Yep, I have started a YouTube channel! Nope, I am not abandoning my blog. So why have I created a channel, you ask? I never thought I would ever create a youtube channel. Writing my thoughts and sitting behind the camera instead of in front is where I prefer to be.
I love my blog and I am always trying to create ways to enhance the experience of my website and content to the best to my ability. If you read my New Years promise post, one of my promises was to work on my blog. I am still very new to the blogosphere, each day i’m learning something new. Either how to organise my content, or new coding for the website. I have had amazing help from WordPress and I can not shout out my amazing blogger peers. They have been incredibly supportive. Pepper Valentine and Theresa from DIY Lifestyle to name a few.
So why YouTube? I have a few short videos on Instagram however, not everyone who follows my blog uses Instagram. There is also the technical fact (unless I’m mistaken, I am a novice) you can not upload Insta reels or IGTV on to your blogs. I am happy to stand corrected.
With that in mind, and video content I want to incorporate onto the blog. I decided to take the plunge and create Thehomeslogg youtube channel.
This channel is to run along side Thehomeslogg.com. Uploading video footage of my DIY attempts, success as well as fails. I can give you guys video guides to run along side my very bad grammer write ups.
Have I found it easy?
On the contrary, to other opinions I have found creating my first video a little umm?? Shall we say challenging? I should re-phrase, creating the channel was very easy:
- Sign in to YouTube on a computer or the mobile site.
- Click your profile picture. Your channel.
- You’ll be asked to create a channel.
- Check the details (with your Google Account name and photo) and confirm to create your channel
It really is simple as that setting up was easy as 1,2,3,4.
In fact it was creating the content that I struggled with. It will help if I explain what video I created first to give it some context. It wasn’t filming my videos that was the problem.
Editing the video was my struggle.
My first video I created is How to create a wooden slat feature wall. My bedroom wall panelling has been my most liked photo on instagram, the most like pinned picture on Pinterest and the most viewed bog post on my site. Choosing this topic had to be my first video/vlog to insert on to my page, It’s also my favourite project to date and it just seemed right. However, as most of the footage I had created was intended for instagram the whole project was shot in vertical orientation. For youtube it needs to be filmed horizontal. Can you see my dilemma?
I had the very difficult task of changing the orientation of my old footage. Trust me this is not as easy as I thought it would be. Ironically, I spent hours watching Youtube tutorials to cry and convert my vertical footage horizontal. This is the first time I have tried to put any long form video content together. The amount of times I almost throw my phone or iPad out the window is uncountable lol.
I tried using iMovie, however I am not entirely sure how to use it to it’s full potential. And the software on my iMac doesn’t always play ball. Perhaps It is need of an update ? Whichever, in due to time I will be taking an iMovie crash course. I have researched a little and Adobe seems to be the software to use, this is one avenue I will look further into. It is certainly popular with the YouTube and Tech blog community alike.
While I’m learning the ropes of mattering editorial world.
Scrolling through google searching “how to turn a vertical video horizontal for youtube” I found an app that was mentioned a few times for beginners. VideoShop. Videoshop is a fast and easy app to personalise your videos and share them on social media platforms like instagram, youtube and tictok.
Like many apps there is a free version and Pro version that comes with a subscription fee. I will be honest I have only used the free version and a lot of the pro features are available, you just have to sit through a 10 second ad. With a number of features for your disposal. Integrate your favorite songs to your video. iOS users can also directly download from the Apple Music store. Cut out any unwanted moments, adjusting video speed to slow or fast. Choose transitions to animate between video clips and add animal noises, farts, explosions, applause, and there is much much more features to utilise.
One of them was resizing your footage, it was so simple to use. Just press resize and pic which option you want. Once you have complied and finished your video you can either save it to your camera roll or upload it to a Drop box or Vimeo . You can even upload it straight to your social media platform with one click of a button. easy-peasy!
Resizing vertical to horizontal will zoom in your footage.
There is no escaping when resizing your vertical video horizontally, you will loose picture quality and the whole footage will be zoomed in. You can use filters to try and rectify the pixels, I just didn’t have the tools and it wouldn’t be as perfect as the original footage. A little frustrating I know, however did the best I could do. I think it has turned out ok for my very first long feature video and First time editing and first vlog – a lot of firsts. I am a Virgo and Virgo’s are perfectionist, so I will be mastering this new skill I’m still figuring out.
Moving forward for my new projects for my youtube channel,I will ensure to film horizontally or in landscape!
So my tip for you guys, if your ever thinking of creating content for youtube and ….. Film landscape.It is so much more simple resining a horizontal video vertical. I certainly am not defeated and will endeavour to perfect my content and learn new skills. If my original content was filmed with YouTube in mind it would of been a lot easier. I did enjoy editing and getting creative with different speeds and inserts, cutting film. If you are like me and only just getting started with YouTube and all the editing that goes into it, I can not recommend this app or ones like it enough. It is so simple to use and is a great starter to boosting you’re confidence while you are setting out.
I would love to get your thoughts and feed back on what you would prefer to see! would you prefer less talking and more action or do you like a bit of both? Whichever you would prefer to watch please let me know as these videos are created with you in mind. So please subscribe and check out my video, drop me a comment with your thoughts. I know there is room to grow and improve and your opinions matter to me. 🙂
Until next time, thank you for Joining me
Much Love
S x
