SHOULD YOU USE FREE WEB HOSTING FOR YOUR WEB VIDEO WEBSITE

When you have decided to take part of the web video craze on your website, you probably have many questions.  Some of these questions range from what type of video should you make, is your video long enough and even down to should you put music in your video?  However, the most important question that you must answer is should you use a free web hosting company for your web videos?  While many people use these free web hosting services for their web videos, it is not the best way to host your web video.  But why is this? 

The main reason why hosting your web video on a free server is because many of these free servers will have bandwidth restrictions, but what exactly is this?  Every time someone views your video, the video is sent from the hosting server to their computer.  This requires bandwidth, and the longer your video, and depending on how it is optimized, you will use a certain amount of bandwidth.  If you are like most people, then you want your web video to be extremely popular, and thus it will help your business, or ego, grow.

However, when you use a free web hosting server that has limited bandwidth, you may quickly exceed this bandwidth.  What happens after this usually depends on the web hosting service you are with, although many of these hosting companies will simply shut down your website after it has exceeded your monthly allowance. 

While the above answer should be enough reason to not host your web video site on a free web hosting service, many people still think that this is the best way to promote their videos and website.  Another major downside to using a free web host for your web video website, is because it will make you and your business, if you have one, seem extremely unprofessional.  This appearance of unprofessionalism is only increased by the every-lingering pop ups.  These banners, ads and whatever else is crawling around your website is nothing more than an annoyance to your website visitor.

Many people when they come across a website that is loaded with banners and other pop-up advertisements quickly leave because they do not want to risk the chance of infecting their computer by spyware and other malicious content.  When you hose your web videos, and website, on a free hosting service, then you are literally destroying any chance of creating a reputation and loyal relationship with your visitors, which will hinder or completely stop any sales that you hoped would occur from your web videos. 

Of course, if you want to host your videos for free, you do have many great options.  These options are from the many, reputable, web video hosting sites, such as YouTube and Google Video.  These sites will host your web video for free, and you can then direct traffic to your website from the video itself.  This is a great way to save money on the amount of bandwidth you have to purchase, as well as giving you a sense of clout among the millions of web videos out there.   

QUICK TIPS FOR LIGHTING YOUR WEB VIDEO

So you've outlined your web video, has all of the information that you need and you're ready to go out and begin filming the video that will increase traffic to your site and inform millions of people about a certain topic.  However, there is only one problem.  As you sit outside, or in your living room, you look through your camera's viewfinder only to find that the lighting is off.  While you see that the lighting needs help, you don't know what to do.  However, there are a couple of quick tips for lighting your web video that will give you the light you need, and get rid of the light you don't.  

If you want to have a beautifully lit web video, then you will want to engage in 3-Point Lighting.  This is a great way to light any type of web video, and it also ensures you will stay away from hotspots and shadows, which can ruin a video.  3-Point Lighting stands for the three main type of lights that you will be using.  These lights include Back Light, Key Light and Fill Light.  It doesn't matter what type of light you use, as long as you follow the rules that are associated with this type of lighting process.  After you have followed the process of lighting your video in this manner, you will have a gorgeous outcome. 

First of all, you need to understand what the Key Light is, and how you can use it.  The Key Light is a light that you place in front of your main subject.  Of course, you will never want to place the light directly in front of your subject, because this would ultimately wash the subject out and create unattractive shadows.  When you are placing your Key Light, you will want to put it at a 30 to 45-degree angle in front of the main subject you're shooting.  Make sure that the Key Light is to the side of the camera.  This light will give you perfect lighting for the subject, without washing it out. 

The next light in the 3-Point Lighting concept is the Fill Light.  You will place this light directly across from the Key Light, on the other side of the camera.  How you know you have the Fill Light in the correct position is the light will be parallel to the Key Light, and it will soften the shadows that the Key Light has created.  You must be careful in how bright the Fill Light is because you do not want to put too much light on the subject.  Normally, when you are using a Fill Light, you only use 50% of the light's power, or you use a soft light.  It is suggested that you do use a soft light instead of a spotlight because it provides a beautiful contrast without being too bright.  

The last light in the 3-Point Lighting design is the Back Light.  The Back Light is exactly what it sounds like, it is lighting the back of the subject.  This is very important because it will literally separate the main subject from the background by creating a nice outline of light around the rim of the main subject.  You will want to place the Back Light directly behind the main subject, and also make sure that it aligns directly with the camera.  Some filmmakers decide to place the Back Light above the subject; however, this can be dangerous.

Make sure that when you do this it is tied down appropriately; also make sure that the Back Light does not create awkward shadows on the main subject.  This is a common mishap and can cause the subject to look sickly.  The purpose of the Back Light is to allow the subject to seem three-dimensional and to also separate it from the background itself.  If you want to light your background, you will need to use a separate light. 

PLANNING YOUR WEB VIDEO

When you're making a web video, you need to treat it like a major motion picture.  Although, you will most likely not have to go to the extremes that Hollywood professionals do, there are some traits that you must pick up from them.  The most important out of all these traits is designing and planning your web video.  Making a web video that is powerful, entertaining and informative does not just "happen."  It takes time to plan out what you want to say, how you want to say it and the overall look that you want your web video to be.  The post effective web videos are those that are composed and shot with care.  The more time that you put into your web video, the better it will look.

However, it is understood that many people who want to make powerful web videos simply don't have the time to sit around and map out every detail of the video.  While doing so guarantees that you will have an aesthetically pleasing video, there is a simpler way to organize your web video.  Before you ever begin to film, you must first have a shooting, or concept, script.  Whether you literally write down dialogue that you want to say, or if you just need to organize your thoughts, always write a shooting script for a web video.  If you are making a video for a product that you are selling, then you will want to explain the product clearly, and also demonstrate the product.  This is one of the greatest aspects of web video, individuals are actually able to see the product in action before purchasing it.

With your shooting script, you will also want to lay out where you want to film the video and how many people are needed.  You may find that you can do this all yourself, however, usually the more people that you have helping you, the easier the project will be, and the better the ending result will also be.  While many people do not understand how to compose a professional shot, it is very easy to learn.  When you are looking through your camera, what you see on the screen is what will be recorded.  Take a moment before you begin filming to make sure that everything in the "frame" is what you want to be seen.

Make all of the surrounding objects neat, or simply take them away.  If you're going for a unique look to your web video, make sure that all of the elements that you want to be seen are visible within the frame.  A great way to make sure that you have a beautiful shot every time is to follow a simple rule, that even Hollywood filmmakers follow, and that is the Rule of Thirds. 

When you're filming in the Rule of Thirds, imagine that the screen is split into a basic tic-tac-toe formation.  Always make sure that the person you are filming has their head placed on either the right or left side of the screen.  Instead of filming a person that is precisely in the middle of the frame, move them over to the right or left section of the screen pattern.  This will provide the viewer with a sense of balance, and will give your web video a professional appeal to it.  You can see the Rule of Thirds in action within almost every web video or even in movies.

Next time you watch an interview, or a character in a film is giving a monologue, 90% of the time they will be positioned either on the right or left side of the screen, following the Rule of Thirds.  Also, the most important part of filming a web video is to make a story out of the video.  This doesn't mean that there needs to be dramatics involved, although this can make for an interesting addition to your video, it simply means that you will want to create a sense of flow to the information that is being given out.  

MAKING MONEY THROUGH WEB VIDEOS

There is an ever-growing quest to make money through the Internet.  This is made evident by thousands of ads claiming you can make huge amounts of income with small amounts of work.  Sadly, most of these ads are scams, and millions of people have spent their hard earned money, in an attempt to make money themselves.  However, if you are interested in making web videos, then you can actually turn a profit by doing so. This may sound difficult; however, it is very easy to start making money through web videos.

One of the best ways to make money through your web videos is by using ad revenue sharing sites.  These types of sites allow you to place your web video on their sites; however, whenever your video generates income through the ads that are placed on the page, you have created a certain amount of money.  While you will most likely not become rich through this type of site, you will however, make a decent amount of money.

The key to making the most money off of ad revenue sites is by uploading as much content as you can, and making each video for a specific type of audience.  This way you will have a targeted audience that will be more interested in clicking through the ads at the end of your video.  Some good ad revenue video sites are Revver and Google Video. 

Another way that you can make money through web videos is by going through a more professional approach that can end up being quite profitable.  These types of websites are places where you can sell your videos, and photos, such as iStockVideo.  This website allows you to sell your videos; however, they must be of a certain quality.  In order to maximize your sells through these types of sites, make sure that you take time with the videos and make them as unique and powerful as possible.  You will then see then income starting to roll in.

If you want to have a unique way to make money through web videos, than simply begin to search sponsors.  Say you really love a certain product, and you want to create videos about this product, however, before you do, contact the company that makes this product.  Let them know that you want to begin a web video campaign, and show them your ideas.   You may be surprised that it may be quite easy to get web video sponsors, and after doing so, you will be able to have someone to actually pay you for making a web video.

This is a great way to create a constant income, because if you do a good job, than most companies will keep having you make videos for them.  Remember, the key is to be professional in your videos and have at least five to ten videos already outlined and ready to film. There are many different ways that you can make money through making web videos; all it takes is a desire to succeed and a desire to be creative.  After you have done these two, you are on your way to making money by doing something you love.

LEARNING THE EMOTIONAL PEAKS AND VALLEYS OF WEB VIDEOS

 

There are several aspects that make some web videos stand out, and other sinks among the millions of videos.  These aspects vary depending on what the video is about, and the overall content of the video.  However, there are some key steps that you must take in order to have a beautiful, professional and entertaining video.  It doesn't matter if you are making a video discuss a political topic, explain a new product or if you're making a how-to video.  No matter why you're filming, there are several tips that you can follow that will make your video stand out from the millions of others.

The greatness of most web videos comes from the pre-production phase.  It is here that you will discuss how you want your video to look, what you want to say and why you want to say it.  When you figure out the answers to all of these questions, then you will be on your way to creating a wonderful web video, of course, figuring out how you want your video to look is extremely important.  If you are going for a more polished look, than you will want to spend more time discovering the actual appearance of your video, all the way down from lighting, clothing and camera angles. 

If you want to create a web video that has the presence, then you want to set a mood.  The success of a web video all depends on what mood it is giving out to its viewers.  If you want a humorous video, then there are steps to creating a video that exudes humor, and likewise with serious web videos.  The planning of how you want to convey your message is extremely important.  Of course, there are several tips that everyone must follow if they want to properly explain their content.

The first of these is making sure that your web video has a story.  In order to understand how to make a story, you must first realize what a story is.  When you think of a great story, there are usually items called peaks and valleys. 

A peak is a strong emotional moment; you can convey these many different ways.  If you are making a video about a product, then the "peak" of the story would be explaining how this product can enhance your life and what it will do for you.  The same concept is true for the "valley" of a video.  In the same product web video, the valleys would be showing how the product works, and also how it is made.

This is a great way to engage the viewers, as well as keep their information.  If you want to make a lasting impact on your web video audience, then you must touch their emotions in one way or another.  It doesn't matter if your web video makes individuals happy, sad, angry or even content when you are able to create a video that alters the mood or emotion of the viewer, then you have a very successful web video on your hands. 

HOW TO GET TRAFFIC THROUGH WEB VIDEO

There is one common goal among all webmasters and that is to increase their page views and traffic.  However, the main question is, how can you do this?  With literally thousands of how-to books circling the web, and bookstores, explaining that they have the "secret" to increased traffic; it is very difficult for a webmaster to choose the correct way to gain traffic.  While some of these books actually have great tips and information on gaining visitors to your site, there is one method that has proven itself in the last couple of years as being one of the best ways to attract loyal viewers, and potential customers.  This is done through the medium of web video, and it is an extremely powerful method to create a high-profile website that is visited by thousands of individual's every day. 

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons why so many webmasters are using web video as a means to drive traffic is because it is a great, and free, way to interact with potential visitors, as well as providing them with pivotal information that is fun to watch.  Web video is an amazingly powerful way to show your viewers information, and inform them of your various website and products.  There are several keys that you must follow when making a web video for website promotion.  When you follow these tips, you will be able to have an extremely successful web video campaign, and you will reap the benefits of this. 

The most important key to using web video for website promotion, is to make videos that are interesting, entertaining and above all else, informative.  Individuals will find your videos based on what they are about.  If you are selling a how-to book on fixing home appliances, the best way to reach your audience is to make short videos on how to fix various problems within your home.  An example of this would be to make a web video explaining the steps to fixing a leaky faucet.  This not only will give your viewers a chance to see how informative your information is, but you will also be helping them out as well.

More than likely, when you provide a web video that answers a question, the viewers will come to your site to find other answers to their various questions.  This is a great way to build loyalty with the potential customer, as well as giving them an actual reason to purchase your product. 

After you have compiled several videos on your topic, you will then need to post these videos online in order for them to be seen.  Yet, the biggest question is, where should you post your web videos?  There are literally hundreds of various web video sites that allow you to put your own video on their server.  However, the key is finding the correct site to place your video on.  It's no question that YouTube is the most popular video site on the Internet.

And by placing your video, along with proper keywords, on YouTube you will soon be experiencing a flow of constant traffic to your site.  Although, if you do not want to go through and post your videos on all of the various websites by hand, you can use video submission services to do this for you.  Perhaps the best out of all these systems is Traffic Geyser.  This system will submit your video to all of the major video hosting websites, thus growing your traffic immensely.  

HOW TO EDIT YOUR VIDEO FOR THE WEB

A web video is only as great as the editing that created it.  It doesn't matter if you have used a state-of-the-art camera, and had perfect angles, if you do not edit your video correctly for the Internet; then you will quickly find that your video is not suitable for Internet use.  Just because your video looks great on film, and on your computer, it doesn't always mean that it will look good when being used on the Internet.  This is why there are several rules that you must follow when you are editing a web video. 

There are many great web video editing tips out there, however, there are several that are the foundational tips you must follow.  Of course, like any video, you must film with editing in mind.  When you are filming your web video, make sure that you stay away from sudden camera movements, and long-distance shots.  Because of the averagely small size of a web video, when your video features many long-distance shots, you will notice that the clarity is off, and many people will not know what they are looking at. Keep everything simple, for the most part, and always make sure that you stick with close-ups. As a web video filmmaker, close-ups will be your new best friend, and it is a great way to keep your audience's attention.

Also, when you are editing your web video, you want to keep sudden, or quick, transitions at a minimum.  This is because just in case some of your viewers are running at a lower Internet connection, when you have quick transitions, their player might actually skip over a pivotal scene, and it will make the video seem choppy.  The main rule in web video editing is to make sure that everything is smooth.  If you look at some very popular web videos, you will notice that there is very little actual camera movement and camera editing performed.  Actually, there is a rule among many web videographers that they follow exactly.

This rule basically says that all of their web videos should be done with one take.  This means keeping massive amounts of transitions and different shots at a minimum.  While some videos require having many different shots, especially if you are making a how-to video, try to keep these shots smooth and precise.  However, if you are merely explaining a product, try to do so in a single shot, which will require little-to-no actual video editing.  The only editing that you may do is add text screens and other types of informative frames. 

Editing for the web is much different than any other type of editing.  If you have performed editing for actual films and other productions, you may find that editing for the web is boring, or extremely easy.  However, once you see the finished product on the Internet, and understand how smooth editing and minimal transition shots reflect the overall condition of the web video, then you will finally understand why minimal editing is key.