There are many ways to create videos for YouTube. The favorites ones include using a Flip camera or recording a PowerPoint presentation using Camtasia screen capture software. But there are many other ways, too.
1. Create videos with a pocket camcorder.
The Flip video camera is a simple digital camcorder, and has been the best-selling camcorder on Amazon.com since the day of its debut, capturing about 13 percent of the camcorder market. It films high-definition video and has a pop-out USB connector that lets you plug it directly into your laptop and upload the video straight onto YouTube. It is extremely easy to use, and you can buy one on eBay or Amazon. The Kodak Zi8 camera offers similar features, but includes the added advantage of having an external microphone jack, for much better sound than the Flip, as well as an HDMI jack that lets you watch your video on your television set.
2. Create a video with your webcam.
Most laptops have a built-in webcam and microphone. If you don’t have a webcam already installed on your laptop, you can buy one on Amazon.com or eBay.com. Personally, I find videos of people simply sitting in front of their laptops and speaking into their webcams very dull!
3. Create a video with your cell phone.
Nowadays most cell phones have a built-in digital camcorder that can produce videos as good if not better than webcams and Flip camcorders. Film a video, transfer it to your laptop, and then upload it to your YouTube account.
4. Create a video with Animoto.
If you don’t likeusing video editing software there is a very simple solution - Animoto(
www.animoto.com). Animoto produces TV-quality music videos using yourphotos and video clips that can be ready to upload onto YouTube in justminutes. It’s very easy to use. Simply choose a song as the soundtrackto your video, upload your pictures and images, and Animoto willproduce a totally unique video each time.
5. Hire actors to film videos.
If you need someone to star in a video, you can hire an out-of-work actor on to appear in and film the video. There are many out-of-work actors who own Flip cameras or camcorders because they film themselves for auditions and to improve their acting performances.
6. Create a video with screen capture software.
This is my favorite way of creating YouTube videos. I use Camtasia Studio software to film my PowerPoint presentation on my computer screen and record my voice at the same time. Camtasia Studio is a vital weapon in every laptop entrepreneur’s arsenal, as it allows you to create videos that you can upload to YouTube to promote your business, create training videos for your outsourcers, and even create dozens of video-based products that you can sell to your clients.
7. Create a video with Windows Movie Maker.
You can also create videos with Windows Movie Maker software (already installed on most Windows-based laptops). The program will allow you to not only edit the video but also to add effects like titles, credits, transitions, and soundtracks to make your video an exciting multimedia experience. I have not used Windows Movie Maker for creating videos, but I use it occasionally to edit my videos (when I need to shorten a video, or change its size, or to add my URL across the bottom of the video).
