If you’re just starting video content creation or you’ve been doing it for a while without getting so many positive results, the reasons are not far-fetched. However, have it at the back of your mind that every successful content creator started from somewhere and you are on your journey as well. Making videos isn’t the easiest thing to do. Standing in front of an audience to deliver a speech is quite different from sitting in front of the black lens of a phone or any recording tool you’re using.
With video recording, it would interest you to know that some people aren’t so confident and that’s why we have carefully curated 5 ways you can make your video content creation journey as smooth as possible:
1. 🤝 Determine Your Ideal Viewers
As a content creator, one out of many golden rules is for you to gain the right target audience and tailor your content towards that target audience. If you’ve successfully uncovered what your viewers love about your content, you’ll easily be able to come up with consistent and binge-watch-worthy videos. You’re a content creator because you have showcased expertise in an area or you have a particular skill set that your followers find so intriguing. Ensure that you always project the confidence that you know what you’re talking about whenever you’re recording. Let your audience believe in whatever message you’re trying to pass across.
It’s true that behind the camera, you can’t see them physically but you can imagine yourself in front of your audience and imagine the way you would present a topic to them if you were doing it physically. It’s best to put a lot of energy into whatever video you are making to give your followers a good mental picture of you and your content. Be sure of your subject matter, do your research and make your findings. All these make up your confidence behind a camera and make you look like an expert. Platforms like Talkytimes allow you to showcase your confidence in the best possible way and provide you with features that ensure that you communicate with your ideal audience the right and easy way. I’m sure you’d agree that your content might be top-notch but you also need the right platform to boost your content and, most importantly, match your efforts.
2. 📑 Use a Script or Cue Cards
Any content creator can benefit from using scripts on Talkytimes or other platforms. Podcasters, actors, newscasters, and even musicians use scripts so why would video content creators like you not adopt this method? It’s a very effective method, especially if you tend to forget large amounts of information easily or maybe you’re just usually jittery in front of the camera. Scripts or cue notes would sort of calm you and help you put your head in one place. If you’ve ever thought that video content creators like you have everything figured out and can always say all their content by heart without having a script or cue card that guides them, think again. Content is not so easy to memorize like a nursery rhyme. No matter how skilled you are, you need to organize your thoughts to ensure you don’t make avoidable mistakes while talking.
❌ This should be a solution, but note that it could easily become a problem when you keep turning to your cue cards every minute in the video.
You can note all your points down in the order of how you want to discuss them and expatiate on each point as you go. Maintain eye contact with your audience or, in this case, your camera lens while you have everything you need close to you e.g. pasted on a wall or just placed in your hands. You can also have a friend assist you to hold up scripts that you can read from while recording if that is easier but make sure to make it look as natural as possible except if it’s an interview-style video. A lot of content creators do this, and it gives them a very confident look on camera. With time, you might outgrow the use of scripts if you have gotten very used to your screen and you feel very confident about yourself. If you can’t do without it, it doesn’t make you any less than others. The important thing is to apply whatever method makes you and your target audience happy.
3. 🎥 Have These 3 Essentials
Boosting your self-confidence can be achieved by a lot of preparatory tips we will look at. However, you also need to boost your overall look on camera with three essentials. These essentials are a must-have for every video content creator regardless of whether you’re a startup or not. The three essentials for any video creator are Light, Tripod, and a good camera. To stand out as a video content creator, you need to take your essentials seriously and invest in maintaining or getting better versions as time goes on.
- For lighting, artificial lighting with ring lights, led lights, and the likes are very effective, however, natural light also works magic. All you need is a very good space that is well-lit. It’s essential that your face stays at the right angle so that the camera can focus on your face and project the right way.
- A tripod helps to make sure that your phone or video camera is stable during your recording. It’s easier to record with a tripod stand that can firmly hold your recording equipment to prevent shaky videos with poor quality.
- The use of a good camera cannot be overemphasized. If you’re unable to afford a video camera, you can invest in getting a phone that has a very good camera quality. A lot of phone brands like iPhone, Samsung, etc. produce phones with good camera quality that you can use to record your videos.
✍️ Take note that you might do all these to get a very good video quality but the platforms you use to record these videos either for streaming or loading videos matter a lot. Some platforms would reduce the quality of your video and make your efforts go to waste. The video quality of a platform like YouTube is great, while the streaming quality on Talkytimes is also good enough to maintain the quality of your video.
4. 💪 Never Stop Practicing
“Practice makes perfect” is an old but very factual saying. The more you practice what you want to master, the easier it becomes for you. In the case of creating videos, the case is not any different. Being an expert video content creator involves a lot of hard work. First, you have to gain the boldness to sit in front of a camera to start talking, then you need to work on perfecting your subject matter to make it look as flawless as possible, not forgetting the fact that you might have to edit the video to your taste. All these require persistent effort and commitment from you. In terms of perfecting your subject matter and getting very confident in front of the camera, the simple solution is to keep practicing. It’s totally normal if you have to restart your video recording a few times before you get it right. Give yourself a breather and accept that you are prone to make mistakes, especially as a first timer.
While practicing, cultivate the habit of practicing out loud before you record. As kids, you most probably would have practiced your recital at least once in front of the mirror, and that sort of boosted your confidence before going to the main stage. You can also adopt that method by showing the facial expression, hand gestures, or body movements that you’d like to feature in your video. This allows you to hear, see, and point out certain things you might want to remove or add to your content. You can also practise in front of a friend you’re comfortable with. This helps because, at the time, you’re not the only one listening to whatever you have to say. Practicing/presenting in front of that friend also gives room for feedback – the next tip.
5. 💁♂️💁♀️ Give Room for Feedback
As a content creator, you should learn to always request for feedback. Feedbacks are important for our everyday life. Whatever project, business, or action you’re taking requires feedback either positive or negative. A lot of times because people are afraid of negative feedback, they tend to chicken out. If you are afraid of feedback, you’re not ready for development. Feedbacks give room for improvement, they help a service provider, or a brand to know how best to satisfy their customers. With feedback, the greatest content creators have even become greater. After all, you’re creating content to entertain your audience so their feedback should be of high importance. As a video content creator that is looking to make headway, you have to learn to accept feedback on whatever platforms you’re using either YouTube, Talkytimes, Tiktok etc. It’s easier these days to get feedback from your audience because these platforms have features that enable your audience to drop comments or react to your videos.
Take note that there are some of your followers who aren’t so gentle with their negative feedback. This set of people would stop at nothing to bring your work down so you have to be able to filter and differentiate between constructive criticism and cyberbullying. However, an audience that sincerely loves you and your content would use the constructive criticism method or the Sandwich method of criticism (positive feedback, negative feedback, positive feedback). Taking note of whatever feedback you get, ensure that you use the feedback to your own advantage. Improve your skills, make research on how you can correct your mistakes, and watch videos of people in your niche. With every new video that gets better, it shows your audience that you don’t take their feedback for granted.
Regardless of whatever kind of feedback you receive, learn to appreciate your audience. Taking out their time to drop feedback in form of comments or reactions shows how much they value you and you should also reciprocate their love by showing appreciation either through appreciation videos, special offers, or subscriptions. All these would help to create a long-lasting relationship with your audience.
Conclusion 📄
An extra tip is for you to record with a very good background, preferably plain one. Plain backgrounds give you a very mature and simple look. Don’t forget to dress well, clean your face and look as natural as possible or apply light makeup. We are sure that all these tips would help you to begin your journey as a startup or improve your video content if you’re not new to the game.