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Category: VIDEO PRODUCTION
Tips and Advise on Video Production
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Tips And Checks When Self-Recording Yourself At Home
Watch Video – Technical Self Checks on Video production -
My VLOGGING GEAR Reveal
Video Gear for Vlogging Follow me on social media
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Youtube: www.youtube.com/@cheptionymutai
Thanks for watching the video!
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3 Tools You Need To Have To Qualify As A Remote Video Editor
In this article, I am going to share with 3 Tools you need to have to qualify as remote video editor working from home. Using the tools I am going to mention here is self thought.
Computer
Video editing requires a computer with high processing speed and a graphics card. The later does not matter much if your computer processor speed and Ram is good. For example, my computer is a COi5 Windows OS with 10GB Ram and handles video editing very well.
If you can get COi7 for the windows OS the better. Most computers and laptops with high specs comes packaged well with good RAM. For mac users, all I can say is you are good to go. Most recent Mac machines have good built in graphics card and processor. This means if you can afford to get a Mac machine, you are ready to get started.Premium Video Editing Software
You need video editing software for editing videos. There are many video editing softwares out there. However few of them are popularly used professionaly. Popular professionaly used video editing softwares are Adobe premiere pro, Camtasia studio, Final cut pro, Davinci and Avid media composer.
When getting into video editing, its good to have one thing in mind, all of the video editors are out to achieve one goal- edit and enhance the quality of the video. Once you learn how to use one video editor, it will be easy to use other video editors since they have closely similar layouts.
If you have never edited video before, you learn how to edit videos on YouTube.Video – Becoming a remote video editor Good Quality Earphones
Good earphones or headphones are very necessary as they help with speeding up the editing process. System speakers are sometimes inaudible and destructs people around you. You can work anytime anywhere with your earphones on without destructing anyone. Look for quality earphones for this purpose.
Conclusion
With all these tools I have listed above, you are now qualified and ready to start work as a remote video editor. Get good internet connection and start looking for work online. The work you get can be freelance or Remote job. Look for them depending on where you are located.
And that is it.Good luck my friend as you get into the remote workspace.
If you need help to edit and produce and kind of video, you can reach out to me here.
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Take care
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How To Encrypt A PDF or Microsoft Word File with A Password-Video
Video: How To Encrypt A PDF or Microsoft Word File with A Password -
How To Stop Spam Comments on A WordPress Blog For Good Without Installing Any Plugin
Video Tutorial –How To Stop Spam Comments on A WordPress Blog For Good Without Installing Any Plugin Video Transcript
If you are watching this video, it means you have a WordPress website and you receive a lot of spam comments on your blog sent directly to your e-mail inbox. How do you stop these autogenerated spam comments targeted on your WordPress blog? In this video I will show you the quickest way to stop these spam messages for good on your WordPress blog without installing any plugin. Stay tuned.
To stop spam comments on your WordPress blog, login to your WordPress site as admin. From your WordPress user dashboard click on settings and select discussions.
On the new page, you can adjust your blog comment settings. This is where you do the magic. For instance, if you are currently receiving e-mails when one posts a comment and is held for your moderation, and you don’t want to continue receiving them, hover your mouse to the section that says e-mail me whenever; then uncheck the box that says e-mail me when anyone posts a comment. When you do this, you will not receive e-mails when people post comments on your blog. This is very helpful if your site is connected to your work e-mail.
But if you want to stop spam comments and only receive genuine ones on your WordPress site, ensure that every user is logged in to WordPress in order to comment. To do this, check on this box here that says ‘ Users must be registered and logged in to comment’ under other comments settings.
This is the most important setting you need to change. When I did this one, I no longer receive spam comments on my blog like I use to with links to pornographic and gambling sites. I receive only genuine comments now.
You can make other adjustments like avatars below here. When done adjusting your blog settings, click on save changes.
And that is it, you have successfully stopped spam comments on your blog. Only serious users with a WordPress account can comment on your articles going forward.
I hope you found this video helpful.
And until next time, bye bye and take care. Follow me on social media for updates each time I post a video. My name is Cheptiony Mutai. Thank you for watching this video.
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The Best Time to Hire a Video Producer or Production Company for Your Business or Brand
Many business owners fear to approach and engage a video producer or a video production company to help them produce their marketing videos. Why? Most of them think that they are very expensive. But is that true? To some extend yes. Video production is not cheap. There are a lot of things that one needs to factor in like equipment’s, labor, administration, logistics and the frequency of the production.
What every video producer or video production company is looking at when approached by a brand or business is, the sustainability of the project. How often will you need the services of a video producer? What is your long term projection when it comes to producing video content? What is your objective?
Watch Video – When to hire a video producer A one time video production project is more expensive than a long term contract. The producer and production company needs you to give them regular business so that they can learn more about your business and improve on their craft. Jumping from one producer to the other thinking you are saving on costs will in the end become very expensive.
With this said, its imperative to have a budget of how much you are willing to spend every week or month depending on how often you want the videos produced for your business. Before you consider a budget for a video producer, here are things you need to look at first.
Is Your Business or Brand Making Money
Video production service will come in as a new expense to your business. That is why it is important to first invest money in customer acquisition before introducing video as one of your marketing tool. In todays competitive online market space, one needs to regularly produce videos in order to rank well in search engines. It doesn’t matter how much you spend to produce the videos, the search algorithm will rank each of them differently.
Having video as one of your marketing tool will cost you money. If you don’t plan well, you will burn out along the way because the results you were expecting from the videos failed to materialize quickly.
Secondly, the capital you had set aside to facilitate video production may be depleted before you see any results. And if the producer did his job well on your idea, you will be left alone wondering what went wrong.
No producer will be happy to work with a client who always complains when they are issued with invoice. Fix your accounts first then consider approaching a producer to help.
When You Are Busy And Have No Time to Shoot Content
Most people do everything in their business. From preparing quotes, writing proposals, offering the actual services, making presentations, shooting videos, editing the videos, publishing the videos online e.t.c. That’s not a problem if you are starting up. Once you start getting clients, it is good to get a producer to help with video production.
Every step of a production needs creativity. If you do everything yourself, your creativity will be compromised especially in the production and post production stage. I mean, why would you do the shooting and editing yourself yet you can pay a video producer who specializes on the same to do the job?. Use your money to ease yourself from video production tasks so that you can focus on your business.
Again, when you are busy because your business is growing, consider approaching a producer or production company to take over the video production. At the end, everyone will enjoy.
I hope this is helpful. Video producers like myself enjoy working with progressive brands or businesses. That is why I am encouraging you to first prioritize activities that will make you money. Ask yourself, Is video necessary now? If it is necessary, then get in touch so that we can discuss on your objectives and the amount you are willing to spend.
I like when brands, businesses or companies consider video as part of their marketing strategy. When they prosper, I with my team prosper too.
Are you ready to start using video services in your business? Let me know here. I will be open to discuss your long term plan. Lets grow together.
And that it from me here. Until next time, bye bye and take care.
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The Ultimate Guide to Measuring Video ROI: 5 Key Metrics
Before you start measuring the Return On Investment(ROI) of a video, it is important to first look at why you created the video at first , and who is their target audience. Businesses and brands create videos for different purposes. Some of the common reasons why people create videos are:
- To be Famous. i.e. Via Youtube, Facebook and Tiktok.
- For Reporting purposes– N.G.O’s and corporate organizations set aside money for documentation of their achievements through video.
- For Marketing Product and services – Good example of this is advertisements, landing page videos, explainer videos e.tc.
- To Educate – Through online video courses shared online that people can learn from.
- To Entertain – E.g Music videos, drama, comedy e.t.c.
- To express creativity or show people how to do things – e.g How to build, cook, edit videos e.t.c
- For memories – e.g Travel videos, anniversaries, events e.t.c.
With all these factors considered, you will be in a good position to know if your video strategy is working and you can start measuring your video ROI.
On this blogpost, I will share with you 5 key metrics to look at when measuring your video ROI.
Watch Video – 5 Key Metrics to Measure Video Video ROI Views
This is the easiest and most obvious metric to track. It tells you how many people have watched your video, either on your website, social media platforms, or other channels.
View count can give you an idea of the reach and popularity of your video, but it doesn’t tell you much about the quality of the views or the impact on your business goals. This metric is ideal for fame videos, educational videos, entertainment videos e.t.c.
Watch time
This metric tells you how long people have watched your video, either in total or as a percentage of the video length. Watch time can indicate the level of interest and engagement of your viewers, as well as the effectiveness of your video content.
A high watch time means your video is engaging and relevant to your audience, while a low watch time means your video is boring, off-topic, the sound is not clear, poor editing or the image quality is down.
Engagement
This metric measures how your audience interacts with your video. By liking, commenting, sharing, subscribing, or clicking a call to action on a video. Engagement tells you how your videos resonate with viewers, influence their behavior, and encourage them to take action.
A high engagement rate means your video is engaging and compelling, while a low engagement rate means your video is unappealing.
Conversion
This metric tracks how your video leads to a desired result, such as generating leads, sales, sign-ups, downloads, or donations. Conversion can show you how your video contributes to your business objectives and generates revenue.
A high conversion rate means that your video is effective and profitable, while a low conversion rate means that your video is not aligned with your objectives or value proposition.
Customer satisfaction
This metric measures how your video affects the contentment and devotion of your customers, such as increasing retention, referrals, reviews, or testimonials. Customer satisfaction can show you how your video builds trust and relationships with your customers, how it improves their experience and gratification, and how it creates advocates for your brand.
A high customer satisfaction score means that your video is valuable and memorable, while a low customer satisfaction score means that your video is disappointing or irrelevant.
And that is it.
How much have you invested in creating videos for your brand? How often do you measure ROI with your creator or producer in order to improve? Let me know in the comments section below.
And if you need someone to help you create professional video content for your brand or business, let me know here. That’s my line of work.
Please follow me on x and Youtube using the links below here.
Until next time, bye bye and take care.
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How to Boost Your Communication and Productivity With These 2 Amazing AI Tools For Free
When people hear Artificial Intelligence(AI), what comes to everyone’s mind is ChatGPT by OpenAI because many people are currently using it. From college and university students using it to do their homework, to bloggers using it to write blog content. AI is the new goldmine and is here to stay.
Watch Video But lets shift our focus today a little bit and look at free AI tools that we have with us on our phones and computers. Many people just see them on their phone or computer but they don’t know how powerful they are.
That’s what I am going to share with you on this blogpost.
GOOGLE LENS
Google lens is an app that comes preinstalled on every android phone. Many people don’t know how utilize it for productivity. When you open Google Lens on phone, it just start the camera and displays images from your gallery below.
On top just below the camera, you can see the menu tittles. These are things you can do with google lens.
You can translate text from an image, you can search online using images, you can take photos of your homework questions and google will answer it for you, you can take a photo of a product and google will show you the price of the product on different outlets that sell it and with location setting enabled, you can take a picture of a signboard in the place you are in and google lens will tell you where you are.
In this review, I will demonstrate to you how to simply copy text from an image using google lens without typing it. It doesn’t matter if the text was written by hand or typed; google lens will do the job of copying and converting it to typed text that you can edit.
I have some notes hand written on my book here. Instead of typing them, we will use google lens to type it. So I will point the lens on the page where the text is, and google lens will highlight the text and prompt me to choose the action I want with the text selected.
In this case, I will select ‘text’ menu then select copy text on the new window. The text will copied to clipboard. Open google docs or a word processing app on phone and paste it there.
As you can see here the text is copied and pasted. From here I can easily edit.
Another way you can copy text is from an image on your phone. Select the image with text that you want to copy. Google lens will select the text. Tap on copy and it will be copied to clipboard. From there, you can paste it where you want e.g. on google docs, on e-mail e.t.c.
Google lens has a total of six things you can do with it and will safe you a lot of time.
BING CHAT
When you install Microsoft Edge browser on your computer, it comes with Bing Chat. Bing is an AI-powered search engine owned and operated by Microsoft. Bing chat is an AI feature within the browser that works like ChatGPT but its free. No login is required.
Bing chat appears at the far top right corner on the Edge browser. Click on it to open.
Bing chat has three features; chat, compose and insights. This a a very powerful tool for anyone in the communications business.
You can use this to write various communication messages like website landing page content, social media posts, cover letters e.t.c. To remain unique, always know which feature to use when.
Since most people are familiar with the chat feature based on their past experience with chatGPT, I will explore the compose feature in order to give an idea of how AI can positively change the tone in which you communicate for good.
When you open this feature, you will realize that it gives you 3 choices that you need to pick after keying in your idea on what you want it to write. Among these choices include tone, format and length.
With compose feature you can write basically anything. Just type in the keywords of what you want it to write and chose the tone, format and length and Bing chat will give you the results.
So far, from my experience, the compose feature does a perfect job. Just think of anything, and ask it to compose it for you. It will phrase it so well that you will be happy to post and share.
Conclusion
AI is a powerful tool that can help you create, communicate and collaborate. But it also comes with some challenges and responsibilities. You need to be aware of how AI works, what it can and cannot do, and how it might affect your audience.
You need to use AI wisely and ethically, and make sure that what it presents to you reflects your intended message. Don’t rely on AI blindly. Always check, edit and improve its output.
AI is not a substitute for your own creativity and critical thinking, but a partner that can enhance them.
And that is it.
Have you embraced AI in your communications? If not, what is preventing you from taking advantage of it. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
And if you need professional help in building vibrant digital media and communication channels for your business that you can rely on, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here. I will be glad to help.
Follow me on X and Youtube using the links below.
Until next time bye bye and take care.
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Who is A Digital Media And Communications Consultant? Understanding The Role
Only businesses that hire consultants to work for them clearly understand the role they play in a business or an organization. We are living in a RESULTS driven world. A business that have clearly defined objectives can easily find the right digital media and communications consultant.
A Digital Media and Communications consultant briefing the client before interview / Photo by Mwathi Muiruri The most important question one should ask when considering to hire a digital media and communications consultant is; can the consultant deliver the results that they are looking for? That’s where most corporates and organizations fail in. They value the level of education of the consultant more than their experience.
Watch Video Digital media and communications industry is full of creative experts with certificate or Diploma in media and communications training. These professionals have long term experience and knowledge to deliver high quality media and communications services. If given a chance, they are able to prove that they are fit for the assignment.
Educational level is one of the biggest barriers to breaking through in the consultancy business and getting high paying contracts.
If a media and communications consultant with Certificate or Diploma is not careful, he/she is prone to being tricked into accepting low pay on a high value contracts owing to their educational levels.
But what does a digital media and communication consultant do? To answer this question, lets first understand who a consultant is?
Who is a Consultant?
Consultants are professionals who have rich experience in their field and a deep understanding of the industry they are in e.g digital media and communications consultant like myself. Consultants help their clients achieve their business goals by providing them with expert advice and business solutions in their field of proficiency.
A digital media and communications consultant therefore in this context is someone who combines creativity, strategy and technology to helps clients create, manage and optimize their online presence in different communication channels.
Roles of a Digital Media Consultant
- Developing and implementing digital media strategies that align with the client’s goals, brand identity and target audience.
- Creating and managing digital content such as websites, blogs, social media posts, podcasts, videos, newsletters, etc.
- Monitoring and analyzing the performance and impact of digital media campaigns using various tools and metrics.
- Providing feedback and recommendations to improve the client’s digital media performance and engagement.
- Researching and staying updated on the latest trends, best practices and innovations in digital media and communications. e.g Artificial Intelligence(AI).
- Collaborating with other professionals such as graphic designers, web developers, copywriters, SEO specialists, Animators, Videographers, Video Editors etc. to deliver high-quality digital media products and services.
Needed Skills & Competencies
Training and Knowledge in media and communication
One needs to have at least a certificate, Diploma or degree in media, film or communications in order to serve well as a consultant. Education helps one organize their ideas as well as prepare quotations and make money in the business as a consultant.
Creativity and Innovation
The ability to generate original and appealing ideas for digital media content and campaigns.
Communication and Interpersonal Skills
The ability to communicate effectively with clients and stakeholders, as well as to work well in teams.
Technical Skills
The ability to use various software, platforms and tools for creating and managing digital media content and campaigns.
Analytical Skills
The ability to collect, interpret and use data to measure and improve the effectiveness of digital media content and campaigns.
Project Management Skills
The ability to plan, organize and execute digital media projects within deadlines and budgets.
How A Digital Media and Communications Consultant Work
- Freelance: Working independently or as part of a network of consultants for different clients on a project basis.
- Setting Up a digital Media & Communications Agency/Company : Registering a company or agency that offers digital media or communications services to various clients.
- In-house: Working for a specific organization or company that has its own digital media or communications department.
Conclusion
The demand for digital media and communications consultants is expected to grow as more organizations and businesses recognize the importance of having a strong online presence and communication strategy.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for public relations specialists, which includes digital media and communications consultants, was $62,810 in 2020. The job outlook for this occupation is projected to grow by 7% by 2029.
And that is it. I hope this gives you a clear understanding of who a digital media and communications consultant is.
Are you considering hiring an experienced digital media and communications consultant to work for you? Let me know here. That’s my area of expertise and I will be much interested in working with you.
Otherwise, I hope you found this article helpful.
Share your feedback and thoughts in the comments section below.
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Until next time, bye bye and take care.
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Ecitizen Portal Review- The Home of Kenyan Government Services
At the end of the month of June 2023, the government of Kenya under the leadership of His Excellency the president of the republic of Kenya Dr. William Ruto officially launched Ecitizen portal making over 5,000 government services readily accessible to its citizens.
In this blogpost, I will review the New Ecitizen portal.
Landing Page
Generally, the landing page looks clean and neatly done. The information is well organized starting with the most requested services like application for a driving license, showing on top of the page. Before you can signup or sign in, you are able to check if the service you are looking for here is available.
You can do this by typing the name of the service, ministry, department or agency on the search bar on top and hit enter on your Keyboard to search. This will display the service if available.
Website loading speed is fast and seamless compared to how it was in the past. With clean landing page design, its easy to locate the sign in and register links on top of the site once you are here.
Here, services are classified in two categories namely National and County. Aside using the search bar to find the service you are looking for, you can access them using the menu links on top and below the website.
Logging In, Registration and Security
If you are new to Ecitizen, you will need to register in order to access the services here. Click on register to get started.
You will taken to a page to confirm the account type that you would like to create. Depending on your background, you can choose either citizen, resident, diplomat or foreigner.
For Citizens, you are required to provide your ID number, contact, password and profile photo. Some of the things needed today on the platform was not required in the past. E.g The profile photo.
For those who already have an account on Ecitizen, you just simply login with either your e-mail or national ID number as username and enter your password. One thing that you will notice when logging in is that 2Factor authentication has been introduced, something that was not there in the past. This is a good move to a more secure digital future for Kenyans.
One Time password Verification can be done via e-mail or phone. This is the phone number and email you signed up with.
Account Dashboard
Once you are logged in to your account, you will taken to the dashboard that looks like the image below. On top, you can see summary of your personal details. Also on top you can find menu links to manage your profile and account.
From here you can start searching for the service you want.
Profile & Account Management
When you click on profile, you can view your identity documents like your national ID and driving license. As it looks, the details on the previews available here are not complete. However, there is a note below the preview to notify users that its only for illustrative purposes.
There are other new menu tabs under your profile which I believe it will be active once population of data from relevant organizations is complete. As it looks, in future, the government will have all your data including your health, income, taxes, family and more. When that time comes, no one will be excluded from government activities.
Under the Account Management menu tab, make changes on your account critical data like phone number, e-mail and password. Also, you can choose to disable the 2 factor authentication here.
There are other additional menu items that are not active yet like biometrics and electronic signature which I think it will be active in future.
With all this information, what else will the government need in order to control it’s citizens? absolutely nothing. I am just saying.
Help & Support
If you encounter problems while accessing services on the portal, there is a dedicated team ready to assist you with your problem. Click on help and support menu on top and you will be taken to this page here.
Here you can choose which way you would like to get help and support. There is a phone number and e-mail address that you can use to contact support team. Alternatively, you can visit Huduma Center to get the help you need.
But before you reach out, its always wise to go through all the Frequently asked questions (FAQs) and see if the answer you are looking for is there. I have reached out several times to the support team on Ecitizen in the past and I got the assistance I needed. So, good news is that the contacts you find here are working.
Downsides
While ‘recent applications‘ tab is visible on the dashboard, it’s no yet active. Same thing with notifications. The only way to see the request you have made in the past is going to the site that you requested service in and you will be able to view your request. E.g BRS portal if you had applied to register a business or company.
Secondly, there used to be a live chat feature which only a bot responded to in the past. That was a clever idea. With more and more government services being linked to Ecitizen, its important to also reintroduce live chat so that users can get help via chat in real time.
Finally, the portal is sometimes down. I guess it is due to the amount of traffic/visitors to the portal. It notifies the user that their internet network is down yet in reality, the internet connection is ok.
At the time of doing this review, the site was down for almost a whole week and I had to hold the review until it was back. The government through the ICT cabinet secretary later responded to the downtime saying there was a cyber attack which was not successful. He said that the technical team was able to block the attackers IP address on time.
Conclusion
Unless the service you are looking for requires you to be there physically, there is no need of paying a visit to the government office issuing the service. First check if they have the service on Ecitizen portal. If they do, well and good, make your application online.
Technology is here to simplify work and make everything convenient. Take advantage of it because you can. Moreover it’s cheaper that way.
And that’s it from me.
Have you made any applications on Ecitizen portal? How was your experience like? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
And if you need help to create and produce professional video tutorials or any other video production service, reach out to me here.
Until next time, bye bye and take care. Please follow me on twitter @cheptiony and also check out my YouTube channel here.