Making Online Videos (People Want to Watch)
by Amber MacArthur on April 10, 2019
We often receive comments and questions about our video strategy work at AmberMac Media Inc. While we have a professional set-up using multiple video cameras and lighting kits, there is a lot you can do with a smartphone, accessories, tools, and a clear plan. If you’re looking to create online videos, here are some simple steps to get you started.
Types of Content
My first tip is to consider the type of content you want to create. When it comes to social content for the web, we have been most successful creating four different types of content:
- Explainer and how-to videos
- Interviews with thought leaders or industry experts
- Question and answer videos (like the one linked below)
- Livestreams, particularly on platforms such as Facebook (and coming soon to LinkedIn!)
Smartphone Accessories
If you want to jump in and start using your smartphone to shoot video, there are a few complementary accessories that can improve your end product. Specifically, make sure you focus on audio quality. Our team uses a boom mic, but you can invest in inexpensive equipment for your smartphone, such as a dual lav mic that is available for just $30 on Amazon. This mobile option is especially great for on-location interviews. Plus, there are a number of small portable lights that can attach to your mobile device.
Online Video Tools
One of the most important tools to use is software that adds captions to your videos (after all, Facebook says that 85% of videos watched on that platform are watched with the sound off). Easily add captions on Facebook and YouTube by using their internal captioning tools. When posting videos to Twitter or LinkedIn, you can add your own captions with a service called Rev. For filters and special effects, InShot is a great app to use to create short videos for social media. If you have blog content available, Lumen5 is a new tool that uses artificial intelligence to translate blog posts into video. For integrating shorter clips (e.g. B-roll) into your videos, Storyblocks provides access to unlimited video clips for less than $20 per month.
Social Video Sharing
Consider and plan where you want to share your videos. LinkedIn, for example, is an excellent platform for sharing business-related content because of the high volume of active professional users (and high organic reach). If you prefer to post video to Twitter, consider requesting access to Twitter Media Studio so you can upload longer videos (up to 10 minutes). Another popular option is to livestream content on a platform such as Facebook that includes an array of integrated tools.
Finally, when creating video content, remember that the work doesn’t stop after posting your video. Create a plan for re-purposing that video content so it can be shared your blog or edited into shorter clips online.