On-Camera Tips from Our Video Content Agency in Los Angeles 

Are you nervous about going on camera to promote your business, even on short social media posts? Do you have staff members who you know would be great on TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and more, but they just seem a bit stiff when the camera light is on? That’s perfectly understandable. Our video content agency in Los Angeles can provide spokespeople, actors/actresses, models, and more, but if you can go on-camera to promote your company as well, that can be a major boon, one more way to make great, shareable content. 

For example, many small business owners can be the best on-air advocates for their businesses. No one knows the business better than you. You understand it better than anyone else. Moreover, it’s not like you have to schedule someone to come to you – you can just get up and film when you want. Below are some of the ways that I prepare to talk about a client’s business on-camera. 

Who Are You Talking To? 

Before you go to film, ask yourself: “who am I talking to?” The easier answer is, of course, “potential customers.” While that may be true in the macro sense, in terms of who this content is for, that may not serve you best when you’re about to film yourself. 

For example, thinking like you’re talking to potential customers can make you come off, potentially, as “salesy,” as a bit scripted or artificial. That can be a real hindrance when you’re on platforms such as TikTok, Reels, and others that place a high premium on real, sincere, human interaction. 

So, what I do is I think “who am I talking to” and answer with someone from my life. If I’m speaking on behalf of one of our lawyer clients, for example, I’ll think about the people I know who’ve been in a car accident, who were looking for an attorney. If I’m speaking on behalf of a rehab/treatment facility, I think of someone in my life that I would want to know about the good people who work in this place. 

Personalize it. You don’t just have to “talk to the potential customer” (even though that’s what you are) but make it someone close to you. Your parents. Your partner. Children, colleagues, or anyone else that gets you natural, free, loose, and comfortable when you go on-camera. 

One Real Human Moment > 100% Prepared 

If you’re uncomfortable going on camera, I absolutely understand the impulse to want to script it out as much as possible. In theory, it makes sense. Instead of being nervous, you want to prepare as much as you can, writing out everything exactly as you would say it. My advice is, for at least one take (if not more), don’t do that. 

That doesn’t mean you have to turn the camera on and “wing it” (that can lead to a different set of problems). But, instead, I tend to memorize some bullet points. Just some things that you know you want to say. I think of those but, crucially, I don’t figure out exactly how I’m going to get to them. I let myself find that while I’m on camera. 

This makes it so that I’m actually thinking as I’m speaking. I’m not just reciting. People can see that. Even in a video on their phone, they can see a real human being really trying to communicate with that. Folks know when someone’s talking to them and when someone’s talking at them. 

On top of that, I don’t have all of the information in front of me until I’m on camera. You can’t know exactly what that’s like until you do it. If I try to write out everything ahead of time, I’m doing so without the most information. But, if I give myself some room to find my way to the points I need to address, I can use all of the information I get once I’m on camera. 

As with everything else, do this to the point where you feel comfortable. If it helps you to write everything out exactly, that’s fine. But, I would recommend that, at least once, when you’re on camera, put that paper away. Instead, just find your way from bullet point to bullet point. 

Brevity Is The Soul of Wit – and Sharing 

Video content is a great way, obviously, to get your business out there. That said, it’s easier to “get your business out there” in front of more people with shorter videos. What I’ll often do with a client is (and it helps because I have a remarkable team supporting me here at Website Depot), I’ll do a longer podcast/video, something similar. 

Then, that will be broken down into smaller parts to be used elsewhere. Yes, the entire podcast will be put on YouTube, the client’s site, and plenty of other places. However, in addition to that, snippets from the video can be used for Reels, for Instagram posts, on some other pages on the site, and so much more. This “content recycling” can help you to get the most out of a piece of content. 

More Than Just a Video Content Agency in Los Angeles 

Video content is a significant portion of what we do here at Website Depot, yes, but it’s far from all that we do. Indeed, we also create written content (such as the thing you’re reading right now) as well as website design, SEO, social media, and so much more. We’ve helped so many businesses across a wide range of industries to be able to better connect to their customers. 

To see how we can help your business, schedule a free consultation with us through our site or by calling (888) 477-9540.