10 Tips For Overcoming Video 'Stage Fright' On Social Media
The addition of new stories and IGTV features in the Instagram landscape has solidified the importance of video marketing for all businesses, so I’m not letting you off the hook on this one.
I get it, setting up a camera and talking to it is oddly intimidating. It makes you forget your name, stutter after every sentence, and epically fail at creating a video that shows off your personality. I’ve coached my clients through this video making struggle, and I’m here to coach you on my best tips to falling in love with video and kicking those nerves to the curb.
Find a video form you like.
There are so many ways to create visual content now on social media. I want to preface these tips by saying you don’t have to hop on the IGTV train. You can create valuable video content on any platform including stories, lives, YouTube videos, and even Facebook videos. Do what feels good and your stagefright will diminish. Film in selfie form, sitting down, walking around, or even lives if that’s your thing.
Plan your video content and make notes.
There’s an extremely high chance that if you prepare film without a rough sketch of the points you’re going to talk about, you’ll blank out. The good ole “I completely forgot what I was even going to talk about” blank stare occurs followed by your personal choice of mumbles and grumbles that lead to take 27. I always like to create a brief sticky note with the points I’d like to hit so I stay on track and have something to refer back to when creating IGTV content.
Don’t overthink, accept the stumbles.
Unless you’re a video pro, getting it perfect on your first go is quite unlikely. But don’t let this fluster you. Let’s say you stumble a bit over your words… keep going. Try not to bring attention to the mistake (only you probably notice), and keep chatting. If you’re confident with your content, a stumble or two in natural and makes you appear relatable.
Film the video into chunks and use an editing app.
If you’re struggling to create a video in one go, try filming a video and editing using an app called InShot. My go-to tip for creating my IGTV videos is to sit down and film a long clip that can be trimmed down. It makes it easy to stop if you lose your train of thought, edit out that portion, and add in the clip you loved.
Start off small.
When starting out with video, I always like to suggest starting off small then making your way to creating longer videos or lives. Start by filming a quick 30-second tip on your IG stories including two 15 second tips. Then, start adding in IGTV or Facebook videos. Are you wanting to try out a live stream? Team up with someone in your industry for a shared IG live. Not only will it help you feed off their energy, you’ll be offering more value and reaching even more followers.
Just use your phone… trust me.
If you think your phone is scary, your snazzy DSLR is even scarier. I suggest filming on your handy dandy smartphone for social media including stories, IGTV, and Facebook videos. Stick with the back of your camera when you can for more polished videos since that camera offers higher video quality.
Use a mixture of text and words when applicable
If you’re wanting to start slowly creating valuable stories on Instagram, try using a mixture of text and talking clips. Using text ensures you clearly convey your point while the filmed videos give off a personal feel which is the goal with social media. With 40% of stories viewers watching without sound, adding transcriptions to your videos will increase engagement.
Practice, Practice, Practice.
The best way to overcome those social media video fears? Start. The more you practice and perfect your videos, the less fear inducing they’ll become. If you’re not ready to post your first new type of video content, test out the waters by sending a practice video it to a business friend or loved one for constructive feedback first.
Have fun!
Social media shouldn’t be scary or stressful, it should be fun! Find the process that works for you and start killin’ it. If you ever need an expert’s advice on creating content or increasing clarity for your social strategy, I offer social media coaching and strategy sessions.
