6 Tips to Making a Professional Marketing Video With Just Your iPhone

Whether you're short on time, money, or resources, your smartphone is one of the best communication tools you have at your disposal. With a few simple tips and techniques, you can be producing your own dynamic marketing videos at no cost with just your phone. You can easily add music, text, transitions, slow motion, photos, and adjust audio settings to make your video look very professional. Take the first step by utilizing these 6 tips to get you going. The first tip is key. I use an iPhone, but you can use an Android device as well, there are plenty of quality video editing apps.

See the videos I created with just my iPhone below.

1. Use the free iMovie app (there are others video editing apps that are free and good too) to create your videos in. iMovie is very user friendly, is now free on all new iPhones, and already installed on your iPhone. This editing app is the key to adding all the fancy texts, music, slow motion, transitions, and even narrations that will make your video look amazing.

2. Wipe your camera lens before shooting your video! This sounds simple, but many people forget to do this, and that's why you see photos and videos that seem a little blurry or out of focus. I know mom told you not to, but go ahead and wipe it clean on your shirt sleeve.

3. Shoot your video with your phone in the horizontal or landscape position, NOT vertical. When you should vertical that's when you get those black bars on the side. Filming horizontal makes your video a perfect fit for YouTube as it fills the screen proportionally.

4. Don't film into the sun or lights. This will make your subjects dark as the camera is automatically adjusting to the bright light. Position yourself so the sun or light source is at your back and shining on your subjects. For example, if you're filming a football game from the sideline and the sun is setting across the field, you are going to get some very dark shots when your camera is angled toward the sun. Instead, film from the other sideline so the sun is at your back and lighting the field for you. The difference is remarkable.

Don't shoot into the sun, notice the image is dark and difficult to see.

5. Audio is very important if you are doing interviews. There are external microphones that you can buy, and I recommend this one via Amazon for only $18.95. So, if you want to use the mic on your camera for an interview it will do a good job, but you must do it correctly. In the videos below I did interviews with just the iPhone mic. First, get to a quiet area and get as close to your interview subject as possible, but you also need to get their entire head in the shot. Then make sure your finger or hand is not covering the mic area.

6. Use a tripod when possible. If you are filming sports or something that is moving and can't use a tripod, keep your elbows tucked against your body to act as stabilizer. Also, when panning move very slow and try to limit how much you pan. Slight movements and shaky video will make people sea sick. This is a skill that takes practice. Less movement and slower is better, and a tripod is always best. *You can get a very good Amazon Basics tripod for about $25 or less, and you just need an adapter to hold your phone. This is a great handheld tripod on Amazon that has multiple uses including a blue tooth remote for under $20.

Any other tips you have? Please comment and share below.