4 Steps to Creating Effective Online Videos Getting in front of camera can be very intimidating, but it doesn't have to be.
By Sam DeZeeuw Edited by Dan Bova
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Getting in front of camera can be very intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. Use these four actionable steps to create attractive business videos that resonate with your audience.
1. Develop a script.
One way you can avoid stage fright on camera is by developing a script before you hit that record button. Developing a script for a business video sounds way more fancy than it is. Basically, the goal of writing your script is not to develop an elaborate essay. Rather, it's to create a detailed outline about the bullet points you want to mention in your video.
So how do you actually go about creating a script? Well, the first step is coming up with your specific topic idea. Without worrying about form or layout, begin to write down supporting details of your topic. Once you have a satisfying amount of supporting details, you then begin to work on the layout.
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It is a good practice to begin with the main message you are trying to convey, then start flowing into the supporting details. Once you come up with all your ideas, organize them in a way that makes sense for your audience.
Take your organized ideas and begin to lay them out in a script format. Remember, though, this is not an essay. You want to make sure this script will be vocalized fluently. Read your current script aloud; when you come across a section that doesn't feel natural, make adjustments.
2. Look your best on camera.
Part of the reason so many people are worried about getting on camera is because they are worried about what they look like or how they're being perceived. Here are a couple of tricks to ensure you look the best on camera to eliminate the unnecessary anxiety.
One of the biggest things to focus on when shooting your video is the light quality of the image. Many people who are new to video overlook this simple yet important detail. A cost effective method to increase the light quality is to shoot your video next to the window to use natural sunlight on your face, because nothing beats the quality of natural sunlight.
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If using sunlight is not an option, find a couple of light sources around your office or house. Try to find multiple lamps and use them to light up both sides of your face. Getting even light is the key.
Another mistake many new video creators make is they don't focus on the framing of the shot. Just because your eyes and your mouth are in the frame of your camera doesn't mean your shot looks good. Try keeping your camera at eye level. If you're using a webcam on a laptop do what you can to raise the laptop webcam to the level of your eye. The biggest benefit to shooting your video in this way is getting rid of an unflattering double chin.
3. To edit or not to edit?
This step is completely optional. Sometimes editing your videos is a necessity to remove long pauses, and other times it increases production value. However, video platforms such as Facebook Live, Snapchat and Instagram Stories are increasing in popularity, which means audiences are gravitating toward the natural, raw and uncut look of videos.
If you do prefer to edit your videos, video beginners should start with iMovie if you're on a Mac or Windows Movie Maker if you're on a PC. When you're editing you might find that there are many areas you need to cut out. A great way to cover up your edits is by using additional footage, otherwise known as B-roll. Take this additional footage and play it over cuts to make them less noticeable.
Related: How to Start a YouTube Channel
4. Upload and optimize for search.
As entrepreneurs, we need to focus on creating a voice for ourselves and our businesses. One of the best ways to do that is being found in organic search. If you want your videos to be discovered in search you need to be uploading them to YouTube. YouTube is owned by the largest search engine in the world, Google. What that means is Google's algorithm is biased towards YouTube videos, so YouTube is the place to be.
Don't expect to upload a video and be found by thousands of people, though. What you need to do is optimize your YouTube videos. The best way to do this is by doing keyword research by using Google's Keyword Planner. Come up with the keyword ideas around your topic that are getting the most traffic on Google. Use these popular keywords in your title, description and tags when uploading your video. This is the data the YouTube algorithm uses to determine where your video should be ranked in search.
