How to Create DIY Social Media Videos At Home
The tendency nowadays is to create videos to illustrate pretty much everything. If you have followed any influencers looking to develop their brand I’m sure you have seen this. Videos are a great way to produce content for teaching remotely and building thought leadership. In that case, one thing is for certain: creating high-quality video content for all your communications and social media is crucial.
It doesn’t need to be complicated or costly to create a simple video streaming or filming setup, although it can definitely be, but if you’re creative about it, setting up an effective DIY space at home to shoot videos that include sets, lighting, sound, and editing software can be done quickly and effectively.
What You Need to Consider for DIY Social Media Videos
Keep these things in mind before starting your home video setup.
Your budget. What are your financial possibilities for a studio setup, equipment, tools and software? Although you can certainly get creative on a limited budget and make a professional impact for about $100, the quality of your lighting, camera, and editing software does matter. Evaluate the cost of your different choices, keeping your available room at home in mind, as well as your level of ability.
Space. How much space are you able to devote to recording and to edit your videos? If you have a dedicated spare room for a studio, that’s the ideal option, but if you are willing to share a space, you can also turn a corner of a room into your DIY video production area.
The outcome. What do you expect to get out of your productions? More clients or customers? More revenue? Or is this a hobby? Use your space according to your goals.
Type of videos. Will you be speaking directly to the camera? Are you going to explain an activity that requires a particular perspective, such as cooking in the kitchen, exercising in a devoted area or outdoor gardening, teaching yoga in a studio, or building a workshop? Are you going to need some props or specialized equipment? Depending on the project, the setup needs to match the purpose of the video. Before you start planning what you need for video gear, decide on the best scenario for you and your video production (set, audio, lighting, editing, etc.).
Equipment You’ll Need for DIY Videos
One of the reasons why video is such a common form of content production is that it can be done practically by anyone with a smartphone. In fact, with nothing more than an app, and an internet connection, you can shoot a successful social media video or online class/tutorial.
The reality is that the more thought out the content is, the better the outcome. Whether it is informative, engaging or entertaining video content, your recording equipment is a vital aspect to invest in, for a good quality video and sound.
Camera
For recording videos, a smartphone is very convenient, and the most common option to go for. If you have one, creating videos for social media or to teach something can be easily accomplished. Even if you prefer to use a video camera or DSLR for your recordings as a primary option, you can still use a smartphone on a tripod for a second camera view to enhance your videos.
If you are looking for excellent video quality, the DSLR camera’s video mode can do the job, and always try to have different lenses that provide shooting options. For example, a 35mm lens can be used for a more comprehensive angle shoot, and a 50 mm lens if you’re trying to do a closer shoot from the waist up.
If you are thinking of getting a tripod, which you’ll probably need, look for a clamp-on option with a design that you can mount anywhere, that’ll give you the possibility to change the camera position easily.
Sound
The sound’s quality is crucial for a high-quality video; I cannot stress this enough. The best option to achieve this quality of sound is an external microphone; if you use the camera’s built-in option, it can impact your videos’ general quality.
Here are some of the best microphone options you can find, which you can consider depending on your goals.
An adjustable microphone arm (USB desktop or clamp-on) is a great option, along with a pop filter to help you remove the POP sounds when you are speaking, this microphone can be a great option when you are not going to be moving around too much and will be mostly speaking directly to the camera.
A lavalier microphone (wired or bluetooth) is your go-to option when your videos need some demonstration and moving around. If you will be showing some exercises or doing a yoga class, cooking a recipe and moving around in the kitchen, this is undoubtedly your best choice.
Sound absorbing. If your designated filming space is in a noisy area, you can soundproof your room to avoid the outside noise to disrupt your filming sessions. Or if the echo inside is noticeable, add some sound-absorbing materials like acoustic foam panels, acoustic mineral wool or even carpeting on the floors to minimize echoes.
Lighting
If you aim to have a professional kind of lighting for your videos, there is a three-point lighting technique, a traditional approach for lighting a scene with light sources from three distinct points.
- Key light. It’s the main source and brightest light in the setup.
- Fill light. Usually is placed in the opposite side of the camera, filling any shadows created by the key light.
- Backlight. It’s generally in the back of the subject, giving a sense of depth.
Key components that will help enhance illumination:
- A lightbox, which will disperse the light and increase the brightness of the overall scene.
- Different types of light bulbs to allow you to play with dimmer or brighter lights.
- When using artificial light, use only artificial and block any natural light that may come in.
- With low ceilings use strip lights instead of lamps.
- In small spaces try using halo lamps.
- Use a wide-open space that allows natural light to come in — it’s free and easy!
Video editing
When editing your videos, if you decide to do it yourself, check out all the free and paid software options available for your type of device. Nowadays you can find free apps for your phone, and free or paid software to install in your computer. Be mindful and take the time to evaluate the option that best suits your needs and ability, since this will help you achieve success.
If you are a beginner in the video editing world, start with simple apps and software, and you can upgrade as you start getting more knowledgeable about your needs.
The Best Areas for Your Home Video Setup
You are going to need to consider a few things when choosing the designated area at home for your filming setup. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Is this space practical?
- Do I have adequate lighting?
- Is this a good sound area? Or is it too echoy or noisy?
- Is it easy to access?
- Do I have enough room to store equipment?
- Is it feasible to set up equipment, tear down and set it back up again?
Consider the type of content you are going to be shooting. Suppose you’re going to do a cooking tutorial demonstrating recipes, you’ll need to set your kitchen space up as your filming area. For a gardening show, clean your outdoor space and check if it’s not too noisy outside. If you are going to convert a spare room, a basement or garage into your filming space, cleaning and decluttering is essential to make space for all your settings and filming equipment.
If you are tight in space, you can even dedicate a corner of an existing room, rearrange everything and you’ll be surprised by all that you can do with any area of your home. Try to decorate the space with hanging plants’ in the background, eye-catchy lights, a tapestry, art, or anything you like to make it look like a dedicated space. Ensure that the lighting is adequate since it is important to make it look professional, keep things organized and try to have a space with no distractions or background noise when you’re filming.
You may find that you really enjoy creating videos and want to dive into video marketing with your own YouTube channel. In fact, about 72% of B2B marketers are already using YouTube as a video marketing platform.
Additional Reading: 5 Actionable Tips for an Effective B2B YouTube Strategy
Content Creation Tips for DIY Social Media Videos
You can have all the equipment required, but your content can lack structure, coherence, and creativity if you don’t plan ahead. In terms of creating great DIY videos, planning is critical.
- Always have a content calendar. Plan your topics in advance, and keep a calendar with the dates you intend to create and release the content.
- Use storyboards. They can be of great help to plan each video from beginning to end.
- Use your social media. Make clips of your content, promote it in your social networks, and ask family and friends to share.
- Be up to date with trending topics. Check out popular influencers and successful topics in your niche.
- Ask your viewers to like and subscribe. Take advantage of the beauty of social media and be social! Ask your viewers to leave a comment, give some feedback or subscribe to your newsletter if you have one.
- Encourage subscribers to engage in conversations. When they leave a comment, always reply!
- Ask another influencer to collaborate. Partner with other video creators to expand your audience and gain recognition in your area.
- Teach classes online. Share your knowledge with the world and be recognized as an expert on your topic and gain credibility.
- Create an online course. Help educate those who are interested in your topic of expertise and make some money in the meantime, make it visual and interactive to keep your students interested at all times.
Making great videos doesn’t have to be expensive, with the right tools, equipment and know-how, you can create high-quality DIY videos that look professional, and share them on any platform or social media you like.
The best part of creating great videos is that it’s an easy way to share your knowledge and put yourself out in the world, educate your audience and get creative. With the right equipment and setup, creating incredible, relevant, engaging and original content can be super simple and fun!
Cassandra Rosas is a Content Marketing Strategist at Porch.com. She is passionate about social media, sustainability, reading, writing, and music.
