I often get asked about resources I use for online video so here is a summary of some of the tools I use for online video and live streaming.
These will be of assistance especially if you have a limited budget or want to take a DIY approach to creating video for your business that you can use in your sales page, include in emails, send customised messages to prospects and clients, use for customer support and for employee engagement.
I have documented three levels of brand journalism kits (starter to pro) in this article and below you will find more resources that I use and recommend.
Tools To Record And Edit Video
A tool I use every day for video and screen capture is Snagit by Techsmith – if you are looking for a free open-source resource then check out CamStudio.org or for the Mac the screencasting app Screenflow
I use video content for communicating with my clients, for example when giving feedback on their social media marketing – this video I host privately using Amazon S3 sometimes in combination with my membership community or with YouTube.
If you prefer not to host your own video and want private hosting then a useful and inexpensive platform to explore is Vimeo If you want to send videos in email and do not have the ability to host them then I would recommend checking out BombBomb.com (they have a 14 day free trial)
If I want to reflect my mobile device to my screen to capture a tutorial on my PC, I use Reflector 2 by Air Squirrels
If you have a PC and are just getting started with video creation then two free tools you can use to create video are Audacity to record audio and Windows Movie Maker to create a video from slides, images and your audio – it also enables you to edit video.
On the Mac then you have iMovie and don’t forget this is also available for your iPhone and iPad. I use iMovie for quick video edits of live streams if I do not want to do a full video edit on desktop.
I use Camtasia by Techsmith for editing video content for our client work and most of my online video tutorials and live stream replays – it is available for Mac and PC.
If you want to create professional looking videos from images and audio including being able to access royalty free music so that you do not breach copyright then I recommend the business version of Animoto or Wave.video.
If you want to create white board videos like this one, I recommend Sparkol’s Video Scribe
To create video content on your mobile device with images and video then check out Flipagram – invest in the paid version so you can remove their ads
You can use animated gifs not just for entertainment but also for education – there are lots of gif tools available for mobile. On desktop Ezgif.com is simple online GIF maker and toolset for basic animated GIF editing including being able to create, crop, reverse, optimise and add effects.
If you want to take your gif creation to the next level creating beautiful designs then I highly recommend using Easil.
Visual Creation Tools To Promote Your Video Content
It is important to promote your video and one way to do that is through compelling graphics – ove there years I have used PicMonkey, Snappa, Stencil and Canva for this. I especially like the paid Canva for Work paid programme as I can automatically resize content for example from an image for Twitter to a YouTube custom thumbnail
If I have limited time to edit video and am doing so on my iPhone, I will usually use Adobe Spark Post, WordSwag and Phonto to create and edit an image for example for a video thumbnail and Skitch to edit screen capture content for video tutorials I make for Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
My Favourite Webinar Platforms
I have been hosting webinars and teleseminars for over 10 years and over that time I have tried and tested many tools, but I personally like to use GoToWebinar as a platform when working with corporate clients as I can host up to 1000 attendees in a private platform.
For my virtual mentoring programme I usually use GoToMeeting as it is an easy platform to use where we can screen share our content I have invested in Easy Webinar and Webinar Jam as optin-wrappers when using Google Hangouts On Air – but typically I go back to my preferred platform of GoToWebinar.
A relative newcomer with great conversation tools and analytics for live video is Crowdcast – this is a platform I used as the producer for a cooking show with an Australian chef.
I have from time to time needed to deliver content in a webinar of my mobile phone screen – my favourite tool for this when hosting a webinar is to use Zoom.us – I can share my mobile phone screen using this platform and attendees can join by smartphone or desktop.
An alternative would be to use a regular webinar platform and use a multi screen sharing tool such as ManyCam.
Live Streaming Video Resources
Get started with live streaming video on Periscope by watching my free tutorials
Read my articles and tutorials about live streaming and live video here
If you are serious about your production of content on live video and want to include additional assets then you will want to check out VMix and Wirecast for live streaming. If you are a Mac user then I highly recommend ECamm Live.
Helpful Resources When Creating Your Video Channel On YouTube
Optimise your YouTube channel using TubeBuddy – this speeds up your workflow for your live stream replays.
Learn how to caption your replays on Facebook and YouTube using captions – resources are in this article.
Subscribe to my Live Stream Insiders shows for free advice and guidance on live streaming provided by myself and my co-host, broadcaster and author Peter Stewart – you will find details of the forthcoming episodes and how to follow us on social media channels at the Live Stream Insiders show.
Recommended Video Cameras, Microphones, Tripods and Accessories
I use a MXL MM160 lavalier microphone for my live streams when using my phone – if you do not have a lavalier then I recommend using the headset and mic that comes with your smart phone. I particularly like this mic as it is robust for when traveling as it is always in and out of my bag and it has a long lead so I can be away from the phone when recording.
An alternative slightly more expensive lavalier is the Rode Smartlav Plus for mobile broadcasting. I have this too as a second mic for recording interviews.
I received the MXL MM160 to test thanks to Music Track UK who are distributors in Europe for MXL products (see the photo above)
When recording video I often use my iPhone 6 – I have used this for video on landing pages through to creating video tutorials and content for my social media channels
When recording live streams from my desktop I use a Logitec c920 web camera connected to my PC For podcasts, webinars, live streams and video tutorials recorded on my PC I use a Blue Yeti microphone
When recording videos on my mobile device in the office I use a small tripod from Arkon which allows me to film in portrait and landscape (I have a slightly different edition to the current 7.5″ tripod as you can see in the photo above and I also use the new 11″ tripod which has a spirit level with it). Arkon have a wide range of products for videography and smartphone photography as you will find here on their website or you will find some of their products on Amazon.
If you are looking for a very inexpensive mini tripod that you can carry with you all the time check out my review of the Camkix Universal Tripod and Mount for smartphones
I also use the Square Jelly Fish spring tripod mount and micro tripod – find their website here if you are looking for a really small tripod
When recording at events I usually have a monopod or tripod to get more of your vista in the frame when recording some brands of clip on lenses include Olloclip, Yopo lenses and Yarrashop as I write about here and you can discover the low cost one I use which is universal and will work on tablets and smartphones
Featured in the image above is a Caseflex bluetooth keyboard that I use to comment if moderating live streams when using a mobile device though it does not let you copy and paste content as you are not using a mouse with it
If you are filming in an office and do not have access to natural daylight I recommend that you invest in lighting and using photography daylight bulbs that have a temperature of around 5500k such as these – the specific number and type of fitting will depend on your light fittings
If you are looking for an inexpensive light to use when using Periscope, Snapchat or Facebook Live then check out the Chatlight – you can purchase it from their website – they are currently working on getting a UK distributor
If you are looking for a less expensive and portable option for lighting you can check out the Lumee Case – it is being sold in some stores now – though I purchased mine from their website
To stabilise your mobile phone when walking and filming, you may want to invest in a stabiliser. I use a number of different tools for this – one that is very small and portable is the GRIPT, a tripod adapter and handgrip for your smartphone. Check it out on their website here.
Another tool I have purchased is the iOgrapher film making case and lenses – they have a range that is specific for your iPhone or iPad – find their website here and you can attach other devices such as a shotgun mic or a light and attach the frame to a tripod or monopod. The one challenge is that their products are device specific.
A product I have recently invested in as a Kickstarter product is the Padcaster Verse which will hold your Android or iOS device up to the size of an iPad mini and allows you add external kit such as a teleprompter, lights or microphones – learn more about the options available here.
If you are looking for a professional stabiliser, my favourite product that my co-host for Live Stream Insiders uses is the Lanparte HHG01 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer for your smartphone – though it is hefty investment if brand journalism and mobile journalism is new to you. You can find it on Amazon in the US and the UK. It is certainly on my wishlist for a future purchase.
If you want a remote to record video and photos on your smartphone then I recommend the HISY Camera Remote for Apple & Android – you can find it on their website or in an Apple store online.
One of the challenges for mobile brand journalism and live video is the requirements for battery power – my favourite battery pack that I can use to fast charge two devices such as a phone and mobile broadband is the Anker PowerCore 20100 Ultra High Capacity Power Bank – I also have a smaller version.
If you are looking for a portable green screen that you can use in the office or take to events check out the Elgato Green Screen – it comes in a portable case and pulls up like a pop-up banner.
Resources To Help You When Using YouTube For Video Marketing
Learn all about creating and promoting your YouTube video content at their Creator Hub Check out the latest YouTube trends and access ideas for video content or use Google Trends Keep up to date with YouTube statistics like those mentioned here:
- the number of hours people are watching on YouTube each month is up 50% year on year
- 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute
- around 60% of a creator’s views come from outside their home country
- half of YouTube views are on mobile