3 video errors to avoid on social media

Not every video you post on your social channels must have Oscar-worthy production values.

Sometimes you need to move more quickly—and spend less money—than you can when using a professional videographer. However, even for smartphone video quickly captured in the field, a few simple steps can improve the final quality of your videos.

Here are three quick tips for capturing better video in situations where it doesn’t make sense to hire an external videographer:

1. Don’t stand too far away.

In photography circles, there’s an aphorism that applies equally well to video: “Zoom with your feet.” Even if you are using a dedicated camera with an optical zoom lens, you’re better off standing closer to your subject.

Particularly for social media, where it’s likely your video will be watched at a smaller size or on a small device, you want your subject to fill up as much of the frame as possible. Chances are that we don’t need to see your video subject’s knees.