5 Quick and Easy Tips to Improve your Videos

Lets face it – making video content is no easy feat. And If you’re just starting out, things can become overwhelming pretty quickly. There are many gear options available and settings to keep track of, it can be hard to know what you should focus on first. If you’re looking at your current videos and wishing they looked better, look no further. I’ve compiled a quick list of commonly overlooked items to help you improve your videos fast!

5 Tips To Improve your Videos Fast

If you’re making video content for your business, I just have to take the time to commend you. Very few people take such a big step, as it’s not an easy thing to do. Video content is the powerhouse of marketing tools, and you are well on your way to reaping the benefits.

I want to help you along in your journey, as I know first hand the challenges video content creators face especially in the beginning. If you’re finding that your video footage isn’t coming out the way you had hoped, maybe you need to consider the following:

1| Create an Outline

The last thing you want is for a viewer to find your video, watch a few seconds of it and click onto something else. One of the main reasons that someone may do this is because you don’t use your first few seconds in the most effective way possible. Your topic should be clear to the viewer very early on, and you should stay on topic throughout, making sure everything you are saying offers value.

It sounds simple, and maybe like something you don’t need, but I highly recommend doing your research and creating an outline before you film. Not a script, just an outline with bullet points reminding you of exactly what you want to cover. Even if you are extremely comfortable talking about the subject, I still recommend making an outline. Without a sense of direction, you’re more likely to repeat yourself and ramble onto things that aren’t relevant to the topic.

2 | Consider your Set

Try your best to get into the mind of the viewer. What are they going to see? Consider the frame is there just a white wall behind you? How can you break that up and maybe add some color? Does the frame feel flat? How can you create some dimension?

Filming into a corner is a great way to add some dimension to your video. People often overlook the fact that video is a 2D medium in a 3D world. Aiming to make your video feel more 3D results in a more “real” and inviting experience for the viewer. Take a look at this example:

This is from Lyda Michael and you can see how she not only filmed into the corner but also added plants for texture and color!

If filming into a corner isn’t an option for you, you can still add dimension by having things behind you with a shallow depth of field or (blurry background) I attempted to do that here in my youtube video:

Consider your “set” and make it as inviting as possible!

3 | Check Your Settings

If you notice something weird is happening with your footage, like the movement feels off or it looks too dark or too bright, the likely culprit is your settings. Double check that your shutter and frame rate are in agreement, and that your white balance is set properly. I have a blog post that gives you the quick version of the best DSLR video settings here. Taking the extra time to make sure that your settings are right will improve your videos drastically!

4 | Lighting

Lighting is extremely important to the quality of your video, and the goal is to work in a goldilocks zone. If it’s too dark, you will likely try to compensate with your camera and lens which will result in distorted footage. If it’s too bright, and you will lose detail. Ideally, you want to aim for a properly exposed image as much as possible.

That may mean you need to change the time of day you film, or add more light. Either way lighting is paramount to the quality of your videos.

5 | Audio

If your audio isn’t good, people are not going to want to listen. The built in microphone on most DSLRs just aren’t going to cut it and I do not recommend that you rely on that. Adding a high quality shotgun mic to your camera set up will drastically improve your results. I personally like the Rode brand microphones, but there are plenty of others that are more cost effective that will get the job done.

Improve Your Videos, Quick and Easy

I hope these tips help you as you set out to make better video content. What challenges are you facing with your current video content?