Top Tips to Getting Comfortable In Front of the Camera for Social Media

In order to become more comfortable in front of the camera, our first tip would be to spend some time talking to yourself. It’s probably safe to say we do this already, whether we realize it or not. However, when speaking to yourself in this regard, try to be intentional with it. Oftentimes we feel comfortable saying positive affirmations to other people but rarely take the time to say them to ourselves. Remember, before you can expect an audience to believe in what you’re saying, you’ve got to first believe it yourself. So, before even talking about the content you’re going to be presenting, become comfortable with the act of speaking to no one else but yourself. Because the truth of the matter is, when you’re creating content, that’s essentially what you’re doing. Although thousands or even millions could very well see your videos, you are actually only talking to a camera during the creation process.

We would suggest that you begin incorporating this practice into your daily life. Throughout the everyday mundane routines, talk to yourself about something you’re passionate about and hear the weight of your words when spoken aloud. You can even sit or stand in front of a mirror and practice seeing your facial expressions or maintaining eye contact. All of these little things can significantly help once you’re in front of a camera to feel more confident.

The practice we’re referring to here doesn’t involve rehearsing lines or complete monologues, but rather just the understanding that the more confident you are with yourself, the more it will transfer to how you feel in front of a camera, too.

Set the Scene

Once you’ve become a bit more accustomed to speaking with yourself, you can take it one step further and see how you feel in the spotlight. This step doesn’t even necessarily involve filming any content yet but becoming comfortable in the right setting. If you’re a bit nervous, set up your space to feel warm and inviting. Get your computer or phone set up with lights and a tripod if necessary. Rearrange your space so that your background looks the way you want it to. Get everything in place the way you envision it in your mind and just sit in front of the camera, press record and talk.

Plan Out Your Content

When it comes to planning out your content, you certainly don’t need to actually write out a full script for what you will need to say. For many, simply making notes of what points you want to elaborate on is all that’s needed. By doing this, you have a guide or outline of what you want to cover in a video without it actually sounding scripted. This also takes some pressure off, as it will allow you to be more natural rather than feeling like you’re doing a presentation. This tip is very useful if you’re planning on creating educational content around a subject or topic that you’re knowledgeable about. Rather than trying to remember all of the points off the top of your head, having a few notes jotted down can allow you to feel more at ease. If, however, you feel more comfortable reading from a script and it’s a more natural way for you to create content, then do that instead! It is all about finding what works best for you.

Dress the Part

Dressing the part for content creation doesn’t mean having to wear expensive clothing or a suit or dress. Again, it’s about what you want to wear that will make you feel confident. It will be different for each person because creating content is meant to be an extension of who you are. So, whether you want to freshen up quickly and put a plain black shirt on, or you want to do your hair, makeup and wear a nice outfit that you haven’t had a chance to wear because of the pandemic, it is entirely up to you. It is far less about what you wear and more about how you feel when you wear it. Feeling confident in your appearance will have a direct reflection on how confident you’ll feel in front of the camera.

Ask For Feedback

If you’d like to get feedback from someone you trust, you can always record a video and allow them to see it before posting it for others to watch. Maybe there are certain aspects that they really love and think you should focus on more. If you’re speaking with someone who is honest and can give some constructive feedback, then they can also provide insight on what could be changed to make it better. Many might not want to have their content looked over before posting and instead would rather get feedback from their audience. Say, for example, you create a video, and your following is the most interactive they’ve ever been. Perhaps you have more comments or a higher engagement rate. If it is not explicitly said what your audience likes about that particular video or style in the comments, then ask them for some feedback! By doing so, you have information that you can work off of moving forward that is far more than just one person’s opinion alone. This is also a great way to boost your confidence because it’s clear to see that people are enjoying and appreciating the content you’re producing.

With that being said, people might also make negative comments. In fact, it’s pretty much bound to happen at one point or another, so it’s best to be aware of this before you post anything. However, if you do receive this feedback from a select few, don’t let it stop you from continuing to create content. Remember, there are billions of people in this world, and the negative opinions of a few should never stop you from going after your goals.

Create a Strategy Moving Forward

Although the beginning stages might seem a bit overwhelming, and you might feel out of your comfort zone, it will all come in due time. It’s really all about trial and error and figuring out what you enjoy most and how you will want to elevate your brand moving forward. Maybe you will start off by creating videos for Instagram and TikTok, and once you’re comfortable with short-form videos, you can begin creating longer ones. Perhaps your strategy moving forward will be to start a YouTube channel to further expand your reach. Maybe you will realize that a video editor will be what you need to bring your content up to the next level. It’s all a process that involves first starting somewhere. Before you can get to the place you envision yourself to be, you need to figure out what steps you will need to take along the way to get there.