Do you know that most of us spend more time viewing videos rather than reading text or browsing through images? The reason behind popularity of videos is that these are easy and entertaining to watch and the most convenient medium for communicating messages to viewers and engage them. At the same time, not many people are actively involved in video-making because they find it challenging to create videos.

Tips to make professional-looking videos:

1. Plan your content: The trick to doing it right is to plan the video content from the beginning because it is this factor which will determine how engaging it can be. Your first task as a beginner is to identify what you hope to achieve with the video. Your goal should be to reach out to a group of consumers because you cannot have a video that will appeal to one and all. Viewers will always be guided by emotions and impulses and it is these emotions that will ensure a call-to-action on their behalf.
2. Choosing the right background: This is often overlooked but it is crucial for telling a story or sending out a message for viewers. The background can depend on the target audience and goals you hope to achieve through the video. Real background refers to real-life settings like an office; this is an easy option provided you do not make it too distracting or messy. Fake backgrounds will include papers, curtains or green screens; these offer consistency. Your job is to ensure that colors of the background are in sync with the foreground.
3. Avoid spending on a new camera: As a beginner, your concern is to shoot something first using a more or less reliable camera, one that you could even borrow from a friend, because you are still not sure whether you want to take this up as a profession.
4. Do not use the camera mic: Your video’s sound quality can be a deciding factor when it comes to your video being a hit. The best way to make sure that the audio is not distorted is to avoid using the camera’s built-in microphone. You can choose an external sound recorder.
5. Use natural lighting: This is the safest bet for a beginner, because to do proper video production lighting, you will need specialized equipment that you are unlikely to have when you are an amateur. Natural lighting can work well in filming; for instance; shooting outside on a cloudy day is ideal.
6. Do not film it at one go: It is advisable to shoot in small segments to save time and effort in shooting and editing. Short takes are simpler to handle and if you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can go for retakes. You will also have more flexibility in editing the film; you can have short segments and easy-to-use sound bites and video clips that you can use for making trailers and previews.
7. Revise composition rules: Composition deals with how to choose a frame for the video; you must ideally divide the video frame into a three-by-three grid where the subject is at an intersection in the viewfinder. You must not keep a lot of space above the subject’s head.
8. Promote your videos: Regardless of the kind of video you may have created, you must bring it in front of your viewers. You can distribute it on Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube when you are focusing on video marketing.