Category: ONLINE FREELANCE TIPS

Tips to success in Online Freelancing

  • 3 Keywords that will Attract Qualified Freelancers to Your Job

    Now, you might have heard that being very detailed in what you want when looking for a professional freelance video producer or editor is key. Sadly writing a long detailed job post may not help you find one. Irrespective of the freelancing site you use to find a freelancer, know that many other clients like you are looking for freelancers as well. This means that there is a huge competition to find a perfect freelancer. 

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    Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels.com

    If you don\’t use the correct keywords, you may find yourself editing and re-posting the same job post after failing to find the right match. 

    Expert freelancers-while sifting through freelance jobs- read titles first and check if it has the keywords related to his/her skills. If it does, he clicks on it to read more with an intention of applying/bidding. 

    So why does other clients get over 20 applicants in an hour while others takes more than 10 hours to get 10 applicants for a job in video production? 

    Well, besides the skills, payment verification check and client past reviews; freelancers look at how keen the client is in cutting the BS.

    In this I mean, if you write a long detailed description of your job post- freelancers are most likely to skip your post. This means you have to summarize your post if you want many qualified ones to bid. Here are 3 things that will get freelancers bidding for your job; 

    Narrow in the category of video production service you want 

     In video production, there are many sub categories namely, screen-casting,  videography(shooting video), video editing, Animations, 3 D animation, motion graphics and more. As a client, you know the type of video you are looking for. Name that in your title e.g Animated demo video for my mobile app. A freelancer with good skills in animations and specifically animations for mobile apps will be more drawn to apply for it. 

    Find one \’word\’ that describes the purpose of the video 

    Videos are created for different purposes. And when you mention the video purpose in your title using the right word, it will trigger creative part of the brain of the person reading. e.g In the example I have used above in point No.1, \’demo\’ is the purpose. This thus means that when a freelancer reads this in the tittle, before applying, he/she will ask himself, is this what I can create? That means if he/she decides to bid, he will provide examples related to that. And you can use the examples provided to narrow in your search. 

    Mention the results you expect after someone watches the video created

    Freelancing has evolved from the year 2010 to now. So, it means that freelancing sites have their own algorithms to help clients quickly find suitable freelancers. But this only works if you use the right keywords from the word go. Using an opposite keyword is a total disaster. It\’s like searching for \’truck\’ on google when you are actually looking for a pick up truck. It won\’t work. The same applies when looking for a freelancer. 

    I have seen clients use the right keyword on their titles, and one paragraph in the description with a small budget and the post attracted over 50 candidates. Such clients are guaranteed to find and hire the BEST freelancer who require little or no supervision at all. 

    And that is it from me today. 

    In-case you need help with hiring a video editor or video producer, you can request a free quote here. 

    Till next time, bye bye and take care. 

     You can follow me on twitter @cheptiony 

  • 5 Common Things that Will Make a Client Request For Several Video Revisions

    When your client asks for video revisions the first time, you are excited because you know you are close to completing the project – and getting PAID. 

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    Photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels.com

    But, after the first round of revision, you client sends you a longer list of revision requests and you are are like WTF! Why didn\’t she/he spot these issues the first time I shared the video? 

    Hold on, some micro (yet critical) mistakes in video are hard to spot when one is reviewing it for the first time. Here is why; 

    Clients Focus their Attention on Communication in their First Review

    When you share the first draft of the video, your client will want to see if the visuals conveys clearly the message according to his vision and script. Hence the initial comments will be based on this. He/she may also pick some other small issues that are common like sound issues and probably video resolution. 

    So, that means he/she will pick other small issues once sure that the message is being properly communicated. 

    So when creating the video, here are top 5 things that you should be keen with. 

    Spelling Mistakes 

    This is very common. For instance, misspelling someone\’s name, or grammatical mistakes on text graphics. This is very important. If not fixed, it may ruin the whole good vibe that the video has. So, to avoid back and forth after the first review, skim through your graphics before exporting your video. Make sure that they are grammatically correct. Also, counter-check names with your client to ensure that its written correctly. That way, you will save yourself a lot of trouble. 

    Jump Cuts/Blank Video Frame

    Each time you export or render your video, preview it before sharing. This way, you will be sure that the video plays smoothly from the beginning to the end. Sometimes, you accidentally move a clip 1 frame while editing and it results in a noticeable dark section when being played. Be careful and keen on this. Otherwise, your client will. 

    Export Settings 

    If you are exporting your draft videos in low resolution of 720P with lowest bit rate and smaller file, let your client know about this from the start. Tell them that the final video will have high resolution. Otherwise your client will assume the final video will look the same and may not like it. 

    Use One or Two Transitions Consistently 

    Several funky transitions are not only confusing, but on a marketing perspective, it displays a characteristic of someone trying hard to sell. This originates from a place of desperation. No one wants to be perceived that way. Thus, when you use transitions, try to be minimal. Use at least two different transitions, all through your video. Otherwise you client will tell you to do so. 

    Check With your Client on the Correct Color Themes 

    Many companies today insist on sticking to their company color themes. This is applicable on all video graphics that you create for them.  It is therefore good to consult with your client on the same. This way, they can send you their logos or probably their company color pellets. 

    If you assume this, you client will notice this probably when you are doing the final touches and being told to revise graphic colors the last minute may be irritating to you as the editor. 

    This are five among other many micro things that will make your client request for more revisions. It is therefore crucial to be clear from the start on the number of revisions you are willing to offer to your client. i.e Offering 3 rounds of revisions for free is ideal. Any additional revision will attract a fee, which you will suggest to your prospect. 

    And that\’s all from me today. Hope this article was helpful to you. 

    If you need any help related to creating videos, you can request a free quote here.  

    Till next time, bye bye and take care. 

    Follow me on twitter @cheptiony

  • 3 Reasons Why You Should not Subcontract a Project you are Halfway Working on

    Lets say you are working on a project with a 5 day timeline. On your third day, you are done with the first draft of the video. You share it with your client. Your client is impressed but still need few changes.

    While you plan to make the changes, you receive a call from a different client who wants you to go out and film something for him/her for 2 days and it\’s urgent.  You don\’t want to disappoint the two because they trust your service. What will you do? 

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    Photo by Marc Mueller on Pexels.com

    In a scenario like this, you will have to forego one project and hire someone else to do it on your behalf. Now here comes the problem, some clients(especially in filming) insist that you be there yourself. This is where you have no option but to assign someone else the project you are currently editing.

    If you do so, you will be making a big and costly mistake unless you are assigning it to your assistant editor who works with you in the same office. Here are three reasons you should not hire another freelancer to continue with the project you started. 

    Delivery Time Will be Much Longer 

    Considering that it may take you 1 day to find a suitable freelancer to take over the project, having them understand the presentation style, idea and so forth will take you another 1-2 days. He/she will have to send you their version then you review it before sending it to the client. This will mean another 1-2 days back and forth. At the end, you will not have met the deadline. 

    Some Clients Will Notice the Change in Hands 

    Many online clients are very keen. By just watching the video, they will quickly notice that someone else made the changes/revisions. They ask questions like; The transition effect at 1.02 Minute is not smooth, did someone else edit this video? 

    You May End up Loosing Both Your Time and Money 

    Some freelancers are excellent at what they do but they lack one discipline- communication. They may communicate well during the interviewing process but end up taking more than 24 hours to respond to your messages when the delivery time comes. In such scenarios, you may resort to close the job and do it yourself bearing the pressure from your client. If you had made a down-payment, you will end up loosing both your time and money without any progress. 

    Conclusion 

    If you find yourself in a situation like this, it\’s important to discuss with your client on the possibilities of extending the delivery deadline. You will be surprised on how cooperative the client is in accepting your request. Such bold step displays your professionalism and honest. 

    And that is it from me today. Till next time, bye bye and take care. 

    Follow me on twitter @cheptiony 

    If you need help with screencast video production or audio productions, go to Techtube videostudio and request a free quote.

     

  • Top 5 Things Every Client Looks at Before Hiring a Freelance Video Producer

    First, get this – most clients who hire freelancers remotely was once freelancers themselves. They have been on the freelancing business and they know how it works. In-fact, some are still freelancers at time of their search. 

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    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

    So what does this mean? It means that they are aware of most things happening in the freelancing world. As a result, they have a clear picture of the kind of freelancer they want to hire. 

    Even those clients who have little on no experience in the freelancing business, they are clever enough. They paint a clear picture (in their job brief) on the kind of freelancer they are looking for. 

    So, how do you ensure that you fit into their requirements? Well here are top 5 things that they look at before hiring. 

    The budget 

    Every client, have a budget for any video that they want produced unless they are doing something new for the first time. So, send your quote based on their budget-don\’t over quote. If you feel their budget is not enough, break down your quotation indicating the cost of the \’add-ons.\’ This way, the client will make their decision based on the value they will get.

    Your proposal

    First, your client will share a brief of what they want. Your response to the same is what will determine further communication with the client. Make sure you address their problem clearly and propose how you are going to solve their problem. 

    Timelines  

    Most clients have a set timeline for any of their project. If they don\’t, you have to be clever enough to propose one. By having timelines, you will commit yourself to complete the project thus saving time and allowing you to work on other important activities. 

    Communications 

    We are living in a generation where we rely a lot on e-mail communication because of many reasons one being that we live in different time-zones. That being said, you should let the client know the best time that they can chat and communicate with you either via call or e-mail for prompt response. Many clients will opt to work with a freelancer who communicates promptly. 

    Revisions/Iterations 

    This is the last thing that the client will consider. So, to be on the safe side, be clear on the number of revisions you offer. Also, indicate how much you charge if the revisions exceeds the number of free revisions. You will still get the job without mentioning this last point. But just do it anyway, it might be the only thing you need to get the contract.  

    Are you are client? what are some of the things that you consider before hiring a freelancer? Share it in the comments below. 

    Till next time, bye and take care. 

    And if you need help with video or hiring a freelancer, you can request a free quote here.  

    Follow me on twitter @cheptiony 

  • 5 Tips to Start and Grow a Screen-casting Video Business Remotely

    Like photography, anyone can do a screen cast video- all they need to have is a computer installed with a screen-casting software and headphones with a microphone to record their voice-Period! 

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    Photo by Brett Jordan on Pexels.com

    So, how can you make this a business if anyone can do it? Who will pay for a such service? 

    Well, here is a little secret, the companies which develops and distributes screencasting software\’s uses the keywords-easy to use and anyone can use– as their marketing hook. Many of those who have purchased and used any of the screen-casting software are surprised with what follows after they have recorded the screens that they needed with narration.

    They realize more is needed in terms of editing. e.g sections where there was some silence or where the is uhmms and uhs. Besides, some sections need to be highlighted and zoomed in. In other occasions the audio may need some cleaning up to reduce the background noise.

    This thus means, the user has to spend more time learning how to edit their recordings. This is besides other things like \’sharing settings.\’ At the end of the day, if he/she is a busy executive, he will have to spend a lot of time perfecting the video. This is not good when it comes to productivity. 

    With this awareness, you are able to begin your research on this niche to identify and segment target clients/markets for yourself. For example, SaaS businesses with high customer volume will prefer to hire a freelancer to help them handle their screen-casting projects in response Frequently Asked Questions by their customers.

    Here are 5 tips to help you start and build a successful business in screen-casting; 

    Do a Research On Areas Where Screen-casting is Used

    This may sound simple. Writing this down will surprise you even more. You will realize that the market is so wide. Coming into realization that clients with high volume customers will not mind spending money on your service will inspire you even more. 

    Produce Screen Casts\’ That Stands Out

    Why would someone pay you to produce something that they can do themselves apart from saving time? Make you presentations stand out by adding simple animations, motion graphics and more. 

    Be Good In Writing –Know how to script tutorials

    Now, some clients will ask you to script their tutorials (especially if it\’s a software) after familiarizing with it. You may miss this opportunity if you have poor skills in writing and do not like writing. Even if you do not like writing, partner with a fellow freelancer who can write and negotiate extra to accommodate their service. 

    Deliver With a Studio Quality Voice Over

    Not all of us have good voice or speak in native English accent. But will you miss opportunity because of this? No. Think outside box. If you don\’t know anyone you can contact to do voice over for you, sign up and hire a freelancer to handle this for you on sites like Upwork. 

    Scale Up Your Pricing Once You Have Gained Confidence in The Market

    When I started up as screen-cast video producer, I used to charge $30 for a 3 Minutes video. Since then, I have scaled up and now charge $500-1000 for same service and more advanced quality based on my experience. Busy professionals would rather pay more to someone who needs little or no supervisions once the deliverables are clearly defined. 

    Summary 

    Like any other niche, you will grow based on your tactics and ability to bring in more value to the service for more money. It\’s an art and the price is infinite. You choose how much you should charge. 

    That is it from me today. 

    Until next time, bye and take care. Once again, do a good job and You will be handsomely rewarded. 

    If you need help to produce professional screen-cast videos, you can request a free quote here.

    Follow me on twitter @cheptiony 

  • Five Best Websites to Download Free No Watermark HD Videos to Incorporate to Your Video Project

    Sometimes, your screencast demo video will not send a clear message until you splice it up with either an illustration or a real life video. Getting someone to do motion graphics or cartoon illustrations can either be costly(if you are a start up) or time consuming -if you are working on tight deadline.

    Video-Five Best Websites to Download Free No Watermark HD Videos to Incorporate to Your Video Project

    This applies mostly to short promo videos of 30-90 seconds that appear on the landing pages of a website or mobile app stores. In most cases, the number of videos you may need incorporated into your demo range from 5-10.

    It\’s worth noting that most of the sites listed here make regular updates and now upload free 4K videos as well.

    Here are 5 sites that I found useful and recommend.

    www.pexels.com

    All videos are licensed under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license. This means you can edit or change the videos and use them free for personal and even for commercial projects. All without asking for permission or setting a link to the source. So that means attribution is not required.

    www.videvo.net

    This is one of my favorites when it comes to getting free motion graphics videos. Though some Video clips here carry the Creative Commons 3.0 license which must be attributed the original author, it’s has a wide range of videos.

    The videos range from animals, industry, food and drink and more. Just click on the category you want and you will be presented with several videos that you can choose from. You can also easily switch between motion graphics and Footage on the site.

    www.pixabay.com

    Pixabay is a vibrant community of creatives, sharing copyright free images and videos. All content here is released under Creative Commons zero, which makes them safe to use without asking for permission or giving credit to the artist – even for commercial purposes. Unlike other free video sites, Pixabay offers vector graphics, photos and illustrations. Just type in the video you are searching for on the search button here. Most videos on Pixabay are hosted on Vimeo.

    www.vidsplay.com

    This site only has free unique videos that you can download in HD. Vidsplay is currently adding new video footage on a weekly basis. You are granted non-exclusive rights to use and download the video material without the need to pay royalties for each use. Make sure you read the Terms page for further information regarding usage.

    www.pikwizard.com

    So next time when planning to produce a promotional demo video for your software or application, take a moment to go through these sites and find the best fit footage to splice it up. Demo videos looks more professional and appealing when footages of real people is incorporated.

    If you need help with either scripting or sifting through thousands of these videos and adding them to your videos, let me know from the contacts us page and request a free quote here.

    Otherwise, if you know of other resourceful places to get royalty free videos, let me know from the comments below.

    Until next time, bye bye and take care.

    Also, follow me on twitter @cheptionymutai

  • Top Client Tips to Hiring a Professional Video Editing Freelancer

    Before hiring a freelancer to help you edit your video, have this in mind – Effective and impactful videos are simple and clean. A bunch of animations and VFX will not help anything if the video content is not clearly structured. This requires that the producer or writer spends a lot of time working on the video idea before proceeding to produce the video.

    If you are a newbie client with no idea on the video production process- and intend to hire a professional video editor-hang on. With 7 years of experience in the video production industry, here are my top tips to help you identify the right video editor for your project.

    Have in Handy Video Assets

    Video assets is everything when it comes to  video editing. It will vary depending on the kind of video you want the freelancer to work on. It ranges from logo, videos, images, music and audio recordings. This will help the editor understand the kind of message you want to pass on. If it’s screen-cast videos, they will ask for access to the app or software.

    Prepare Video Script or Hire A scriptwriter to help

    Script is very important as it gives a clear direction on how the video will come out. Script can be in text or storyboard format with images/video screenshots added on it. This can be created on PowerPoint with text inserted on the notes section of the presentation. If it’s footage being edited, you will need to supply the instructions in writing of time-codes you want cut out as well as sections you want retained. This will not only save the editor time, but it will save you time that you could have spent in back a forth revision requests with the editor.

    Set Delivery Timelines

    When planning to hire a video editor, you obviously have a timeline in mind. Professional freelance editors will advise you otherwise if your timeline request is not reasonable or is not fitting to their schedule. Anyone who is committed to delivering quality will rather forfeit the job than take it and deliver trash. It’s therefore important to check if the editor is requesting to know delivery expectation before accepting to proceed and edit.

    Pay in Milestones

    Don’t be scared if the freelancer asks that you make a milestone deposit before he/she starts working. Milestones motivates them to focus on your project besides strengthening the trust that they have for you as a client. Once you are happy to go with a particular freelancer, hire them and deposit funds on escrow. You can  release them when you are happy with the final video delivery.

    A professional video editor is someone who has produced videos similar to what you are looking for in the past. If you are looking for a particular style of videos, he will be in a position to provide links to related videos he/she has done in the past. This will not only speed up your hiring process as a client, but you will know how much you can ask for from the editor.

    Leave a Positive Review For The Good Job

    And finally, he will ask for a review when job is completed and your are happy:-).

    Don\’t hesitate to give him/her 5 stars for the good job. This way, you will help him attract more awesome clients just like you! Let’s continue making internet safe haven to do business.

    If you need professional help on video, you can chat and request a free quote here.

    Don’t forget to give this post a thumbs up and leave a comment below.

    Also, follow me on twitter @cheptionymutai

    Till next time, bye bye and take care.

  • Top 5 Professional Screencast Softwares

    Screen-casting is an art. To be able to deliver great videos that communicates your message in a clear manner without B.S demands a lot of dedication and commitment in ideation stage. The first requirement is having the right tools for your project execution.

    Screen-casting software is the first among the list of other requirements like microphone, computer specs and script. Any newbie will find himself torn between several consumer software in the market. Having worked on more than 2000 screen video tutorials in the past 7 years, here are my top 5 recommendation.

    1. Camtasia studio

    This is one of my favorite software for recording and editing screen recorded videos. I use it across the board on windows and Mac. Unlike other screen recording software\’s, it has an easy to use screen video editor. You can add call outs, zoom in and out, blur information, crop, add music and voice over and render in any file format that you need in UHD 4k.  You can create subtitles using the software as well.

    Pros 

    • You can edit files across platform e.g you can open a file created on windows with Mac.
    • Easy to use editor
    • Has 30 day free trial
    • You can use it for commercial projects
    • Can create educational content
    • You can use it to create subtitles and render it in .SRT

    Cons 

    • Sometimes it crashes without saving your project
    • It takes long time to render long videos of 30 Minutes long and consumes large space based on the bitrate you chose

    2. Screenflow 

    Screen-flow is another professional screen casting software designed for Mac users only. It has several features and effects to make your final out put appealing to the eye. Recording quality is excellent, and thanks to a high frame-rate (which you can set), your videos look as if everything was actually happening on your screen. What\’s also surprising is that ScreenFlow is very lightweight for what is effectively a video editor, consuming relatively few CPU and RAM resources.

    Pros 

    • High quality recording
    • More advances transitions and effects on videos

    Cons 

    • Can\’t add text  to your video
    • Only works on Mac

    3. Screencast-o-matic 

    Like Camtasia studio, Screencast-o-matic is easy-to-use, free screen recorder for Windows, Mac, and Chromebook you can capture any area of your screen with the option to add narration from your microphone and video from your webcam. You can record lectures, webinars, demos, games, Skype calls, etc. and share free on Screencast-O-Matic.com, YouTube, or save directly to a video file.

    Pros 

    • Its online. You can access the recorder online
    • Affordable. Costs $1.50 a month

    Cons 

    • Recorder limited only by local hard disk space available. Uploads to Screencast-O-Matic.com are still limited to 15-min per upload unless you also have Pro Hosting.
    • Recording computer audio requires PC with Windows Vista or later

    4. Quicktime 

    Quick time is app that comes with most of the Mac computers. With Quicktime, you can record audio, video and screen. You can choose section of your computer screen to record and start recording it together with your voice. Once done, you can save your recording in .mov inside your local computer.

    Pros 

    • Free – it comes with your Mac.
    • Records clean and sharp video and is good for starters

    Cons 

    • You need to find another video editing software to edit your recording
    • It does not record clicks and keystrokes

    5. OBS Studio 

    OBS studio is a free and open source software for video recording and live streaming.It\’s simple program, with simple interface and big flexibility. It\’s perfect program to capture webcam and screen simultaneously and even more.

    Pros 

    • It\’s free
    • High performance real time video/audio capturing and mixing.
    • Create scenes made up of multiple sources including window captures, images, text, browser windows, webcams, capture cards and more.

    Cons 

    • Do not have a video editor
    • No any effects or text adding features

    And these are  my top 5 screen casting softwares that  I  have used and outputs great quality videos. If you are starting up, you can try these free softwares and work with them alongside other video editing softwares if you have them installed in your computer  like Adobe premiere or Adobe After Effects.

    If you need professional help with screencast videos, you can request a free quote on www.techtubestudio.com

    Don\’t forget to give this post a thumbs up and leave a comment below.

    Also, follow me on twitter @cheptiony

    Till next time, bye bye and take care.

  • Five things to Improve in your Screencast Instructional Video tutorials

    If you own a software, application, website, program then at some point you have used a screencast video tutorial to demonstrate to your users how your product works.

    But over time, the style of presenting these screencast instructional videos have evolved. Marketers are now using more sophisticated presentation styles to win the confidence of their customers.

    But this without proper preparation is a total waste of time and resources. At the end of the presentation, your target needs to be able to understand how your product works. The message has to be conveyed in the shortest time possible.

    Over the years, I have found out that most instructional video tutorials fail to retain viewer attention because of the following reasons;

    Sound Quality

    The presenter may have an accent that is not clearly understood by everyone.

    On the other had, most presenters lack proper equipment to use in recording the videos thus the voice is distorted with lots of background noise.

    This thus lead to boredom and may make your customer loose interest in watching the video besides not taking you serious.

    Video Length

    Some presenters repeat themselves without knowing and end up with a long tutorial which if proper planning or scripting was done, the information could have been presented in half the time.

    This is costly if you are dealing with high end customers who have less time to watch the video clip.

    Screen Recording Settings

    Good understanding on best recording and rendering settings is the key to producing a high resolution video.

    Someone with no knowledge in video production may not know this and will end up producing low quality video.

    It will take a professional video producer to record a high resolution screencast video.

    More Videos Means Good SEO

    Everything you do must be duplicable especially if the tutorial being produced is to be published on YouTube.

    It starts with scripting. If you take time to segment your software videos into sections, it will help you reach out to more new customers because you will have several videos posted online.

    For instance \’how to add a product to your site on (your website)\’ may get you ranking on YouTube or google.

    Branding

    Besides using the tutorial to support your existing customers, its crucial to consider branding it in order to market you company to new customers. Branding displays professionalism and will make new prospects to take you seriously.

    There are many other things that if you consider when planning to produce a screencast video, will help you archive your expected results besides ranking high on the search engines.

    Of-course I have mastered the art of producing screen-cast video tutorials. If you need professional help, you can request a quote for free here. 

    Don\’t forget to give me a thumbs up and leave a comment below.

    Follow me on X @cheptionymutai