Video is the current digital marketing darling, but it’s intimidating to know where to begin when it comes to creating video to support your business. Forget about brainstorming the content you’ll create – first you need to know how to make videos in the first place. When it comes to creating video content for your beauty business, most know they need to try it, but get intimidated and give up before they begin. How to Start Using Video in Your Beauty Business
In this post, I want to share my favorite tools for video creation and in the process, demystify this useful medium so you will feel empowered and ready to tackle video once and for all.
Where to Begin
The biggest boundary many encounter when presented with the idea of creating video for their business is that it means buying a ton of expensive equipment. Equipment can make a good video great, but the equipment doesn’t necessarily need to be expensive. You already likely own most of it already. Don’t let the concept of bulky, costly cameras, lighting, and editing software keep you from reaching your ideal audience in an impactful way.
Start by starting. Using your smartphone, start taking short videos in your business. Get used to how the video camera works and what angles, apps, and lighting seem to work best. No need to post your practice, this is an exercise in getting comfortable so when important moments happen, you’ll be ready to capture them.
Yes, you actually need to press the button to get your video to start recording, so get used to how that feels. Toggle the zoom, tap your finger to focus on a subject, and try video in both portrait and landscape modes to see how they compare. Practice giving direction to your subject, whether it be your client, your co-worker, or even yourself when you watch the video back later. How to Start Using Video in Your Beauty Business
Plan Ahead
Professional video never just happens – it is always carefully planned. No matter how casual or impromptu a video may feel as the viewer, all great videos incorporate at least a little bit of preparation. Look ahead on your schedule for the week and plan what services or clients would best lend themselves to an entertaining or informative video. Planning ahead of time will allow you to ensure you capture all of the shots and steps in your process to make an impactful video later on in the editing stage.
Think about what your clients need to learn, and what would interest them. What would you tell your clients if you had unlimited time with them? Start to plan out your video content creation the way you pre-plan your social posts. The more you get into the habit of baking video creation into your schedule, the more natural and easier it will become.
Use What You’ve Got
To borrow from everyone’s favorite mentor, Tim Gunn, you’ve got to make it work. Use what you have at your disposal to create. Smartphones take fabulous video, often 4K quality. There is no need to invest in a new camera to take video for social media, just use your phone. How to Start Using Video in Your Beauty Business
When it comes to lighting, more is more. Natural light makes smartphone video shine, but you can actually never have too much light for video creation. If you have a ring light for photos of your work, pop it on when you’re taking video too. Inexpensive LED light panels are also a great idea. Just switch them on when you press record. My favorites can be found here.
Tell a Story
Videos are great because they show instead of tell. Keep videos short and to the point – no one likes a rambler. Grab your audience’s attention in the first five seconds, and make sure you tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end. If you show a before, make sure to show the after, and any important steps you took to get there.
Share a day in the life, give us a salon tour. Take a minute to explain your specialty and why it sets you apart. Post a video on IGTV teaching your clients how to keep their blondes bright between visits. Whatever your clients often ask about, film a video answer. Being an expert has its perks, and sharing it over video only solidifies your expert status in your clients’ eyes.
Keep it Interesting
We don’t need to see everything. Using an editing app keeps the juicy stuff at the forefront. One of my favorite apps to use to shoot video is actually Tik Tok. The app has great editing features built into it, and you can add music, effects, and cool transitions right as you film. How to Start Using Video in Your Beauty Business
iPhones have iMovie which allows you to edit and shorten video clips right on your phone before posting. You can remove a queue in the intro, or the awkward second where your subject waits for you to say “go” before speaking. These tools are super useful to keeping your videos tight and engaging. How to Start Using Video in Your Beauty Business
It Gets Better, Sort Of
No one likes being on camera. It is a truth universally acknowledged. It will get easier to create video the more you do it, but you might never be comfortable speaking to a camera. I’m here to say, get over it. There is no harsher critic than yourself, so the flaws and blips you see likely won’t be seen by others.
To make yourself more natural on camera, you have to practice. You will feel silly and self-conscious and hate every second of it. Guess what? Everyone feels that way when they start regularly creating video. The rewards far outweigh the pain, so it’s time to suck it up and show your face! How to Start Using Video in Your Beauty Business
Consistency is Key
Video content is addicting for your fans and clients, so once you start, keep going! Social media algorithms favor video, so you can expect a further reach, more engagement, and a higher profile.
Use your tools, your powers of planning, and get creative. Those who harness this tool and use it well will have a huge leg up on the competition, and who couldn’t use an advantage?
What is standing in your way? How can you overcome it? How can video help you educate about your business in new ways?
How to Start Using Video in Your Beauty Business
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