If you’ve ever been in front of a camera it can be quite intimidating getting started. LinkedIn is full of well-spoken and enthusiastic people delivering sermons on how they are and how their business is evolving. Meanwhile, you may be struggling to capture a simple “hello” and you can’t even see yourself on the screen. Don’t panic, there are a few simple steps to take to improve your vlogs. Here are 5 simple steps to help move you forwards.
- Practice makes perfect
We’ll get the most obvious, but most important step out the way. When it comes to public speaking, your experience can be a defining factor. We aren’t all born presenters. When you begin recording yourself you’ll see certain aspects of your speaking which never occurred to you before. These are things you can build upon. It may be a certain way you pronounce words. Maybe you’re a little too quiet or speak extremely fast to get all your words out of your head. Whatever it may be, it will come out in the recording. Before you start it’s best to read through your thoughts and maybe even script a few key sentences to get your point across. Winging it without experience can lead to a lot of frustration in the long run.
- Be Authentic
Don’t copy the personalities you think people want to see from you online. You are not Garyvee or the next anyone. Be yourself, otherwise, your vlogs will seem ingenuine and will feel like attention grabs. You can take inspiration from those you enjoy watching. Maybe the way they formulate points is appealing and you can use that to build upon your style. Just don’t be a copycat. Be yourself, even if you feel you don’t have a flashy personality. People will watch your vlog to see you. Not your impression of someone you wish you were.
- Make Sure People Can Hear You
One of the biggest things people get wrong when it comes to vlogs is audio. Sure, you can vlog anywhere on any smartphone available. That’s the beauty of modern technology. But, if you decided to start recording next to be a busy street or what sounds like an empty church everyone is going to have a hard time listening to what you have to say. If the background noise is too distracting or your audio quality is too poor people will tune out.
- Try Going Live
Interacting with an audience is a great way to normalise talking to your camera. Try going live and let some friends and colleagues ask you questions. There is a genuine fear of cameras defined as Scopophobia, which is a fear of being watched. Having an interactive element beforehand can distract you and make talking into the lens feel more conversational.
- Collaborate
Some of us prefer to be alone when we film, but having someone behind the camera has numerous advantages. For example, they will be able to guide you through a few points and let you know if you are moving too fast or are too quiet. There is nothing worse than completing a whole speech and realising your microphone is switched off. The member on the other side of the camera doesn’t need to be a trained professional. You could ask a team member, a friend or your partner to give you a hand. You’ll be surprised by how willing people are to help each other if you just ask.
I hope these few pointers will help you move forwards and deliver those vlogs you have been putting off creating. If you need to turn those vlogs into viral videos get in touch with us and see how we can help bring your content to the centre stage.
