It’s 2019, the internet has been around for well over 25 years now in the mainstream- pretty much my whole life if we’re counting!
Back in 2005 when I was first started helping businesses get clients with video, it was somewhat of a “is that really working” and “we don’t have a budget for video” type thing.
To get good quality video you still needed expensive cameras.
Now, that’s all changed.
Smartphones are getting faster and they have better cameras. Even budget model phones like the new Google Pixel 3a for $399, has one of the best cameras on the market for content creation and production.
100% of your flagship content can now be created with a phone.
Now before we dive into the “how to’s” of video and content creation, I can’t stress this enough:
When you are making your video content, please make sure to elevate your mood before recording. When you press record, have excitement in your voice and your face. You have to imagine the camera is a person you’re excited to see them when you go live. The social cue of raising your eyebrows and showing excitement makes a complete difference in how your video is perceived.
You could say the same exact words, but if your emotion is down vs. up and excited, your content will not read as well and people will not want to watch it.
This one thing can transform your entire video creation process. Yet, also one of the most overlooked by so many people, even though it costs nothing to change and improve upon.
In a sense, this mood thing is kind of like acting. You are acting out the mood and it helps the WORDS you’re saying come across a lot better.
The reasons people don’t do video actually have nothing to do with the equipment anymore. I notice it’s either:
1.) No time to film and edit
2.) No quiet place to record
3.) Not comfortable on camera
4.) Don’t know what to talk about
These reasons largely are not true, but we tell ourselves they are because they sound good.
If you knew that recording one video per day would pay you one million dollars this year, would you do it?
The average person who is producing content and making over one million dollars is recording just one video per day of content.
Then this major content can be repurposed into mini-content, clips, quote graphics, blog posts, articles, emails, and even courses!
In social media, when you create video, the first 30-60 days are hard because no one seems to watch, but you have to make your content AS IF you have 100,000 people sitting on the edge of their seats, watching you every day!
That’s what I do! Now, I’m starting to see the returns, the dividends of being consistent with this.
Here’s the master plan:
Record one 5-10 minute video on a SPECIFIC topic (not rambling on multiple topics, keep it very focused.
Record one 60 second summary of one key point from that 5-10 minute talk.
Upload one piece of content at 10am, and another at 1pm. You can usually record the 60 second summary immediately after the 5-10 minute while it’s fresh on your mind, just recap it.
Create your content SURROUNDING your main topic that you have products to offer people. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT make your content a direct sales video every morning about your product.
One in every 8-10 videos you do can be a “Sales Video” 80/20 rule, 20 percent or less of the content selling, 80% or more informational.
I’ve found reserving sales messaging to advertising, and giving away FREE offers on content is the best way to move people along into a funnel and build an audience.
When you use platforms like Facebook or YouTube you can then upload your video to Instagram TV, LinkedIn, YouTube, and more.
Your 60 second video can then be uploaded to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn. I also suggest linking to Pinterest, but that’s not my current expertise, though we will be experimenting with Pinterest in the future!
This content then gives you ideas based on the feedback you receive of what other content to record!
You do one video and come up with 5 additional SUPPORTING topics (think of it like if your video had a supporting cast, what would those topics be) - and then create blog posts, short videos, long videos and even courses on those topics.
Rinse. Repeat.
This is how you can come up with amazing content all the time with less than 10-15 minutes per day of creation work. I prefer not taking any time to really come up with the ideas for my videos other than maybe 5-10 minutes of ideation. I’m always writing ideas for content down all day long.
If you can get really good at this one skill of just going on video 5-10 minutes a day, it will revolutionize every other aspect of your online business efforts because people can connect with you in an authentic real way!
This blog post itself is an example of the exact model I’m talking about here. I did a 1 hour podcast, a 10 minute teaching video and short 1-2 minute clips on this same topic! Now the blog post really breaks it down! You can see the content on my Podcast Episode #6 which you can listen to now about how to become an expert at Video Content Creation & Video Marketing
Many times, when I’m making video content, I just record it directly by holding my phone up, smiling, and then talking. Speed is key, the faster you can make content, the better! But sometimes I’ll also use some equipment like tripods and lights.
Here’s a list of some of my favorite tools for video production & video editing, that I use every day (some of these are affiliate links which pay me a small commission if you order through my link, but I can promise you these are the same exact products I have in my home office, so I stand by them! They work!)
This camera is one of the best cameras out there to use on your computer for audio and visual, podcast recording, live on Facebook from your computer and much more! If you don’t have a mac, you especially need this since most computers don’t have good cameras. It also attaches to a tripod if you need (tho there will be a cord coming from it).
This tripod is a very short table top tripod for using with your phone! You can combine it with the phone mount for a simple desk mounted recording solution! Heavy duty too!
This is the best tripod mount for smartphones on the market. The quality is unmatched! You can attach your smartphone to a tripod with this handy adaptor!
This ringlight kit will transform any dull video into a professional video, as well as brighten up your photos! Almost all of my videos have this light in front of me, which makes them look so much better! It’s a must have for anyone serious about video.
This is a great bestseller on amazon, you can’t go wrong with a 60 inch tripod, multi purpose, go anywhere do anything tripod! It’s taller than the table top one, which is why I always travel with both depending on if I need a short mount or a tall one! You can’t go wrong with this.
The Blue Yeti mic is great for podcasting, course creation and more when combined with the Logitech C930e camera. These two devices make for the perfect combination for any mobile recording and filming!
For Software, there’s many great tools out there:
One of my favorite new tools is KapWing.com which is a full video editing studio on your web browser! It adds subtitles, captions and even text on the top and bottom of your video.
Another great app is Kinemaster on iPhone and Android. It does so much on mobile devices that its a must have on the go!
For more advanced editing, the Adobe Creative Cloud using Adobe Premiere Pro CC is the best editing suite out there for Mac & PC!
I tend to use all 3 from time to time.
There are not a lot of great free editing options unless you have a Mac or iPhone, then you can use iMovie on your Mac and iPhone - other than that, you’ll have to pay a small fee for either of the other platforms, as the free stuff just doesn’t cut it. I’ve tried to use the free stuff and it’s not fun to use.
I hope you can see now after this article that it’s very easy to start doing video online with these low-cost tools, and todays existing smartphones.
Don’t get me wrong, I am all for the professional cameras, and when your budget allows you to, go all in on camera gear, it’s worth it in the end! But for people just starting out, as well as everyday engagement, smartphone solutions are a winner and will make you money if you use them consistently!