Video Production Tips

7 Tips to Make Your Videos Look More Professional

Posted December 16, 2020
Written by Aaron Swain

Heads up! This content is relevant for Clipchamp for personal accounts. Try this link If you're looking for information about Clipchamp for work accounts.

Clipchamp is a free online video editorTry for free
Share this post

On this page

    If you want to communicate any message in an effective and exciting way, video content is the way to go. Videos are more engaging than other types of content, they can be both informative and entertaining, so there’s no surprise that experts predict video content to account for 82% of the overall internet traffic by 2022. 

    Videos can boost your conversion rates, and 54% of consumers expect to see more video content from their favorite brands. That’s why videos are so popular among marketers. 

    Another key reason why videos are so popular is that they can also have significant educational value. For instance, if you want to learn to use a product, you can quickly figure out the basics by watching a video, while reading a manual will take a lot of time.

    Right now, video marketing is on the rise but many people feel held back from producing videos as they don’t know how to make their videos look professional. 

    In this article, we’ll share practical tips that’ll help you come up with an effective video strategy and create video content that will impress your target audience.

    Man recording video - 7 Tips to Make Your Videos Look More Professional

    1. Plan your video content

    It’s important to create high-quality videos that look good, but the content itself is no less important. That’s why you’ll need to plan your content in advance. For instance, if you want to promote recreational events, you should choose a different approach than when promoting an eCommerce retail store.

    First, you should outline your goals. Do you want to attract more visitors to your website, educate your audience, or promote a product? Once you’ve determined your goals, identify your target audience. Your audience determines how you should shoot your video and edit it, as well as how you should write the script. By the way, a script is the basis of any video so if you don’t have talented writers who can write good scripts for you, you can always find experienced freelance writers on writing services review websites like Best Writers Online and Online Writers Rating.

    2. Choose the right background

    The background has a direct impact on the overall quality of your video, and it can also help you communicate the right message. Besides, your background can complement your brand image.

    The best type of background depends on the type of video, its purpose, and audience. There are two major categories of backgrounds, which are real and fake backgrounds. A real background can be an outdoor location, as well as your office or living room. If you choose such locations, make sure that they are clean and not distracting. The most common types of fake backgrounds are curtains and green screens. A green screen is a great choice because it enables you to fill the background with virtually anything you want. 

    No matter what kind of background you choose, make sure that background and foreground colors work well with each other. Choose complementary colors and don’t make the background more vibrant than things that you’re filming. At the same time, try to make sure that your background isn’t monotonous and boring.

    3. Use the right camera

    A part of the quality of your videos will depend on the tools that you use. If you want your videos to look good, you need to use a good camera. However, it doesn't mean that you should necessarily buy expensive professional equipment. For example, you can consider a camera like Canon G7X. It’s affordable, and the image quality is great.

    You can also do what new musicians and bloggers do, and shoot your videos on a smartphone like iPhone or Google Pixel. No matter whether you’re going to use a camera or phone, we recommend that you don’t use them for audio recording and purchase a good microphone separately.

    4. Choose the right lighting

    Lighting directly affects the overall image quality of your video. If you’re going to shoot your videos outdoors, the best time to do it is morning or evening because the shadows are less sharp. Natural lighting works best in filming and photography because it’s cinematic and soft. If you’re going to shoot your videos indoors, you might need to buy some work lights.

    5. Film in sequences

    This will make it super easy for you to tell your story and also edit your video when you’re ready. All your shots should consist of sequences: wide, medium, and tight. Make every shot at least 10 seconds long, and don’t forget about transition shots that will help you edit and put the video together to make it look professional.

    6. Keep in mind the rules of composition

    We recommend that you follow the rule of thirds: divide the frame into a 3×3 grid, and the intersections will be perfect places for your subject. The eyes of your subject must be at the top line of the frame.

    Many people intuitively put the subject in the center, which isn’t the best choice because the top third of the frame will be empty. 

    7. Use a tripod or stabilizer

    Make sure that your camera stays steady or moves smoothly as you shoot.  A simple tripod can help you film static shots, but if you’re going to move your camera around a lot, a sensible solution is to buy a camera stabilizer. Although you can use software stabilization when editing the video, it will only help with minor shaking. A camera stabilizer will make your videos look more professional and save you heaps of time when editing.

    You’re all set to make more professional videos! 

    Put these tips in practice and we’re sure you'll be able to make videos that your audience will love!

    Remember – good video content can help you boost conversions and increase your brand authority, so it will all be worth your effort!

    More from the Clipchamp blog

    How to start a YouTube podcast

    February 27, 2024
    Today, creating a video podcast is a great way to expand your podcast audience and…

    How to use video for remote employee onboarding

    December 13, 2021
    Looking for creative ways to use video when onboarding new hires? Welcoming new employees…

    How to use a smartphone to level up video quality for Microsoft Teams and Zoom

    November 2, 2021
    Whether you’re holding a Microsoft Teams business conference, working from home or…

    Start creating free videos with Clipchamp