When creating a video to promote your brand, products or website, the single most important thing to aim for is that your videos look professional. This is crucial if you want your videos to be successful, as it’s what will make your brand appear polished and respectable. For a small business, this can single-handedly elevate your brand to a higher status, such that prospective customers and clients take you more seriously and are willing to pay more for your products.
You’re working hard to build a professional brand with authority in your niche. A single poorly produced video can have a nearly catastrophic impact on all your hard work. But how do you ensure your video looks professional?
Part of it comes down to the way that you present yourself, part of it is the way you edit the video… but often just as important is making sure that you choose your settings correctly. The backdrop can either do a great deal to help establish your business (the best case scenario) or it can unintentionally prove distracting and undermine the points you’re trying to get across in your content.
Here are some tips that can make a big difference, and the best part is that you don’t need a degree in video editing.
10 Tips To Add Professionalism To Your Videos
Add Your Logo
Film in a Green Room
Now before you roll your eyes and question how we can be so out of touch, don’t presume that you can’t access one.
Google “green rooms” in your area, and you’ll find that you likely have many possibilities. These days, you can often find green rooms to rent at your local libraries (remember those?), universities, schools, community colleges, and other facilities where you can rent them out for the day and usually on the cheap.
Add Your Logo… Again!
Adding your logo in other ways can also help to promote your business. For instance, why not try lifting a mug with your logo on it, or wearing a t-shirt with your logo? Better yet, hang a flat screen TV on the wall and have it show an image of your logo!
The more your viewers see your logo and branding, the higher their retention rate. And you want to build brand awareness. If you often wear hats, put your logo on it. If you have a folder on your desk in view of the camera, slap a branded sticker with your logo on it.
Use Two Cameras
Instead of filming with one camera, set up two so that you have two different angles. Now, you can switch between two streams of footage, which gives you far more options when it comes to editing your video together later.
You can also release multiple “behind-the-scenes” snippets of bloopers, issues, problems, technical glitches, etc. on TikTok. People love seeing behind the curtain, particularly on TikTok.
Use Legally Obtained Music
A little background music can work absolute wonders. Look for free stock music that you can add in the background – just make sure it’s not too loud so that it drowns out your voice.
You can’t choose any music. Verify the licensing of the music. If it’s not listed as open-source, free for commercial use or available in the public domain, don’t use it. YouTube will strike your video immediately if you’re using illegally obtained music, meaning you won’t be able to put your otherwise professional video on the world’s largest streaming service.
This will have the opposite effect to what you intend!
Dress Appropriately
Another tip is to smarten up for the occasion if you’re going to be in the video. This is important because it will make you look like a presenter rather than a scruff off the street.
But while you want to look smart, you also need to avoid overdoing the dressing up. If you wear a tuxedo, you’ll just look awkward, nervous, and embarrassed. Of course, you should dress for your demographic, so they feel that you’re professional but relatable.
Consider Your Lighting
You’d be surprised how many people go into filming a video without thinking about their lighting. When creating your video, think about whether the lighting enhances or detracts from the shot. Avoid glare and where possible, have your subjects lit from their profile. This is called ‘Rembrandt’ lighting, and it’s what most professional videographers will use.
Choose The Right Spot
Simply choosing your location is a big important step in video production. If you have an office, this will often be a good place to film as it will instantly look professional. Likewise, filming outdoors in public spaces can add some life and interest to your shot.
Alternatively, find a space where there’s a blank wall you can use as a white backdrop. You can also try hanging a white bedsheet with some lighting to create a makeshift ‘infinite white’ background.
What you shouldn’t do is choose your parent’s living room for your background, or an awkward window. This will make you look unprofessional as though you’re ‘playing’ at business, rather than knowing anything about it.
Think About Acoustics
Ideally, you’ll have a mic attached to provide better sound recording. In some cases, though, this won’t be possible and as such you need to think about how sound travels where you are. Don’t film too near to a busy road, and don’t film in rooms with high ceilings and echoing walls. Basically, you want to keep your filming acoustics tight, enclosed and controlled.
Consider Renting Somewhere
Don’t have anywhere to film that meets these requirements? Can’t locate a green screen room to use near you? Optional alternatives then are to rent a conference room, or alternatively consider reaching out to small businesses on social media or co-work spaces and ask to utilize their conference room or empty office for a small fee or shout-out.
FROM SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR, ALEX GENADINIK
- 1:52 Hours
- Step-by-Step
- 24 Videos
- Actionable Downloads Included
Improve Video Production In 1 Day is a complete 8-module, 24-video training course taught by an entrepreneur who has been using inexpensive videos to market, promote and grow his business year after year.
In this course, Alex will take your hand and walk you through everything you need (and need to know) to create masterfully converting videos.
