Five editing tips to make your social media videos more engaging

Editing a video before sharing it on social media is important if you want more views. It is often seen that a well-edited video gets better views than an ordinary one, so every small detail matters while editing. These tips can make your video more attractive.

First, motion graphics. These can make a video look more appealing and include on-screen text, logos, animation and different kinds of visual effects. A lower-third title can add a person's name or other important information at the bottom of the screen. Several kinds of software can be used for this.

Second, new footage does not have to be shot for every video. Previously recorded clips can be reused as B-roll. B-roll consists of supporting scenes that back up the main video, which is called A-roll. This adds variety to the video and also saves editing time.

Third is audio editing, which should not be ignored. A video needs clear sound along with good pictures. Background music, dialogue and sound effects must be kept at the right levels. Dialogue should be clear enough for viewers to follow easily, and the music and sound effects should relate to the video.

Fourth are subtitles and captions. These days, people on social media prefer to watch videos with the sound off. Subtitles and captions help viewers understand the subject of a video, and people with hearing difficulties can follow it easily too. Many platforms offer automatic captions, so little effort is needed in writing them.

Finally, editing software. Along with choosing software, it is important to know its features. Adobe Premiere Pro offers features such as multi-camera editing and footage stabilisation. Final Cut Pro is also a popular choice for editing, while DaVinci Resolve has features such as colour grading and automatic subtitling. Beginners can start with free software such as Apple's iMovie.