Written by Grace Kohn
Video has taken over as the best media type for high engagement on social media platforms. If you aren’t utilizing video in your social media, you’re missing out! You don’t have to be a videographer to capitalize on this growing trend, you just need to have the right tools.
First, it is important to understand why video has become so popular. TikTok began the wave of short-form video when it shot up in popularity in 2020. Now, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and more are changing their platforms to compete with the video giant TikTok has become. All social platforms are pushing their users to create video content and rewarding them for doing so. The algorithm is anything but consistent.
However, even after 2 years, we are still seeing video being prioritized as the number one media type. Video helps deliver your message clearly and concisely in a fun, palatable way. Users now view your ad in a more genuine light. The best advice for making video ads is to not sound overly “salesy.” Users can spot that a mile away and will swipe away from your content faster than you think. Be genuine! Show them how you can solve their problem – in a short video.
There are thousands of apps for video making out there today. For starters, let’s focus on the camera app that comes with your iPhone. If you’re new to making video on your phone, start by playing around with the different camera features. Make sure that you have all the right settings on to capture the best quality video – changing from HD to 4K is one of the best things you can do for your videos! On an iPhone, this feature is in the top right hand corner of the camera app when set to video. When shooting video, make sure your exposure is not too high, especially when shooting outside. A single tap on the screen on your subject should help fix this.
It is super important to keep a steady hand when filming. If you are shooting a subject, make sure to slowly move to keep your camera stable, if you have an extra shaky hand, consider investing in a gimbal – no need to spend hundreds – there are some for under $20 online. Your iPhone has a built in stabilizer in the camera to help. If you are mainly shooting video of yourself, invest in a ring-light, this will help with lighting inside or if it is nighttime. Many ring-lights come attached to a tripod so that you can set up your phone and record handsfree.
All social media apps have built-in camera functions to record video. My advice is to use your own camera app on your phone to record in the best quality first, edit it how you like, then add music and text in the app where you are posting. You can shoot, edit and post everything right on your phone.
Sometimes apps like Instagram can lessen the quality of your video, making it look grainy, which is never good for promoting a product. For certain videos, like when you are following a lip-sync trend on TikTok or on Instagram reels, you will want to use the app to record the video so that the sound syncs properly. Pick and choose which videos to shoot on your camera app and upload to social media apps and which videos to shoot directly on the social media app. Once you are comfortable with your basic camera app on your phone, have fun and experiment with different video filming/editing apps.
