Video is becoming essential to any good marketing strategy. Platforms like YouTube have not only changed the way people share videos socially, they have changed the way audiences expect brands to communicate with them.

The following is a list of five simple tips that will help you get better engagement from audiences on YouTube.

Number 1: have a clean set.

When you are hosting a video blog for your brand you should never have anything in the background that could distract your audience. Most importantly, you should make sure that there is no mess or clutter in your shot.

This will not be much of a concern if you have a dedicated space you only use for filming, but if you are shooting in your office then you will need to make sure the area you use is neat and tidy.

Number 2: loosen up.

Before you turn the camera on, take a few moments to get yourself loosened up. If you are not used to being in front of a camera, then it might not be a comfortable experience at first. The last thing you want is for your viewers to pick up on that discomfort.

So, before you start recording, do something to get yourself relaxed and ready. Stretching, walking around, and listening to music can all be effective.

Avoid coming across as wooden by warming up first

Number 3: keep it casual.

You do not want to come off stuffy or overly formal. People spend time watching ‘vlogs’ on YouTube because the hosts are people they would like to hang out with. Instead of trying to sound professional you should talk to your audience the way you would talk to your friends.

It might even be useful to record yourself talking to a friend and compare that with how you talk, while you vlog. Do not force yourself into speaking the way you think your target audience speaks. People will click away if they feel like you are being fake.

Number 4: scripting.

Whether or not to script a personal video blog is a matter of preference, but things are a bit different when you are vlogging on behalf of a brand. You will probably have a lot of specific or technical information to communicate, so it is better to have a script to work off of.

Make sure your script is written using natural, conversational, language and reflects the way you really talk. If having a script makes you sound robotic, or adds stress to the situation, then consider writing only a partial script or an outline.

If you feel like you can be more engaging and entertaining without a script, or with a very minimal script, then there is no harm in trying.

TV pros learn to present without a script

Number 5: speak up.

People on YouTube are loud. As the host of your brand’s video blog you should not shout, but you should speak more loudly than you do normally. Vlogging is a performance. It can be useful to think of it as if you are on a theatre stage and need to project your voice to people sitting in the back rows.

Generally, you will want to speak the way you do when you are excited about something. If you have a passion for your brand or products then developing your ‘vlogging voice’ will just be a matter of making sure that comes through. Your ‘vlogging voice’ is not a false voice, just a very energetic version of your real voice.

In summary...

Delivering a clear message comes from eliminating distractions. One way of doing this is to create a script or outline to keep your ideas focused. Another is to physically clean up the area where you plan to vlog so there is nothing in your shot competing for your audience’s attention.

It goes without saying that you need to deliver your message clearly and confidently. However, when approaching viewers on YouTube it is more important to come off as a ‘real’ person than to project professionalism. Audiences on YouTube want to watch people who they can imagine being friends with.

So; speak up and act natural. Practice projecting your voice without yelling and without slipping into a lecture-like tone. The more enthusiastic you actually are about your brand and the subject of your video, the easer this will be and the easier it will be for you to talk to your camera like you do your friends.

Over time you will start to feel more comfortable in front of the camera and develop a ‘vlogging voice’ that is easy to slip into.

Cole Vineyard is Filmora’s product manager and is a video marketing expert