5 tips for improving your videos

I know so many people shy away from making videos, but videos on social media aren’t going anywhere. Here are my 5 top tips to encourage you to get in front of the camera and do a video for your business – you’ll thank me for it later!

You know you’re the expert in your industry, so you know what to say. Try saying it on video today!

1 – Look at the camera

This one is important – your audience can tell if you’re looking at yourself in the video and it can put them off…

Looking into the camera is a great way to connect with your audience – it looks like you are looking right at them. Take a look at some of the videos you watch when online, do you feel more connected with the people who look directly at the camera or the ones who are watching themselves?

If the idea of seeing yourself as you record puts you off, don’t have the camera on selfie mode; flip it and stand behind the camera. This is a great way to get used to looking directly at the camera lens when recording videos.

Another way to do this is to get a small sticker and place it on your phone next to the camera and use a post-it note to cover the screen so that you can’t see yourself. The bonus of this technique is you can write notes about what to talk about on the post-it note.

2 – Plan what you are going to say

When you are recording videos, make sure that you know what you want to talk about. Don’t just hit record and hope that it will make sense.

Of course, if you are using an audio file from TikTok or Instagram Reels, make sure you know the script that you need to lip sync to.

This is where the Post-it note on your phone can come in handy, as you can write notes on it to help keep you on track when your nerves kick in.

Think about what you want the video to be about. Are you giving top tips or updating people on what is going on in your industry? Make sure you stick to the subject matter and keep the video on track.

This will also help you to keep the videos short and to the point. Most videos on social media are under 3 minutes long, and while 3 minutes might sound like a long time, when you start talking about your specialist subject matter, those minutes will fly by. Plan what you are going to say.

3 – Smile

You love your business and what you do, right?

So smile and let the love of what you do shine through! It’s far more engaging to watch a video where the person speaking shows passion for what they are talking about!

If you’re engaging in your video, guess what? Your audience is more likely to engage with it!

It doesn’t have to be a full-tooth cheesy grin for the whole length of the video; you can smile warmly as you welcome people to your video. Smiling makes you seem friendly and inviting and people are far more likely to watch a video when they feel like the person they are watching is a friend.

Smile and have fun with your videos.

4 – Pay attention to what’s behind you

I don’t know about you, but I’m fascinated by people’s backgrounds in their videos!

Whether I’m watching Reels, TikTok, or YouTube, I can’t help but check out the background…

Think about this when you post your videos – have you got the dirty washing in the background? Or have you got cobwebs visible? Are you in your workspace?

When showcasing your business, the background is important. You can always green-screen it… use your skills in Canva to create a branded background for your videos.

5 – Remember to act natural

Just be yourself!

Remember, you are your business’s Unique Selling Point (USP); nobody else has a ‘you’ in their business.

Even I used to struggle on this one – people will tell you that I used to put on a horrible ‘phone voice’ in videos. Oh! And I used to forget to blink! I would be so focused on looking into the camera that I would forget to blink.

To stop doing it, I now imagine that my best friend is the camera, and imagine I’m talking to her, it makes me act more naturally and more like myself.

Whether you are just starting out in making videos or have been recording yourself for years, videos can make you nervous. Taking these simple steps to improve your videos will ensure that your audience doesn’t know about your nerves.

The algorithms on social media platforms are loving video content and show no signs of that changing. One thing is certain: if you want your business to succeed on social media, you need to get in front of the camera and start recording videos.

Give it a go – remember, nobody looks at you the way you look at yourself! Leave your insecurities at the door and press record!