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Media Creation Tool Tips

Media Creation Tool Tips

by | Jun 26, 2019 | Social Media

I get a lot of questions from people searching for the perfect media creation tool. There are so many options out there, and the most expensive ones aren’t always the best. Also, what works for one person might not work for you, so not only am I going to tell you about some great tools, I’ll also help you find your own gems! This list is best for social media managers and content creators, who probably aren’t experts at image or film production. I’m also sticking with freemium options so that you can explore these tools before making a purchase.

Figure Out What You Need

The first thing you’ll want to do is decide what your goals are for the content. There are SO many free and cheap apps out there for creating images and videos. Unless you nail down what you want to do, you’ll feel overwhelmed. To find something that works for you, you’ll need to know which features you want. If you’re making a video, is will it contain all still photos, or is it really just a slideshow? Do you want to be able to add a particular piece of music in the background? Will you be able to download the video in some form, or does the app just let you use a web version shared through a link?

If you will be downloading a file, are you advanced enough to manipulate it if needed? For example, you could add your own effects if the app didn’t quite have everything you wanted if you’re experienced and have the right software. However, if you need the download to be the final product, you might need a more robust solution. Make sure to check out the features of any media creation tool before wasting your time getting started. You don’t want to pay money for it or get all the way to the end of a project only to discover that you can’t do what you want.

Image Media Creation Tool Options

Image Media Creation Tools

Canva

If you are creating posts for social media, you simply must know about Canva. Create a free account, and you’ll have access to an amazing tool that helps you create graphics quickly. You can use it in a browser on a computer, or as an app on a mobile device. I’ve recorded a couple of tutorials on how to use Canva. There are lots of preloaded templates for the design-challenged, and you can reuse your own creations as templates too. Canva makes it so easy for you to stay on brand.

For only $9.99 per month, you can upgrade your account, which gives you more access to images, lets you upload your own fonts, makes it easier to work with other paid users on teams, and much more. This subscription is more than worth it if you are a social media manager.

Adobe Spark

This app does a little bit of everything. You can create social graphics or videos, or even simple web pages. You don’t need an Adobe subscription to use it, although you will need to upgrade if you want to use premium templates and options such as replacing the Spark logo with your own. (You can remove the Adobe Spark logo for free.) This is a good place to get fresh templates and is a good companion

Pablo

Pablo is a more specialized tool and it won’t be a one-stop shop for image design, but it’s so easy to use, you’ll probably find a way to add it to your media creation tool suite. Pablo is preloaded with inspirational quotes and background images so that you can create a motivational graphic in seconds. You can even add your company logo. You have to try it out! Go ahead and see how fast you can create a beautiful post, and you’ll be hooked!

Pixlr

If you ever need to do anything more complicated, this is a sophisticated browser version of PhotoShop. It’s not always fast and easy to use, but if you don’t have a subscription to a powerful photo or graphics editor, Pixlr will come through on a pinch. I’ve never used this much except for when I needed to do something quick and was on a computer that didn’t have access to something better.

Video Creation Tool Options

Video Media Creation Tool

Lumen 5

Have you ever wanted to create a video from a blog post with a few clicks? Lumen 5 can do that. All you have to do is enter a URL and after that, it is SUPER simple to create a social media friendly (read: can be watched with the sound off) video. Click on the sentences you wish to include and the web app automatically chooses background pictures and video clips. How cool is that? This makes it super easy to multiply your content. That is – start out with a long-form blog post and quickly have a video that is ready to share from your social media accounts.

Now, things don’t always go perfectly. Sometimes the technology isn’t exact, but that’s okay because you can manually edit your video as well. Can you believe this site is free??? Plus you can add a soundtrack to your video. If you want to ditch the Lumen 5 watermark at the end, you’ll need to get a paid account. Still, so worth it, don’t you think?

Magisto

Magisto another tool that works hard for you with AI-powered technology. Currently, there’s no free plan but you do get a 7 day I trial, and I strongly recommend trying it just to see if you think it’d be helpful. I was really impressed by some of the image detection aspects that added animated elements around faces. You can tell the software is advanced and this tool is simple to use, although it can get a little pricey if you want the full version. Give yourself a few days to try it, and cancel without obligation if you’re not seeing the benefits.

Adobe Spark

Adobe Spark is worth a mention again, because it’s freemium and a good tool. There are social media ready premade templates, which makes this a simple little tool for creating quick videos.

iMovie

If you happen to have an iPhone, you can use iMovie for free to make some simple edits to videos. The beauty of using iMovie is that if you want to do some more heavy duty editing, you can airdrop the movie to your MacBook or iMac to finish the job.

Hardware

You really can do a lot with a good smartphone when it comes to capturing pictures and videos. When recording video, audio is very important. If you supplement your phone with one piece of equipment, make it a decent microphone so that the speaker can easily be heard with little background noise.

As far as other equipment goes, you can also get a lot of work done from a phone or tablet. I definitely like working on a Retina or similar screen so that it’s easier to see what I’m doing. The images are sharper and it can cut down on eye strain or missing mistakes in image editing.

Well, that’s about it! If you’ve come across media creation tool you love, be sure and tell me about it in the comments. Also, if you found this helpful, would you please do me a favor and Tweet @colleen_shiff to tell me what you liked best? It would mean the world to me!  🙂

 

Stop Wasting Time Online With 4 Actions

Stop Wasting Time Online With 4 Actions

by | Jun 4, 2019 | Uncategorized

A recent home improvement store commercial encouraged viewers to “do more” instead of merely looking at and saving projects online. This got me thinking about how much time I waste looking at ideas for “someday.” We all do it. I have a wall full of recipes on Facebook that I haven’t gotten around to making, let alone eating. It’s fun to fantasize about a Pinterest-perfect life, but it’s time to stop wasting time online.

Now that we all carry around mini-computers in our pockets and have access to a thousand lifetimes worth of information, it’s easy to get caught up in exploring, learning, and dreaming. These are things you have to do though, right? You have to plan and learn in order to grow.

The key is to find a balance in your time spent on and offline to make real progress and growth. It is easy to learn how to do anything online, but if you don’t know how to create something with the knowledge, you’ll have nothing to show for it. Here are some ways to balance consuming and creating in your daily life:

1. Paint the furniture, bake the cookies, make the craft

Okay, well this one’s obvious. If you see something you really like, get off your phone and go make it happen. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Better yet, call a friend and make it a date. After you’re done you can post about it and your creation can inspire others.

2. What do you find yourself repeatedly having to teach people?

Do people constantly ask you for fitness advice? Write out sample workout and nutrition plans in Google Docs and email them to save yourself time. Better yet, start a blog or YouTube channel to see if your knowledge can help a broader audience. Not only are you able to assist more people this way, but you can learn how to launch your own website if you want and add more skills to your virtual toolbox. Use affiliate links in your blogging and social media to get money for product recommendations.

3. Skip school

If you’re serious about learning something new, you might feel like you have to get a degree, but that’s not always the case. You can stop wasting time online and teach yourself a lot watching videos online and reading free blog posts and eBooks. This will only work if you are super motivated and dedicated to creating useful projects.

As you learn, begin creating as you go. Figure out a way to incorporate this practice work into your current lifestyle. If you are in school, choose topics for assignments that truly interest you and take the time to make the projects be standalone stellar examples of your work. This might mean you go above and beyond and don’t necessarily turn in everything you did to the professor. It also might look like editing the project after it’s been graded to make it a better product that doesn’t have to conform to the assignment’s limitations. Either way, it’s much easier to expand the scope while the work is fresh in your mind than after the fact.

4. Get Paid to Stop Wasting Time Online

If you want to be a web designer, find a friend or family member who needs a site and help them out. Volunteer for a small business. Check out a site like Flexjobs.com that posts legitimate work at home opportunities and apply for part-time work. Or, turn your Pinterest-worthy crafts into an Etsy store or check out your local cottage food laws and start selling your famous brownies at the Farmer’s Market.

By creating more and consuming less, you’ll be trading mindless browsing for extra income. You can use this to start a new direction in your career or have some extra fun in your hobbies.