6 tools to easily create videos for online courses

6 TOOLS TO EASILY CREATE VIDEOS FOR YOUR ONLINE COURSE


While incredibly exciting, figuring out the tech part of creating your first online course can also be a bit intimidating. So before you dive in, let’s explore  a few of my favorite must-have tools for making the video creation process easier and less overwhelming.Are you ready to create videos for your online course?
A big part of your content creation involves creating videos that help your audience to quickly grasp what you are teaching.
To get you started on your path to course creation success, let’s start with the best tools for creating video for your course. I wish someone would have pointed me to these tools when when I first started out; they would have saved me countless hours of trial and error…and a few dollars on tools I did not need.

ARE YOU CAMERA SHY OR CAMERA READY?

I often get asked, “Do I have to include “face” video in my course? Or, can I just create easy screenshare videos?” pexels-photo-89551 If the thought of being in front of the camera sounds overwhelming to you, you can easily design great videos for your course by sharing slides with voice-over narration (think PowerPoint presentation in sync with your recorded voice). This option involves less tech set-up and can be a great choice for first-time course creators. (90% of the online courses being created in our Create 6-Figure Courses community are designed using this approach). If you want your audience to see you, you can use some basic video equipment to create your own great-looking videos. Let’s check out some great tools to help you nail either option.

6 TOOLS TO EASILY CREATE VIDEOS FOR YOUR ONLINE COURSE

TOOL #1: SLIDESHOW

For Macs, my favorite tools to create videos for your online course using screenshare is Keynote. If I’m working on a PC, I stick with Google Slides. Both of these options are free to use and give you that professional feel. As a last resort, you can always use PowerPoint. Screen Shot 2016-05-02 at 1.16.21 PM Keynote Image Credit Once you’ve finished creating your slideshow, you’ll need to record yourself going through each slide . These next two tools will help you do just that.

TOOL #2: IMAGES

Great images can elevate your videos from looking plain to professional and compelling. Gone are the days of typical stock photos of “corporate” looking men and women at meetings; there has been a recent revitalization of stock photography to include more real subjects and topics.  Here are two of my favorite sources for creating video for your online course using stock photography:

Death to Stock Photo

Ideas Death to the Stock Photo was created by two photographers who noticed it was hard for bloggers, business owners, and other creatives to find photos that matched their brand. They started by sending packs of their own photos via email to subscribers, and the service has now grown to provide both free and paid, premium offerings.

Unsplash

Minimalist OfficeUnsplash is a repository of photos submitted by photographers all over the world. Curated into collections and tagged by subject, you’ll find unique photos you can modify and use for anything you’d like.

TOOL #3: VOICE RECORDING

For Macs, use ScreenFlow; PC users should try CamStudio. CamStudio even has a neat feature that helps if you don’t like the sound of your own voice (allergies acting up?)

Screen Shot 2016-05-02 at 1.18.08 PM

TOOL #4: VIDEO PLATFORM

Now, once you’ve recorded your video presentation, you’ll need to upload your lessons onto a video platform such as Vimeo or YouTube. These two platforms offer the option of keeping your videos private so only those who have the access link can view them. Screen Shot 2016-05-02 at 1.20.21 PM
Speaking of links, Vimeo and YouTube will also create unique URLs for each video that you post. You can also choose a course hosting platform that hosts the videos for you (more to come in future posts about this).

TOOL #5: VIDEO EQUIPMENT


HD Quality Camera

If you are “camera ready”, you’ll want to record your video with a decent camera. These tools will help you make the leap to your own version of a TV studio. If you have a limited budget, you can use your phone to record videos as long as it has the HD video feature—iPhone 5 or 6 and Samsung Galaxy 7 are great for this. You can add a tripod and lavalier microphone to your iPhone for even better quality recording. This also allows you to adjust height of the camera and avoid constantly propping the camera up or having that “selfie” look with your arm in the air. It’s important to note that great lighting is important. Great natural lighting will do the trick – if in doubt, find a spot outside you can film (cars can work well, too). If you want to upgrade, I definitely recommend investing in a quality HD video recorder such as the Canon EOS Rebel T5i which is right around $599.

Video Editing Software

If you really want to become a pro, you can upload your recordings and edit them using video editing software such as WeVideo.
Screen Shot 2016-05-02 at 1.22.09 PM WeVideo Image Credit
Video editing software can help you make sure your videos aren’t too long. You can also use this type of tool to remove any and all long pauses or “ums”.  Or, you can edit two mediocre takes of the same video into one powerful edited version. You can even add text and small call out boxes for references or further details when you edit your video to reinforce your teaching points.

TOOL #6: HIGH QUALITY MICROPHONE

As tiny as this detail seems, audio can make a huge difference in the quality of the learning experience you are creating. Remember, your students will be uber-focused on your voice so you want it to sound as clear as possible to keep their attention. This goes for both video lessons and voice-over slideshow ones, too. Avoid using the microphone built into your computer.  Unless your headphones specifically mention that background noise is eliminated, you’ll want to invest in a adequate microphone. The good news is that microphones are fairly inexpensive. You can find a really good one for around $50 with the Audio Technica ATR2100. I use the Rode Podcaster to record my screencapture videos.

I’d love to hear more about the course you’d like to create! Feel free to tell me all about your ideas in the comments. And if you know about any other helpful tools, leave those suggestions in the comments too. I always love to hear about gadgets that make my job more efficient!

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