eBay Stores Anywhere
Let's roll
Do you think you need extra hands,
or are you hands-on?
Hiring a pro or shooting your own video each come with their own advantages. Whichever direction you decide to go in, our guide will walk you through the process.
Hire a professional
Finding and hiring the right videographer to shoot your business video can be a challenge, but knowing the terminology and considerations can be a huge help in realizing your vision. Our guide looks at both logistic and aesthetic considerations, and provides resources on how to find a video production professional in your area.
While making a video can be inexpensive and fun, we understand if you decide to just hire a pro. Even that can be pretty affordable these days.
As you shop around for the right videographer, keep these issues in mind:
Style
Take a look at each vendor's samples and consider which one's style is closest to what you're after.
Budget
Videographers can charge anywhere from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. Knowing what you want to spend in advance will help you find someone who can deliver quality within those parameters.
Experience
Experience is important, but what's more important is a videographer's work. Ideally, you want to find someone who's worked on projects similar to the kind of video you're envisioning.
Schedule
Bringing this up early in the conversation helps you determine whether or not the videographer is available in your window, and if they are, also helps set expectations.
Establishing your vision
Most videographers are trained to ask the right questions to help you prepare for your video. These are some of the topics you'll likely discuss before diving in:
Your vision
Your vision for this video, including examples of videos you like
Estimated length
2 minutes at most is a good rule of thumb
Script
Your rough storyline or script
Target audience
Your target audience and where you expect them to watch your video (online, trade show reel, presentation, etc.)
Soundtrack music
Soundtrack music that would best set the tone and mood for your video
Brand elements
Brands elements such as certain typefaces, colors and copy elements you want to incorporate
Call to action
What you'd like to invite your audience to do, such as visiting your eBay Stores page or calling you for a brochure
Finding a professional
You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a professional-quality video. If you have a limited budget, see if you have a friend or colleague who might be able to take on the project. Local film students are another option. Whatever your budget, there are plenty of sites to help you find the right fit for your video project.
Also, don't discount the power of your search engine! Search promotional video production, plus the name of your city as part of the search term.
Do it yourself
We're not going to promise it'll be easy, but making a video with today's relatively light, portable and inexpensive technology is way easier than it used to be—once you know the basics. We'll walk you through the main considerations in making a video that best fits your budget and needs, and outline the three phases of any video project:
Plan, Shoot, and Edit.
- Plan
- Shoot
- Edit
01 Plan
Planning a video entails determining the style you're after and what you want to say, coming up with your shot list, and finding gear that fits your needs and budget. Even with simple videos, having a plan can help save time and money, and will keep you organized.
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Choosing a video type and format
Take the time to figure out what you want to say about your business. It doesn't have to be complicated. In fact, the shorter it is, the better.
What kind of video do you want to make?
Once you have a good idea of what you want your video to say, think about what type of promotional video you're going to make. Here are three examples—you'll find that most successful videos are a blend of all three approaches.
Introductory
- Introduces yourself to your customers
- Gives a human element to your business
- Promotes authenticity
Product
- Showcases a range of products, or focuses on a single product
- Highlights the quality and features of your products
- Shows your products in use
Testimonial
- Uses customers to advocate for your products
- Brings to life a connection that a customer has had with your product
Common formats
Talking head
The most common technique for shooting a promotional video is a Talking Head. This shows the audience who's talking, which in most cases, will be you. Showing your smiling face is an effective way to connect with your customers.
Talking head + "B-roll"
Sometimes showing yourself won't be enough. You may also want to show your products, employees, customers, and the inside of your business.
This is called a Talking Head with B-Roll.
Writing your script
Whether you hire a video production company or shoot the video yourself, it's always a good idea to write a script. It'll help you outline scenes and keep track of all the information your audience sees and hears.
You can start by introducing the main narrator (whether it's you or someone else), your business and products, and lastly, letting customers know how to use and enjoy your products.
Every new person or location on camera adds potential complications and expense to a video shoot. Try to limit your on-camera talent and locations to one or two.
A typical script outline might look like this:
Introduce yourself and tell your story
- What are you passionate about?
- How'd you get started?
- What's your mission?
Talk about your business and products
- What do you sell?
- What makes your business and products great?
- What excites you the most about your products?
The main narrator of your video can be:
- On-camera (you, or interviews with others, or testimonials)
- Off-camera (voice-over narration)
- A combination of the two
Conclusion
- What feeling do you want to leave your customers with?
- What action do you want viewers to take?
- Where can they find you?
This is critical because your video will appear on sites besides eBay, such as on YouTube and Facebook, so you want to make sure that buyers know to go to eBay.com to shop. - Can viewers follow your social channels, such as your brand page on Facebook?
Script and video length. Hold your viewer's attention by keeping your video to 2 minutes, tops. You can always create additional videos for other topics or products and alternate showing them in your Store. Also, read your script out loud before shooting. Each page of a double-spaced script generally equals a minute on screen.
Use of people. If you use people, especially particular celebrities, in your videos, you'll need them to consent to being featured in the video because they have a right to control their own publicity rights.
Creating your shot list
Once your script is done, list the shots you'll need. It'll save a lot of time and money and help serve as a production plan for considerations like location, your "actors" on camera, and the products you'll need on hand.
Choosing your gear
Picking the right camera. A smartphone can be perfectly suited to shoot video for your business. For the highest quality videos, however, you may want to spend a little more.
Smartphone
There's a good chance you already have a smartphone that records audio and video. Some phones, like an iPhone, even have apps that let you edit video on the phone itself. This is a great option if you don't mind sacrificing quality for convenience.
Point-and-shoot camera
Most people don't think of their digital cameras as video cameras, but most models have the option to record decent sound and video. Just be aware this option doesn't provide the best sound and video quality.
DSLR
The latest digital single lens reflex cameras (DSLRs) allow you to record High Definition (HD) video. They also allow you to swap lenses for different use cases. Macro lenses, for example, are great for detailed close-up shots of jewelry or other handcrafted items.
Camcorder
The most popular option. This is the device of choice for most professional videographers.
Recording audio
02 Shoot
OK, you've come up with your plan. Now it's time for the really fun part—shooting your video. Whether it's just you and a small crew, or a professional videographer, you'll get the best results by knowing your shot types, how to compose them, and the following tips and tricks. Roll camera!
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Take a variety of shots so that you have plenty of options to choose from when it comes time to edit. Here are the three main types of shots and what they're typically used to capture:
- Close-ups—Products
- Medium shot—For any talking head interviews, products
- Wide shot—Your store exterior, outdoor scenes
Good
Bad
The Rule of Thirds
Artists, photographers, and designers have used this "rule of thirds" for centuries because it adds more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering your subject. For medium or wide shots especially, try to make your main subject fill about two-thirds of the screen.
Shoot at eye level
For the most flattering view of people, keep your camera at your subject's eye level.
Good
Bad
Steady your camera
For most shots, use a tripod to avoid any unwanted movement. If you don't have a tripod, you can improvise with whatever is available, like a chair or stool.
Shoot multiple takes
When you're editing your video, you may find certain takes don't work for one reason or the other. By shooting multiple takes, you give yourself more flexibility when it comes time to edit.
Use cue cards
Plenty of people improvise their on-camera action and dialogue, but for a more professional presentation, consider using cue cards.
03 Edit
Congratulations are in order if you've got all your footage "in the can." Now it's time to put it all together in the editing phase. We'll walk you through the available software, transition types, and where to purchase soundtrack music. After that... it's a wrap!
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As with camera equipment, you have options for video editing software that are either already in your computer or that you can easily download for free.
Free software
iMovie (Mac only)
GarageBand (Mac only)
Microsoft MovieMaker (PC only)
YouTube Video Editor
Pinnacle Studio
Ulead VideoStudio
Paid software
Final Cut Pro
Adobe Premiere
Editing tutorials
If you've never done any video editing, explore these sites for tips on how to use your editing software. They include a few videos that guide you through the entire process, from importing your footage to publishing your complete video.
- Free iMovie Tutorials
https://vimeo.com/videoschool/lesson/33/video-101-editing-with-imovie - Free Movie Maker Tutorials
https://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Getting-started-with-Windows-Movie-Maker
Titles
Use titles to set the tone for your video and draw attention to your subject:
- Keep your font selection to one or two fonts—too many can look busy and unprofessional
- Use clean fonts that are easy to read
- Make the type size large enough to easily be read by the viewer
Transition types
These are easy to implement with today's editing software and can include:
Fade in From black, usually at the beginning of a video
Cut This is just switching from one shot to the next with no effects
Dissolve When one shot gradually fades into the next
Fade out When a shot fades to black, usually at the end of a video and before any credits or end titles
Watch other videos that inspire you and study the techniques that they've used.
More editing tips
- Go easy on the text If you superimpose text during editing, keep it brief and use a basic, easy-to-read font. Remember, the power of your video will be in the images and voices that tell your story, not in the printed words.
- Go easy on the graphics Unless you're a professional designer, extraneous graphics could confuse and distract your audience away from your unique and personal message.
- Don't worry about being fancy As you edit, just as when you film, keep things simple, direct, and genuine. The point of your video is to present you and your business as authentically as possible. If you get too fancy and slick, buyers won't get a feel for the real you.
Soundtrack music
Music is just as important for setting the mood as the visuals. While not every video requires music, it can certainly help express the tone and style of your business and products. A few basic guidelines:
Ambient
Aggressive
- Choose music without heavy beats and that doesn't interfere with your voice-over
- Don't use copyrighted music without permission
- Do use music that's a good fit for your business and brand
- Do use music that's royalty-free
By purchasing a royalty-free song, which usually costs around $10-$50, you're buying a license to use that song for whatever projects you want, for as long as you want.
The following sites sell royalty-free music:
If you want to use still photography in your videos, keep in mind that the same rules apply as with music—the image needs to either be "public domain" or purchased for a modest fee from a stock image website.
Here's a list of stock photo sites that range from free stock image sources to more high-end professional sources you can purchase for a modest fee:
- Stock.xchng
- iStockphoto.com
- Veer.com
- GettyImages.com
- Shutterstock.com
- Masterfile.com
- Do I have to add a video to my Store?
- Only if you want. If you'd rather not include a video, you can include an image of your products or your business. But we recommend that you try out the video—we think you'll have fun doing it and customers will love it!
- What's the advantage of putting a video in my Store?
- It's a great way to quickly tell the story of your business, communicate your unique brand, promote new items, and highlight the essence of what makes your business special and better than the rest. By knowing a bit more about you and your business, customers can connect with you in a personal way that motivates them to shop in your Store. Think of your video as a commercial: what would you want customers to know so that they'd be inspired to shop from you?
- How long should my video be?
- We recommend two minutes at most.
- What if I don't have a background in creating or producing videos?
- You can always hire a professional to produce your video, and we'll provide some tips on how to find and work with a videographer. But if you decide to do it yourself, you don't have to be a Hollywood director or Manhattan ad agency to create a great video! We'll help you produce it—with detailed tips, examples of videos created by other sellers, and a wealth of free resources so that you can easily, quickly, and inexpensively create a great quality video that showcases your business in the best possible light.
- Do I need to appear in the video?
- Only if you want. If you'd rather not be filmed, you can show the items you sell and have you or someone else narrate in the background. Or, you can film your employees or customers talking about your business, sharing their excitement about what you sell and how it's enhanced their lives. There are lots of ways to tell your business story through video, so if you're feeling shy or want to remain anonymous, you can still create an effective video that'll give customers a sense of what makes your business great.
- Do I need a YouTube account to create my video?
- You need a YouTube account because that's where you'll upload your video file. You can sign up in a matter of minutes, and then after you upload your video you can point to it from your eBay Store. Keep in mind that YouTube is one of the most widely used search engines on the web, so by putting your video there, customers will have one more place where they can find you. And since you can include your Store URL in your video, if buyers find you on YouTube first, they'll know exactly where to go to find you on eBay so that they can start shopping.
- How often can I change my video?
- You can change it as often as you want. For example, you might want to switch your video at different times of the year to promote seasonal items. To keep things fresh, you can create several videos, upload them to YouTube, and then replace the video URL on your Store with a different one whenever you want. And if you like, you can always switch back to your original video.
- What do I need to know and agree to before I add a video to my Store?
- Disclosing your name and image in any video you add to your Stores page means that this information will be publicly associated with your eBay Store and eBay User ID. If you have concerns about this, don't disclose your name and image in any video you add to your Stores page. All videos must comply with the eBay Links policy. You should also be aware that eBay has the option of unlinking any video on your Stores page if, in eBay's discretion, it contains objectionable content.