Video blogging (also known as “vlogging”) can be an overwhelming idea for those who’ve never tried it before. The excuses are endless.
“I hate being on camera.”
“I don’t know how to edit.”
“I don’t own any equipment.”
“I don’t have anything interesting to say.”
Regardless of what your excuse is, video is one of the most attention-grabbing mediums of online content creation. If you want to better the chances of catching the eye of your audience, you’re going to need to get visual. Plus, it’s really not that hard (said the girl who makes 4-8 videos per week).
Here are my top 5 tools that help me create impressive vlogs without a whole lot of work.
The beauty of this product is that you can make your first vlog without even owning a camera. Screencast-O-Matic is a program that records the activity of your computer screen with just a couple clicks and no software to download. This is a perfect alternative for a “how-to” post because instead of reading instructions, your audience can just watch and learn. I also really love to use this tool for recording Skype interviews which are also a super easy way to create content while still giving your audience a great experience.
Ever wonder how someone got a copy of a YouTube video and then edited it into their own? If you are interested being the next Ray William Johnson and vlogging of your favorite online videos, you’re going to love this add-on for Firefox. YouTube MP3 Podcaster downloads directly to Firefox which will add buttons underneath every YouTube video you ever watch on the browser. These buttons will give you different options of downloading that content, whether you want the Full HD version or just an MP3 of the audio. Download this free plugin and start saving videos to your computer right away.
Sometimes all you need is your iPhone. You might already know that your phone can take great quality video and upload directly to YouTube. But maybe you want to make your vlogs a little more impressive than just the average home video. The iRig microphone is a must if you want good audio (and any video is only as good as its audio). This will not only give you a professional image of a microphone, but the iRig has a range of settings for whatever situation you find yourself filming in. Just check out the demo video from Amazon to see how versatile it is with different atmospheres. After you film some footage with your awesome audio, throw it into the iMovie iPhone app ($4.99 in the App Store) and add some titles, background music, or transitions for multiple clips. Dang. You just made a sweet video with just your phone.
The Google Plus social network has made it very easy to create panel or interview-type video without lifting very many fingers. All you need to do is have an account with Google Plus, start a “Hangout” video conferencing session, and enable “Hangouts On Air”. Once you start the broadcast, it will be public for people to watch and a recording will go straight to your corresponding YouTube account. Bam! Content.
If you want to to take it to the next level with your video editing without being completely overwhelmed, you’ll definitely want to try Corel Video Studio ($79.95 for the software download). This is totally affordable editing software that has just enough capability to make you feel like a pro, without making you pull your hair out trying to navigate. It comes with a lot of great royalty-free music and sounds, giving you even less work to do for an impressive video. To make it even simpler, you can upload straight to Facebook and YouTube from the program!
What are some great tools you’ve use to help make quality video content? Share them in the comments below.
(Photo credit: Young Man Holding a Videocamera via Shutterstock)
Amy is the Founder & Face of Savvy Sexy Social. She is a "social media frenzy" working in social relations consulting, blogging, and, of course, vlogging. She shares a glimpse into her life on her YouTube channel. Connect with Amy on Twitter.
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