As you probably know, video links now appear on the first page of Google search results. A common refrain has been "But I don't have any decent videos related to my business, product, service, or myself." Now you can create one quickly, for free...or a dozen. Before we get into the "How to," let's start with an example of what I mean by professional video. I created this one for my company, Sterling Rep Reputation Management in about 10 minutes:
The work was done entirely online, via Animoto. The 10 minutes I spent was choosing the music, uploading the pictures, typing in the few words of text that appear, and then clicking to "mix" it. I didn't like a couple of the transitions, so I remixed it (one more click) and got what you see above.
So how does this work?
Sign up for a free account at Animoto.
Choose a video style. This is the overall look and feel, and governs what the transitions will look like. The above video uses the Animoto original style.
Populate your video timeline
Add photos and videos (you can upload your own, retrieve them from Facebook or another website, or select stock photos from Animoto's collection)
Choose from their library of various musical selections or upload your own
Add text
- Arrange each element on the timeline, and mix it. If you don't like the mix, you simply mix it again until you get a mix you like. I usually only have to remix a couple times. You don't control the transitions directly: the number of images you use as well as the length and the tempo of your soundtrack control how long each element is on screen.
Free accounts do not offer downloadable video, are limited to 30 seconds, and have the Animoto logo in the corner. Paid accounts have a Plus and a Pro option with various upgrades, such as full-length videos which you can download, DVD (480p) or HD (720p) quality, a large library of licensed music, and no Animoto branding.