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5 tips to make your self produced video stand out…. Plus how to make them look ad worthy!
No matter what type of business you’re in, the need for marketing and advertising is always present and for most of us, the need is more relevant than ever. The current crisis our entire world is gripped with has us in a place we have never been to before.
No matter what type of business you’re in, the need for marketing and advertising is always present and for most of us, the need is more relevant than ever. The current crisis our entire world is gripped with has us in a place we have never been in before. With many of us scrambling to stay afloat with our physical places of business closed for the foreseeable future, online presence will be the key separator that will define how well we weather this storm.
We have all been hearing it for a while now, but video content is not the future, it’s the present and the primary tool that will keep your value front and center. With social distancing the current way of life, creating your own videos has become the only option in most cases, even for major news networks.
With video meetings the norm these days you may be getting more comfortable with being on camera which is great, that’s usually people’s biggest fear. But if you want to market and advertise your services and products you want a certain level of polish and refinement that makes your video stand out in a very crowded and noisy world. So without further ado, let’s dive into some simple, low-cost ways to take your video to the next level.
Tip #1 Get your camera ready
The camera we’re referring to is not a cinema camera or even a DSLR or mirrorless, use the camera you have with you all day, your phone. The fact is, most phones are capable of putting out high-quality footage. So much so we have had footage shot on cell phones used in TV commercials and on news broadcasts and you would never know the difference.
The key settings you want to pay attention to are resolution and frame rate. Our recommendation is to use 1080p at 30 frames per second if your phone is able. Now you might be thinking “My phone can shoot 4k”, but if you don’t have a powerful computer the editing process will likely be dreadful. If you have more familiarity with camera settings manually setting your exposure helps a lot, however, if you don’t stick to auto and choose a room where the lighting conditions stay the same.
For detailed information on how to do these things for your specific phone search YouTube, for example, ‘ iPhone 11 camera settings’. I have never searched any phone and not found multiple videos with directions on how to access menus and change settings. Once you have your settings dialed in you’re ready to shoot.
Tip #2 Steady, Steady, Stabilize it!
We’ve all seen it, the video where someone is talking about something interesting but all of the movements in the shot are making you dizzy. Don’t let that be your video, (pretty please). You can find a mini tripod on Amazon or at your local Walmart or Best Buy for between $10 - $30. Check the links posted below for some decent tripods you can order.
Tip #3 Light it up…. Get your glow on
They say “Lights, Camera, Action” for a reason, good light comes first. If you’re shooting in a darker setting or possibly with a lot of outside light behind you there is a high likelihood your camera is going to struggle and your video will have lots of noise (be extremely grainy and distorted). By adding light, whether natural indirect light from a window, a lamp or a decent video light, you can highlight your best features and give your skin a much better look.
Keep in mind your camera settings will likely change when you add light so if you use artificial lighting be sure to check and make sure you aren’t too bright or overexposed. There are more links below for lights and even some that include a bracket or tripod for your phone.
Tip #4 Sound Check… Make sure your sound is good
As pretty as your video may look, the poor sound will make people leave your video faster than any other issue. Radio has our brains trained to hear great audio without a visual so the opposite can destroy any attention you’ve gained. If you have your phone close to you in a quiet environment it may suffice, but if you’re framing up shots from a distance you may need to grab a microphone.
There are plenty of options but a good lavalier mic can be very helpful. For the sake of price I listed some inexpensive options below but there are also wireless options or voice recorders you can use as well. We listed a couple of cheap options below!
Tip #5 Nice Background…. Frame it Up
Different videos serve different purposes but framing and background can be elements that either attract or distract in your video. If you have a nice room or office in your home that is aesthetically pleasing just make sure your framing is focused on the most important element, you or the product you want to highlight.
If you don’t have a space you want to show in your video, pick a clean solid wall as your backdrop. The key with either of these setups is to give yourself space to create depth in your shot. Using a plain wall as the backdrop can also give you additional options with graphics or replacing the background in your edit.
That’s all you need for your straightforward marketing videos where you will be talking directly to your customers or clients about your services or providing updates.
Bonus…. If you want to step it up a notch and create ad-worthy content check out the bonus tips below.
Bonus Tip #1 Edit your video & add graphics
Adding a clean edit to your video is another way to separate your content from the rest and keep your audience interested. Adding titles, lower thirds and transitions from scene to scene are excellent ways to give your footage that professional look.
We suggest using the editor already installed on your computer for simplicity, as well as to avoid major system requirements. If you have a computer with a decent graphics card and at least 16gb of RAM you can consider more professional editors like DaVinci Resolve (free) or Adobe Premiere Pro (subscription required). These editors have a lot of information available on how to edit well in them but beware the learning curve can be quite steep.
Bonus Tip #2 Spice it up with stock videos or still images
If you plan to use your videos in marketing campaigns or for online advertising mixing your video up with some well-timed stock video or still images can add interest.
When you edit the key is lining up scenes or images that show the emotion or effects of what you are talking about. Help people visualize the impact your product or service will have on them. Check out Pexels for a nice library of free videos and photos.
Bonus Tip #3 Hire a professional editor to make it awesome
While the first 5 tips are simple and easy to follow adding graphics and supporting images or videos can sometimes be very tedious. Now you may have the time on your hands to learn some techniques, but you likely want to use that time better and focus on your products, service, or customers. A professional editor can take your footage and make it ad worthy with a pretty quick turnaround. As long as you have followed tips 1-5 and created decent footage there are very few limits to what can be done with it.
We hope this information has been useful to you and you’re ready to dive in and take your marketing videos to the next level!
If you would like more insight or our help don’t hesitate to schedule a 1-hour consultation where we can walk you through setting up your camera, equipment and even with your script.
We also have professional editors available with access to a wide array of stock video and graphics to make your video stand out from the crowd.
Recommended Products
Here’s a list of a few inexpensive products you can use to get started and improve your videos.
Tripods
Lights with Stands
Microphones
Visuals Matter: 3 steps to develop your personal branding visual prowess
In this social media driven world we live in Personal Branding is one of the most organic and effective ways to engage those we want to offer our products, services and expertise to. In fact, it has been shown to be as important - if not more important than branding your business. Yes, that amazing logo, beautiful colors and amazing font you chose for your website are not enough! People want to know the person behind all that greatness and there is no more powerful way to open the door than visually!
In this social media driven world we live in Personal Branding is one of the most organic and effective ways to engage those we want to offer our products, services and expertise to. In fact, it has been shown to be as important - if not more important than branding your business. Yes, that amazing logo, beautiful colors and amazing font you chose for your website are not enough! People want to know the person behind all that greatness and there is no more powerful way to open the door than visually!
For many of us the question “Where do I start?” is what holds us back or doesn’t allow us to get started on the personal branding path. People want to know your story, know who you are and have a connection with you even before they speak with you. The starting point and most critical aspect is the visual representation, via photos and/or video, (you need both, trust me!) that provide a glimpse into you and your passion for your craft.
If potential customers, hiring managers, casting directors etc… find you via social media or your website do your visuals tell your story or influence them to take action? Even in the most bland and vanilla fields your aim should be to be a figurative “rock star” in the most polished yet personable way possible. Outside of your personal journey your visuals should depict your expertise in your field. Here are 3 steps on how to get this personal branding mission started and it’s honestly not as difficult as you think!
Let The World Get to Know You!
Step 1: Brainstorm and answer a couple of questions
Vision separates the good from the great, put some thought into what the ultimate version of ‘You’ is. Remember you must be genuine, not being yourself will be noticed easily, let your passion for what you do shine through. It doesn’t have to be wordy or lengthy, just jot down a few words that describe the ultimate ‘You’ and how you want to be perceived.
Your Images Should Make Your Audience Believe In You
Ask yourself a couple of questions:
Who is my target audience or ideal viewer? For a business owner it could be consumers or other businesses that are searching for your product or service. For career minded professionals your Linkedin profile or Intranet photo could be what gets the recruiter to take notice. If you are a realtor, it may be families looking to purchase their first home or sellers looking to sell their luxury home. Actors, models or recording artists need to be seen by casting directors, talent agencies and can be successful through building their own following.
What uniquely qualifies me to help them? We are all problem solvers and contributors but our personalities are usually what make us unique. Some of us are outgoing and bubbly, while some are very stern and composed and others are in between. The beauty of it is with personal branding any personality type works, although some possibly more than others depending on the field. Some customers, jobs and roles call for structure and discipline while others are more relaxed and feel good as well as those that are abstract and somewhat ad lib.
Some examples of this you see regularly in advertising are the GM or owner of a car dealership doing a humorous commercial to break down the ‘evil car salesman’ persona, or an attorney using a firm tone to assure they ‘fight for your rights’ and even the moderate tone of a medical or dentist office to give a warm family feel but assure you they take your health seriously.
Those visuals develop trust with your ideal viewer, and people do business with people… especially those they trust! Still not 100% clear, never fear, let’s move on to the next step!
Step 2: Hire creative professionals to bring your personal brand visuals to life
Photo by Trey Grier
We have become more and more of a DIY society due to economic reasons and advances in technology but when it comes to visuals, polish and professionalism matters! Some informal things related to your personal branding work well, but do you really want the entirety of what your target audience see from you be…. well…. ‘Informal’. Working with Pros allows you to leave the technical aspects like lighting, audio, video stabilization and editing to those who have the needed training. Saving you major time!
Most commercial photographers and videographers can take the thoughts you have from step 1 and create a visual plan that tells your story and separates you from the crowd. The only limits are usually how creative you allow them to be and your budget! No matter what your budget is some form of personal branding can be done reasonably, from a great professional headshot to a short promo video telling about yourself.
Custom Content is the Key! Headshots are great but environmental portraits in your element can take the image to the next level so I always recommend both to clients. A chef in a kitchen, realtor in front of a home, an executive in a boardroom or office, or whatever your field is give the viewer a view of you where the action happens! This should also be incorporated into your videos and b-roll can make video even more powerful with you in multiple environments being shown.
Step 3: Stay Consistent
From a personal branding standpoint staying consistent can mean many things, but producing consistent, polished, professional visual content is very important. I encourage all of my clients to have fresh visual content to release monthly or quarterly and for some it may be needed weekly or bi-weekly. The key is to keep people engaged with ‘You’ and not just what you may be selling. Mix in some elements you capture on your own also, like places you go to eat, and family as it makes you more human but don’t let that be the only or most prevalent images your viewer gets to see. Developing a calendar is one of the easiest ways to stay on top of this task.
If you are still struggling with defining yourself as outlined in step 1, I highly recommend reading the revised version of the book Fascinate by Sally Hogshead. It’s a great read and the audio book is an even better listen! It’s read by the author and provides some great insights into her work with large corporations on branding. Her expertise can be applied to personal and business branding and has exercises to help you figure out who you and your business are. Be sure to do the exercises, they are very accurate!
Personal Branding is for everyone, whether you own a business, work as a professional, are an actor or model or do anything in between, perception is everything and you have the power to control the image you portray. Start with these steps, be the ultimate ‘You’ and have fun with the process. You can truly take yourself wherever you want to go by helping people visualize who ‘You’ are!
Trey Grier is a Creative Brand & Marketing Strategist who specializes in custom business and personal branding imagery. His desire is to create images that make his clients desired audience take notice and evoke emotion and action. When he's not cooking up a new marketing strategy Trey can be found hanging with his family, mentoring local youth or in front of his grill making some tasty BBQ!
