Blog - Step In Front of the Camera

Pay Attention to What People Are Already Asking

One of the easiest ways to create content you know will resonate is to ask your audience directly what they want to see. Instead of guessing what topics might be helpful or hoping your ideas land, you're going straight to the source and letting your audience tell you what they're struggling with, what questions they have, and what would be most valuable to them right now.

A lot of creators hesitate to do this because they think it makes them look like they don't know what they're doing or they're worried nobody will respond. But asking your audience what they want shows that you're paying attention to their needs instead of just creating content in a vacuum.

Most people appreciate being asked because it makes them feel heard and involved in what you're building. The key is asking in a way that makes it easy for people to respond and actually using what they tell you instead of just collecting feedback and ignoring it.

Ask Specific Questions Instead of Vague Ones

If you post something like "What do you want to see next?" you'll either get crickets or answers that are too broad to be useful. But if you ask a specific question, people know exactly what you're looking for and they're more likely to give you actionable responses.

Instead of "What content should I make?" ask "What's the biggest challenge you're facing with staying consistent right now?" or "If I made a tutorial, what skill would be most helpful to see?" You're narrowing the focus so people can give you targeted answers that you can actually turn into content.

Specific questions help you understand what your audience is really dealing with instead of getting generic requests that don't move you forward. You're learning about their actual pain points, not just their surface-level interests.

Creators who've asked good questions in meetings, interviews, or conversations throughout your life can apply that same skill here. You know how to ask questions that get useful answers. Just use that instinct with your audience.

Use Polls and Question Stickers

Polls and question stickers on platforms like Instagram Stories make it incredibly easy for people to respond because it takes them about two seconds. You can ask a simple either-or question with a poll, or you can use a question sticker to let people type in their answers.

Maybe you ask "What time of day do you usually create content?" with options for morning, afternoon, or evening. Or you ask "What's one thing you wish someone would explain about content creation?" and let people type their answers. You're making it so low-effort that even people who wouldn't normally comment will participate.

As these responses come in quickly, you get immediate feedback you can use to plan your next few pieces of content. You're not waiting weeks to gather insights. You're getting them in real time.

Create a Post Inviting Questions or Topic Requests

Every once in a while, make a post or video specifically asking people what they want you to cover next. Let them know you're planning your content and you want to make sure you're addressing what actually matters to them.

Something like "I'm planning content for next month and I want to make sure I'm covering what you need. What's one topic you'd like me to explain or one question you have about [your niche]? Drop it in the comments." You're opening the door for people to tell you exactly what they want, and you're making it clear that you'll actually use their input.

When people do respond, acknowledge them. Reply to their comments, thank them for the ideas, and let them know when you create content based on their suggestions. This reinforces that their input matters and encourages more people to share what they're thinking.

Creators who value input and collaboration from others can make this a regular part of your content strategy. You're not just broadcasting. You're having a two-way conversation where your audience helps shape what you create.

Pay Attention to What People Are Already Asking

Sometimes your audience is already telling you what they want without you needing to ask. Look at the questions you're getting in comments, DMs, and replies. If multiple people are asking about the same thing, that's a clear signal that you should create content addressing it.

Keep a running list of these questions so you can spot patterns. Maybe five people have asked you about which tools you use for editing. That's your next video. Maybe several people have mentioned struggling with the same challenge. That's content waiting to happen.

You're not ignoring what's right in front of you waiting for formal feedback. You're using the organic questions and comments you're already receiving as a guide for what to create next.

Test Topics Before You Fully Commit

If you're not sure whether a topic will resonate, test it with a quick post or Story before you invest time in creating a full video or tutorial. Share a short tip or thought related to the topic and see how people respond. If it gets good engagement and questions, that's validation that the full version is worth making.

This saves you from spending an hour creating content that nobody cares about. You're using a small test to gauge interest before you go all-in, and that's just smart content strategy.

Creators who've tested ideas, products, or strategies before fully launching them in other areas of life can use that same cautious approach here. You're not guessing blindly. You're gathering data and making informed decisions.

Let Your Audience Choose Between Options

If you've got a few ideas for what to create next but you're not sure which one to prioritize, let your audience choose. Post a poll or a question asking which topic they'd rather see first. "Should I make a video about planning content or about staying motivated? Let me know in the comments."

This takes the pressure off you to decide and it gives your audience ownership over what you're creating. And whichever option wins, you know people are interested because they literally voted for it.

You can still create the other options eventually. You're just using your audience's input to decide what order to tackle them in.

Follow Through and Show You Listened

The most important part of asking your audience what they want is actually creating content based on what they tell you. If people take the time to share their questions or requests and you ignore them, they'll stop responding when you ask in the future.

When you create content based on audience feedback, mention it. "A bunch of you asked about this, so here's a full breakdown" or "This video is answering the question I got from [name] last week." You're closing the loop and showing that their input led directly to content, which encourages more people to share what they're thinking next time.

If someone suggested a topic that inspired your content, tag them or mention them. People love being recognized, and it shows your audience that you're paying attention to individuals, not just treating them like numbers.

Asking your audience what they want next removes the guesswork from content creation and ensures you're making things that actually matter to the people following you.

Use polls, ask specific questions, pay attention to what's already being asked, and follow through by creating the content people request. When your audience feels heard and sees that their input shapes what you create, they become more invested in your success and more likely to engage with everything you post.

For setting up your studio to create your videos check out "7 steps to produce your first show."

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Stories Connect With Your Audience

How to Use Stories for Quick Wins

Stories on platforms like Instagram and Facebook are one of the easiest, lowest-pressure ways to stay visible and connect with your audience. They disappear after 24 hours, which means people don't expect them to be polished or perfect. You can be casual, spontaneous, and real in a way that feels harder to do with permanent posts.

A lot of creators skip Stories because they seem too fast-paced or informal, or because they're not sure what to post there. But Stories are actually one of the best tools you have for building connection without spending a ton of time or energy. You can film something in 30 seconds, post it, and move on with your day.

As Stories disappear, there's less pressure to make them look perfect. You're not building a permanent portfolio. You're just showing up and staying top of mind with the people who follow you.

Use Stories to Share Quick Tips

If you've got a short tip or idea that doesn't need a full post or video, share it in a Story. It can be a single slide with text, a quick video where you explain something in 15 seconds, or even just a photo with a caption that offers a piece of advice.

These videos don't need to be groundbreaking. Simple, actionable tips work great. Something like "Batch your captions on Sunday so you're not scrambling during the week" or "Turn off notifications while you're filming so you don't get interrupted" is useful and easy to consume.

Stories are perfect for this because they're quick to create and quick to watch. Your audience can swipe through, grab the tip, and apply it immediately without committing to a longer piece of content.

Creators can use Stories to share the small things you've learned that don't warrant a full video but are still worth mentioning. These little nuggets of advice add up and keep you visible without requiring hours of work.

Show Behind-the-Scenes Moments

People love seeing what's happening behind the content you create. Stories are the perfect place to show your workspace, your filming setup, or what you're working on that day. It doesn't need to be fancy or staged. Just hold up your phone and show people what's going on.

Maybe you're about to film a video and you show your setup. Or you're planning your content for the week and you share a quick shot of your planner. Or you're editing a video and you give a quick update on how it's going.

These behind-the-scenes moments make you more relatable and give people a sense of what goes into creating your content. And they're easy to capture because you're just documenting what you're already doing.

Creators who feel awkward being on camera all the time can use Stories to show more of their process and less of their face. You're still connecting with your audience, but you're doing it in a way that feels less performative.

Ask Questions and Get Feedback

Stories have features like polls, question stickers, and sliders that make it easy to ask your audience for input. Use these to get feedback, spark conversation, or just learn more about what your audience is dealing with.

You can ask simple questions like "Do you batch your content or create it daily?" and use the poll feature to let people vote. Or you can use the question sticker to ask "What's your biggest challenge with staying consistent?" and let people type their answers.

This does two things. First, it boosts engagement because people like sharing their opinions. Second, it gives you insight into what your audience needs, which helps you create better content for them.

When people respond, reply to them as these one-on-one interactions build stronger connections than anything else you can do on social media.

Promote Your Latest Content

When you post a new video or piece of content, share it in your Stories so your followers know it's there. Social media algorithms don't show your posts to everyone who follows you, so Stories give you a second chance to reach people who might have missed it.

You can share a clip from your video, a screenshot of your post, or just a quick slide that says "New video is up—link in bio." Keep it simple and direct. You're just making sure people know you've posted something new.

You can reshare the same piece of content in Stories a couple times over the next day or two if you want. Stories disappear quickly, so people who didn't see it the first time might catch it the second or third time you post it.

Creators shouldn't feel weird about promoting their own content. You put effort into creating it, and you're just making sure the people who want to see it actually know it's there.

Share Quick Wins or Updates

If something good happens during your day—a milestone, a small win, or even just a moment you're proud of—share it in a Story. People like seeing progress and success, and it reminds them that you're actively working toward your goals.

Maybe you just hit 100 email subscribers, or you finally figured out how to use a tool that's been frustrating you, or you filmed three videos in one sitting. These updates don't need their own full post, but they're perfect for Stories.

Sharing wins makes you more relatable because people see that you're on a journey just like they are. You're not pretending everything's perfect. You're celebrating progress, and that's motivating for people who are trying to do the same thing.

Repurpose Content Into Story Slides

If you've already created a post or video, you can pull pieces of it and turn them into Story slides. Take a key tip from your video, add it to a text slide, and post it. Or screenshot a caption from a post and share it in Stories.

This gives your content more mileage without requiring you to create something brand new then it reaches people who might not have seen the original post or video.
You're not spamming people by resharing pieces of your content. You're just making sure your ideas reach as many people as possible in the formats they prefer.

Keep Your Stories Casual and Real

The biggest advantage of Stories is they don't need to be polished. You can film them in bad lighting, without makeup, in your regular clothes, and nobody cares. In fact, people often prefer that because it feels more authentic and less staged.

Don't overthink Stories. Just grab your phone, say what you want to say or show what you want to show, and post it. The casualness is part of what makes them effective. You're giving people a glimpse of your real life and your real process, and that builds connection better than any perfectly edited video ever could.

Creators who feel pressure to look perfect or have everything together can relax with Stories. They're meant to be quick, casual, and human. And that's exactly why they work so well for building a loyal audience that feels connected to you.

For easy ways to do video check out "7 Steps to Produce Your First Show."

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Easy Content Ideas When You Don’t Know What to Post

The hardest part of being consistent with content isn't the recording or the editing. It's sitting down and staring at a blank screen with no clue what to talk about. And when that happens day after day, it's easy to convince yourself you just don't have anything interesting to share.

But that's not true. The problem isn't that you don't have ideas. It's that you're either overthinking what counts as content or you're waiting for something dramatic to happen before you feel like you have something worth posting. Most good content comes from ordinary moments and simple observations, not once-in-a-lifetime events.

You can sometimes feel extra pressure here because you think you need to compete with younger creators who seem to post about exciting things all the time. But what actually connects with people is relatability and usefulness, not how adventurous or polished your life looks. You've got plenty to work with if you know where to look.

Mine Your Daily Routines for Content

Your regular day is full of content ideas even if it doesn't feel like it. Think about the things you do every single day without even thinking about them. How you organize your morning, what you do to stay on top of your schedule, how you handle interruptions, how you prep for the week ahead. All of that is content.

Your content doesn't need to be groundbreaking. If you've figured out a way to remember all your passwords or you have a system for keeping track of appointments, that's something other people are trying to figure out too. Show them what works for you. It doesn't matter if someone else has already made content about it. They haven't made it the way you would, and they don't have your specific take on it.

You can lean into this even more because you've likely built habits and systems over the years that actually work. You're not guessing or experimenting like someone in their twenties might be doing. You've already tested things through real life, and that gives your content a level of credibility that's hard to fake.

Walk through a typical day and write down five things you do regularly. Each one of those can be a post or video. You don't need to make them fancy. Just explain what you do and why it works for you.

Turn Problems Into Content

Anytime you run into a problem and figure out how to solve it, you've got content. It can be something small like figuring out how to stop your phone from eating up storage space, or something bigger like working through a frustrating tech issue that kept tripping you up.

People love problem-solution content because it's immediately useful. And the best part is you don't need to be an expert to make it. You just need to have dealt with the problem recently enough that you remember what it felt like and what actually helped.

If you spent twenty minutes this morning trying to find a file on your computer and eventually figured it out then make a video about it. If you discovered a better way to organize your content ideas after losing track of them for weeks then share that. These aren't boring topics. They're exactly what people are searching for when they're stuck.

Here's something to remember as a creator: the problems you're solving might feel basic to you, but they're not basic to everyone. Plenty of people are still figuring out the same things you just worked through, and they'd rather learn from someone who explains it clearly than someone who makes them feel dumb for not knowing.

Share What You're Learning Right Now

You don't have to wait until you've mastered something to talk about it. In fact, some of the best content comes from sharing what you're learning in real time. If you're figuring out how to use a new app, trying a different approach to planning your content, or experimenting with a tool you've never used before then document it.

This method works because it's relatable. People like watching someone go through the same learning curve they're on. It makes them feel less alone, and it also makes you more approachable because you're not positioning yourself as someone who has it all figured out.

You sometime hesitate here because you think you should only share things you’re already good at doing. But people actually appreciate seeing the learning process, especially from someone who's willing to admit they're still figuring things out. It makes your content feel real instead of overly polished or preachy.

You can make this even easier by batching it. If you're learning something new this week then make a few pieces of content about different parts of the process. Day one might be "Here's what I'm trying to figure out." Day three could be "This part was harder than I expected." By the end of the week, you've got "Here's what worked and what didn't." That's multiple posts from one experience.

Answer Questions You Get Asked Repeatedly

If people ask you the same question more than once then turn it into content. It doesn't matter if it's a question about your process, a tool you use, or advice you've given before. If multiple people want to know, it's worth making a post or video about it.

You don't need to wait for people to ask you directly. Think about the questions you had when you were starting out as a content creator. Chances are, other people have those same questions right now. What did you wish someone had explained to you early on? That's your content idea right there.

You may often underestimate how much people want to hear from you specifically. You bring a different perspective than someone half your age, and that perspective matters. When you answer questions or share advice, you're not just repeating information. You're filtering it through your own experience, and that's what makes it valuable.

Keep a running list of questions people ask you, either in comments, DMs, or just in regular conversations. Every time someone says "How do you do that?" or "What do you use for that?" add it to your list. You'll never run out of content ideas as long as you're paying attention to what people actually want to know.

Repurpose Old Ideas in New Formats

If you've already made content about something, you can revisit it in a different way. Maybe you wrote a post about it six months ago, but now you can make a video. Or you made a long video, but you can pull out one section and turn it into a short clip with text on screen.

This isn't being repetitive. It's recognizing that not everyone saw your content the first time, and even the people who did might need a reminder or a different angle on the same topic. Plus, you've probably learned more since you first talked about it, so you can add new insights or update what you said before.

Creators are especially good at this because you've likely said the same things in different ways throughout your life depending on who you were talking to. You already know how to adjust your message based on the format or the audience. Social content is no different.

Content ideas are everywhere once you stop waiting for something big to happen. Your routines, your problems, your learning process, and the questions people ask you are all fair game. And the more you practice spotting these moments, the easier it gets to know what's worth sharing and what people will actually care about.

For more on getting setup with a studio to create video, go to “7 Steps to Produce Your First Show.”

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Using Captions That People Will Love

Captions matter more than a lot of creators realize. They're not just an afterthought you slap on before posting. A good caption can be the difference between someone scrolling past your content and someone stopping to engage with it.

And when you're creating content that could appeal to people across different age groups, your captions need to work for everyone without talking down to anyone or trying too hard to sound like something you're not.

The good news is that clear, straightforward captions work for everyone. You don't need separate strategies for younger and older audiences. You just need to write in a way that's accessible, engaging, and human. When your captions are easy to read, easy to understand, and add value to the content, they work regardless of who's reading them.

Keep Your Opening Line Strong

The first line of your caption is the most important because that's what people see before they have to click "more" to read the rest. If your opening line doesn't grab them, they won't bother expanding the caption to see what else you have to say.

Start with something that creates curiosity, states a benefit, or makes a bold claim. "Here's the mistake that cost me three months of progress" works better than "Today I want to talk about something important." The first one makes people want to know what the mistake was. The second one is vague and doesn't give them a reason to keep reading.

And your opening line should connect directly to your video or image. If there's a disconnect between what people see and what your caption says, they'll be confused and they'll move on. Make sure your caption complements and expands on your content, not competes with it.

Content creators can write opening lines that reflect your natural communication style. You don't need to be overly dramatic or use clickbait language. Just be direct and clear about why someone should care about what you're sharing.

Write in Short Paragraphs

Long blocks of text are hard to read on a phone screen, and most people won't bother. Break your caption into short paragraphs—two or three lines max—with space between them. This makes it way easier to scan and digest, especially for people who are scrolling quickly.

Shorter paragraphs work better for everyone. Younger audiences who are used to fast-paced content appreciate the brevity. Older audiences who might have vision issues or just prefer clarity appreciate not having to wade through dense text.

Use line breaks generously. Even if it makes your caption a little longer vertically, that's fine. The white space makes it more inviting and less intimidating to read.

Avoid Jargon and Overly Complex Language

Your caption should be understandable to someone who's brand new to your topic. If you're using industry terms, acronyms, or complicated language, you're creating barriers that make people feel like your content isn't for them.

Write like you're explaining something to a smart person who just doesn't know this particular thing yet. Use simple words, define anything that might be unfamiliar, and don't assume everyone has the same background knowledge you do.

This doesn't mean you're dumbing things down. You're just being inclusive. And clear writing is good writing regardless of your audience's age. Nobody benefits from unnecessarily complicated captions.

Creators who've worked in professional environments might default to more formal or technical language, but social media captions work better when they're conversational. Write the way you'd talk to someone sitting across from you at a coffee shop.

Add Value Beyond What's in the Video

Your caption shouldn't just repeat what you said in your video or describe what's in your image. It should add something extra. Maybe you expand on a point you made, share a related tip, or give context that makes the content more useful.

If your video is about staying consistent with content, your caption might share the specific system you use to track your posting schedule. If your image shows a finished project, your caption might explain the biggest challenge you faced while making it.

You're giving people a reason to read the caption even after they've watched the video.

And this added value makes people more likely to engage. When your caption teaches something or shares insight, people feel like they got more out of your content, and they're more likely to comment, save, or share.

Use Emojis Sparingly

Emojis can make your caption feel more friendly and approachable, but too many of them make it hard to read and can come across as trying too hard. Use them to break up sections, add a little personality, or emphasize a point, but don't sprinkle them throughout every sentence.

One or two emojis per caption is usually plenty. You're using them as punctuation or visual markers, not as a replacement for words. Choose emojis that actually relate to what you're saying instead of just throwing in random ones for decoration.

Creators who aren't sure how to use emojis can keep it simple. A thumbs up, a pointing finger to draw attention to something, or a lightbulb for an idea all work fine and won't confuse anyone.

Include a Clear Call to Action

Every caption should tell people what to do next. Do you want them to comment? Share the post? Check out a link? Follow you for more? Whatever it is, say it clearly at the end of your caption.

Your call to action should match what your content is trying to accomplish. If you're starting a conversation, ask a question that invites comments. If you're sharing something educational, ask people to share it with someone who needs it. If you're introducing yourself, ask people to follow for more.

Keep it simple. One clear ask is better than multiple competing ones. "What's worked for you? Drop a comment below" is clear and easy. "Like, comment, share, follow, and check the link in my bio" is overwhelming.

Creators can frame your calls to action as invitations rather than demands. You're not telling people what to do. You're suggesting an easy next step that benefits them as much as it benefits you.

Proofread Before You Post

Typos and obvious errors make your caption harder to read and can undermine your credibility. Take an extra 30 seconds to read through your caption before you post it. Catch the mistakes, fix the awkward phrasing, and make sure everything makes sense.

You don't need to be perfect. The occasional typo happens and most people won't care. But if your caption is full of errors, people will notice and it reflects poorly on the quality of your content overall.

Reading your caption out loud helps you catch mistakes you might miss when you're just scanning it silently. If something sounds weird when you say it, rewrite it.

Test Different Caption Lengths

Some posts work better with longer captions that go deep on a topic. Others work better with short, punchy captions that get straight to the point. Pay attention to which style your audience responds to and adjust based on what's working.

If you notice that your longer, storytelling captions get more engagement, lean into that. If shorter captions perform better, keep them brief. Your audience will tell you what they prefer through their engagement, and you can adapt your approach based on that feedback.

Creators can use your natural communication style as a starting point. If you're a storyteller, your captions can reflect that. If you're more direct and to-the-point, your captions can be shorter. There's no one right length. There's just what works for you and your audience.

Good captions are clear, valuable, and easy to read. They work for everyone because they respect people's time, don't make assumptions about what they know, and give them a reason to engage. Write your captions the way you'd want to read them, and you'll connect with audiences across every age group.

To setup your studio for making videos get the "7 Steps to Produce your first show".

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Camera Confidence and You

Talking to a camera feels weird at first. There's no getting around that. You're staring at a piece of glass, talking to nobody, trying to act natural while also remembering what you wanted to say and hoping you don't look ridiculous. It's not a normal way to communicate, and it's completely understandable if it makes you uncomfortable.

But here's what you need to know: everyone feels awkward on camera when they start. It's not just you, and it's not because you're older or less tech-savvy or anything like that.

It's because talking to a camera is an unnatural act, and it takes practice before it starts to feel normal. The good news is it does start to feel normal eventually, and there are things you can do right now to speed up that process.

Content creators sometimes assume they're at a disadvantage here because younger people seem so comfortable on camera. But a lot of that perceived comfort comes from reps.

They've been recording themselves since they were teenagers, so they've had years to get past the awkward phase. You're just starting, which means you're exactly where they were when they began. You'll catch up faster than you think.

Start by Recording Without Posting

One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to create perfect content right out of the gate. They hit record, feel awkward, mess up their words, and then convince themselves they're just not good at this. But nobody's good at it in the beginning, and you're not supposed to be.

Give yourself permission to record videos that never see the light of day. Hit record, say whatever comes to mind, and then delete it. Do this a few times and you'll start to notice that the awkwardness fades a little with each attempt. You're training yourself to be comfortable with the act of recording, and that's a separate skill from creating actual content.

Think of it like learning to drive. You didn't jump on the highway the first time you got behind the wheel. You practiced in a parking lot where it didn't matter if you messed up. Recording practice videos is the same thing. You're building muscle memory and getting used to the feeling of being on camera without the added pressure of needing it to be perfect.

Content creators can approach this the same way you've approached learning anything else in your life. You didn't expect to be great at something the first time you tried it, whether it was a new job skill, a hobby, or figuring out how to use new technology. This is no different. You're just getting comfortable with a new tool.

Pretend You're Talking to One Specific Person

The weirdest part about talking to a camera is that you're talking to no one. There's no face, no reaction, no feedback. And your brain knows that, which is why it feels so unnatural. But you can trick your brain a little by imagining you're talking to one specific person instead of a faceless audience.

Pick someone you know who would benefit from whatever you're explaining. Maybe it's a friend who's been asking you questions about the topic, or someone in your life who you'd naturally have this conversation with. When you're recording, picture that person sitting right behind the camera and talk to them like they're actually there.

This shifts the whole feeling of what you're doing. Instead of performing for an audience, you're just having a conversation with someone you know. And conversations are something you've been having your whole life. You already know how to do this. You're just doing it while a camera happens to be running.

And here's the thing: people can tell when you're being conversational versus when you're trying to perform. Conversational always feels more genuine and easier to watch. So by imagining you're talking to one person, you're not just making yourself more comfortable. You're also making better content.

Focus on Your Message, Not Your Appearance

A lot of the awkwardness around being on camera comes from worrying about how you look. Are you sitting weird? Is your hair okay? Do you look old? Are people going to judge you? And the more you think about that stuff, the stiffer and more self-conscious you become.

The fix is to shift your focus away from yourself and onto what you're trying to say. Before you hit record, remind yourself why you're making this video. You're teaching something, answering a question, or sharing an idea that could help someone. That's what matters. How you look is secondary.

Content creators sometimes get stuck here because there's this underlying fear that people will judge them for being older or not looking like the typical influencer. But here's what actually happens: if your content is useful and you're clear about what you're teaching, people don't care what you look like. They care about whether you helped them solve a problem or learn something new.

And honestly, a lot of people prefer learning from someone who looks like a real person instead of someone who looks overly polished or filtered. Your age and your appearance can actually work in your favor because you come across as more credible and less like you're trying to sell them something.

Use a Script or Bullet Points

Part of feeling awkward on camera comes from not knowing what to say. You start recording, your mind goes blank, and then you stumble over your words trying to remember what you wanted to talk about. That's fixable by doing a tiny bit of prep before you record.

You don't need a full script unless that's what makes you comfortable. But having a few bullet points written down gives you a roadmap so you're not trying to remember everything in the moment.

Write down your opening line, the main points you want to cover, and your closing thought. That's usually enough to keep you on track without sounding like you're reading from a teleprompter.

If you do want to use a full script, that's fine too. Just read through it a few times before you record so it doesn't sound stiff or robotic. And if you mess up while you're reading, don't worry about it. You can always pause, collect your thoughts, and start that sentence over. Nobody has to see the mistakes because you can edit them out or just do another take.

Content creators who've spent years in professional settings might be used to preparing for presentations or meetings, and you can apply that same skill here. You wouldn't walk into a meeting without knowing what you wanted to say, so don't walk into a recording without a plan either.

Record Multiple Takes and Pick the Best One

You don't have to nail it on the first try. Record the same video two or three times, and then pick whichever one felt the most natural. Often the second or third take is better because you've already said it once, so you're less nervous and more comfortable with the material.

And sometimes just knowing you can do multiple takes takes the pressure off. You're not trying to be perfect in one shot. You're just trying to get one good version out of however many attempts it takes. That's a much easier goal to hit.

This also helps you figure out what works for you. Maybe you realize you're more comfortable standing than sitting, or that you do better when you look slightly off to the side of the camera instead of straight into it. You won't know these things until you experiment a little, and doing multiple takes gives you room to try different approaches.

Keep Showing Up

The single biggest factor in getting comfortable on camera is just doing it repeatedly. The first ten videos will feel awkward. The next ten will feel a little less awkward. By the time you've made 30 or 40 videos, it'll start to feel normal, and you won't even think about it anymore.

Content creators have an advantage here because you've probably done plenty of things in your life that felt uncomfortable at first and then became second nature. You already know that discomfort fades with repetition. This is just one more thing to add to that list.

And the reality is, nobody's watching your early videos as closely as you think they are. People are scrolling fast, they're distracted, and they're focused on whether your content is useful, not whether you looked nervous or said "um" a couple times. So give yourself permission to be a little awkward while you're learning, and trust that it gets easier every single time you do it.

To get tips on how to set up a studio you can opt-in for the "7 Steps to Produce your First Show" e-book and emails.

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Major Challenges with Livestreaming

Major Challenges with Live Video Streaming

Live stream broadcasting is exciting and people are jumping on it like wild fires. But there are some key challenges that people using the technology are going to run up against. Bandwidth and buffering being two that come to mind.

Bandwidth has two issues. Video coupled with audio, uses a high amount of bandwidth. If you are one of those lucky enough to have a data plan on your smartphone with unlimited data usage, you probably have nothing to worry about. Although, talk to people that have reached a high amount of usage even on those plans. They will tell you their providers complain about fair use, etc.

If you have a plan that is limited, you could end up paying some hefty overage fees if you go over the limit. This may not be a problem if you are able to monetize as a result of the broadcasts you are doing. But you will need to make more than the extra charges that your smart device is running up.

Of course, if you are broadcasting from your home, you could easily set your phone up to use your Wi Fi connection. This will circumvent any usage on your data plan, assuming that your Wi Fi usage is still unlimited. At this point, most home internet plans allow for unlimited use. It remains to be seen if that will last forever.

Buffering can occur if you have a slow connection. If you plan on broadcasting, it is a good idea to stop any background processes from running during the broadcast. Also, you may want to shut down any file sharing and file uploads while the broadcast is running. Remember, you want to make the experience for your viewers as smooth as possible. Since broadcasting is live, any buffering will cause delays for your viewers. This will likely get them to move on from your broadcasts. The idea is to keep them coming back not to scare them off.

It’s going to be interesting to see, now that live video streaming has exploded onto the scene, how that will affect data plan prices going forward. It could be just the thing needed to motivate the phone service providers into offering more robust plans. These plans may come at a higher price, at least initially. But that is certainly a better option than having to pay per minute overages any time you go over your limits. Besides, as more phone service providers scramble to get your business, the end result will likely be lower prices across the board.

For more on livestreaming and how to set up your own studio go to "7 Steps to Produce Your Own Show".

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How To Get The Most Out of your Livestreaming

How to Get the Most Out of Your Live Stream Broadcasting

Live stream broadcasts are all the rage. Anything that a smartphone’s camera can pick up will be shown to people who have subscribed to the broadcast. Here are some tips that top live stream broadcasters use to get the most out of their broadcasts.

Relevancy

Broadcasting your dog jumping to catch a Frisbee is fun for dog lovers. But if you are presenting to a group of beekeepers about how to produce more honey, it’s a good bet you’re going to lose them pretty quickly. Have an idea of what your topic is going to be and stick to it. It’s okay once in a while to go off on a tangent just as long as it is somewhat related to your topic.

Be a Storyteller

If you get nothing else out of this article, make sure you pay special attention to this one. Storytelling is going to be the secret sauce to your success as a live stream broadcaster. Since the beginning of time, people have been telling stories as a way of entertaining and educating. It takes some practice, but is well worth the effort.

Trust

Even if you never expect to collect a dime from your viewers, build up trust with them. You do this on camera by being yourself and being genuine. Don’t try to trick them or lie to them. Be straightforward and forthcoming.

Enthusiastic

There is nothing that will get viewers to hit the exit button for your broadcast quicker than a lack of enthusiasm. Broadcasts are very much like being on TV. If there is a show on TV that is boring, you are going to most likely switch it off. People want entertainment.

Engaging

This word gets overused. But what it means in the context of broadcasting is to encourage viewers to give feedback. Likes and comments are currency in many of the live stream platforms. If someone signs on and says hello in the chat, acknowledge them by saying their name with your salutation. If they have questions, try to answer them immediately or at least let them know you will hold a Q&A at the end of the broadcast.

Captivate Your Audience

You need to hold the attention of the people that are watching your broadcast. Simply reading a script, or from something that you memorized, just isn’t going to cut it in this type of medium. You want to elicit excitement so that they not only stay on the broadcast, but they can’t wait for the next one to start. You can do this by asking a lot of questions that lead to a yes answer. For example, you could ask, “who wants to use my method to make thousands of dollars?” Who wouldn’t answer yes to that? You see this all the time in webinars. The same technique should be employed in your broadcasts. Get their juices flowing, so to speak.

Give Massive Value

Whether you are solving a problem for your audience or you are simply giving a tutorial, make it great. When you broadcast, you are essentially stealing away a chunk of your viewers’ time which is something in short supply for most of us. That’s a big responsibility. Let it be worthwhile.

For more on livestreaming and how to set up your own studio go to "7 Steps to Produce Your Own Show".

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How Businesses Can Use Livestreams

How Businesses Can Use Live Stream Broadcasts

With all the buzz surrounding live stream broadcasts, it may not be clear on how businesses can use this technology. There are likely to be some creative ways as time goes on. Here are some of the more common uses.

Interviews

Most businesses can take advantage of interviewing experts in their field. Perhaps the business owner himself will want to be the one interviewed. It is simply a matter of finding someone to interview you and creating the broadcast. But even that isn’t completely necessary as you can run the interview on your own. You simply come up with questions that you want your viewers to know the answers to, then you start broadcasting those answers.

Customer Q&A

Why not invite several of your trusted customers to jump on a live stream broadcast and let them ask you questions about your products and services? They can also tell you what they like about your products and what areas could be improved. This is a golden opportunity to connect directly with them and get some great feedback.

Business Tips Column

Any business can offer to give tips about the business to customers and potential customers. Plumbers could teach people how to identify leaks in pipes. Marketers can give tips about how to increase conversions in a sales funnel, etc. These are just two of many examples.

Testimonials

Testimonials help sell more products. Potential customers love to know that others had a great experience with products and there is no better way to provide this than to use testimonials. The challenge will be in convincing customers to do so via a live broadcast. The app available from Periscope has made it quite easy for anyone to create a broadcast with smartphones. A word of caution about testimonials: be sure to ask the customers to provide an honest testimonial. Governments are cracking down on false testimonials or ones that are given in exchange for cash or awards.

Before and After Broadcasts

Any company whose business model is to transform something into something better, can easily employ before and after broadcasts. This can help show potential customers just what kind of work the business is capable of doing.

Crowdfunding

You can use broadcasting to state your case when you want to raise funds for your business initiatives. You can give information on where the money is going to go. You can also let potential funders know what kinds of rewards are available (if any) at certain levels of funding. Also, you can get people that have pledged money to state why they chose to fund your initiatives.

For more on livestreaming and how to set up your own studio go to "7 Steps to Produce Your Own Show".

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Checking Audio Settings in Xsplit Broadcaster

Hello again, it's jane gardner. And today we're going to show you one step in front of the camera about your audio with Xsplit can, is better controlled than if you're on it on a regular basis with your, with just your webcam. Uh so of course, you set your sound in your system and your control panel as to which microphone you want to use and then sometimes the software will decide to change it on you.

So you always have to check um where your microphone is working and which one it is. So let me go and show you in the back. Um how you can check to make sure that you're using your ex split rather than your systems sound. So in the back of split, uh you just open up your log brio um and then you can check here for everything to make sure everything's ok?

Systems ok? Colors, ok, et cetera and effects are ok. Make sure there's nothing on that you're not expecting to be on and then you go up into tools and then settings and then we move it over so you can see it. So in this, in the settings for ex split, you want to make sure that your audio is ok. So, uh, you don't need an audio preview because you'll probably get a lot of, um, back to from that.

So you wanna keep that as none, you have to decide what system sounds. Uh the speakers are, uh when you're working with it. Um right now, all I'm going to do with my speakers is play back it once I've recorded. So I just want to make sure it's on the speakers that I want.

So I have some portable speaker speakers, real tech, for example. Um but you could also use your um computer speaker. Um I have some um high definition audio uh software. Um you could use the speakers in your computer, the real tech audio.

Um I have a microphone that also has um speaker settings and I can listen to whatever I've recorded through the speaker in may yet. But you didn't, wouldn't want to do that because you're gonna have um bounce back of your voice as you're talking. So it's very difficult to read to listen to.

So, yeah, so for this one, I happen to have some portable speakers that I use. So I set that to um this one and then of course you don't want to delay. Um um if you're into music and stuff, that's probably what that's good for. And then you have to make sure your microphone is the right one that you want to use.

So I use the microphone to record and I have accidentally had the split audio um on and it's lower, but it did record my voice. Um the default microphone. Um you don't even know what the default microphone is. You'd have to check that and make sure if it's the computer or the monitor.

And then of course, the loch brio, which is my webcam also has a microphone. So you don't want that, that one either because it's fairly quiet. So you want to make sure that the microphone is the one that you want to use the usb, especially make sure that that is picked as the microphone before you even start.

And usually for these kind of recordings, you just want to use mono, you don't want to use stereo and same with audio mixing. It's just automatic because you just want to keep it simple. And so that's, that's audio. Uh you have to check in the back of ex split to make sure the settings are ok. And so just apply and say, ok, and there you go.

So those should hopefully be still the same settings. So let's go back to a better scene. So it continuously uses those settings when you're broadcasting regardless of what scene you go into. Of course, you can change the um settings for the audio um for any scene.

Um you can, I i have to show that to you later because it's within the this um studio um scenes, you can uh turn off the or you can turn on the speakers. So if you had a video that you wanted to blast out on your production on a different scene, then you have to make sure that that speaker is on and doing the music that you want to do.

Of course, this one doesn't have any. So um that's where you basically control your audio for when you're broadcasting with split. Um obviously, when you're broadcasting with your webcam, you just make sure your settings are ok in the control panel for sound and that you've got the right microphone and the right speakers that you want to use because I have downloaded a new version of explicit occasionally and all of a sudden it's changed my microphone and my speakers and I have to do another recording because the first one was wrong. So that is one of the important things to do before you start a broadcast is to check your sound settings, audio for your microphone and your speaker before you start because you want to have the best.

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Adjusting your Colour on your Webcam

Hello everyone today. I'm going to be showing you some fun stuff about color and your webcam. Now, this is not me speaking. This is a recording I had to use outside of seeing me live. So ignore what they're saying. But this is behind the scenes in my Xsplit software.

And I'm going to be showing you how to change the color on your computer. Well actually no on your software. So I've got two scenes here and each scene has a Logitech Brio in each scene so I can change the color of one scene from another. So I've opened up the webcam here for the webcam and it has different choices.

And so the first thing we're gonna look at is Chroma key. I've just turned off the green screen and matched it to the green color just in that scene. So it's black. And then you can put a scene behind that. But Chroma key works really well in this software Xsplit because as you can see my curtain is very wrinkled, but you can't see any wrinkles in my other scene where I've hidden it as they say, so, and then they have the parts to adjust color.

So this is brightness and this is in each scene. So you can go up and down with the scene. It has certainly defaults of course. And so you just fiddle with it until you find something that you're happy with in terms of brightness. And then we have contrast. So obviously that contrasts very high and then to very low, once you go down, there is the low contrast and you just find the one that you're happy with for the scene.

And then we have Alpha and Alpha is just basically I'm getting the image in there, it seems to disappear. So we'll have to talk about that later. That's one of these things you don't know about. And then we have Hue, so you can change the Hue of the scene, they're basically from green to red, yellow, more yellow.

Let's see where we're going here and we haven't done anything. That's that's where we go, we're going very green on that end and then yellow and then it probably will be reds at some point. But yeah, it's a little yellowy red. So we're just adjusting the colors to make it look like we wanted to and then we have saturation which is the next one and that will be how much color to put into the scene.

So right now it was okay, but this is way too much saturation for the color. And obviously you can go all the way back to black and white and remove all saturation. So you have quite a good control of your colors and your hues and your saturation and then ou can of course find the one that you like the best or you can reset it to what was set before.

And then you can also change the color of the background, but I don't use that I use green screen and chroma key. And as you can see each scene is different and separate different colors. You can control each scene with each webcam so you could have different colors in each scene depending on the person's hue or what you want to show their. So these are two scenes with two webcam settings and so basically two webcams in each scene.

So one webcam, even though it's the same webcam, it has different settings for each scene, that's what I wanted to say. So that's quite powerful. You can do that just like a studio and now we're going to have a look at what are we looking at now. So we're going to look at the webcam and how you can put change the settings inside the webcam as well.

And if you didn't know that there's an advanced section, that's very good. And so we're going to have a look at inside the webcam and how to change some of the settings in there if you need them to. So first we have to get the webcam open and but before that I wanted to show my invisible chair that reappears instantaneously the minute I pull the green fabric off of the chair so you can go rewind if you want to look and see how much it disappeared before.

It's very good when you have a very ugly chair. So now, so now we're going to go and look at the web cam in the background settings for the webcam whichever brand you have, they should have some kind of webcam settings for you for the camera to change the camera settings and let's go and have a look and then open up the webcam.

And so first there we go, let's try that again and open up the webcam and here we go. I had to go find it and it was hiding in the background. So I went and cut out a few of the scenes so we don't we don't waste time chasing and this is what this one looks like for the logitech brio.

But of course your logic tech 920 is probably different or your other webcams but they all have similar principles. So usually they have a zoom and pan cross where you can change the angle of the webcam. You can zoom in and out with the webcam. You can't in oh no here I go zooming in and out.

I just can't pan so you can zoom in and out with your with your webcam. But personally, I don't use this I use I use my software to manipulate what size I want objects to be. And then of course my webcam which I haven't shown you the position of is in the way so that's why I keep moving back and forth.

So anyway so and also you can have on this one anyway, you can have a standard image or you can have a widescreen image but it doesn't show in this because of the software and of course you can have Hdr which is better quality. That's why I probably got this webcam but I don't really use it because I don't want to use up.

It gives me I have to use more memory in order to store it. So the field of view is was interesting. I didn't know you could have almost three types of 65 is what I usually use because I want to try and keep my green screen very centralized but then there's 70's 8 and there's 90 and that gives you a wider field of view.

So then of course for me that's an issue because then I you can see outside of my green screen and so I want to keep it nice and tight so I always keep it at 65. Not that that's relevant for you, it depends on your camera, but these are some of the standard settings for a webcam in the back in the settings that you should try and make sure you set and there I am peering again because I can't see because it's in the webcams in the way. But basically the first one you want to look at is brightness and of course you can maybe adjusted in the software as well.

But if you don't have the software, this is where you can adjust the brightness of your image and there we go. Just you pick something that you like. Same with the contrast, you obviously can go up to 100 but you just pick what you like for your contrast. Auto focus. I don't like auto focus because it'll auto focus when I move and all of a sudden I'll be blurry and then focusing.

So I usually turn autofocus off and because I can manipulate it in the software as to what the image image is in terms of how far away it is from the camera, but that's for another discussion. And so then we're looking at color intensity and color intensity can go from, that's up to you know it's at 50% right now.

So I guess it goes up to 100 and so you can do something ridiculous up to 100% and then you just find it where you like it the best and this is an important one that had an issue with last time was the white balance. And so if I turn off the auto white balance which sometimes can be a bit too white. You can adjust it to what you want it to be what you like.

You don't have to obviously do the auto out and regardless I think I have a bit of a pink in my cheeks already, so I don't have to do too much but I don't want it to be as white as it was yesterday. So try and get some color in my face. So there you go inside your webcam. You can change all your colors if you don't have the software I have and as you can see just by comparing the two, they are quite different.

The other one is quite red and blurry and the one on the right is a bit more human. There you go.

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