Video Blogging: Mistakes to Avoid & Doing It Right

by Ivan on February 8, 2010

I’ve started to use video to sell (and upsell!) my digital downloads and information products. Like most beginners, I’m making mistakes at every step. But I’ve learnt a few tricks this week,  mostly thanks for Christopher Ming Ryan. Here’s what I learnt.

Video Blogging: Mistakes to Avoid

There are three steps involved in making videos:

  1. Planning
  2. Recording and
  3. Editing

Most of us are good at one, but not so hot at the others. For me, it’s editing. No patience. Want to start the next. But I need to slow down. Here’s why:

  • Great videos will significantly increase sales on your site, sales pages, squeeze pages – call them what you will but
  • Lousy videos will drive potential customers away, screaming, ‘did you see how bad that was – my god!

Christopher makes these suggestions:

  • Start to like editing. It’s part of the process.
  • Play with Camtasia or Premiere. Really take it apart and see what it can do.
  • Don’t think of yourself as an Editor;  you’re a Director. See the difference?
  • Study the best. Watch Rachel here.
  • Invest in high-quality transitions. Watch the TV transitions on Rachel’s vids. Cool or what?
  • #1 Mistake to avoid: the most interesting thing in the video is the face. Focus on it.

Watch Seth here. Compelling isn’t it?

‘curiosity’ from Nic Askew on Vimeo.

and watch Rachel. Look at how the transitions work.

Ok, that’s me.

What tips do you have for making better videos?

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  • Jennifer Stavas

    Planning is where I fall down. I rsuh at it when i get the time and then push it out. maybe take more time.

  • Emily Ja

    Hi Ivan,

    The best tip I got was to storyboard the vidoe. I break them into an
    intro.
    mid and
    close.

    This helps me structure the video and keep it on track.

  • Tomas Dolby

    Camtasia rocks. Much better value than Adobe Premiere.

  • http://www.ivanwalsh.com Ivan Walsh

    Camtasia works for me too!

    It has enough features to do the basics like screen recording and editing and nice export options.

  • http://www.ivanwalsh.com Ivan Walsh

    Hi Emily,

    I studied film as a teenager. Structure was/is something that stayed with me.
    Breaking the videos into chucks does help, esp when more than 3 min.

  • http://www.ivanwalsh.com Ivan Walsh

    One suggestion is when you get time to go back and edit the video.

    I also take stuff off YouTube if I think it’s not up to scratch.

  • chrismingryan

    Thanks Ian for posting these ideas and thoughts. I'm really glad you discovered some new tips. All the best, Chris

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