Easy & Effective Tips to Be Comfortable and Confident on Your YouTube Video

If you are a shy and introverted type of person, the idea of starting your own YouTube channel and making videos can be terrifying. However, just like any other thing, you won’t be able to overcome this fear without giving it a try. To boost your confidence and make you feel confident and comfortable on YouTube videos, here are a few easy and effective tips that you can use.

Before you make the video

1. Prepare what you are going to say

This doesn’t mean that you have to create a word-by-word script. Having some notes will make filming yourself a lot easier. Coming up with things to talk about on a video is not an easy task. So, before you start recording, take some time to figure out what you are going to say. Write down your main points.

In case your channel is a scripted video production, you should get the script beforehand and learn your lines. It will be easier for you if you know exactly what you are going to say. It is important to remember that it’s not about your appearance but about how you present yourself and what you are saying.

2. Practice

Suppose you are not spontaneous and worry that you might mess up over and over again, practice. Once you have read through the script multiple times out loud, you will feel more confident in yourself. You don’t have to read out the exact words. Instead, focus on what your message is. This way, you won’t trip up a lot and would get better at public speaking. Try practicing in front of a mirror so that you can see your delivery. You don’t want to sound like a robot reading some lines off from a paper. Remember that you are shooting a video, and even if you mess up a few times, you can always re-record it.

3. Lighting

Even though your appearance is not the most important aspect of a YouTube video, you would want to look your best. An easy way to do this is through good lighting. Place your light source on the front of your face and not above you. You can set up facing a window, which will give you natural lighting. If there is no window, you can place a light source behind your screen.

4. Camera

For most people, the ideal photogenic angle is when the camera is at their eyeline or slightly above it. If you are feeling confident about your appearance, it will lessen your nerves. In the case of video production, this is taken care of by the producer. But you can also do it easily by yourself.

5. Dress

If you want to appear comfortable in your video, you should wear something comfortable. Think about the subject of your video and dress accordingly. After all, you wouldn’t wear a fancy gown to a beach. So, if it’s a formal video, like a subject tutorial or YouTube for business, you should wear something formal. If you have a fun, interactive video, wear something casual. You should feel confident in what you are wearing. Make sure that you choose an outfit that reflects your authentic self. Apart from this, there are certain points you can keep in mind, like avoiding all black or white outfits, wearing solid colors, and being careful with patterns.

6. Background

You need your audience to focus on you. Your background shouldn’t be a distraction to them. Also, make sure that you don’t have anything embarrassing in the background, or else you would keep worrying about that and not focus on the video. Choose a background that is uncluttered and provides some visual interest to your audience.

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7. Have a glass of water nearby

If you are nervous, your mouth might go dry. Making a video with a dry mouth will make you feel uncomfortable and even more nervous. Drink some water before starting the video. Keep a bottle of water nearby so that you can have a sip every now and then.

Making the video

8. Talk slower

People usually speed up their talk when they are nervous. You might think that if you talk faster, you will be able to get done with it faster. But, it is best that you don’t rush. Remember that your audience would want to understand what you are saying. Try speaking slower than you normally do. Pause between thoughts. If you force yourself to talk slower, it will also make you feel calmer. Since you won’t be giving off any nervous energy, your viewers will think that you are confident. You don’t have to worry about your video getting stretched while recording. You can edit the video later accordingly. Also, if your viewers want you to talk faster, they can use speed controls available on YouTube.

Another added benefit of speaking slowly and pausing between thoughts is that it will make it easier for your video. If you talk nonstop without taking a pause, it will be difficult for you to find cut points.

9. Screen share videos

If appearing on camera is what makes you nervous, you can always start with screen share videos where you can practice speaking. This works best for voice-over YouTube videos. Once you are comfortable with this, you can try a mix of webcam and screen recording videos. There are a lot of free tools available online that allow you to record the screen and add a small bubble that records your face. If you are not the focus in the video, it will reduce your anxiety. Also, it will normalize you seeing the recorded version of yourself, which will make the whole process less scary. Then, once you feel that you are ready and are comfortable on video, you can switch to video production.

10. Expression

The one question that you might be wondering while shooting a YouTube video is what you are supposed to do with your hands. When you are having a conversation with a friend, you change your facial expressions, you use your body language to communicate a point, and you move your hands to emphasize a point. Most of this is done without even thinking about it. But, as soon as you start recording, you freeze up. Doing things the natural way when you are nervous is hard. But, this is also what can save your video. Use hand gestures, maintain eye contact with the lens, and smile. This is what will make you appear natural and comfortable in the video. Your audience will be able to connect to you. It might feel unnatural at first. But, once you get the hang of it, you will get comfortable.

11. Takes

We have mentioned above that you can always reshoot parts of the video. However, it is important that you are not tempted to record the video over and over until you feel that it is right. It is fine to do a few takes. Your first attempt is like a first pancake; it usually gets tossed out. It can take you a while to get into the groove and be comfortable, especially if you are a beginner. You have to let your nerves out. Taking multiple takes of a video is normal. After a while, you will feel more confident and calmer. But, this doesn’t mean that you are shooting every part 5, 10, or 15 times. You don’t have to be perfect. Just be yourself, shoot a couple of takes, find the best one, and put it in your final video.

12. Mistakes

The best part about shooting a video is that you don’t have to worry about making mistakes on camera. If you stumble over words or make small mistakes, your audience will find you more comfortable. It will make your video even more authentic. You have to keep your video natural and conversational. Don’t worry about stammering and making a YouTube video fail. If you make a big mistake, you can always reshoot it or edit that part out. Be your authentic self, and your audience will love you for it. If they are leaving likes and comments on your videos, it will help with YouTube engagement as well.

After making the video

13. Suggestions

Practicing can help you get used to anything. If you want to practice your on-camera skills, you can make a video for an audience of one. This can be a friend, a family member, or a colleague, someone with whom you are comfortable. This should also be the person who can provide you some feedback. Make videos for them instead of your YouTube public account and do it as many times as it takes until you feel comfortable.

14. Edit

When it comes to making YouTube videos, you will have to do a bit of editing. This is not some quick video that you can shoot and share. If you are a beginner, you should edit the video yourself. It will force you to see yourself on the video, which will make the whole process a lot easier. Once you have a big audience and think that you need some help, you can always hire an editor.

15. Keep making videos

In the end, you just have to get over yourself. Don’t overthink too much and keep making videos until it doesn’t feel weird anymore.

Being a YouTuber is one of the most popular jobs right now. With the above-mentioned tips, you can start your journey and be confident in your true self. If you want, you can take the help of professionals at SubPals, which is a free YouTube marketing platform created to help you market your channel. With their premium services like channel evaluation, SEO, graphic design, and so on, you won’t have to worry about promoting your channel and will be able to focus on creating high-quality content. With their services, you will be able to get free YouTube subscribers, likes, comments, etc., and you don’t have to worry about increasing your reach.