I have to admit, when I recorded my first video I was so nervous. I was scared that I would have many takes and never get it right. I went in with that mindset and came out more discouraged than ever. I eventually met Amani Channel as my on camera mentor and he taught me how to be comfortable by giving me some valuable tips and like most things in life, you learn by trial and error.
Video Converts
As a blogger, one of the easiest way to connect with your audience is with video. A study by eyeviewdigital.com shows that using video on landing pages and blogs can increase conversion by 80%.
Some reasons why video can give you more engagement
- Videos increase the length of time people stay on your blog, giving your message longer to sink in.
- If you feature yourself in the video, the trust factor is raised significantly.
- People are lazy and prefer to watch vs. read.
My Video is not Perfect
I hear this as a video trainer often. You see others videos and you wonder how your video can look as good as someone else's from the start. Here is a quick tip to give you more confidence, go to any YouTube video channel that has been in existence for more than 4 years and you will see their video progression. As the cliche goes, “Rome wasn't built in a day” and neither will your video.
Watch this video that I recorded for this blog post to see me walk through the 5 Basic Video Blogging Tips
1. Write a script
This is a must for most people starting out. I would suggest you create talking points so you can make sure you hit all of your major points.
2. Shoot in landscape mode (if you are using a mobile phone)
In our Storyteller's Mobile Production Guide guide at WebVideo Chefs, we stress this for mobile video. It's so basic, but so many people forget to do it. If you hold the camera vertically, your image will be very small and surrounded by those, thick, ugly black bars when you upload it to YouTube. Not a good look and besides, it's very unprofessional.
3. Edit your video
I use iMovie for iOS to edit my videos and it works well for me. I have created an in-depth training to get you jump started if you use this software. For those of you who are on a PC, check out Ms. Ileane's tips for using Screencast-o-matic.
4. Relax and be yourself
This was the hardest thing for me to learn, I wanted to be like all of the other people I saw online. I realized that I could only be me and I did exactly that and carved out my own niche. When you keep it real, your audience will find you more likable and it will be easier for them to relate to you.
5. Learn from others
I learned from professionals like Amani, and many others to see how they deliver and watch them behind the scenes. It's not live television so multiple takes are just fine. I would just make sure you are prepared.
I always tell bloggers that creating effective videos is a journey not a destination.
What is your biggest video challenge in creating videos? Share in the comments below and let’s help each other out.
Recommended reading and additional resources:
- Follow These Ten Blogs to Improve Your YouTube Results
- TubeBuddy: Is it Really a YouTubers New Best Friend?
- How To Keep Up with Trends on YouTube
I am still uncomfortable speaking in front of a camera. I turn into a formal spokesperson instead of the cool word nerd that I am. I’m really working on this and the tips you provided helps.
I totally know the feeling! One tip someone told me is that imagine you are talking to someone who is a friend on the other side of the camera. Remember, people want you to succeed and learn from you. Another tip is, just be you! There is someone else who is just like you who wants to view your videos. Trust me, I felt the same way!
Hi Chip ,
Very nice basics tips for video recording.All are very important but last one has high importance because learning from others give us lot of knowledge and new things.Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much for your kind words!
Nice tips Chip. I had no idea an iPhone could produce such a good video.
~Lea
I didn’t either and I shoot with professional cameras often. Grab our free guide that my partner Amani made and it will explain some of our “tricks.” http://www.webvideochefs.com/mobile
Although I have not started video recording on my blogs this is something I am definitely interested in. I have seen sites with video blogs get much more repeat traffic than those without. I am starting a travel blog and I think if I can get the right setup I can easily do video rather than write 600 words +.
Adam, it’s hard to get started, but I rather do a video blog post any day. For me the key was having a set place and the tips I shared. Good luck with your videos!
Chip what an awesome little post and your video was great too. I always use my iphone to record video vlogs but could do with investing in a decent stand to keep it held up 🙂
Anyways I just wanted to say that one of the things I did a lot of when I started to record vlogs for the first time was to rehearse in front of the mirror a lot, I’d practice in front of friends at weekends and in front of my kids too, which was awkward at first as they’d give me odd looks afterwards, and although I too use a script, I do like to practice it first so that when I do record a video I at least sound as if I’m trying to speak natural.
But as you rightly say and I completely agree, being relaxed is so important, as you don’t want to appear rigid in your videos, and when you’re relaxed things tend to work better and you end up doing far less takes. Thanks again.
Those are good tips, Fabrizio. I feel the same way too. I am super focused when I film and I don’t like to waste time so preparation is so important.
Chip, nice guest post.
The one tip I follow religiously is the tip to make sure you are in landscape mode. It is actually critical for me as I like to embed my videos into PowerPoint 2010, so I can add text, and then save as a media file.
Hey Chip,
Great tips, i have never actaully produced any video before, only because it seems to be difficult and is never easy to edit also.. But still reading your posts has actually made me think again and i think i will try to record, edit and publish a video this time.
Great post Chip. Love your tips, and how you are owning your videos. Also, I have an awesome Android phone and I’m working on an Epic Android mobile video how to. Maybe I can post it next? 🙂
ac
I definitely agree with this article. Being yourself is really very important thing. You just can’t be somebody else. You can pretend but eventually, everybody will start ignoring you. Be what you are and it is the only way to do it right.
Well done, great post!
Thanks and the funny thing is, we are a lot harder on ourselves than others will ever be! Keep making good videos Vukasin.
Great advice. I personally don’t use a script though. I find when I have in the past I trip on words or miss things and keep reshooting. Now I have an idea of what I want to say and just go for it. I feel I come across more natural that way.
If you want to check out what I mean. I shot a video series which can be found out twitter and facebook using #1HourNoPlan where I recorded drum lessons for an hour with no plan. I just played and taught what ever came out, The interesting thing was that you can hear me getting more in the flow as the series carrys one. By the last few videos I’m really excited and at the beginning in comparison a bit stale.
That’s great Kyle. I’m reading a book called “The Talent Code” by Daniel Coyle and he talks about deep practice in the book. Videos like anything take a lot of practice, but the more you do it, make mistakes, do it more you get better.
By the way, here is the link to the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Talent-Code-Greatness-Grown/dp/055380684X
Thanks for that, It looks like a good read. It’s on my xmas wish list now.
Hello Chip,
It’s really great to see you here, the tips mentioned in the post are really helpful. Actually i was trying to create few videos for my blog since I’m totally new to video blogging.
Thanks for sharing.
I´m also interested in making my own videos on YouTube and other video sharing sites because I want to share my knowledge with others and the traffic that you can get from YouTube and other video sharing sites is great.
It seems difficult to produce your own videos, how to upload them to YouTube, what to say in the videos and so on.I have so much to learn, thanks for writing this post Chip! It helps me get started.
Tom,
I felt the same way, but using your phone is a great step. Check out my free guide where I offer a lot of good resources to get you started. http://www.webvideochefs.com/mobile
Everyone gets a little nervous when the camera is pointed at them. However, video is becoming the most useful tool to connect with your visitors with a personal approach.
Hello Chip,
Great post and nicely written. But chip i want some extra point in more detail like type of video like *.mpeg,*.fla or etc. What software we can use other than screencast-o-matic and where should we upload video either on YouTube or on self domain.
Thanks for sharing chip.
I’m more of a Mac guy, but check out my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/webvideochefs we have over 230 videos and one of them is bound to answer your question. If not go to our web site at http://www.webvideochefs.com
Hi Chip, you are very true that people instead of reading they love watch videos. The tips given by you are very helpful.
Hi Chip,
I’ve not started yet video blogging and its in my TO DO LIST. I’ll follow your guides when I’ll start.
I’m going to check out the Free Guide that you’ve mentioned.
Thanks!
Thanks Bashir,
I am sure the free guide will help you!
Hi Chip,
First of all I just like the title in the image ‘Chip’s 5 Tips!’ 🙂 . Second, great post and amazing tips on video recording. Third, the strongest reason why one should record video and put it on their landing pages or blog is ‘video increases the length of time people stay on your blog’, that is bounce rate. This will increase the interaction and in turn page rank.
Chip, this video thing seems too daunting to me; at least so far. Not sure of the technology and how to actually pull it off. I guess you are saying you could do it with your phone as long as you are using landscape? How long should the video be in terms of time?
Anyway, found your points to be quite solid but I think I need to investigate further.
Thanks for the post.
Steven,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, but let me say I make it look easy, because I do this. Check out our mobile site to get the information about the gear and accessories we use to shoot mobile video. By the way, stop by our YouTube Channel as well http://www.youtube.com/webvideochefs
http://www.webvideochefs.com/mobile
It can seem like a lot at first, but once you do it bit by bit it will get easier.
Thanks Chip; I guess it is like a lot of things in life. I will check out the You Tube links. Thanks again.
Yes, Video blogging is an awesome tool to get your words heard outside. But it is much more difficult than traditional text blogging
Wonderful tips for video recording, I was trying to create more unique videos for my new project and I though to outsource but you tips are really helpful that I can easily work on video recoding now.
Cheers!
I was nervous too! But after reading your blog I got enough courage to start again and create a much better one. I created one a few months back and it was not what I hoped it to be. I much happier with the outcome now. Thanks!
I used to add splashing intro in beginning of 10 seconds. In some cases I need to modify the same. Video blogging is a good step. Thanks for sharing the useful. Cheers.