How To Increase the Professionalism of Marketing Videos Shot on Mobile

Though I used to be staunchly against the idea of businesses shooting their own videos, things have changed during COVID. While it was not considered professional enough for marketing purposes, it’s now become necessary.

For a time, businesses could not have a production company on site, yet they had to keep communicating. It was still important to communicate with their employees and their customers. Many businesses shot videos using their phones, and it was acceptable during this time.

As things have opened up, it’s now possible in most areas to bring in a crew. However, some businesses are still choosing to minimize contact. They’re still shooting videos on their phones as a form marketing and public relations.

If you’re doing this, you’ll want to do your best to shoot these videos as professional as possible. Remember that the quality of your videos will still act as a reflection of the quality of your company. The following are some tips to help you do that.

Tips for Increasing the Professionalism of Mobile Videos

There are some very simple steps you can take to improve the look, sound, and feel of your videos. Here goes:

1. Stick to a simple background and set.

A simple set and background will allow your viewers to keep their focus on whatever you’re featuring in the video. If you have a lot of business or action in the background, it will act as a distraction. Plus, it can impact the way your phone camera works. It’s likely to cause the autofocus to keep refocusing. A plain background will avoid that issue.

2. Keep your camera at a reasonable distance.

If it’s too far away from the subject of your video, it will be difficult to watch on another phone or a computer. Your camera may also have difficulty focusing. If it’s too close, you’ll have a similar problem and you may have a distorted image. And honestly, no one wants to see the details of a face that’s too close.

Optimally, you’ll want to have your camera approximately 3-5 feet from the subject of your video. This is the range that will get you your best look. This also allows for good sound if you’re using the built-in microphone in your phone/camera.

3. Keep your phone horizontal. Avoid vertical shots.

Think about what you see in professionally created films, TV shows, and video. Images are almost always horizontal. It’s rare to see anything else. You’ll want your video to look as much like these as possible, and horizontal shooting is one thing that will contribute to this.

Are you planning to place your videos on social media? The majority are set up to take horizontal video images. The main one that differs is Instagram, which uses vertical images. So unless you’re planning your video around Instagram, horizontal is the mode you’ll want to use.

4. Plan in editing to increase the professionalism of your video.

If you’ve done all of the above, you’re on your way; however, there’s a lot more than you can do in the edit. I do recommend hiring a professional editor for this step. Although there are some non-professional editing programs out there, editing is a skill that takes years to develop. There will be a difference in what they can do, and you’ll be happier with the end result. Editors can work wonders even with poorly shot video. There are some very affordable editors out there.

In the editing and post-production process, there are a lot of things that can be done to improve your video. A video editor can do the following:

• Remove bad takes, and choose the best ones.
• Remove stumbles.
• Shorten long pauses.
• Add a voiceover.
• Add transitions from one scene to another.
• Add graphics, words on the screen, and titles.
• Add video clips and photos that you’ve created.
• Add stock photos and stock video clips.
• Color correction.
• Sound correction.
• Lighting correction.
• Add music.

When you’re planning on using a professional editor, it can take some of the pressure off of you. That’s because you won’t have to get it perfect.

5. Purchase a microphone and tripod.

You’ll get much better sound and a much nicer image with these two pieces of equipment. They’re easy to use and they’re available affordably on sites such as Amazon. The microphone will allow you to record a much more clear and crisp sound. The tripod will help you avoid the irritating shaky camera look. 

When you set up your camera on your tripod, it’s best to keep the camera at eye level. Looking up or down at something or someone is generally not done in professional business videos. Make sure the tripod is level.

Conclusion

I do still believe that when possible, the optimal way for businesses to go is to use professional crews and equipment. This will always project the most professionalism. However, if you need to create your own videos, the above tips will make a really big difference. They will add a greater level of professionalism to your videos. I think you’ll find it all worth doing.