We’ve been sharing some quick tips on how to make Social Video work for your business. Catch up on our earlier posts here:
- Social Video and How it Can Help Your Business
- Optimizing Video for Social Media
- 4 Tips for Making Great Videos for Facebook
Want to make a great Instagram video for your business, but have no idea where to start? Don’t be intimidated by the big-name brands who look like they have it all figured out—making a great video is easier than you might think. Here are 3 steps to walk you through it.
#1. Start with a clear game plan.
Start by defining a clear goal for your video. For example, you might want to showcase your newest product, offer a sneak preview of your upcoming summer collection, or just offer a window into your company culture. This will help guide your video process. A ‘company culture’ video can be pretty casually produced, if that’s what you’re going for. Also, set a realistic goal for your video, in terms of views or engagement.
#2. Shoot your video thoughtfully.
Make sure you have good lighting for your video—natural light usually looks the best. If you’re shooting a multi-shot video, try to mix up your shots and angles to add interest. You only have 1 minute of Instagram video time, so be selective about what to shoot and include. If you end up with more footage than you can use, save it for a longer video for YouTube!
#3. Edit your Instagram video.
Simple editing can be done right on your phone or within the Instagram app, but your options are limited. If you need a little more editing capability, there are several great free apps out there. We like Magisto because it’s free and really easy to use. You can also try out Boomerang or Hyperlapse, which are Instagram-specific apps. Boomerang creates a short GIF-like looping video from a burst of photos. Hyperlapse can smooth out your footage and speed it up into time-lapse video.
Pulling it all together.
Check out this Coco’s Trading Post video that works well to show off the new company:
Ready to make your Instagram video? If you need us, we can help.
Sources:
How to Make Great Videos for Instagram Without Breaking the Bank