‘Ello there, reader. Dane here, taking a lil’ break from editing up some videos to jump on this thang they call a blog. I’m here today to answer one of our most asked questions ‘what are your top content creation tips and what tools do you use?’ it can be overwhelming [whelp!] so let’s jump ‘awn in with a few tips on which tools and websites to use to create yourself some be-a-utiful graphics and videos. 

If you asked me what my main passion is, it’s video editing. And as my seven years in content creation have rolled on by, I’ve seen something really blissful happen … video marketing has become a pretty big deal. In fact, let’s just call it now … video marketing is KWEEN [or KING.] 

 I remember having to BEG a videographer in a previous job to make sure to shoot their footage in portrait mode [Instagram Stories had literally just launched] and he was outraged and insulted by my request. His argument? “Why can’t they just turn their phone around?” I completely understood his confusion and frustration. After growing up so used to video being shot in landscape [then watched on the TV, in cinemas and then YouTube] it seemed like that’s how we’d always consume content. But here we are, 4 years later with TikTok and Instagram Reels and now it seems like an absolute EFFORT to turn our phones around. Isn’t evolution fascinating? 

So basically, if you’re not already poppin’ video content marketing into your social media plan, then now is the time to jump on in my friend. Not everyone is a design whizz, I totally get that. So here I am to lend a helping hand and tell you the tools you’re gonna need to nail your visual content creation. 

Equipment

Your phone

Gone are the days of spending big bucks on the latest DSLR camera and the know-how of what all those fancy buttons do. Sure, that beautiful cinematography still has its place in the digital marketing world, but when it comes to your social content? The more authentic, the better.

So close those bazillion JB HI tabs of gadgets and gizmos, cause the built-in camera on your phone is perfect for snapping pics and filming clips for your socials. Then when it comes to editing, there’s some really awesome and simple to use apps out there to add a ‘lil magic touch if you wanna get all fancy pants[recommendations on which apps to download coming up … ].

Ring light

Wondered how brands are getting their videos and pics so darn well lit? Well, they’re probably using a piece of lighting equipment called a ring light. The design of this ‘lil handy thang make the ring light perfect for emphasising details on photographs and video without needing to spend a ton of money on fancy equipment or spending extra time editing. You can even grab yourself one with an in-built tripod from Kmart for just $30!

Graphics

Canva

Canva and me are literally best mates. Honestly. I spend more time on this website than I do some of my closest friends. If you’re not one of the 10 million people using this handy tool and you’re like Canva-who? It’s a website [and app] that makes it so flippin’ easy to create fun and profesh looking graphics.

You’ve got thousands of templates and assets to play around with for free, and tons more if you upgrade yourself to a Pro account for $17.99 a month. There’s some really big benefits to going Pro, with features such as a background remover, animated graphics and an easy to use resizing tool that at a press of a button can resize a design you’ve made for Instagram Stories into a square sized graphic for Facebook. 

Photopea

If you’re after a really good [and free] alternative to Adobe Photoshop, then Photopea is it! Its web based, so no need to download anything. It’s perfect for making those ‘lil touch ups and edits to your photographs. 

Video

Canva

I’m gonna shout Canva again! They’ve recently started adding a few basic video editing features as well as some really awesome video templates. I’m sure tons more features will be on their way very soon as they continue to grow and develop their video editing tool, so now is a perfect time to hop on early and get to grips with the current features. 

To get you started, the Canva team have put together a helpful guide on their website here to show you how to get to grips with the video editing features. Happy learning!

InShot

InShot is just absolutely amazeballs for editing up videos on your phone. Not only can you trim up your footage, speed your clips up and add filters, but you can also resize your videos for your Instagram Reels or Stories with just a few taps.

It’s so easy to use AND even better? It’s free. I’d fully recommend investing in the Pro upgrade for $3.99 a month to unlock all the other features.

So there you have it, there’s just a few suggestions to get you started! Some of these are a ‘lil tricky to get your head around when you’re a newbie to content creation, but once y’know … then y’know. Remember to have fun with it, and when created a masterpiece that you’re ready to share with the world, make sure to tag us so we can gush with pride.

If you need Instagram Story specific ideas? We’ve got something special for you too, right over here