Lights, Camera, Action! How To Shoot The Perfect Video For Social Media

As the world dives deeper and deeper into the digital realm, the need for bigger, fancy equipment is less and less. With full movies being shot today on iPhones, there isn’t much we can’t do ourselves. One area where this reigns true is in video marketing for social media. In today’s digital age, social media has become an influential platform to connect with people and share different kinds of content all over the world. Video content is especially popular in recent years, and it’s a great way to share your thoughts and feelings with others. With its massive growth and the rise of influencers, people don’t mind watching a video that may have been recorded from the comfort of someone’s home office on their smartphone.

However, just because you may have the tools available to create videos, it doesn’t mean you’ll immediately know how to do it well; in a way that produces results, especially if you want your videos to have high retention and engagement. Let’s run down Simplicity Lone Beacon’s top tips to ensure you know how to shoot the perfect video for the digital landscape.

Plan your content. You should have a clear structure to your video, and you should have a list of items that you would like to cover. Write down the script if it’s not conversational and practice it. Even if you just set aside 10 minutes to do so. You should define your purpose before you start shooting. You need to decide why you’re making your video, what your message is, and who your target audience is. Organize your content as a story or a plot to make it engaging and easy to follow. When I was a professional wrestler, I would “rehearse” what I wanted to stay continuously until it was time to record or, even worse, do it in front of thousands of people live. Nothing makes you more confident than knowing what your next word is. Know your next word.

Choose the right equipment. As stated above, you just don’t need to have all this fancy gear to make good videos for social media; a simple smartphone/camera can do the job. However, for a better experience, you should invest in a decent microphone, tripod, and lighting equipment. Especially if this is an area you plan to focus on. First impressions are everything. Look, if I am on Instagram and I see a poorly recorded video of a comedian, but he is funny, I am likely to watch another because I came for his humor, not his expertise. But if I see a poorly recorded video of a lawyer or a restaurant venue, I am likely to have zero faith in them and their business. Because if they can’t invest in themselves, they can’t invest in me. The proper equipment can make or break your video. The proper lighting paired with preparation is the difference in making your video look like a hostage message vs. a professionally shot message. You want your environment neutral and distraction-free. You want your video stable and in focus. And you want to make sure you shoot your video in a well-lit environment. Experiment with natural and artificial lighting. Natural sunlight is your best friend. But if it’s not possible at the time of filming, a nice ring light does the trick! You can also diffuse the light with white sheets or curtains for a more subtle effect.

Here is a quick list of some popular, inexpensive equipment:

• Tripod for Smartphone
• Ring Light
• Ring Light w/ Tripod
• Microphone Laptop to Cellphone
• Wireless Lapel Microphone for Smartphones

Keep it short and sweet. People’s attention spans have gotten shorter with social media, and it’s essential to keep your video brief and engaging. Aim for videos between 15-60 seconds; it’s enough time to make an impact and hold your viewer’s attention. If you wish to shoot a longer video, try to keep it under 3 minutes.

Start strong: Capture the user’s attention from the start by using striking visuals or an attention-grabbing hook.

Another thing we like to do is add text overlays or captions. Many people watch social media videos without sound, so adding text overlays or captions will ensure they can still follow along and understand the content. Another trick would be to include a call-to-action. Whether it’s asking viewers to like, share, or comment on your video, encourage engagement by including a call-to-action at the end of your video.

Text overlays/caption examples

Frame it right! One common mistake people make is the framing of their subject. People tend to just center their subject in the middle of the frame. But technically. That doesn’t work. The best way to frame your shot is to use what we call “the rule of thirds.”

The rule of thirds proposes that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines, and your important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections. Proponents of the technique claim that aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy, and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject.^{1 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds)}

Most cameras and apps offer you a grid option when filming. I would recommend that you turn it on by default and leave it on. This circles right back into tip #3! If you follow the “rule of thirds,” you are automatically leaving space for us to overlay your text, call-to-action, name, or phone number.

Which all leads back to preparation. Leave room for those layovers! Following the Rule of Thirds ensures that.

It’s always best to add that buffer when filming for the editor. As an editor, we don’t want the video to start with you pressing play and talking as you start leaning back. And we certainly don’t want your video to end with you leaning forward to press stop. It’s just not a good look. Plus, if you send us a 3-minute video of you talking and we don’t get the few seconds buffer with you smiling, you’re going to hate the thumbnail: Mouth open, drooling, one eye half shut… Ick!

Bad Thumbnail

This last one is more of a golden rule than a tip. Know the aspect ratio of your desired platform! If you’re shooting for TV or for non-mobile video, remember, always remember, shoot in landscape mode! Nothing ruins a video quicker than two black vertical bars running along your video. While your phone is designed to be used vertically, most videos are not meant for it. Shooting horizontally is cited as the proper, professional, and most visually appealing way to capture your video footage. Just look at every television or computer screen in your house or office. Most digital devices are horizontal, and every television is in landscape mode. This is why you should hold your phone horizontally, so videos are formatted in the same ratio as television and computer screens. Not only does landscape mode make your video more enjoyable when viewing on a widescreen or television, you also capture more in the actual video frame itself. And that my friends ties into tip #4, which ties into tip #3. Synergy!