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Creating Website Videos is Easier Than You Think

September 14, 2011 By stephaniesuesansmith 40 Comments

When I saw this video I asked Texas Master Gardener Stephanie Suesan Smith to share with us how she created it:

Ever watch those slick videos on the SEO experts’ websites with envy?  Wonder how you, as a business person, can afford such a thing?  Videos do engage visitors and persuade them to stay on site longer.  They do not have to cost a lot of money, however.

Almost everyone has still photographs.  They may be in digital format or actual photographs.  There is a program that can easily take those still photographs and turn them into a movie.  The best part is that the program is free.  Windows Movie Maker comes bundled with Windows 7.  It is available on older versions of Windows as well.

With Windows Movie Maker, you can add
photographs and arrange them to suit you.

Product photos, graphs, tables, and other visual items can be used.  You can add slides with text and captions to the photos.  Add appropriate music if you want, or choose not to use music at all.

There is an “automovie” button on the program that you can use to add fade ins between slides, drift the words in instead of abruptly showing them, and fit the content to the music.  After you create the automovie, play it several times and make sure you can read the text before it fades, everything looks right, and it makes sense to you.  Then use the share button to upload the video to YouTube.com, where you can embed it in your website seamlessly.

Remember those eBooks experts say you should write
and offer for sale?  You can create a book trailer with
a call to action with Windows Movie Maker.

This is an example of a book trailer I created for my mother, historical fiction author Caroline Clemmons:

She plotted the story arc she wanted and I found some free photos on http://www.istockphoto.com/ to illustrate it, then added the words and music.  Nonfiction is a bit harder to do, but there is no reason you cannot have a killer book trailer for your eBook.

This trailer is not as slick as some of the trailers her friends have, but the difference between free and $500 or so is significant, particularly in today’s economy.  Of course, that does not count the time spent doing the trailer, but even factoring that in, doing it yourself is significantly cheaper than hiring a professional videographer to do it.

The other application for this program is for photographers.  The genesis for this article was a video I created showcasing my photographs from the Heritage Garden of Hunt County.  Gail asked me to explain how I made the movie.

Windows Movie Maker lets you create a
slick slide show with music and titles.

By now you may be saying, ”Sure, you can do that, but how do I use this program?”  You are in luck.  I wrote a pamphlet entitled, “How to use still photographs to make killer videos for your website.”  It is on Amazon Kindle for the princely sum of $0.99.  The pamphlet includes screen shots and step by step instructions.  It also includes sources for free pictures and free music for your video that are royalty free and legal to use.  I’m a big fan of respecting copyright.  It cuts down on lawsuits and starving artists.

Of course, if you do not have the time or inclination to make your own video, I can help you out.  I don’t charge $500, either, at least for a basic video. However, with instructions in hand, you should be able to make a killer video to sell your product or service with little problem.  I look forward to watching them.

Bio: Stephanie Suesan Smith mainly uses her Ph.D. in clinical psychology to train her dogs.  She is also a master gardener, member of the Garden Writer’s Association, and woodworker.  Stephanie writes on almost any nonfiction topic and has had some unusual experiences that contribute to that ability.  Getting pooped on by a rattlesnake probably ranks tops there, but things just seem to happen to her.  Check out her gardening tips and see more of her work in her photography blog and her woodworking blog.

Follow Stephanie on Twitter @lambdakennels1 or if you are only interested in each blog follow them @icgardening @icwoodworking and @icphotos1. You can see more examples of Stephanie’s videos in her YouTube channel.

Disclosure: The Amazon widget in this post contains Stephanie’s affiliate link. I asked her to add it to this post because a laborer is worthy of her wages and writers deserve to be compensated for their work.

I added the links for her Twitter accounts and additional links because it simply makes sense to make it easy for readers to get to additional information. Let’s change this silly convention of being stingy with links and use them for that original purpose.

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Filed Under: Authors Tagged With: how to make videos, killer videos, making videos

Comments

  1. Marissa says

    February 20, 2012 at 4:26 am

    I would try that – use Windows Movie Maker to make videos. I will check out your pamphlet.

    Reply
  2. micki says

    January 10, 2012 at 11:14 pm

    The pamphlet includes screen shots and step by step instructions. It also includes sources for free pictures and free music for your video that are royalty free and legal to use. I’m a big fan of respecting copyright. It cuts down on lawsuits and starving artists.
    micki would love you to read ..Twitter Account Verification To Spread Through EcosystemMy Profile

    Reply
  3. pearl says

    September 23, 2011 at 5:12 am

    Thanks a ton Stephanie!
    You just gave me a wonderful idea for the b’day gift of my special one. I had our photographs with me in my laptop and is having window 7 as well. Now its time to get some good quotes and then what else would be lovelier than this gift :). What you think about this?

    Reply
  4. Rod says

    September 22, 2011 at 5:46 am

    I used to be a strong supporter of Windows Movie Maker but they had to go all fancy on Windows 7. They dumbed it down so much that I find it now much more difficult to use! I know, I know… maybe I should go and take a look at some tutorials but softwares should be able to let you work comfortably out of the box.
    Does anybody else know any other good movie-making software?

    Reply
    • Sayed says

      September 23, 2011 at 3:22 am

      you can check :
      Apple iMovie
      Zwei-Stein
      Wax
      Avid FreeDV

      This all are free.I think this may Help you.

      Reply
      • Shar McBee says

        October 2, 2013 at 4:58 pm

        The most important part of a video is the story. And the story has to contain emotion if you want people to remember it. This system (Video Marketing for NonProfits) teaches how to write it, shoot it and share it on an iPhone or any apple device.

        Reply
  5. Noel Addison says

    September 22, 2011 at 5:42 am

    Great work Steph on the video!

    As an alternative (although I haven’t tried using it yet), people can also use YouTube’s Video editor. It might not be as easy to use as Windows Movie Maker but you can use the search feature to look for royalty-free videos.
    Noel Addison would love you to read ..Mobile Website – Do You Need One?My Profile

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 23, 2011 at 5:50 am

      The YouTube editor is new. I would rather do the movie on my computer so I have a copy and then upload it.
      Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..Last chance for cole crop transplantsMy Profile

      Reply
  6. Jessica says

    September 17, 2011 at 9:46 pm

    Windows Movie Maker is an awesome piece of software to use for videos. I just created a video 2 days ago with it. One of it’s down falls though is that you cannot upload the finished product to youtube.

    A good way to get around this is to play your video and record it with CamStudio. This is open source software that you can download for free. The finished product is .avi and you can then upload that to youtube. Voila!

    Jessica

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 19, 2011 at 9:17 am

      This is incorrect. If you click on “share” the program has an option to upload it to your YouTube account. This is how I sent all my videos to YouTube.
      Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..Dallas Arboretum Fall Concert SeriesMy Profile

      Reply
  7. Sab says

    September 17, 2011 at 12:13 am

    Hi Stephanie,

    This is an awesome idea. I also use windows movie maker in creating videos. Free online video makers are also great. I agree with you that the difference between free and $500 or so is really significant. 🙂

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 19, 2011 at 9:23 am

      Free always helps, especially if you are promoting something without much of a budget.
      Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..Home Sweet Texas HomeMy Profile

      Reply
  8. Cristian Balau says

    September 16, 2011 at 9:13 pm

    Don’t get me wrong but websites with video content (only) are pretty boring, especially if you have just pictures in the video and melody. Although I have to admit, you gave some nice tips!

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 19, 2011 at 9:22 am

      I agree with you, just videos are boring. But now you can make a video to explain how to do something that you discuss in your blog post, or a book trailer for the “gamer” generation that expects those.
      Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..Home Sweet Texas HomeMy Profile

      Reply
  9. nikkiezach says

    September 16, 2011 at 2:48 pm

    Wow! Beautiful video creation… Tell you a little secret, I was once so ignorant in creating videos. How many times I’ve tried doing it from windows movie maker (without exerting effort to understand the process) then it made me realize that I should give my all if I really wanted to learn. What I did, read, research and really spend time to understand all the process, and now. I enjoy doing it.
    nikkiezach would love you to read ..Canon Driver Download – The Easy WayMy Profile

    Reply
  10. Jesica Wills says

    September 16, 2011 at 5:09 am

    It is great option for the website video. Actually I am creating a presentation for the company but it is good option you have given to me to create website video. Thankful to you.

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 16, 2011 at 10:39 am

      You can use this for presentations, either in place of PowerPoint or in addition to it.
      Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..Home Sweet Texas HomeMy Profile

      Reply
  11. Linda Wise says

    September 15, 2011 at 2:57 pm

    I completely agree that videos are a better option. I never gave importance to videos before but after reading some articles on video marketing, I felt convinced to experiment with some and since then there has been no looking back for me. Making videos looks and sounds tough but as you say it is not hard at all.

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 16, 2011 at 10:41 am

      The first time is a bit time consuming, as you learn what works, but after that it goes pretty fast.
      Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..Pollination problems caused by droughtMy Profile

      Reply
  12. Brayden Seekamp says

    September 15, 2011 at 9:58 am

    Helpful as always, I bought a program that edits videos its easy and fast. But when I read your blog I was shocked when not noticing that I got a free video editor and its much more easier and does like my cyberlink video editor.

    Thanks for the post. I won’t realize my Window Movie Maker if not for you.

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 16, 2011 at 10:42 am

      Glad to help. Hope you enjoy Movie Maker.
      Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..Growing Beets in Hunt CountyMy Profile

      Reply
  13. Caroline Clemmons says

    September 15, 2011 at 8:42 am

    I love both videos. The floral one is very restful and beautiful and like a mini-vacation.

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 16, 2011 at 10:43 am

      Thank you, although I think you are a bit biased.
      Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..When Corn KillsMy Profile

      Reply
  14. westly says

    September 15, 2011 at 7:19 am

    For me, the easiest to use is Windows Movie Maker. It’s a simple click and drag application. 🙂
    westly would love you to read ..How Fire Extinguishers WorkMy Profile

    Reply
  15. robert gerard says

    September 15, 2011 at 7:03 am

    yes so very fine completed in the pc.
    thanks to you.
    robert gerard would love you to read ..Türkiye’nin İlk Sony Tableti Senin Olsun!My Profile

    Reply
  16. Sandip says

    September 15, 2011 at 6:23 am

    Cool video. I haven’t tried Windows Movie Maker but have recently started using iMovie which is also really easy to use and has great effects – like the panning on the video above. Worth a look, I downloaded it from the AppStore on the Mac
    Sandip would love you to read ..Wynn Promotional CodesMy Profile

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 15, 2011 at 6:44 am

      I do not have a Mac, but have heard that is the rough equivalent for Mac users. Thanks for mentioning it.
      Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..Garden photographsMy Profile

      Reply
  17. Priya says

    September 15, 2011 at 2:46 am

    I’ve heard many times about Window Movie Maker and it’s advantage but never used it, actually don’t know how to use it. ;). It’s seems a fun game so I will give a try to movie maker and learn how to use it.
    Priya would love you to read ..Goa Holiday PackagesMy Profile

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 15, 2011 at 6:45 am

      Thanks for the comment. The results are nice with this program, so it is enjoyable to use.,
      Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..What the puppy found in the gardenMy Profile

      Reply
  18. sanjay says

    September 15, 2011 at 7:42 am

    I learned how to create video using Windows Movie Maker, really simple and easy to use. You creativity is the limit for this piece of software, for the full custom and hi-tech feel of video I suggest Adobe Premier.
    sanjay would love you to read ..How to display list of authors in WordPress without a PluginMy Profile

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 16, 2011 at 10:45 am

      Adobe has many very nice products, but they are very proud of them and they are very expensive. Movie Maker is free, and learning on free is good. Advanced users may outgrow Movie Maker and want to get another program.
      Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..Identifying BugsMy Profile

      Reply
  19. Aanchal says

    September 15, 2011 at 2:43 am

    I’ve created few photo slides using “Window Movie Maker” and it’s a fun stuff, I know when you do it first time it’s bit annoying but as you proceed you start feeling the joy, and found satisfaction when you’re done.
    Aanchal would love you to read ..Website Design in IndiaMy Profile

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 15, 2011 at 6:42 am

      Any program has a learning curve, but this one is easier than most of the other video programs to use.
      Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..Summer of Fire and DroughtMy Profile

      Reply
  20. Al says

    September 14, 2011 at 1:14 pm

    Another way to create these videos is by using a program called Animoto or Jing. You did a good job though, I watched the whole video and I don’t normally do that.

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 15, 2011 at 6:10 am

      Thanks for the compliment. There are other video programs out there but this one is something most people already have installed on their computer, so it is the one I use.

      Reply
  21. Caleb says

    September 14, 2011 at 3:51 pm

    I agree with you that these videos look hard to create and all, but they really aren’t. As a suggestion the site I like to use to find my images is http://www.bigstockphoto.com. Although they cost money I like them because I can always find what I want, and the quality of the images is awesome.
    Caleb would love you to read ..Squidoo Lenses – Part 3 of the Link Building Guide 101My Profile

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 15, 2011 at 6:41 am

      There are lots of sites that sell royalty free photos. The one you mentioned is as good as any of them. However, I was doing these on a budget of zero, so focused on freebies.
      Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..When Corn KillsMy Profile

      Reply
  22. Pete says

    September 14, 2011 at 1:15 pm

    The way that we create high quality videos for cheap is to put an ad on C-list looking for college directing students. We pay very little and they get to put it on their resume… Win/win.

    Reply
    • Stephanie Suesan Smith says

      September 15, 2011 at 6:37 am

      I like to do things myself, and not pay someone else to do them, so I wanted to share how to do that.
      Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..Bug PortraitsMy Profile

      Reply

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