You’ve heard the buzz. You’ve seen the results. But when it comes to video marketing, you don’t know where to start. Not to worry – mastering video editing is easier than ever with next-generation tools.
A decade ago, video editing took serious processing power, eye-wateringly expensive professional software, and an arsenal of tech and design skills. Things have changed. You can now put together complete videos on your mobile device or laptop using an app, browser-based tool or program. You can easily download the video maker app and get started without specialist skills.
Video content is preferred on social media and shown more frequently, whether in the organic feed or in paid ads. It also holds viewers’ attention longer; communicates more complicated, lengthy or meaningful messages; and drives greater engagement.
While the current generation of video maker apps do most of the heavy lifting for you, it does require some skills to make the most of the software.
Start with a clear understanding of your purpose and audience. This will help you identify important details such as the distribution channel and the optimal length for your video content. It’s better to start with the end in mind.
Storyboarding is a traditional film technique, and it’s worth taking the extra time to do this before starting any actual video production. Sketch out scenes in rough comic-book style and use these frames to pre-edit, deleting, adding, moving or otherwise adjusting components until you’ve captured everything that you need for the video in this rough visual script.
Use your storyboard to assemble your film assets. These include raw video footage, still frames or shots, motion or graphic stills, and audio. You can shoot custom video and capture custom audio or use stock content from a film library in a similar way to using stock photos for graphic design. Use a well-organised file structure with continuous backup to an external or cloud drive to avoid losing or misplacing anything.
For audio specifically, use a second audio source (microphone) rather than relying on any built-in sources on your video recording device to get professional sound quality. This way, you can pick up sound closer to its source, and with better fidelity.
Consider using a premade template and adjusting to suit your needs rather than starting from scratch, especially if you’re new to video editing. The latest apps often offer a solid starting library that can get you started creating, so you can learn on the go. If you do use custom or stock assets, crop them down to the length that you want to use before adding them to a project to keep your timeline clean and your editing faster and easier.
Editing video like a pro is a combination of using the right tools and refining your workflow. You don’t have to invest in top-of-the-line software to get started. Great-quality video editing tools are more accessible than ever, with streamlined processes, useful templates and approachable tutorials. Cloud storage adds peace of mind to your file storage and video projects. If you choose to capture your own video or audio, you will want to invest in equipment to support professional-quality raw footage, or use stock footage, graphics and audio to compile video content that converts.
