We live in a social media world where people spend more time watching videos than reading texts or looking at pictures. Videos are among the most uncomplicated types of content to consume today. According to a study by Statista, the number of digital viewers worldwide is projected to be 3.5 billion people .

With so many new channels popping up, the competition has increased astronomically in the video production field, and so has the quality of videos and video editing. New content creators dread the post-processing phase of making videos because it requires a certain level of technical knowledge and creativity. Creating a high-quality video of a professional standard has never been easier. Here are some tips to help you become a better, more efficient video editor and most importantly, a successful content creator.

Finding The Right Software

The first step to a successful video editing journey is finding the right software for editing your videos. With the industry booming at such a massive pace, the number of video editors available is umpteen. Therefore, it becomes easy to get confused when you have so many options to choose from. You should pick the appropriate video editing software for your editing needs based on the features, your needs for those features, pricing, and the simplicity of the user interface. Against common belief, you do not have to spend a fortune on video editing software because there are many great choices like InVideo, which is an online video editor available free of cost.

Taking Help From The Internet

Blogs, YouTube, and websites targeted have numerous tutorials and classes to help people with video editing. Most of this information is free and easily accessible with the help of a browser search. However, if you have more specific areas to improve in, websites like Skillshare and Red Giant Tutorials offer several area-specific tutorials to help you out. As you get better and try to achieve specific results and complete specific tasks, you should follow the tutorials made using the same software version as yours because it is common for companies to alter functions and settings after an update.

Understanding The Terminology

To become a successful video editor, you will have to communicate with other video editors and clients. Being well-versed with the terminology used in the industry will make you a much more efficient person to work with on projects.There are some helpful tips for social media marketing. Some of the most commonly used terms in the video editing business are:

Standard Cut – Also called the hard cut, it is the most basic cut where the last frame of a clip connects to the first frame of another clip.
Jump Cut – This type of cut pushes forward in time to remove unengaging parts of the video.
Montage – This is a collection of scenes with quick cuts and background music that helps in faster development in the storyline.
Cross Dissolve – A cross dissolve can either be used to show the passage of time or show multiple scenes happening at once; but shot at different time frames.
Wipe – A transition that uses animations from the software that wipe the scene into another.
J And L Cuts – In the case of J cuts, the audio of the following clip precedes the video, and in the case of L cuts, the video of the succeeding clip precedes the audio.

Adjusting The Length

The length of your video has to be altered depending on where you plan on uploading it. Different social media platforms have different types of viewer bases. The attention span of viewers on a specific platform might not be the same as the viewers on a different one. Some platform-specific suggestions are:

Facebook – The maximum length of your videos on Facebook should not exceed two minutes as multiple studies have shown that the viewer engagement drastically falls after the two-minute mark. Short, content-packed videos tend to perform the best on this platform.
Instagram – Although you are allowed to post videos as long as one minute on Instagram, studies suggest that half a minute is the ideal length for videos on Instagram. Since it is a comparatively visual platform- the chances of people skipping your video in search of other content increase proportionate to your video size.
Twitter – Your videos can not be longer than half a minute on Twitter because of the limit set by the platform. A great way to use videos on Twitter is to post snippets of your longer videos to engage a wider viewer base.
YouTube – The length of your video should be two minutes or more on YouTube as the viewers expect lengthier videos on this platform. As long as the content is interesting, the video should receive positive feedback here.

Creating Curiosity

Nowadays, people lose interest in the content in around 8 seconds. To keep them from skipping your video, you must try to include your brand name or logo in the first few seconds for viewers to recognize you and get an idea about the content that you plan to bring forth. Using powerful visuals and pleasing music are also great ways of making people stay till the end of your video.You can always build your personal brand through social media.

Using Subtitles

If there is talking in your video, you should consider going the extra mile by adding subtitles to it.

Subtitles help non-fluent speakers of your language and audio-impaired viewers consume your content with ease. Videos on most social media platforms start playing without sound by default, and adding subtitles will help get your message through to viewers even before they click on your video. People commonly consume content on the go. They might not have the volume turned high at all times. Subtitles come in handy in situations like these because they allow you to capture the attention of your audience without the need for an audio device.

Using the 3-2-1 Rule

The worst nightmare of a video editor you ask? -to lose the data that they were working on. To combat this problem, you should use the 3-2-1 rule. The 3-2-1 rule is a time-tested backup technique that simply states that you should have 3 copies of your data(Including the original); on 2 different types of media, and 1 of the copies to keep physically distanced from the other two- to be used in the event of a disaster.

The Endnote

Although video editing might seem like an arduous task as a content creator, it is an integral part of video production and one that you can not do without. With the help of tools such as an online video editor, you can achieve breath-taking results in your videos and open new vistas as a social media content creator.