Video Making Guide

Want to make an impression online? There’s no better way to do so than through video. As a highly popular and engaging form of content, video is a great way to connect with your audience, build relationships, and drive conversions.

But creating videos isn’t always easy. The process can take a long time, and if you’re not careful, you can end up with something that looks unprofessional or doesn’t align with your brand.

That’s why we’ve put together this guide to video creation for small businesses and creators. Here, we’ll explain the power of video in the digital world, what goes into making a great video, and how you can get started creating your own.

What Is Video Content Creation?

Video content creation is an inbound marketing technique that involves designing valuable multimedia content to attract new customers and engage existing ones. Creators design and share relevant ideas with their audience, from TikTok videos to YouTube videos.

Videos are the most popular type of content on the internet, with 54% of consumers demanding more video content from businesses and brands they support. The biggest challenge for businesses is creating high-quality content that can compete in this market.

You’ll first need a video marketing strategy to arm yourself for success. Once you’ve created a plan, visit our video production guide and start the next phase of your project.

Why Video: What’s The Importance Of Video?

Improved conversions

Why is video so important in marketing? One answer: It converts. Video content can lead directly to increased sales.

Rank in search

Video is highly effective in bolstering SEO performance and can be helpful to those who want to rank higher in search results.

Acquire backlinks

Backlinks are vital to any SEO strategy, as they help increase your site’s authority and credibility.

Increase traffic & reach

Video is a shareable form of content, meaning it can help you reach a larger audience and generate more traffic to your site.

Deliver message

Unlike other forms of content like blog posts or infographics; video can more effectively communicate a message in a short amount of time.

Highly addictive

Video content is an excellent way to grab and keep attention–and on platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, they watch a lot of it!

Your Video Making Toolkit

Every video creator has an arsenal of tools upon which they rely to create killer content. Be sure you have the right plan to succeed by following these steps before shooting your video.

1. Get Your Filming Equipment In Order

You don’t need an expensive camera to start video content creation. Your smartphone camera will likely suffice initially, depending on what you’re trying to create and for which platform. Learn more about filming equipment in our YouTube guide, from lighting to tripods

2. Pick Your Video Editing Software

Choosing the right video editing software is essential for adding polish and professionalism to your videos. Fortunately, several options are available, both paid and free. Check out our summary of some of the most popular editing software.

3. Create With Video Templates

One of the best ways to create high-quality videos is to start with a template. It will give you a solid foundation to ensure that your videos are consistent with your brand identity. Our video templates hub outlines how to use video templates to create videos.

4. Do Keyword Research

As with any other type of content, it’s essential to do your keyword research before creating a video. This will help you determine which topics to cover and ensure that your content is discoverable by your target audience wherever they’re looking.

5. Choose The Right Music Library

Music is an important component of any video, as it can set the tone and mood for your content. Be sure to choose a music library with a wide selection of royalty-free music tracks to ensure that you can find the perfect song for your video.

6. Plan And Schedule Your Content

The best way to ensure that your video content is successful is to plan and schedule it in advance. This will help you stay on track and avoid any last-minute scrambling. You can use tools such as Falcon and Hootsuite to schedule your social media videos.

How to Make a Video

While it’s entirely open for creative adaptation, all good videos have a few key components in common. This section aims to give you an understanding of what those are, so you can start thinking about how to implement them in your content creation process.

1. Find The Right Topic

Your first step is to make sure you’re creating content that’s going to be valuable and relevant to your target audience.

2. Turn Your Idea Into A Script

Once you have a topic, it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to structure your video. This is where having a solid script comes in handy.

3. Storyboard Your Concept

The storyboarding process is your opportunity to start visualizing what your video will look like.

4. Plan What And Where You Need To Shoot

Consider the logistics of your shoot. What do you need to film? Where? When? This is the fun part – it’s time to start filming!

5. Collect Assets and Materials

Once you have everything recorded and ready to put together into a final piece, consider what extras you can use to enhance your content’s value. Stock footage, special effects, and sounds are great additions and can easily be found on Envato Elements.

6. Edit Your Content

Now, it’s time to start putting everything together into a cohesive final video. The amount of time you take to do this is up to you, but we recommend ensuring everything flows smoothly and that you’re happy with the final result.

How to Customize a Video

Once you’ve recorded a video, it’s time to make it your own. Consider these tips for customizing your content.

1. Select Titles & Lower Thirds

Your title and lower thirds are some of the first things viewers will see, so make sure they’re catchy and convey what you want them to.

2. Use Your Brand Colors & Fonts

If you have brand colors or fonts, use them! This will help your video look more on-brand and professional.

3. Add Calls To Action

Your video will be pointless if not results-driven. Be sure to incorporate actionable points throughout your content to encourage viewers to engage with it and your brand.

4. Thumbnails & Descriptions

Thumbnails and descriptions are extremely important when crafting a good video. Your thumbnail is what will show up in search results, so make sure it’s captivating. As for the description, include key information and keywords so that viewers can find it.

5. Subtitles & Translations

If your target audience speaks a different language than you or is likely to what your video with the sound off, be sure to include subtitles or translations. This will make your content much more accessible and allow you to reach a larger audience.

How to Make Social Media Videos

While technically, any video file can be uploaded to social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok, it goes without saying that some pieces of content are better suited to succeed on different channels than others. In the following, we’ll cover popular social networks and explain how to make a great social media video for each platform.

How to Make TikTok Video

When shooting a video for TikTok, it’s essential to keep the following guidelines in mind:

1. Keep your video length within the postable range of 15 seconds to ten minutes.

2. Make use of the various filming features available in the app, like filters and effects.

3. Leverage sounds – either those available in the app or ones you upload yourself.

How to Make Instagram Video

Instagram has been around for a while, but despite its recognizability, has certainly changed over the years. It now offers users several ways to post video content through Stories, Reels, and regular posts.

Some tips to improve your video’s performance on Instagram:

1. Keep the length limitations of your post format in mind (15 seconds for Stories, 90 seconds for Reels, and regular posts up to 60 minutes)

2. Consider how your videos will be viewed – for example, users are likely to watch Stories without sound, so make sure your content can still be understood without audio.

How to Make Facebook Video

The OG social media platform, Facebook is extremely popular with all sorts of demographics. It’s a great place to go to post a variety of pieces of content, including videos.

Here are some things to remember when making a Facebook video:

1. Longer videos perform better on Facebook – try to keep your videos between two and five minutes.

2. Make use of Facebook’s various post types to get the most out of your content (e.g., live videos, 360 videos).

3. Keep your audience in mind – Facebook is a great place to post more informative videos.

How to Make YouTube Video

We simply wouldn’t be able to discuss the topic of video for social media without bringing up YouTube. This platform is the internet’s favorite destination for long-form content and is a great place to post your more in-depth videos.

Some things to consider when making a YouTube video:

1.YouTube allows videos up to 12 hours long, but most perform best between four and seven minutes.

2. Your thumbnail – make sure you have a custom thumbnail that accurately represents your video’s content.

Video Making FAQs

Got any questions about making a video? Well, don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of answers. The following are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding video making, alongside the responses we’ve provided to help answer them.

What makes a good video?

There is no single answer to this question. The definition of what makes a good video can drastically vary based on who you’re talking to, what they’re interested in, and what their preferences are.

In a broader sense, though, the best way to determine whether or not a video has value is its success in achieving its ultimate purpose. So you’ve made an instructional video detailing how to create a piece of IKEA furniture? Great! But did it help anyone put together their IKEA furniture? If so, then it’s a good video.

How can I make money from a video?

There are tons of ways to monetize your content in the online world. Some examples include setting up a YouTube channel and running ads or making exclusive content for a paid subscribership service like Patreon.

Why is video so important?

Video is an unbelievably powerful tool that can engage audiences in a way that few other mediums can. When used correctly, it evokes emotion, tells stories, and promotes change.

How can I start making YouTube videos?

Aside from using the tips we’ve already outlined in this piece, check out some tutorials on video editing and camera techniques over on Envato Tuts+. These will give you the insight you need to start creating great content on YouTube.

How can I start making videos on TikTok?

It’s easier to go viral on TikTok than you think. However, you’ll need a strong creative idea and some good editing.

Is making videos a good career?

Short answer: yes! If you know what you’re doing and are passionate about it, it’s not hard to make a successful career in video content creation. This is especially true given that media is becoming increasingly digital and that demand for skills like video filming and editing will only rise.

What is the best camera for making videos?

There’s no ‘best camera’ for making videos; the best camera is the one you’re most comfortable using and produces the desired results. Whether that’s a high-end DSLR or a simple point-and-shoot, it’s up to you. Experiment with different cameras and see what works best for you.

Video Resources

Need some help getting started on your video creation journey? Check out these helpful resources.