How to Create Videos for Social Media

Creating engaging videos for social media doesn’t require professional videography skills or expensive equipment. With just a smartphone and some simple techniques, you can produce high-quality videos that effectively capture the essence of Worcester State and showcase your department, office, or organization.

1) Plan your content

Know the goal of your video. Are you looking to inform, entertain, or promote an upcoming event? Having a clear purpose will guide your content creation.

For more detailed videos, creating a storyboard can help with planning. Outline the shots you want to capture, write a script if applicable, and map out the sequence of events. This will keep your filming and video focused and organized.

Remember to keep your video short and sweet. Social media users often have short attention spans, so aim for videos to be between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. And be aware of each platform’s video length requirements. For example, YouTube Shorts must be 60 seconds or shorter, while Instagram Reels should be under 90 seconds.

Tip: If you’re jumping on a trend, watch similar videos for inspiration and plan how you can put your unique spin on it. Looking for ideas from others can help you create fresh and engaging content.

2) Tell a Story

Even a short video should have a beginning, middle, and end. Start by introducing your topic, delve into the main content, and wrap up with a conclusion or call to action.

For example, in a video about campus tours, begin with an introduction like, “Come along with me for a campus tour.” The middle would then feature shots of the tour highlights, and conclude with a call to action such as, “Sign up for a campus tour today!”

Tip: When filming a video, remember to show, don’t tell. Visuals should convey the message. Use text sparingly to highlight key points or provide necessary context.

3) Capture Quality Footage

Stabilization: Hold your phone with both hands or use a tripod to keep your footage steady and shake-free. There are tripods designed for smartphones that can significantly improve your video’s stability.

Tip: When filming interviews, tripods are especially useful for maintaining consistent shots between multiple interviewees, ensuring a cohesive look throughout the video.

Good Lighting: Natural light is ideal for filming. Aim to capture footage during the morning or late afternoon, known as golden hour, to benefit from soft, warm light. Avoid filming in the harsh midday sun.

Tip: When shooting indoors, utilize natural light from windows. However, avoid placing your subject directly in front of the sun or window, as this can create unflattering backlighting and affect the overall exposure of your footage.

Sound: Ensure clear audio by filming in a quiet location. For capturing dialogue, consider using an external microphone that connects to your smartphone for better sound quality.

If your video doesn’t include dialogue, remember to mute the audio during editing unless you want to retain background sounds for ambiance.

For removing background noise and enhancing audio quality, programs like Descript can be very helpful.

Tip: Small, affordable Bluetooth microphones are available online and can significantly improve your audio quality.

Composition: Apply the Rule of Thirds to your video shots just like you would with photography. Position your subject off-center to create a more engaging composition. This technique helps draw viewers’ attention and adds visual interest to your footage.

Variety of Shots: Incorporate a mix of wide shots, medium shots, and close-ups to add variety and visual interest to your video. Don’t be afraid to shoot from different angles and perspectives.

Tip: It’s better to capture more footage than you think you’ll need. Having a variety of shots gives you more options during editing and helps you craft a more compelling final video.

4) Edit Your Video

Editing Apps: Use user-friendly editing apps like iMovie, CapCut, Canva, or TikTok. These tools provide basic editing functions such as trimming, adding music, and applying filters.

Trim and Cut: Remove unnecessary parts to keep your video concise. Remember, your video should be short and sweet. And ensure a smooth transition between each shot.

Tip: With apps like Canva, you can enhance your video with various transition effects between clips. My personal favorite is the “match and move” transition.

Add Music: Enhance the mood of your video with music that complements its vibe. Ensure you have the rights to use the music; if you’re unsure, opt for royalty-free options. Platforms like YouTube and Canva offer extensive libraries of royalty-free music.

Tip: For interview videos, choose light background music to keep the video engaging without overshadowing the speaker. Ensure the music is subtle and that the speaker’s volume is high enough to be clearly heard.

Text and Captions: Use text overlays to highlight key information, such as locations or speaker names. Keep the text brief and ensure it’s easily readable by providing sufficient contrast between the text and background. For videos with dialogue, include captions for accessibility. Captions are valuable for viewers with different hearing abilities and for those who watch videos with the sound off.

Tip: Platforms like TikTok offer speech recognition technology that automatically generates captions. Review these captions for accuracy before finalizing. If you embed captions in your video, remember to disable auto-captioning features on platforms like LinkedIn. If you need help with captions, consider using services like Rev, which offer accurate and affordable captioning options.

5) Optimizing for Social Media

Format: Different platforms have different format requirements. Vertical videos are best for Instagram and TikTok, while horizontal or square formats are ideal for Facebook and YouTube.

Thumbnail: Select an engaging thumbnail to attract viewers. It should be visually appealing and representative of your content.

Tip: Capture a screenshot from your video for the thumbnail and apply light photo editing to help it align with the aesthetic of your feed. Note that TikTok does not allow custom thumbnail uploads.

Hashtags and Tags: Enhance visibility by using relevant hashtags and tagging people and locations.

Example Video Ideas

Campus Tour:

• Create a quick tour highlighting key locations on campus related to your department, office, or organization. Use wide shots to set the scene and close-ups to highlight specific details.

Event Highlights:

• Capture key moments from campus events. Event recap videos can engage attendees and serve as promotional material for future events.

Student Life:

• Feature day-in-the-life videos captured by current students. Include snippets of classes, study sessions, and extracurricular activities to provide a well-rounded view of student life.

Tutorials and Tips:

• Offer valuable information, such as study tips, how to navigate campus resources, or application advice. Keep tutorials short and visually engaging.