By now most people understand the importance of using videos as a marketing tool. Humans find videos more engaging, more memorable and more popular than most other types of content. By 2022, online videos are expected to make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic, according to a report by Cisco.
While most people understand the importance of video
marketing for their businesses, many are unsure of how to go about it. Or they
think it’s only possible by using videographers and fancy production systems.
Sure, it helps, but sometimes it’s not always possible—especially in an era of
restricted travel, social distancing and shoestring budgets. The cameras in
iPhones today are extremely powerful and are fully capable of helping you
create high-quality videos.
Whether you’re hoping to create an introductory video for
your startup, you need to have a colleague record a tutorial video from afar,
or you would like to publish your first YouTube video, below are some tips and
tricks to help you get started. By making a few adjustments and a small
investment – I'm talking around $75 USD – you'll be well on your way to
creating professional-looking videos.
First Things First
This tip is pretty basic but shouldn’t be forgotten.
Recording videos consumes a phone's battery quickly. Before beginning, fully
charge your phone. Nobody enjoys doing extra takes because the phone runs out
of battery halfway through.
Clean the Lens
With phones living in pockets and purses, and spending
plenty of time in your hands and on your ear, dust and fingerprints end up on
the lens. Give your lens a good cleaning with a microfiber cloth before
beginning to avoid hazy or blurry footage. Ten seconds or so will save you a
lot of headaches.
Hold Steady
Is there anything worse than a shaky video? To shoot a decent-quality video, a tripod is a must every time.
If you opt for the second tripod stand, you’ll need a mount adapter to secure your phone.
In Most Cases, Shoot Horizontally
In most cases, turning your phone horizontally (to landscape
mode) is the best way to record videos. This will help you avoid those
unsightly black bars on the sides. However, the decision as to horizontal or
vertical should be based on where you plan to post or share the video.
If you plan to upload the video to YouTube or your website,
horizontal is best. If you plan to post to Instagram, vertical videos look
better.
Silence the Distractions
Turn on Airplane Mode while recording to help prevent
unwanted dings, rings and distractions. It will also help extend your battery
life.
Mic Check
The only thing worse than a shaky video is one that's inaudible or muffled. With many affordable microphone options available for iPhones, this can be easily avoided.
Up Your Resolution - 4K All the Way
Apple usually presets iPhones to record videos at a lower
quality to help you save storage space. This is great under normal
circumstances but not when you’re trying to record a high-quality video.
Fortunately, there’s an easy way to improve the quality of your video
recordings.
Your options will depend on what model you’re currently
using but can be found here:
- Open
the Settings app > Click Camera > Click Record Video
For the absolute best video image quality, choose 4K
resolution.
When you're finished recording, switch back your video
recording setting to avoid quickly depleting your storage space.
Lighting
Lighting is important but can be tricky. Recording outside
on a bright and sunny day can be too bright. Inside can be too dark. Empty
rooms can cause echos. Lights can form halos. Windows can wash you out... and
the list goes on.
Try to opt for a well-lit room inside with many furnishings.
This will help prevent echos. If you’re recording near a blank wall, try to
maintain a one to two-foot distance between you and the wall to avoid creating
a shadow.
Editing
If your recording doesn’t come out perfect, don’t fret.
Within the iPhone Camera app, you now have all of the photo editing tools
you're accustomed to available for videos. Things such as adjusting exposure,
color, shadows and contrast, as well as trimming and rotating the video.
To get started, find your video in your Camera roll or the
Photos app and then hit the Edit button.
In most cases, at minimum, you'll want to trim the beginning
and end of your video.
It’s easy to start shooting really great-looking videos with
your iPhone – or any smartphone – without breaking the bank.
No videographer? No problem!