Do you find that some of your videos come out too dark or grainy?  We’ve all been there (including myself).  In this 1 minute 40 second quick online video tip, I will show you how to improve the lighting for videos shot in low light areas without spending a fortune on professional video lighting equipment.  I’ll also give you a few general pointers to keep in mind when lighting your videos.

Video Lighting Kit Part List: Here is a quick recap of the parts you need to build the lighting kit for your video:

• Clamp Light: $9 at Amazon, Home Depot, or your local hardware store
• Fluorescent Light Bulb -Soft Light: $5 at Amazon, Home Depot, or your local hardware store
• Vinyl White Shower Cap: 3 for a $1 at your local Dollar Store

More Video Lighting Tips: Keep the following lighting tips in mind when shooting your next video…

• When possible, shoot your videos outdoors in natural light.
• Avoid light (or sunlight) directly above you.  This will create a shadow on your face as you can see in my video above.
• Avoid setting up lights behind you.
• Setup two light sources, one to the left and one to the right of you…slightly in front you.
• Avoid standing behind a white background, a darker background works better so your skin won’t look washed out.

Share this Tip with Your Friends: If you know anyone else struggling with dark and grainy videos (we’ve all been there, including myself), please share this video with them on Twitter and Facebook by clicking on the buttons below.

Do You Struggle with Dark or Grainy Videos? Share your own experiences and how you improved the lighting in your videos in the comments below. We can all learn from each other.

Tim asked me how to delete a YouTube video.  Well Tim, this short how-to video is just for you and will show you how to delete your YouTube videos.

This past weekend, I took my family to the Canadian International Car Show in Toronto.  It was such a blast.  Even my one year old loved it.  She was laughing and waving at all the people.  She was even pointing at all the expensive cars…I guess she has good taste.  The morning before the show, I decided to take my HD pocket camera with me just in case my daughter decided to take her first steps that day.  I also happened to be carrying my Sony digital camera so I can take come pics at the show…and of course I was carrying my crackberry (I mean blackberry).  When we arrived, it hit me that I was carrying three portable devices that can record video!  What an opportunity to compare the quality of the 3 video cameras.  Let’s see how it turned out.

Let’s compare the numbers:

1. Cell Phone: My Blackberry Curve 8900 records video at a resolution of 240×180.  If this was an iPhone it would record video at 640×480 (sometimes referred to as VGA or 480p).

2. Digital Camera: My Sony Cybershot W120 records video at 640×480.  Most of the new digital cameras nowadays can record video at 1280×720 (also known as 720p HD Video)

3. HD Video Camera: My Creative Vado HD records video at 1280×720.  Other pocket cameras like the Flip Camera record at the same video quality or slightly higher (up to 1920×1080 on the Kodak Zi8 – a.k.a 1080p).  HD video cameras also record in the widescreen format which looks great on YouTube as it fills up the entire video player.  If you are wondering what my recommendations are for the best HD video cameras are, don’t forget to check out my video on the best digital video cameras for creating online video.

So what do all these numbers mean?  Well, simply said, the higher the number the sharper and less grainy or “pixelly” the video will be, especially when you upload it to an online video sharing site like YouTube.  It is important to note these sites automatically convert your videos to make them smaller and faster for online viewing, so the higher the video resolution the better the quality of the final converted video will be.

Conclusion:

All of these pocket cameras are excellent for creating online video….even the Blackberry Curve.  The Blackberry’s video is a bit grainy, but it is still clear enough to deliver your message.  I wouldn’t use it all the time, but if you had an opportunity to record an interview or special event and you weren’t carrying your pocket cam or digital camera, then I’d definitely go for it.

It is also worth noting that this video was edited using Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD.  It had no problems handling three different video formats (.3gp, .mpeg, and .avi) and allowed me to edit them together.  That’s awesome!

Have You Created a Video Recently? Have you recorded an exciting video recently?  Have you uploaded it to YouTube yet?  Leave the link to your YouTube video in the comments below and let me know which camera you used to shoot that video. You never know…you may inspire someone.

P.S. Share this Video with Your Friends on Twitter or Facebook by clicking the buttons below…they will at least appreciate the video of the exotic car

Editing your videos on a PC can be very frustrating if you don’t have the right video editing software. For me, there are three important features to look for in a video editing software for Windows: allows for easy video editing, supports a variety of file formats including the various HD video formats, and can directly upload your videos to YouTube or other online video sharing sites. So, what is the best video editing software out there today?

Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD is an affordable (around $40), simple (yet powerful) tool. When editing a video with the intention of posting it online, I recommend you keep it simple and do as little video editing as possible.  Nobody is going to complain if you video is not perfectly edited.  As long as you deliver value, they will keep coming back for more.  There are at most 5 steps you should consider doing when editing any video intended to be posted online:

1. Cutting Your Videos: Cut out unwanted clips in the beginning, middle, or end of your videos.

2. Stitching Clips Together: If you have multiple video files, join them together so you now have one complete video.

3. Adding Text: I highly recommend putting the URL of your website inside your video.  Another idea is to create a title page in the beginning so the people watching know what this video is going to be about.

4. Adding Music: Consider adding background music to the intro of your video

5. Putting Your Videos Online: Get you videos online as quickly as possible.  Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD has the option to directly publish your video directly to YouTube.  This saves an enormous amount of time and ensures the best video quality as it goes onto YouTube.

I highly recommend you download the 30-day fully functionally FREE Trial of Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD and try it out for yourself.

Additional Online Video Tools:

If Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD is having trouble opening any of your movie files, I suggest you download a copy of a software tool called FFDSHOW.  This installs some additional files on your computer that can understand more video formats (Also known as Codecs).  Once you install FFDSHOW, you can open Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD and try to open those movie files again.

• FFDSHOW Video Codecs- http://www.ffdshow.info/
• FREE Royalty-free music -- http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/

If you have not yet decided on which camera you are using to film your online video, what are you waiting for?  Start with what you have already.  If you are looking to buy a new one, it might be worth looking at last week’s post called the Best HD Video Camera for Creating Online Video.

What is YOUR Favourite Video Editing Software for PC? I know there are a lot of video editing software out there, so please share a list of the ones you like to use in the comments below.

“What is the best digital video camera for creating an online video?” I’ve been asked this question a lot in the past few weeks so I thought it would be a great idea to spend some time answering it in this video. Please keep one thing in mind when watching this video..online video is not about the video camera itself, it is about delivering valuable video content to your customers.  This will help build a lasting and trusting relationship with them.

My Top 3 Pocket Camera Choices are:

1. Creative Vado HD (Generation 3)

2. Flip Camera (Mino HD)

3. Kodak Zi8

All of these pocket cameras are excellent for creating online video and they all:

• Record at least 2 hours of video (which is plenty for online video)

• Have a built in USB connector so you don’t need to carry any cables to access your videos.  This connector can also be used to charge the camera when it is connected to any computer.

• Record excellent quality HD video

• PC and Mac compatible

• Can easily upload to YouTube and Facebook using the camera’s built-in software when connected to your computer.

• Small, light, and portable (fits in your pocket) so you will actually use it!

• Decent built-in microphone when recording up close.  The Vado HD 3rd Generation and Zi8 allow you to connect an external microphone to improve the audio quality.

Can You Recommend Any Other Digital HD Video Camera? I know there are tons of digital HD video cameras out there, so please share your experiences with these or other video cameras in the comments below.

P.S. Share this Tip with Your Friends: If you know anyone looking to buy a video camera for online video, please share this video with them on Twitter and Facebook by clicking on the buttons below. Heck, even if you don’t…share it anyways.

This is the 7th and final video in the series on how to avoid the common mistakes people make with online marketing videos. This video is just under 6 mins short and shows you how to distribute your online videos to multiple video sharing sites at the same time, which is an excellent way to get noticed by your viewers and Google.  I just love this tool. It is absolutely free and literally saves me hours and hours of my time.

Mistake#7: Only Uploading Your Videos to YouTube. After creating your video marketing masterpiece, you want the whole world to see it. Most people end up only uploading their videos to YouTube and don’t bother uploading to the other 50+ video sharing sites out there.  This significantly increases the chances of your videos being discovered by your prospects via a search engine.

It is now easy and free to upload your video to as many video sharing sites as you like using a free online tool called TubeMogul. All you need to do is upload your video once and enter the title, description, and tags. Then you can choose from the list of supported video sharing sites that you would like to your video to appear on (Note: you have to manually create an account for each service beforehand). Not only will it send it to all the those sites, it will also provide statistics on the number of views your video received. I highly recommend this tool since it saves me so much time.

This is the 6th of 7 videos on how to avoid the common mistakes people make with online marketing videos. This short video is just under 5 mins and contains tips on how to use free online video tools to create powerful, professional, and effective videos without even appearing on camera.  So all of you camera-shy people out there, you no longer have an excuse for not creating online videos for your business.

Mistake#6: Shying Away from the Camera. While it is not a mistake to be camera shy, most people believe that they have to be in front of a camera to create a video. With today’s variety of online tools, this is far from the truth. There are many free online video tools that allow you to create amazing videos without actually being on camera. Here are some of my favourites:

Photo Slideshow Online Tools:

a. Animoto.com & OneTrueMedia.com:  Easily turn your photos and video clips into a professional online marketing video. Just upload your images and short video clips, enter some text, and choose the music from their large library and the rest is taken care of for you.  To learn about how to use Animoto, check out my How to Create a Professional Online Video Using Photo Slideshow Software Animoto video tutorial. You’ll be amazed by the results.

ScreenCasting Online Tools:

b. ScreenToaster.com & Screenr.com: Create instant screencasts, which is basically a video capture of your screen. This can be used to demonstrate an online service, how to fill out an order form, how to subscribe to your newsletter, a walk through of your company website, etc.  You even have the option to upload the screencast directly to YouTube or download it for further editing.

The best part about these online tools is that they all provide you with some HTML code that you can simply copy and paste into your website where you want the videos to appear.

NEW Killer Sales Videos:

c. KillerSalesVideos.com: Combine animated text with powerful music in a movie trailer style of video and you get a Killer Sales Video.  Check out a sample below and you’ll be blown away, it really captures your attention. It’s so simple too.  All you need to do is choose a video template you like, fill out a simple form that indicating the text and images you want to appear in the video (choose a picture of yourself to add the human factor), and in 24 hours you will receive a professional-looking movie that you can upload to YouTube or embed on your private site, blog, or squeeze page. And the best part is that it costs under $100…that’s unreal!

This is the 5th of 7 videos on how to avoid the common mistakes people make with online marketing videos. This short video is under 2.5 minutes and reminds you that your video doesn’t have to be perfect in order for it to be effective. The important thing is to communicate clearly with your viewers and deliver your message. This video also teaches you a few inexpensive tips on how to improve the lighting and audio in your videos.

Mistake#5: Trying to Perfect Your Video. Thinking you have to have your videos perfect will result in no videos at all! Reality check…it is NEVER going to be perfect and that’s ok. There is nothing wrong with you making mistakes and correcting yourself in front of the camera. Making mistakes just emphasizes that you are human and people can relate to you better that way.

Also, don’t worry too much about lighting or audio. As long as people can see and hear your message, you’re in good shape. If I were to give one simple lighting tip, it would be to make sure you have one light source, a basic lamp will do, directly to your left and one directly to your right (never behind you). If you would like to improve your audio, I recommend buying an inexpensive lapel (clip on) microphone plus a USB soundcard. Even thought most computers have a microphone input, the sound quality there isn’t the greatest.

This is the 4th of 7 videos on how to avoid the common mistakes people make with online marketing videos. This short video is under 2 minutes and shows you how to effectively make a connection with your viewer, which is an important element of online video marketing.  This helps establish a relationship and trust with your viewer, which will significantly increase the chances of them buying from you.

Mistake#4: Lack of Connection with Your Viewers. Most people starting out with online video tend to get shy and look away from the camera. It is important to look directly at the camera as if it were your prospect sitting in front of you. Making direct eye contact with the camera will help establish a connection and build trust with the prospect watching your video. People will be more likely to buy from people they trust. After watching a few of your videos, they will feel like they have a close personal connection with you. If you are still having trouble keeping your eyes from wander away from the camera, have a friend sit directly behind the camera, with their head at eye level with the camera lens, and talk to them in a natural way…pretend the camera is not there.

People Only Hear 7% of What You are Saying

It is important to note that people only hear 7% of what you are saying, so you need to include facial expressions, tone, and body language to help get your message across to your viewers.

This is the 3rd of 7 videos on how to avoid the common mistakes people make with online marketing videos. If you are getting started with online video, this is just for you. This video is just over 4 mins short and contains three QUICK, EASY, and FREE ways to ensure your viewers take action after watching your videos. Make sure you check back to learn about 6 more common mistakes people make and how to avoid them.

Mistake #3: Not Providing a Call to Action. Not asking your viewers to take an action during or at the end of each video is a huge mistake. These actions can include subscribing to your newsletter, leaving a comment, visiting your website for more information, adding you as a friend on Facebook, etc). Believe it or not, people like to be told what to do, so be as direct as possible. You can do this by using the YouTube Annotation feature, any basic video editing software to add graphics and text, your finger to point at the location of a sign up or comment box, or by simply holding up a piece of paper telling people what to do next. It doesn’t have to be fancy for it to be effective.