With today’s technology, creating high-quality videos can be produced for pennies on the dollar. In fact, recording a professional video blog post or vlog can be seamlessly achieved with a smartphone or laptop with built-in webcam. In this blog, the video blog experts at Snowball Creative Group walk you through everything you need to upgrade your text blog posts to a more interactive video format.
The background is your first impression. Have you ever looked at a photo or video that has tons of clutter in the background? Not only does it look unprofessional, it is equally distracting to the viewer. Instead of concentrating on the information you’re sharing, viewers may be looking at the pile of papers behind you, the people walking around behind you, or the books on your shelves. Either way, having a clutter-free and consistent backdrop is key. You can have an inexpensive backdrop made with your company’s logo on it. This creates instant branding for all of your video blog posts and can easily cover-up the chaotic clutter that may actually exist in your office or work area.
Don’t forget the lighting. Consider installing brighter lights or buying a cost-effective lighting system for the area where you plan to record the video blog post. Trying a few test runs to see how the lighting looks when played back is important. It may also be helpful to think about the time of day the recording is done. If there are windows in the room, taking into account how natural sunlight affects the viewing quality of your video blog posts is also an item to consider. If the room has no windows, you may need lots of secondary lights to make the video posts as clear and well-lit as possible.
Secure the camera or your mobile device. Avoid holding the camera or phone in your hand. The key is to keep the recording device as still as possible. Using a smartphone with a Gorilla Pod placed securely on your desk can be the easiest way to get a professional-quality view for your video blog posts. Take the time to determine if the phone needs to be at an elevated level to get your entire upper body in the frame. You want to be able to maintain the same position while speaking to the camera without having to do too much adjusting as you record.
Post online and share with the world. The good news is that you don’t need a special subscription to host your video blogs. Once you have recorded your video blog post you can easily upload them to a personal YouTube channel for your blog or company and also share them on social media. Keep in mind that with tons of digital media being thrown at people on a daily basis, the more engaging you can make your content the better. Avoid making video blogs longer than 5-7 minutes and, instead, break vlogs into shorter segments if you find yourself going over this timeframe. Even creating short (20-30 second) welcome videos to promote your company or new services can be a great way to incorporate more dynamic elements into your social media profiles too.
Video blogs are gaining popularity since they allow for a more natural-like experience with seeing another person as opposed to reading paragraphs of text. Leveraging live streaming features like Facebook live can also be an innovative alternative to writing and posting traditional blogs. For more actionable suggestions and ways to drive more traffic to your website, follow Snowball Creative Group on Facebook. Or, feel free to contact our team of online specialists for a free blog enhancement consultation.
