4 Ways to Improve Your Video Quality

I've been doing YouTube since my first vlog nearly 10 years ago and, to be honest, the rate at which I've "improved" as a videographer, editor, and producer has not been (ahem) very fast.

It's taken a long time for me to figure out things like "my voice" and the production flow and cadence that works well for me and the limited amount of time that I have in any given day.

And because I don't have an official background in video having never had a full-time role (or even a part-time / contract one!) or job in the space, I've had to teach myself everything from scratch, effectively experimenting (and failing) my way through it all for years.

This isn't surprising because we all know that "bad is where you start" on most things in life!

So, outside of the next 4 tips, Tip #0 for improving your video quality is to keep practicing and not give up! Get the first few (or even dozen!) "bad" videos out of the way as quickly as you can so you can learn the fundamentals and start creating a foundation upon which to improve!

With that in mind, here are 4 things that you can do to quickly and easily "upgrade" your video and production quality without breaking the bank.

Step #1 — Your Environment and Set

When I first started YouTube I didn't even consider the environment in which I was recording my videos! I know, totally n00b mistake, but, something that can make a dramatic difference in not just the video quality but also the sound!

A few things to think about:

1. Lighting — Make sure you have good lighting that is directed at your face and isn't competing with other sources, like natural light from your windows. Make sure you're not sitting behind an open window!
2. Sound — Managing the echos in your video takes up a lot of time so spending even a small amount of time situating your camera in different spots around your room can make a dramatic impact.
3. Clutter — Sometimes reducing the clutter around your desk or even behind you when recording can make your videos stand out a little bit more. It's important to take pride in your videos, even if you don't have much time to put them together.

Step #2 — Your Equipment Matters... Eventually.

I strongly suggest that most folks start their YouTube careers by first using what is currently available and, hopefully, cheap if not entirely free.

In other words, using your existing mobile phone which has a pretty decent camera built-in is a great place to start — I spent more than a year with just my iPhone, the free iOS iMovie app, and a < $30 tripod!

But, the moment you feel as if you're going to take this a bit more seriously, I'd suggest getting something dedicated, like a newer GoPro or even handheld camera because these usually have much more power in both video and audio quality for capture and record.

Investing in an after-market microphone is also something that will immediately bump the quality of your videos with necessarily increasing work, which is an important consideration throughout your entire workflow.

The key here is to not over-invest too early because there are too many of us who have over-bought technology only to regret it very, very quickly.

Step 3 — Intentional Practice Makes Better

This goes without saying but there is a direct relationship between the growing quality of a YouTubers channel and the amount of practice or "repetitions" that they put into it.

In other words, the folks who are producing quantitatively more videos in aggregate (i.e. putting in the practice and reps) see faster improvement, generally-speaking.

A good analogy is simply comparing someone who practices 100 basketball free throws a day versus someone who does a few dozen every once in a while.

Intentionally practicing your capture, edit, and production skills will result in greater fluency with the tools and the craft itself. Either you do this by accident or you do this on purpose! The latter, of course, see far greater growth curves than the former.

Step 4 — Community-Powered Growth

A non-obvious strategy that has helped me grow not only my YouTube subscriber count but also the quality of my videos is simply being connected with other video creators, many of them becoming good friends.

In short, creating content is hard and you can run out of steam and motivation pretty quickly! But, a strong community of likeminded folks keeps the fire burning strong, even and especially when I don't want to upload anything.

A community can give you the encouragement and support you need to keep going while also being a great place to get help, tips, and coaching that can also boost your work and outcomes.

Most content creators start their channels in isolation, too scared to be "public" about their earlier work! I'd counsel to go the opposite direction, taking a "build in the open" approach that'll accelerate your learning.

Finally, I believe that video is one of the most under-utilized (and free!) resources out there for indie creators, builders, and entrepreneurs. There's a near-infinite upside waiting for those courageous enough to get in front of a camera and share... let's get to it!

Good luck!