How to Make Videos Without Hiring a Professional

how-to-make-videos-without-hiring-a-professional

[[p]]As people continually deal with information overload online, [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/10-tips-for-making-great-marketing-videos" target="_blank"]]making a great video[[/a]] is more likely to make them stop and watch.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Plus video marketing is evolving as interactive shoppable videos, live-streaming, and AI-generated video content is becoming more popular amongst consumers and marketers.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]So if you are not using video marketing or want to learn how to do it more effectively, it&rsquo;s time to focus. The good news is that you can learn how to make your own videos without hiring a professional.[[/p]]

[[p]]Using video is often the best way to gain the attention of your target audience and can provide valuable information or guidance in an easy to digest way.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]When done right, according to Wyzowl videos can lead to marketers seeing increased engagement (66%), enhance brand awareness (40%), drive leads and clicks (49%), improve search engine rankings and even go viral.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]While professional videos may cost a lot more than you are able or willing to pay, it&rsquo;s possible to create videos that can be used as part of your marketing strategy at a surprisingly affordable cost.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Popular content creators and influencers such as [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/4-youtube-optimization-tips-for-digital-marketers" target="_blank"]]YouTube[[/a]] personalities or [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/how-much-do-tiktokers-make" target="_blank"]]TikTokers[[/a]] often use nothing more than their mobile phone to make their videos. A smartphone can make a pretty decent video and can be edited using downloadable apps.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]&ldquo;Consider looking at yourself in your preview window if you&#39;re using a camera or phone rather than the lens. That&rsquo;s what I did for my first several videos, and you&#39;ll see that I&#39;m not looking at the lens,&rdquo; said YouTuber Jade Beason on a [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/webinars/webinar-grow-your-online-audience-with-youtube" target="_blank"]]DMI webinar[[/a]]. &ldquo;I wouldn&rsquo;t have appeared as relaxed as I did because I was looking at myself, and that made [the video] more authentic. So don&#39;t do it forever, but it&#39;s a great way just to ease yourself into it.&rdquo;[[/p]]

[[p]]Let&rsquo;s look at the key steps involved in marketing marketing videos.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]The fact that you are an amateur video creator doesn&rsquo;t need to be obvious. There are several tricks that can improve the quality of the videos that you make using simple equipment and useful tools.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]][[strong]]Use plenty of light[[/strong]]: Use natural light that is available to you, or use artificial lighting. Remember, make sure you don&rsquo;t place your main light source behind your subject. While sunlight is best in early morning or evening, usually when it is low on the horizon, artificial lighting can be done with work lights or clip lights set up strategically.[[/p]]

[[p]][[strong]]Set up a tripod or a stable surface:[[/strong]] Stabilization of your video equipment is important to avoid sudden moves or quivers that affect the quality of what you are shooting. A phone can be propped up against books or other items to remain stationary.[[/p]]

[[p]][[strong]]Close range[[/strong]]: Equipment should be set up at close range for best audio effect. A dedicated microphone may greatly improve the sound of your video and minimize any background noise such as a smartphone lavalier. You could also use a closet as a makeshift sound booth.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]][[strong]]Be aware of what may show in the background: [[/strong]]If there is a room in your home that has a white or solid colored wall and not much around that may be distracting, this is probably the ideal location.[[/p]]

[[p]][[strong]]Sound:[[/strong]] Choose a small, quiet room for maximum sound quality, and avoid large spaces with lots of echo. Make sure that the shooting area will be quiet when you are filming and that people won&rsquo;t be walking in or calling on the phone. Turn off nearby appliances, such as fans or televisions. Background noise such as traffic, sirens, and barking dogs will detract from the message you&rsquo;re trying to communicate. If filming on your phone, be aware of where the microphone is placed, and make sure you don&rsquo;t accidentally cover it while filming.[[/p]]

[[p]][[strong]]Presentation:[[/strong]] If you are speaking, turn the phone so that you can watch yourself while you are recording. This will help you notice simple problems such as hairs out of place, a glare on your eyeglasses or a folded collar. Avoid clothing with tight patterns, visual labels, logos or text.[[/p]]

[[p]]Another approach to making marketing videos is to use online video creation tools. These tools can help to simplify the process of making videos and can help you to overcome obstacles that may be holding you back, such as believing that you don&rsquo;t have the expertise to accomplish this.[[/p]]

[[p]]There are lots of tools (including [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/what-are-the-best-ai-and-marketing-automation-tools" target="_blank"]]AI marketing tools[[/a]]) that will allow you to create a variety of different video types. Most are reasonably priced or free, and include:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Animoto[[/strong]] &ndash; Take your video clips, photos and text, and combine them with music from their library to create online videos. There are also customizable templates available.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Adobe Spark[[/strong]] &ndash; This tool allows you to combine video clips, icons and photos in order to create an engaging video. Using this tool is a great way to get started, even when you have no design expertise.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Ripl[[/strong]] &ndash; This offers an easy way to create short videos to stimulate engagement. You can add photos or text that you want to include and choose a design. Then you can simply write a caption, add hashtags and share.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Vyond [[/strong]]&ndash; Create media that moves such as whiteboard animations or animated GIFs using AI. Get started with pre-built templates and customize with color, text, and characters.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Sora [[/strong]]- Use simple text prompts to create videos using AI features that are user friendly and are part of ChatGPT Plus.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Camtasia [[/strong]]&ndash; This software can be used to create video tutorials and presentations using screencast.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Canva[[/strong]] &ndash; Already a great resource for [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/videos/walkthrough-guide-canva" target="_blank"]]creating graphics and lots more[[/a]], Canva also offers customisable video templates, where you can drag and drop videos clips and utilise stock music, elements, and images.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Powtoon[[/strong]] &ndash; Powtoon allows you to create animated or live-action videos using ready made video templates, animated characters, designed elements, and royalty-free images, footage, and soundtracks.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Biteable[[/strong]] &ndash; With a free plan available, Bitable offers template animations and stock footage, with collaboration features available on paid plans.[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]ChatGPT[[/strong]] - Use this AI-powered tool to brainstorm video ideas, create draft scripts, generate captions or proofread text. Here&rsquo;s a [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/toolkits/chatgpt-prompt-guide-for-your-digital-marketing-plan" target="_blank"]]prompting guide[[/a]] to help get the most from the platform.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Midjourney [[/strong]]- AI image generation tool that creates persistent characters and styles across multiple image prompts, and can use a previously generated image as part of a new prompt to carry over the same character, visual style, and composition into new scenarios.&nbsp;[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]People have a limited attention span, so your video should be reasonably short and get right to the point. Give your target market a reason to pay attention. If you find that when you actually film your video, you get completely off-track, just film it again.[[/p]]

[[p]]Try to make your message helpful and fun. At the end of the video, ask viewers to like, comment and share your video. When filming is complete, review the footage and edit it if necessary using the tools described above.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]When you are satisfied with your video, share it! Embed it on your blog or website and share it on social media platforms to ensure maximum exposure. Get into the habit of posting videos on a regular basis to increase your brand&rsquo;s online presence.[[/p]]

[[p]]The first video you make and share will be the most challenging, but treat it as an experiment and a bit fun.Once you have gotten the knack of it and know what your audience likes, you&#39;ll find that making videos is a great way to be creative, communicate your message and promote your brand.[[/p]]

[[p]]&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]][[em]]Article updated 2025[[/em]][[/p]]

Video Shooting Tips and Gear Checklist

What does video success look like? Chart from Wyzowl

[[p]]Customers often want to get to know you or your brand better. You are the voice and creativity behind your company. They want to be able to put a face to a brand, and video brings your personality to life and makes your brand seem more real to an audience. Knowing who you are often makes customers more engaged, interested, and loyal.[[/p]]

[[p]]Customers are more likely to watch most of a video than to read the entirety of your written content. Many are visual learners, and these types of people often can absorb the information in a video much more easily than written content.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]This is one reason why video conversion rates, especially [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/how-to-use-short-form-video-in-digital-marketing" target="_blank"]]short-form videos[[/a]] seen on YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels, typically outperform other types of marketing content.[[/p]]

[[p]]Before making a video, it&rsquo;s crucial to know why you&rsquo;re making it! Is it to increase brand awareness, are you looking to generate leads or is this simply to educate and engage your audience?[[/p]]

[[p]]The key to this step is clarity and focus. Once you know what you want to achieve, it&rsquo;s easier to see how video can help you do that.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]You should already know a lot about your customers through [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/the-beginners-guide-to-defining-buyer-personas" target="_blank"]]defined buyer personas[[/a]] and [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/what-is-audience-listening-how-can-you-do-it-effectively" target="_blank"]]audience listening[[/a]]. A key part of that is knowing where your audience spends their time.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]If you don&rsquo;t know this, look at your analytics. [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/reporting-in-ga4-a-guide" target="_blank"]]Google Analytics 4[[/a]] should give you a good indication of the channels that your audience uses to encounter your brand.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]You should also dig into social media analytics to determine which one gives you the most traffic, engagement or leads. This will also determine the video style they engage with such as short video, tutorials, or interviews.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Check out the [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/10-of-the-hottest-alternative-social-media-platforms" target="_blank"]]hottest alternative social platforms[[/a]] to see if your audience engages with any of them or you want to try them out.[[/p]]

[[p]]Like with any campaign, you need to have a plan before jumping into shooting or creating.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Write a simple script or bullet outline that outlines what the video is about. Identify two or three key messages to highlight so you stay focused and sketch a basic shot list (e.g. what you&#39;ll record, from which angles) to keep on track.[[/p]]

[[p]]Here&rsquo;s a great video walkthrough with tips on shooting a video from DMI expert, Will Francis.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Often, a smartphone camera is good enough unless you&rsquo;re aiming for slick content. Make sure to use natural light near a window or rent/buy a ring light. For audio, set up in a quiet room to avoid background noise.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Don&rsquo;t get bogged down with editing by trying to learn complicated editing tools. Try out free tools like CapCut (check out this [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/videos/walkthrough-editing-videos-with-capcut" target="_blank"]]CapCut walkthrough[[/a]]), Canva Video, iMovie, or Clipchamp to trim, add text, and insert your logo. Make sure to add subtitles as most people like to watch videos without sound and use text on-screen to get points across quickly.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]There are many video types, so it&rsquo;s important to pick one that fits the purpose of the video and delivers on the goal. The types of video you can select include:&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]Product demos[[/li]]
	[[li]]Live action[[/li]]
	[[li]]How-to tutorials[[/li]]
	[[li]]Interviews[[/li]]
	[[li]]Behind-the-scenes[[/li]]
	[[li]]Customer or client testimonials[[/li]]
	[[li]]Quick tips or FAQs[[/li]]
	[[li]]Animation[[/li]]
	[[li]]Teaser[[/li]]
	[[li]]Onboarding[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]It&rsquo;s also worth mixing it up with your video content to see what resonates with your audience.[[/p]]

[[p]]Many social media channels are now being used by consumers to discover information and content. This means that people now use social platforms like [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/youtube-seo-strategies" target="_blank"]]YouTube[[/a]] and [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/is-tiktok-a-search-engine" target="_blank"]]TikTok as search engines[[/a]] to find out information, not just flock to Google.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]To leverage that behavior, it&rsquo;s important to optimize videos for [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/what-is-seo" target="_blank"]]search engine optimization or SEO[[/a]]. You can do this by including keyword-rich titles/descriptions, using custom thumbnails, or including timestamps. You could also look at creating playlists on YouTube to make similar content easier to discover.[[/p]]

[[p]]With video marketing, it&rsquo;s important to test and optimize. By posting videos consistently and tracking performance you can monitor key metrics such as views, watch time and clicks. By testing different lengths, captions, and hooks you can get to understand more about your audience and learn what video content they respond to so you can keep improving your video content. Download our [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/toolkits/a-b-testing-tool" target="_blank"]]A/B testing toolkit[[/a]] to keep track of your results.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Like any content, look at how you can repurpose or reuse your videos. What about breaking long videos into short clips, filming a podcast to promote on YouTube, or turning a webinar into highlight reels. You can also use the same video in emails, ads, and blog posts.[[/p]]

[[p]]Using these tools will allow you to create videos that are much more affordable than traditional video productions. You can create tutorials and other informative content that is dynamic and engaging for a more responsive and interested audience.[[/p]]

How to Make Videos Without Hiring a Professional

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