her frosting a cake while she speaks. This helps the viewer visualize what she is communicating. Graphics are another way to make your video professional.

You can add lower thirds, titles, and callouts that will help guide the viewer through the story and give them context for what they’re seeing.

Lighting

Proper lighting can dramatically improve the quality of your video. If you’re filming indoors, take advantage of natural light by having your subject face a window or open door. To ensure that your subject isn’t lost in shadows, you can add a lamp nearby to fill in the clouds (be sure not to have it directly behind the subject).

If you need to film at night or don’t have access to natural light, you can use an LED light kit (these are relatively inexpensive) or even candles and lamps. Just be careful not to have any lights shining directly into the camera lens.

Background

Backgrounds can make a big difference in your videos’ quality. Whether it’s a backdrop or a wall in your house, choose something that complements what you’re wearing and what’s in front of you. A solid color works well, but if you have an exciting design or texture behind you, go for it! Just make sure that it isn’t distracting from whatever is in front of you.

If possible, avoid having windows or bright lights behind your subject — this is called backlighting. It can cast a shadow on the person in front of it (unless they have a halo around their head). If you are using a window, try moving the camera angle so that the light source is to one side instead of behind the subject.

If you are not sure about making professional videos, you should try out some of the above-listed points and find out if they work for you. This way, you will be able to design your video in a better and more creative way, enough to engage your audience. This will help you have the edge over others, and people will like the videos you produce.

To read more about optimize video SEO, check out How will video help search engine ranking? article.