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Category: For Businesses

May 10 2023

Why Are Linkedin Cover Videos So Important & How You Can Create Them On illusto

by Team illusto
3 min

Gone are the days when people used lengthy resumes to introduce themselves. Even Elon Musk has courted controversy when he stated that his resume did not comprise more than a page and that nobody deserves too much text. With the advent of videos, even text resumes seem redundant now. So why not make a video encompassing all you had to say?

People say you should always have an elevator pitch ready at all times. Whether you are a job seeker or an entrepreneur trying to network a contact, it pays to have an introduction ready to go that shows who you are. With the recent LinkedIn Cover video feature, it is now more imperative than ever that a good cover video can take you places. 

What is it?

The LinkedIn cover video works as an overlay on your LinkedIn display picture and is a short 30-second video that contains a self-introduction. The length is reminiscent of an Instagram story. The LinkedIn profile picture will function as a thumbnail on secondary pages while the video will play when people visit the profile. You can now create one easily using illusto’s video-editing software in minutes. 

Where?

The LinkedIn video feature plays only on mobile (for now). So remember that the aspect ratio is mobile dimensions, i.e., 9:16 when selecting the size on illusto’s video editor – it gives you multiple options to resize. 

Why?

If you are a job seeker it helps to state your name, your career summary with some highlights, and your other qualifications. If you are an entrepreneur, you can go through your area of expertise, what makes you a subject matter expert and what domains you are interested in exploring. For small businesses, you can provide a brief summary of your products and services. For recruiters, you can go through the company you are recruiting for and the type of panache you would expect from someone joining your company. 

How to!

1. Write a script and go through it thoroughly, and review it with another person if possible. Make sure the script is short and you are leveraging your time to the maximum. 

2. Shoot with the right equipment. Ensure there’s plenty of space and lighting along with no audio disturbances. You can alternatively record your audio separately and add them as a different track to your video on illusto and remove the original grainy audio track. 

3. It is a given but choose a good professional outfit for the video and an optimum background preferably plain to help spotlight you. 

4. Speak confidently and do not read the script! The movement of your eyes can be off-putting if you were to read. 

5. Upload your video to LinkedIn. Select the preferred privacy level and a 3-second preview of the video. Zoom in onto your face for the preview for better visibility. 

10 Hacks for Your LinkedIn Video

1. Don’t forget to shoot your video in portrait mode since LinkedIn cover videos are shown in the vertical aspect ratio. 

2. Your LinkedIn background banner remains static while the LinkedIn video on your profile will replace the LinkedIn photo so make sure your banner redirects focus to your video. 

3. The 3-second preview which essentially acts like a gif of the video is the first to play when people search for your profile so instead of a close-up muted version of your face, you can add some animations or stickers to create interest. 

4. Add captions to your videos using illusto so that your content comes out clear no matter how you deliver it. 

5. Keep it semi-professional with a little bit of personal touch. Start with your achievements and talk about you as a person and then your interests to finish it off. A 30-second video can accommodate about 75-100 words at the max, so draft accordingly. 

6. It is absolutely fine to use your mobile phone camera to shoot your video just ensure you select the HD or 4K format and purchase a good three-legged tripod to mount your camera on. Use a frame rate of 30 frames per second as per LinkedIn’s recommendations. 

7. A good hack would be to get a ring light that can illuminate your face for the entire duration of the video and make your video so much clearer. 

8. Use a lapel mic that seamlessly connects to your mobile phone or you can choose to go wireless if you need space for your body gestures and movements. 

9. An introduction slide to segway into your video can help look more professional. When your profile video with audio begins, you can choose the blur feature from the mask menu to the normal effect to draw attention to your profile video. 

10. With the use of illusto you can share your video with your family and friends for edit suggestions before you upload. You can also use stock images and videos from the library to boost your profile video.

Tags:
Social Media, Tips and Tricks

Bring Your Ideas To Life

May 9 2023

How illusto Enables SMBs

by Team illusto
3 min

With the global expansion of small businesses and solopreneurs, the race to the top of the entrepreneurial ladder has become faster, more competitive, and inevitable. Each day requires speed, ease, and creativity to drive higher audience engagement and longer life cycle loyalty. 

SMBs are credited with creating a large number of jobs across the globe. They are major drivers of global economic growth and have been increasing at a rapid rate in recent years. As of 2020, there were an estimated 31.7 million SMBs in the US. Also, small businesses make up about 90% of the total worldwide!

Sustaining any business is definitely more of a challenge than starting it. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), only 25% of new businesses actually make it to 15 years or more of surviving and growing in the global market.

This happens for a number of reasons: not investigating the market well enough, limited financing or budget, trying to expand too quickly, and even unsatisfactory marketing or internet presence.

SMBs often need to put in much more work to build and grow, but proper planning, research, and a lot of flexibility are key to taking any business to the next level. 

Why SMBs Need Videos 

Videos haven’t just changed the way people consume content, they have influenced buying patterns. The human eye is drawn to movement, so video ads are much more likely to grab attention as compared to static or simple poster ads.

Consider this: people are about 27 times more likely to click on an ad that is a video rather than just a plain banner. Also according to recent reports,  73% of customers are more likely to buy a product or service after watching a branded video about it.

Here’s a proven factoid: We’re more likely to retain television ads as visuals than pages of content – think about all the tv ads you watched growing up as a kid and compare them to still ads you may have seen on billboards.  According to Hubspot, 80% of customers remember a video that they watched in the past month.  

SMBs have to compete with much larger companies and search engines for their product to get attention. Since they have neither the budget nor the resources as bigger businesses, they need to make more out of less.

And what is the secret weapon? Videos. Small and medium businesses that are looking to convert laypeople and viewers into serious customers have to inevitably go down the path of video creation.

Video advertisements have evolved from traditional TV ads to online platforms. In recent years, with technology and the internet taking over, social media ads are the way to go. They are not only comparatively cheaper but are also easier to post more frequently. There is a much wider range of audience that will watch these ads and thus they greatly help to draw attention. 

Advertising on online platforms is much easier, faster, and cheaper and has more visibility around the world. 

On the flip side, video creation can be quite expensive to produce and transmit. The process is time-consuming and requires a certain level of skill that can take years of practice and intricate courses to perfect. Rendering videos also can also take up quite a bit of space on your devices and is a lengthy process.

Here’s why online video editors like illusto work well for SMBs:

You don’t need to divest extensive amounts of time in learning the software or hire someone expensive to create or edit videos. You also don’t have to invest vast sums of money in expensive offline editors. 

illusto is super easy to pick up. With a model that stores all special effects, transitions, and filters in one place, it is also easy to use. Author, coach, speaker, and entrepreneur, Jane Malyon was a complete novice in video creation and editing, and her testimonial after using illusto is that she cannot stop experimenting with edits now, she’s hooked! 

illusto also has a variety of preset sizes and different export formats. There is no limit to the duration of videos you can create, so go crazy and get creative! 

For more features visit www.illusto.com and log in. 

The app does not have expensive upgrades and doesn’t need to be downloaded. It is simply one browser search away!

Where can SMBs advertise their video content?

1. Embedding a video on a website

2. Reels on Instagram

3. Posts on Facebook

4. Quick promotion on Twitter

5. Sponsored content or dynamic ads on LinkedIn

Videos that every SMB must create to take their businesses to the next level

In today’s day and age, creating experimental and unique videos is what will help to set your small or medium business apart from the rest. Holding back is not an option anymore. Through illusto, you can create the content that your business requires most while engaging with trends and video types that suit your audience the best.

Here are some videos that your SMB can create using illusto:

1. Brand story videos

2. Customer testimonials

3. Small ads

4. Instagram reels

5. Promo videos

For those looking to get started with illusto right away, all you need to do is log in, upload your media, and get going!

Tags:
Social Media, Tips and Tricks

Bring Your Ideas To Life

May 8 2023

illusto As A Handy Video-Editing Tool For Your Workspace

by Team illusto
4 min

You might have used a lot of tools in your workspace or office, starting from Google Sheets for maintaining data to Adobe Photoshop for designing social media posts. But most of these tools require subscriptions, and some require a substantial amount of knowledge and skills to get started. 

While we are on the topic of workspace tools, it is pretty evident that every business today needs a video editing tool to make catchy videos. Videos are booming, and video editing is a popular in-demand skill that is required by everyone today. Corporate offices, small businesses, influencers, teaching professionals, individuals – everyone is making videos. In addition, videos are a popular mode of communication today – be it brand communication or personal communication.

illusto is one such tool that comes in quite handy when you need quick videos. illusto is a fast, easy and seamless video editor that is absolutely free. You can create short videos on the illusto website even if you are just a beginner and don’t have the technical know-how of video editing.

The art of editing is unique and challenging, and many sectors are dependent on it. But illusto makes it easy to edit videos. So let’s take a look at how various businesses can leverage the power of illusto to make videos and how illusto can be used in your workspace.

How does illusto come in handy in a workspace?

illusto is a useful video editing tool that can be used in your workspace in more ways than you can imagine. Let us show you how illusto can be used in a workspace.

Using illusto, you can edit the following:

Social Media Content – Edit and create videos for Facebook posts, Instagram reels, posts, stories, Twitter videos, Snapchat stories, and more.

YouTube Videos – Edit professional videos for your YouTube channels or create short, engaging clips for Youtube shorts.

Educational Content – Create video content for E-learning or training programs using stock images and music. Record and edit video tutorials or video lectures on your products and services.

Video Presentation – Master office presentations with professional videos that engage your audience. 

GIFs – Create funny and quirky GIFs of your colleagues to have a fun-filled day at the office. Your staff can easily create them without any technical know-how on illusto.

Videos for Clients – This free tool can also easily create customized videos for your clients. 

Illustrations – You can also explain your products and services by creating and editing illustrating videos that educate your target audience. You can make all sorts of demo videos, explainer videos, tutorials, product videos, and training videos and seamlessly edit them on illusto.

Who can use illusto?

Large Enterprises – Large businesses can edit long videos to create short clips like moments from a product launch or press conference, easily using this tool. Then they can publish these videos on their website or socials to make announcements or create buzz. 

Small Business – Small businesses and startups can make use of Illusto to edit videos of their products and services and post them on social media to market their business.

Marketers – Marketers often require videos for numerous reasons, be it for a Facebook post or a Youtube video. Using this tool, they can edit quick videos even without having zero video-editing knowledge.

Content Creators – The world is all about video content today. Vloggers, Bloggers, Influencers, social media content creators, YouTubers, digital creators, everyone can use illusto to create seamless, engaging videos in a matter of minutes without having to invest in a lot of different paid software.

Gamers – Gamers often want to show off their extraordinary gaming skills to their community and engage fans with some jaw-dropping gaming moments. By using Illusto, gamers can clip the best moments from their live streams or recorded gaming videos and easily edit them into engaging posts. 

Educators – Online Education is booming today, with more educators trying to share their skills and teachings through video lessons. illusto comes in handy to those educators who aren’t as tech-savvy to create accessible video courses and lessons for their students.

Freelancers – They often need to create video content for several platforms and build their personal brand. illusto is helpful for freelancers trying to create videos without editing knowledge. Freelancers with little knowledge of video editing can also get started with Illusto to create videos for their clients.

Individuals – People who love to post videos and edit their favorite moments into a clip can also use it to showcase their creativity. Since you won’t have to install any app, you don’t have to worry about owning a machine with the right kind of graphics card or sufficient RAM.

Students – Students can easily edit videos for their assignments, projects, and presentations with this tool and ace their game in the classrooms.

Ad agencies & Creative Studios – Designers at ad agencies can seamlessly edit videos and creatives for their clients using illusto’s powerful features.

Animators – Animation companies can edit their videos and create fun animations using illusto.

Sports – illusto can be used to make short clips of highlights of a cricket or football match. Social media managers of sports teams or brands can publish these videos on social media to engage fans. 

If you are one of these institutions or just simply like creating videos, you are in for a treat because with illusto, video editing will be a cakewalk. Just login and get started.

How to get started?

All you need is an internet connection, and no need to install the software as videos can be edited online. Visit the illusto website, ‘sign up, and go to ‘create project’ to start making videos. You can upload videos and easily add transitions, effects, filters, stickers, and more to them. You can even create gifs using static images. You can also use many available stock music tracks to avoid copyright issues. 

Next time, when you have to meet a deadline urgently, you won’t have to worry because illusto has your back. Ride the wave of video content and start leveraging the power of illusto in your workspace to make quick and free videos.

Sign up today!

Tags:
Social Media, Tips and Tricks

Bring Your Ideas To Life

May 8 2023

5 Ways To Tell Your Brand Stories Through Videos

by Team illusto
3 min

The memorability of a good video plays a FANTASTIC marketing tool simply because it tends to stick with customers more than other forms of content. It’s a fact: video content is engaging in a way like no other content has ever been: according to a Facebook/Nielsen study, even if a consumer watches a video for under 10 seconds, it ‘still helps increase brand awareness and purchase intent.’ The use of video in marketing strategies definitely allows customers to create a connection with your brand and subsequently, allows you to understand what form of content works best: animated, humorous, how-to videos, etc. 

What’s important to understand here is that video can really help accentuate what you’re selling to your customer to create a loyal attachment: your video doesn’t just have to be centered around the product you are selling. A brand storyline includes everything from history, inspiration, and vision to values – basically, everything that has convinced you to market this in the first place. 

We’ve all saved several video posts that we want to revisit for several reasons such as an emotional connection to their storyline, a certain angle used to enhance cinematography or the crazy transitions from frame to frame. It’s why a video is only as good as its edit. If you can’t get your brand story right through a compelling video editor, you’ve already lost 50% of the battle…err your consumer base. 

Devoting time and resources to create and then edit meaningful content can be a daunting prospect for many. But we’ve got you covered. With illusto, converting videos into well-edited story content has never been easier. Our free online video editing tool gives you all you need to create compelling videos. Check out our platform and try it out for yourself: we have plenty of editing hacks available for you. However, before you graduate to editing your video content, here are some things to keep in mind while creating videos specifically for your brand. 

1.   Know your audience: Who is the content geared towards? What are their desires, aspirations, values, and struggles? Why should they watch what you are offering? 

Your videos need to resonate with your target audience – if you wouldn’t click on a video you’ve created, why should your audience? An intimate understanding of your consumer base will help you create content that is meaningful to them. APPEAL to their emotions. After all, you’re not merely selling a product, you’re telling a story. And stories should always be magical. 

2.   Consider every element in your video: Every frame of the video should reflect your brand. The people, the setting, the wardrobe, colors, and animations: each element should be in harmony with your brand’s story. All these elements leave a subtle but lasting impression on your audience. Here’s a small example: avoid wearing too many contradicting patterns when shooting a video because it can look blurry over the screen. Instead stick to solid, pleasing colors.

3.   Let your visuals do the talking: ‘Show, don’t tell,’ is classic storytelling advice. Let your visuals convey your brand story. Unlike a blog post, you do not need to state every detail about your product or story explicitly. Your visuals need to convey your brand story subtly but powerfully. Remember the use of the classic flower emoji that is subtly placed over something taboo like a couple kissing? It conveys a pretty strong picture that this is not for your eyes, and leaves more to the imagination.   

4.   Keep your videos short: To sustain your audience’s attention, video content should be short and to the point. There are exceptions of course, but well-made, concise videos typically perform better than longer ones. There is no dearth of content vying for your audience’s attention, so keep your videos crisp and compelling. Clever transitions, filters, and text can really help with this.  

5.   Edit like a pro: Editing is the final piece of the puzzle. You need to pay close attention to the selection of shots, effects, transitions, background music, and all other elements during the editing process. An edit can make or break your video. Our free online video editor illusto is perfect for all your editing needs. Apart from the standard editing tools, we’ve also got an extensive collection of stock images and videos for you to choose from. The best part? You need no prior experience to edit videos here, so go on check it out.   

Here’s a final tip: Always work backward: envision your story from the final edit and then work it to how you should shoot your content to get it right without too many edits. With a little bit of preparation and the right tools, you’ll be on your way to sharing your brand’s story with the world!

Tags:
Social Media, Tips and Tricks

Bring Your Ideas To Life