Tips for editing live video recordings
Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash
Over the last few months I’ve been helping many businesses edit their live video recordings.
Whether you've been using one of the many video platforms such as Zoom, Facebook Live, Microsoft Teams, Skype, Jitsu or Google Hangouts, many of us have got used to communicating through live video as a regular part of our work.
Perhaps you've been using live video for team meetings, networking, interviews, webinars and presentations, or simply catching up with clients and colleagues.
To make the most out of these interactions, with permission from participants the video can be recorded and shared.
Editing the videos can make them look more professional and you can focus on the most important and interesting sections.
Once you've recorded your session you can download the video, usually as an MP4, so it can easily be edited.
A few examples of editing tools:
Android: Inshot, FilmoraGo, VideoShot
PC: Filmora, Movie Maker, PowerPoint
Be aware that long video recordings can be tricky to edit on phones due to file size limitations. It will also be much easier to edit on a desktop or laptop.
YouTube also has an editor – simply upload your video and set to 'private', then you can work on it and publish it when you are ready, or download to upload later to other platforms.
Ideas
Showing clips of your webinar, online course or virtual networking can encourage others to join as they can see what it is like and what is involved.
You could ask for a video testimonial from one of your clients, and/or include clips of part of your virtual training or coaching.
Have you been asked to be a guest speaker at a virtual event? Have you given a presentation or conducted an interview online? If so, why not create a showreel of the best bits to show off your talent, expertise and knowledge. All with permission, of course!
10 tips for editing your video:
Cut out the bits you don’t want, such as: waiting for people to join, discussing technical issues or maybe when the cat knocked over your cup of coffee!
You may want to condense the video and highlight the important parts, therefore chopping out lots of discussion.
Polish the video! Add your branding, pop your logo in the corner, add a title at the beginning and your website and social media handles at the end, maybe even a link to a new offer or the next webinar? Be consistent with elements such as your colours and fonts.
You could use Rev.com to create captions for your video, which is great for people viewing the video without sound, very accessible for people who are hard of hearing, and of course good for SEO.
You could add new relevant video content, mixing things up a little. Maybe a product demonstration or a tour of your organisation? You could also add an introduction to the video, and perhaps an outro too, directing viewers to your website or online course, or inviting them to get in touch.
You could add text or graphics to highlight the important information in your video, such as listing your top 5 tips, or details of when your online course starts. You can also use text to introduce key people in the video.
You may want to edit the sound levels so they are consistent and loud enough. Good sound is generally more important than pictures as people tend to notice bad sound over bad visuals. Basic editing software should have the tools to help you do this.
Add music to make it look more professional, maybe to trigger an emotional response – add that something extra!
Once you’ve edited your video, export it from your editing software and you can then embed it on your website, upload it to YouTube or share it on social media. Encourage any people featured in it to share it too!
2020 has proven how important and essential video is for communication and marketing. Try to repurpose your video as much as possible to benefit your business. More tips can be found here!
I hope these tips have been useful. If you need a hand with editing, I’ll be happy to help: www.karencann.co.uk
