10 Ways to
Create The
Perfect Online
Video
Essential Video Creation Techniques
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Videos have become popular media for communicating with the masses. The present popularity of videos is due to the widespread use of camcorders and mobile phones as well as the convenience of sharing videos on the internet. In the marketing world, videos have become essential marketing tools. Through videos, marketers have found a great way to tell their story and communicate highly complex ideas in a straightforward and easy to digest manner.
However, the same videos are useful in all other sectors since they help in disseminating information and educating a desired target group. Today, one can instantly create and share a video of any quality and length through the use of various internet-based platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snap Chat among others. Even though videos possess immeasurable power to deeply engage audiences, videos also have the power to bore viewers to tears. Accordingly, creating compelling videos is mandatory for any person who seeks to use this tool for the purposes of marketing, educating, and disseminating information among others. In order to create compelling videos, one requires a different approach compared to the writing of an attractive blog post. As discussed below, the following are some of the new techniques that are proven when one needs to create videos that engage, hold attention, and wow the viewers.
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The first technique to creating “homemade” videos that looks like professional videos for the online consumers involve planning the production into detail. In many cases, quality and engaging videos never happen by accident. They are always created as a result of pre-production planning. Regardless of the event being recorded, the most important thing is to have a plan. It involves writing down or making a mental list of shots/scenes that should be included in the video. As an example, a person planning to create a video of a birthday party may include the following shots; decoration of the birthday cake, arrival of guests at the party, welcoming of the guests at the party. Introduction and exchange of pleasantries among guests, presentation of the birthday cake, blowing of the candles, cutting of the cake, opening of presents, entertainment and dancing, as well as the departure of the guests.
If the video is about an event as highlighted above, the agenda for the event can be used to prepare the list of shots. In simpler terms, it is important to know what is going to happen at the event so that it is easier to shoot the video. Without a proper planning of the event, shooting the video may be difficult and one may miss out on the most important scenes that viewers would expect of any event. If the video does not cover an event, it is still important to plan appropriate to take the right shots and arrange them in a chronological order that captivates the viewers’ attention. Besides the planning of the shots at the event, planning goes beyond to include how the shots would be taken, software for editing the video, music, graphics, and exportation among other things. In general, the planning process it an important tip which involves the first step of creating the video until the last step of releasing it to the public through different online platforms. In general, the pre-production planning for a quality and engaging Page | 4
video involves creating the shot list, story board, prop list per scene, as well as the B-roll. The B-roll is the additional footage that makes the story come into life when being edited.
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The era of shooting videos from a stationary tripod or a couple of tripods is long gone.
Today, the most interesting and appealing videos are shot/created using new kinds of motion: aerial footages, Steadicams, timelapse and hyperlapse, and/or sliders. First, videographers must not be in planes or helicopters to create good aerial footages. The development of remote-controlled drones provides video makers with inexpensive ways of getting their GoPros or DSLRs airborne to shoot videos. The results from such technologies are as good as those obtained from helicopters or planes flying through buildings and other places.
Second, the Steadicam helps in eliminating shaking and rolling when a person walks or runs when shooting the video. Even though they were introduced in 1976, Steadicams remain one of the most important tools in creating top videos. When the shaking of the body (when in motion) is eliminated, one can create clear videos in which all details are captured without any jarring effects. The video maker can shoot alongside the subject as they run or walk so as to give them the sense that they are in action. As such, the subject will act in the right way while the video maker will eliminate any undesired effects related to motion.
Third, the techniques of hyper-lapse and time-lapse help bring great effects to videos being created. In time-lapse, the action scene is speeded-up but the camera remains static or moves very short distances. The movement of the camera is often under the control of motorized rigs which are only capable of subtle movements. On the other hand, hyper-lapse enables the camera to move considerable distance to provide perfect videos regardless of the motion paths or angle changes of the camera. In simpler terms, both time-lapse and hyper-lapse are the same except that the latter gas no limitations on motion. In general, the changes brought about by time-Page | 6
lapse or hyper-lapse are subtle, but the outcomes are remarkably interesting and appealing to audiences.
Lastly, the sliders are mounted on tripods to allow the camera to be moved smoothly through scenes. The sliders are mounted on the tripods to emulate the technique used by big film crew professionals to achieve greater results for their videos.
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Opening loops in the script is one of the most powerful techniques that one can use to keep the audience on the edges of their seats. Whetting the appetite of audience with a bit of information that is “coming soon” often serves the purpose of making the viewers thirsty for more. Opening and closing loops can be likened to foreshadowing. They help in evoking the curiosity of the viewers because they allude to the future detail of the video.
In practice, opinion and closing loops are easier said than done. There is need to engage a skilled copywriter to execute them without any flaws Opening loops set up an intriguing situation that leaves the audience wanting to know more about the situation. In simpler words, it helps in creating the momentum that carries viewers throughout the video. Good videos use opening loops to create credibility, entice audience curiosity, and stimulate the need to see and understand more. Once a video has an opening loop, it must be closed to provide a payoff. For instance, the closing loop helps in giving the audience the satisfaction of watching the video.
As an example, a marketing video for a new capital of diamonds would start by stating that Antwerp, Belgium is no longer the diamond capital world. In this case, the audience will remain glued wanting to know the new capital of the world diamond. Instead of giving the actual capital, the advert would go on to state that it takes 34 hours of air travel to reach the new capital from a particular location. As can be seen, this is a good opening loop that creates credibility, grabs the audience attention, and stimulates their desire to know more. As the video continues, it should provide hints that allow the viewers to correctly identify or guess the new capital of world diamond.
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It is important to approach online videos like the commercials we watch on the television.
In practice, a home-made video that is poorly produced is worse than node video at all.
Accordingly, it is important to find a videographer who has at least basic equipment and understands the procedure of creating compelling storyline. Today, there are many free applications or software one can use to create their videos. However, this is only advisable if one understands how to use the software and has sufficient knowledge on creating personal videos.
In practice, the golden rule is that one should always hire a professional to help them in creating their videos.
Hiring a professional to create the videos has the following advantages. First, a professional would complete the video quickly and ensure that it is released to the targeted audience at the right time. Second, the professional will always provide guarantees against any failures because there is a contract on what they should deliver. Third, professional videographers help include minute elements and details that a non-professional would easily omit in the video. Finally, professional videographers can provide tips on how to optimize the video and ensure that it garners top views on different platforms. In practice, this is called third opinion. It involves other people spotting the strong and weak points whenever one is creating a new video. Based on the opinion, the video will always be improved to satisfy the needs and expectations of the viewers.
Despite the many advantages of using a professional, one will have to part with some amount of money for the video to be completed. To most people, this would be ridiculous considering that they can easily shoot videos using their phones and edit them using free online Page | 9
software and apps. The cost one will incur at the end depends majorly on the professionalism and experience of the person hired.
In general, using professional videographers is highly recommended especially when one does not have basic knowledge and skills in creating videos. It is ideal because the owner of the video will continue being in charge and control of the entire process. In simpler terms, the professionals do all the work while the owner of the video retains the ultimate say on the process and outcome of the project.
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High quality and engaging videos are largely dependent on the content they carry. For this reason, it is important for a videographer to focus on writing the content readers like as well as how the readers like it (content). When the content of the video does not provide the viewers with value, solve problems, answer questions, or entertain, then there is no purpose of creating the video. Poor content always fails to resonate or get shared between viewers and their friends.
In practice, creating the content that viewers will fall in love with is not just about the creation process, but also the approach of creating the content. There are a couple of ideas to unlocking one’s creative juices and increasing the chances of creating videos that many people will watch to completion and share with friends or other pages and platforms.
First, the contents of the video should be irresistible. Great video content is all about the art of seduction. Every scene in the video should capture the viewers’ attention by entertaining them and causing them to hungrily wait for the next scene. According to a study by the New York Times, 94% of people share any content simply because they believe it is helpful. The content being created should not simply be educating, but also entertaining. Irresistible contents are always entertaining, and, therefore, the need to bring delight even to the most practical contents. Lastly, backing up the content of the video ensures it is credible to the viewers.
Credibility brings trust and causes people to share the content with other people and on other platforms.
Second, create mobile friendly versions. According to a survey conducted by Google in 2015, more people use their mobile devices to search different content. In order to give viewers what they need, the video should be created in a mobile friendly version that people can easily access on their phones rather than on desktop computers.
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High quality videos need to go through video editing software to improve and add various features that cannot be captured using the camera. The video editing stage is important and helps many video producers to appeal to the senses of their targeted audiences. Having the right software is important when one wants to create hot online videos. Picking the right software is similar to picking the right car that satisfies the needs of an individual. Today, there are dozens of video editing software in the world. However, not all video editing software can create the right videos that attract views. Even though there are many applications to create and edit videos, the following are some of the most popular tools one can use to create good videos capable of attracting millions of views.
The Premiere Pro
The Premiere Pro costs at least $50 each month. Since its introduction, it has become popular non-linear video editing software throughout the world. It can be used successfully for small or large video projects. The main advantage of the Premiere Pro is that it is consistently updated to incorporate new features. This is important because of the constantly changing environment of creating videos. Accordingly, users get to use the latest features that enable them create top-rated videos. Similarly, Premiere Pro has become a known brand because it integrates its sister programs such as After Effects, Media Encoder, Audition, and SpeedGrade. When the built-in programs of Premiere Pro fail to work, it is possible for users to transfer easily the Premiere timelines between the programs. Moreover, the Premiere can be used to create or refine videos of all codec and formats. Lastly, the Premiere is very adaptable and open because it functions well with other platforms.
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Unfortunately, the regular updates on Premiere Pro can sometimes be buggy. Also, exporting is a slower process compared to the FCPX Again, one must subscribe to the Creative Cloud in order to access an up-to-date copy of the Premiere Pro. In this case, one will have to part with at least $50 each month in order to access the desired features and capabilities of the software.
Considering the pros and cons of Premiere Pro, it is an ideal technique for people who create a lot of videos and often use programs such as Illustrator, Photoshop, and After Effects.
Otherwise, it would be a costly option for creative artists who only edit or create a few videos at a time. The great features provided by the Premiere guarantees the creation of a high quality video that can gain many attractions on different social media platforms.
DaVinci Resolve
The DaVinci Resolve is a great version of video editing software. Originally, it started as color grading and color correction software. Overtime, the Blackmagic Design has made numerous upgrades to make it one of the most powerful NLE. The DaVinci Resolve costs zero dollars for the Lite Version. The main pros of the software include fantastic color features, sleek design, free software, and node-based effects. However, the users must always be worried of the few tutorials available for editing.
Animoto
Animoto is an easy-to-use and functional presentation app that allows users to create stunning multimedia presentations. Animoto provides a wide range of tools one can use to create videos for various purposes especially in the education sector where it is free. Unlike the traditional slideshows, Animoto offers a creative alternative for the users to view and listen to their slideshows. In order to use Animoto, one needs to upload photos, videos, and texts to be Page | 13
used in creating the video. Thereafter, the video maker can add music by choosing from clips from Animoto’s wide range of styles and artists. Otherwise, the user can also choose personal music or own voice to use in the video to be created.
People who use Animoto must sign up by clicking on the APPLY NOW button on the Animoto site. The technique is relatively easy to use once the account is created. In practice, this is a major advantage because very little technical skills or knowledge are necessary to creating the video.
Once created, the user can share the video with a wide range of audiences through the internet. Animoto is increasingly becoming popular because it offers a simple alternative to creating supercharged videos comparable to high quality music clips. The app is freely available on Android and iOS. Videos created using Animoto are highly engaging from the start. For instance, the ability to incorporate music, photos, videos, and texts ensures it is an exciting way of presenting information. Besides personal computers, this technique allows one to create their videos even by using their iPhones. For this reason, there is no need for one to incur other expenses related to shooting videos or taking pictures needed for the final product. Lastly, the possibility of using voice and texts ensures the video maker has the ability to provide in-depth details regarding the subject of the video being created.
Despite the many benefits associated with Animoto, one should expect the following shortfalls. First, the free version of the Animoto can only create a video that lasts 30 seconds. For long videos, one would need to subscribe for the premium version. Secondly, free accounts for the app have limitations such as video styles. Again, subscribing to the premium version would allow one to access all the features of this great video making app.
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The videos created using Animoto can be shared with the target audience through platforms such as email, YouTube, Facebook, websites, blogs, and Twitter among many other online-based platforms. As such, marketers and other users do not have to worry on how to reach their target audiences.
Avid Media Composer
The Avid Media Composer is a number one choice for users who create many videos. It costs at least $35 each month. It is designed to work almost entirely with keyboards alone, and, therefore, allows the user to save a lot of time in the post-production process. The main advantages of the Avid Media Composer are that it is great for large projects, has server rendering compatibility, and has an exhaustive feature set. On the contrary, it has a clunky interface and requires a steeper learning curve compared to Premiere, FCPX, and other apps.
Final Cut Pro
The final Cut Pro goes for $299 and guarantees benefits such as fast workflow, compound clips, sleek interface, as well as multicam support. At the time of its introduction, the FCPX became the biggest disaster in the modern history of NLEs. However, this tool has evolved into one of the best apps to edit videos. It has many features that editors find helpful when processing their videos. Despite these capabilities, the FCPX works only in Mac and has no backwards compatibility with FCP7.
There are other types of video editing software out there. The types of software mentioned in this list are currently the most popular. Other software options include Lightworks, Sony Vegas, and Autodesk Smoke, and Sony Vegas.
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Music and Sound Tracks
According to David Lynch, one of the most innovative international directors, videos are 50% visual and 50% sound, and, sometimes, the sound overplays the visual. For this reason, it is important to include good sound in the video. Many video creators tend to focus more on the visuals at the expense of the music being used in the video. In practice, this is always a huge mistake that results in an average video. The intention of any video that is shared online is to elicit emotions. This is achievable through the sound of music. The sound does not have to be funny or ridiculous to create the right emotional experience.
Given the importance of sound, the best approach is to license good music online from a royalty free music provider. Even though one can use free music, it is important noting that free music is free for a particular reason. As such, spending a little money on music will enable one to get the best audio possible. Choosing a music track that is perfect adds more value to a newly created video and makes it attractive to the viewers. For this reason, it is important to go the extra mile to sample different beats that are relevant to the subject of the video.
One can access high quality sounds and music from the following sites. First, eMusic is a subscription-based store that offers a broad range of music in MP3 format. It is the world’s largest retailer of independent music and has over 3.5 million tracks. The cost of subscription starts from $11.99 per month, and once can cancel the subscription at any time without losing the music. Second, Amazon sells DRM-free music on its online platform. Amazon has a wide range of offers on different days. Accordingly, one can target these offers to enable them cut on the cost of obtaining quality sound tracks. Third, Audio Lunchbox is an easy-to-explore platform that offers a huge selection from different genres. Users can sign for monthly access or purchase Page | 16
tracks on a la carte basis. When one signs for a subscription, the site offers free downloads of 50
songs. Other possible sites to obtain music and sound tracks of the right quality include Jamendo, Amie Street, Napster, LiveDownloads, Bleep, iTunes, and LimeWire Store among others. In general, paying a little amount for the music ensures a person can access high-quality clips to add to the video being created. Moreover, it allows one to access a wide range of sound tracks that are compatible to the video.
Once the right sound or music is chosen, it is important to set the audio levels appropriately. In practice, every person creating a video tends to have personal opinions on what audio levels are standards. Accordingly, the recommendations below are not by any means a law when creating the video. The overall mix level can be from -10db to -14db; dialogue should range from -12db to -15db; the music should be from -18db to -22db; and sound effects should be from 10db to -20db.
In conclusion, the right song with right settings can literally command the audience to feel the way they are supposed to feel when watching the video. Therefore, one should dedicate sufficient time to choose and add the right song to any newly created video.
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Once the video is edited, music added, and the color is graded, the video maker should consider adding titles and graphics to make it more engaging to the viewers. In practice, it is always difficult and challenging to create good graphics. For this reason, it is best to keep things simple rather than complicated. The first tip in getting the best graphics is to keep the graphics simple. The creation of titles and credits should not be made complex. The video maker should select the appropriate sans-serif font, make the font white, and let it dissolve in and out. The technique works 90 percent of the time and the outcomes are always better compared to an attempt to create motion graphics sequence in After Effects. It is highly advisable that regular video makers build their sans-serif font archive. As they continue creating more videos, they will prefer one font to others, and use it most often. When creating titles, they should match the aesthetics of the video being produced. In practice, most applications come with built-in generators for texts and graphics. Professional applications can allow one to include attractive 3D objects, lighting, and particle emitters when adding texts and emitters. In spite of all the whiz-band features, the most important thing is to keep the text and graphics simple. A marvelous case of the "toning it down would be ideal" logic is the opening title of the hit TV
indicate Lost. Picture a dark, purge foundation with white, 3D message that says " Lost", moving from far-away and out of center as it delicately curves in space toward the viewer. It quickly hones into center as it keeps on twirling forward. In the meantime a bed of spooky clamors plays out of sight. It's outwardly very straightforward: dark foundation, white content and basic movement. Be that as it may, it says a great deal in regards to the sort of show you're going to see. It is frightful; it is muddling; and, its beginning and end that is the primary character of the show: a strange island with its very own mind.
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For someone who is new to the After Effects, they can use the After Effects templates to create awesome graphics for their videos. Presently, the After Effects is the world’s best motion graphics software. Unfortunately, it is time consuming and requires vast skills to create personal graphics by hand. A person who needs amazing motion graphics can seek them from RocketStock.
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Even though it may be easy to get caught on the big screen, most videos are viewed on mobile phones, iPads, personal computers, or TVs. Accordingly, it is critical to understand the right way to export for the web. The main purpose of exporting the video for the web is to create the highest quality without ending up with a huge file size. In practice, four major factors determine the size of the finished video. The four factors are Codec, Resolution, Bit Rate, and Frame Rate.
• Codec: the codec refers to the file format in which the video is saved. When the codec is compressed, the video size becomes smaller. However, it is important to note that smaller file size are always of lower quality.
• Resolution: resolution refers to the number of pixels the video has. For instance, a 4K
video contains 4 times the resolution of HD video.
• Bit Rate: bit rate refers to the data quantity dedicated to a second of video. Choosing higher bit rates enables one to create higher-quality videos and files. There are programs that allow video makers to set the minimum and maximum bit rates.
• Frame Rate: In practice, it is advisable to export a video in the film standard (24fps) or television broadcast standard (30fps). People who export their video in the 48fps or 60fps standards will end up with files double the size.
For regular video exporters, they get to learn the best export settings that they should use for their videos. However, in practice, many of the online distributors have recommended export settings to enable users export videos of the highest quality. The recommendations highlighted below are the minimum recommendations for respective sites. As such, people who want the highest possible quality will ensure that their specifications exceed the ones listed below.
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YouTube is the most popular video service in the world. Today, YouTube has billions of users who visit the site to upload videos as well as watch what already exist on the platform. Any person can use the platform as long as they go through the free subscription process. YouTube is the only platform that allows users to upload 4K and 8K videos. Exporting the video to the site increases the chances of it being seen by millions of people. When a video is uploaded to YouTube, it re-encodes to a smaller file format, and, therefore, resulting in lower quality. For this reason, every person must preview the video before launching it to the world. The recommended compression guidelines for YouTube are as follows: Maximum resolution is 2160p (4K); Codec is H.264; Audio Code AAC-LC up to 96khz; Bit Rate HD 8mbps at 24fps, 4K 45mbs at 24fps; and Frame rate support at 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, & 60. By exceeding these minimum specifications, one is assured of creating a reasonably high-quality video that can attract viewers’ attention on YouTube.
Vimeo
Vimeo is a preferred video streaming service for the people in the industry. It allows non-obstructed viewing because of the sleek design as well as ad-free model. Just like in YouTube, the video exported to Vimeo re-encodes and loses quality. Whenever quality is an issue, the audience should be able to download the original video by clicking on the download button alongside the video. The recommended compression guidelines for Vimeo are as follows: Maximum resolution 1080p (HD); codec H.264; audio codec AAC-LC at 48 kHz, bit rate 20mbps, frame rate support 24, 25, or 30. By exceeding these minimum specifications, one is assured of creating a reasonably high-quality video that can attract viewers’ attention on Vimeo.
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For the last 10 years, Facebook has quickly grown into a popular platform to view online videos. Presently, Facebook has a couple of billion monthly visitors who use the site to view different videos from around the world. It is growing at a fast rate and will soon rival YouTube as the most popular video sharing platform in the world. Accordingly, it should be given top consideration when exporting the video. Most videos posted on Facebook often go viral within a short period. Therefore, ensuring high quality is important to ensure the video is engaging to the targeted audience. The recommended compression guidelines for Facebook are as follows: Maximum resolution 720p; codec H.264; audio codec N/A, bit rate N/A, frame rate support 30fps and below. By exceeding these minimum specifications, one is assured of creating a reasonably high-quality video that can attract viewers’ attention on Facebook.
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Optimizing the video comes once everything is done and the video is ready for public consumption. Optimization ensures the video attract views and help the owner to create a loyal following for future videos. Once the completed video is exported to the web, it is important to optimize the video. Optimizing the video involves taking steps that will make it reach core audience and get as many views as possible. There are six quick techniques of optimizing the video to ensure it gets the many views it deserves. First, the title of the video should count. One may already be creating engaging videos, but lacks the keywords that people search for in the headlines or tags. A good title can pull powerful traffic in the same way a creative and effective headline to an article or blog post pulls traffic. The title of the video is important for two main reasons. The first reason is that a great title has the magic of instantly grabbing the attention of viewers. The second reason is that the usage of appropriate keywords in the title will make the video show up on the search engines whenever people are search for a related topic. In such a case, some people will get to view the video even if they were searching for a different thing. In the long-term, the video will register millions of views within a short period. A simple tip in creating the right headlines or titles involves looking for at least the 10,000 global monthly searchers with “low competition” on Google’s keyword tool.
Second, the content of the video should be relevant to the ideal viewer. In practice, this comes during the planning process. Accordingly, the video maker should be mindful of the content at all times to make it valuable to the targeted viewers. When creating the content, it should not be too much to make the video lengthy. Unless one has a compelling reason, online videos should not be too long because the viewers will lose concentration and seek the next video. As such, keeping the video brief is advisable because viewers are 50% more likely to Page | 23
watch a one-minute video to completion and fail to watch a three-minute video to completion. In a 2009 survey, ComScore reported that the average video length is 3.8 minutes. For this reason, videos that are longer than 5 minutes should have compelling reasons to be that long. Again, long videos are only advisable once people have already committed or endeared themselves to one’s products. Otherwise, they will tune off if the video does not capture their attention within the first 45 seconds.
Third, the video maker should include the URL of the video when it is uploaded to the internet. During editing of the video, it is important to take advantage of the different editing features available in the software. One of the straightforward features involves adding text box to the video. At this place, one can add the URL of the video to give it greater exposure.
Fourth, one should take advantage of the video’s branding opportunities. For branding purposes, the logo of the company should be displayed prominently at an ideal location on the screen. The logo can be visible at all times or at key moments of the video. However, the logo should not obstruct the viewing by the audience. Obstructing view discourage many people from watching a video because they cannot see different scenes that endear them to any clip.
Fifth, the video should have an HTML link. When posting the video on YouTube, there is always the option of adding a short description of the video. HTML links help one to jump to another document or file. With respect to online videos, this is a good way of leading people to a longer version of the video or another document related to the video. Using HTMLs enables the video creator to effectively create a shorter video version that contains the main message.
Finally, one should go beyond YouTube when posting the video to the public. Many people always post their videos on YouTube alone, yet there are other platforms that they can post the video. Today, there are different online platforms that online user visit from time to Page | 24
time. It is important to understand the platforms used by the targeted audience so that the video can be posted in these places. The video should be embedded on personal or company website as well as posted to other platforms such as social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Periscope among others. The act of posting the video on different platforms helps in increasing viewership and growing captive audience.
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In the modern world, videos have become one of the most preferred medium of communication. People find it easier to consume videos and share them on different platforms especially after the advent of social media and networking sites such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Periscope among others. Similarly, the popularity of videos among the contemporary population is owed to the increased availability of digital cameras and related devices. However, the creation of videos for online consumption is never an easy task for people seeking to create engaging videos that attract many views in a short period. In summary, the ten techniques to creating perfect online videos include the following. First, one should focus on the pre-production because it provides the blueprint for creating the video and overcoming different challenges one may face in the process. It involves organizing the video content as well as the production process to ensure everything happens smoothly and the video makes sense to the viewers. Second, shooting videos using stationary tripods does no longer result in good videos that viewers approve. Today, appealing videos are shot using new types of motions such as aerial footages, Steadicams, timelapse and hyperlapse, and/or sliders. Aerial footages allow videographers to capture videos while moving up in the air. Steadicams are useful in eliminating shaking and rolling related to body movements when the videographer is on the move. The hyper-lapse and time-lapse techniques are helpful in bringing up effects attributed to movement of the camera over short distances. Finally, sliders enable videographers to achieve smooth movements of the camera during the shooting process. Third, the opening loop improves videos by creating suspense among viewers so that they can look forward to watching the next contents of the video. . Good videos use opening loops to create credibility, entice audience curiosity, and stimulate the need to see and understand more. The closing loop helps viewers understand the Page | 26
video’s content or message as intended by the producer. Fourth, using professional videographers is also an important technique in creating engaging videos. Using professionals has many advantages that outweigh the cost demerits associated with the same. In the end, it results in greater videos that are appealing to most viewers. Fifth, the technique of supercharging the content involves making it irresistible to viewers. The video should be educating and entertaining at the same time. In addition, the video should be accessible in mobile phone friendly versions given that billions of users possess mobile phones and use them to search for content on the internet. Sixth, selecting the right software is critical to improving and adding features that make a video quality and appealing to the audience. There are free and paid-for software one can use to edit their videos. Examples of the software include Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Animoto, Avid Media Composer, and Final Cut Pro among others. Seventh, it is important to include good sound in the video. Many video creators tend to focus more on the visuals at the expense of the music being used in the video. Paid-for music is highly preferred because they are of high quality, and, therefore, help in improving the quality of the video. One can access sound tracks from eMusic, Amazon, Music Lunchbox, Jamendo, Amie Street, Napster, LiveDownloads, Bleep, iTunes, and LimeWire Store among others. Eighth, the video maker should consider adding titles and graphics to make it more engaging to the viewers. When creating titles, they should match the aesthetics of the video being produced. In practice, most applications come with built-in generators for texts and graphics. Ninth, Even though it may be easy to get caught on the big screen, most videos are viewed on mobile phones, iPads, personal computers, or TVs. The main purpose of exporting the video for the web is to create the highest quality without ending up with a huge file size. In practice, four major factors determine the size of the finished video. The four factors are Codec, Resolution, Bit Rate, and Frame Rate.
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Different platforms to exploit videos include YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook among others.
Finally, optimization ensures the video attract views and help the owner to create a loyal following for future videos. The factors to consider during optimization include title, content, and addition of URLs, branding opportunities, addition of HTML links, and posting the video on different platforms to reach the intended consumers.
Sticking to these techniques when creating a video can enable one produce a final product that is of high quality and appealing to the targeted audience. However, the list of techniques to improving online videos or making them more engaging is not exhaustive. With the advancement of technology, more techniques continue to arise, and, therefore, the need for continuous improvements.
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