It's fairly easy to shoot a video, but if I get one complaint more than others, it's about the edit.
Editing video can be a long process. For example, 
Most of the problem was the video compression (or reducing the file size to make the video small enough to upload to YouTube).
Great Content + Good Edits = Increased Views
Let's face it, we all want more views, and editing is just part of the solution. In this blog post I am not covering the technical aspects of video editing, even though I do cover that in our Web Video Chefs Learning Center, but the theory behind editing that you can use with any editing software.
1. Less Effects the Better
We all have seen it before. You can tell someone who just learned how to use their video editing software by how many effects they use.
[tweet_box design=”box_04″]A video that brings attention to the edit takes away from the message.[/tweet_box]
2. Use cuts and dissolves and the occasional wipe
Transitions are an essential part of every video edit, but many people can go hog-wild with using them. I suggest you use a simple cut, dissolve, and occasional wipe or fade to black to help move the story along. Video transitions are cool because they can grab the viewer's attention but overuse can be distracting and dilute your message.
3. Always try to color correct
The key word is try to color correct. Usually the color looks good in your camera, but with most video editing software there is always something that you can adjust to enhance the look of the video. You want to make the end-product look as natural as possible
4. Make sure your audio levels are good. Audio is additive.
You can watch a movie with a few bad video shots, but you can't stand to watch a video with bad audio. Audio is 50% of video and it is so important for your message. I like to use background music with some videos, but even my background music was annoying to some people, so choose it wisely. The more audio clips you add to a video the louder it becomes, that's why sound mixers are important in big-budget films.
5. Add some background music/graphics and flair, but don’t over do it.
One of my favorite movies Office Space has a classic scene that explains “over doing it” with flair. The same goes for video editing. Have you ever seen a video that has so many effects that it is distracting? Or found a video that has so many moving parts that you can't concentrate on the message? Less is more with video editing.
If these tips helped you, I encourage you to visit Web Video Chefs Learning Center to find out how to make videos. Be sure to check out my previous videos in this series here on Basic Blog Tips:
- Video Basics: 5 Tips for Recording Outstanding Video Blogs
- 5 Tips to Overcome Your Fear of Being on Camera
What challenges have you faced with editing videos? Share in the comments below. Click the red button to download a handy YouTube Checklist from Ms. Ileane!