To some, ‘lights, camera, action’ are the three most dreaded words in the world. But the reality of today's life is that ‘everyone needs to look good on-camera.’ Even if you are not an aspiring media personality, you might occasionally appear on camera. I'm sharing tips to appear professional in videos and on camera.
Today, video content has taken over online presence and offers many opportunities to all business sectors. So whether you are an entrepreneur, expert, or aspiring media personality, sooner or later, you’ll find yourself in front of a camera.
So, how do you look professional in your videos? Or better yet, where do you start? These top 5 tips will get the ball rolling and ensure you never make a fool of yourself on camera.
Tips to Appear Professional in Videos
· Determine Your Content- What do you want to say? Before standing in front of a camera, ensure you have a clear picture of your message. Besides commenting on timely news and events or sharing seasonal offerings or plans you’ll want to carve out evergreen topics to keep your audience engaged. Take your time and figure out the primary goal and what you plan to achieve with your videos.
· Delivery- Creating content just won’t cut it anymore. You need to keep your audience engaged, and that all starts by identifying the needs of your target audience. Afterward, find the best way to communicate to your target audience to achieve your goals. If your audience is young and fun, being too formal will easily deter them from interacting with your content. Skip trying for perfection and give yourself permission to make a mistake or a simple flub on camera. It shows your human. If you're nervous you can always use a teleprompter on your iPad.
· Video Production- Aside from your delivery, you’ll want to pay attention to the nitty gritty of video production. You don’t have to have an entire crew to create professional videos. All you have to do is invest in good lighting, a microphone, and a tripod for hands-free recording and master your video editing skills. Easy-peasy!
· Consistency is Key- Identify the best time to post your videos to get optimal engagement. Once that’s done, be consistent with your posting schedule. As we all know, humans are creatures of habit. If you provide value, your audience will be loyal to your content.
· Pick Your Platform- Today, there are so many platforms. From Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, YouTube Shorts-you name it! Depending on your target audience, pick a platform they can easily relate to. The ideal place to engage with Gen Z is TikTok and YouTube Shorts. You can also link your YouTube videos to your website directly. But while at it, ensure there’s no lag when loading your site. IGTV and Facebook live are also incredible options for short videos, around 60 seconds max. And don’t; forget about LinkedIn for the Genx crowd.
Bottom Line
If you plan to use your videos as a way to market your brand or spring into the limelight, consider the above tips. Each video uploaded should count for something in your marketing and media journey. But sometimes, we still need the right people in our corner to guide us through our success path. Thankfully, talking to a professional on-camera coach will help you prepare for your videos and get the most out of them.
Alison Deyette is a TV host, brand spokesperson, and media training/on-camera coach. She has helped CEOs, executives, on-air personalities, athletes, experts and a long list of Fortune 500 companies develop and express their messaging and content for television, web series, social media, corporate video, public speaking, and presentations. As your media trainer and on-camera coach, she’ll help to transform you into a powerful, confident, and focused speaker or personality. She is the regular lifestyle expert for The Kelly Clarkson Show, KTLA Los Angeles, Inside Edition, Extra, Access Hollywood, Today and regularly works with brands on HSN, QVC and other networks.
So, what are you waiting for?
