You’re back for more- that’s great. Video making educators of the world unite!

Over the past few days, I’ve been looking at making video- what kind of video you could make and how to get started but you might be wondering what you can do to make your video material more engaging and look more professional- that’s what we’re going to talk about today.

 Maybe your first attempt felt a bit flat, or you’re worried it’s not polished enough to share. Don’t worry—that’s completely normal. The good news is, with a few tweaks, you can dramatically improve the quality and appeal of your videos.

My first tip is to start with a strong hook. The first few seconds of your video are crucial. It’s your chance to grab your viewer’s attention and make them want to stick around. You could start with a question, a surprising fact, or a bold statement- something that connects with their needs or raises their curiosity.

Here are a couple of examples....You can see that this draws people in and sets the stage for what’s to come.

Next tip. Make sure you’ve got a clear structure. Think of your video like a story or a lesson- with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Start by outlining the problem or question you’re addressing, then give them the solution or explanation, and wrap up with a summary or a call to action. If you keep your content organized and easy to follow, you’re more likely to maintain your audience’s interest.

Another thing to consider is thinking about video as a visual medium. What things look like matters. Even small visual improvements can make a big difference. Lighting, for example. Use natural light whenever you can—it’s free and incredibly effective. Film outside if you can find a quiet spot - if you’re indoors, film yourself near a window.  

You can add images to your video or text. It’ll support the message you’re trying to convey and it makes a huge difference.

Good audio is  important too. If your audience can’t hear you clearly, they’ll tune out really quickly. Try to record in a quiet space away from traffic or the hum of your fridge and consider investing in a simple external mic – even a cheap one will give you much better sound quality. Clear, crisp audio will definitely make your video feel more professional.

So now, you’ve hopefully got a solid video with engaging content and a professional look. But there’s one more piece of the puzzle: How do you put it all together into a polished final product?

Editing is the key here and a programme like Capcut is free and very powerful. Check it out.

I hope that all of these ideas have been helpful and that they’ve given you a bit more confidence BUT the reality for most people is that you probably won’t start without a bit more support.

This is where my Video Creation for Educators – my VoiCE programme –  comes in. I launched it in 2021 and it’s a eight-week group programme, accredited by CPDUK that’s designed to take you step by step through the entire process of making engaging educational videos —from planning and shooting to editing and producing videos that resonate with your audience and make you money.

I’ll teach you everything I know about video making and help you in a very hands-on, practical way to make your own. I’ll give you the technical skills, the confidence and the motivation to get that course online.

Can you learn how to make money from video on your own? Of course you can. I did. But it took me 10 years and I’m pretty tenacious. Maybe you think you’ll buy a cheap how-to course on Udemy? You can. But I’ll tell you what will probably happen:

Either it’ll sit on a digital shelf gathering dust or
You’ll watch it but never actually get as far as making videos yourself.

What’s different about VoiCE? In a word-SUPPORT. You’ll get lots of support and this comes in different ways.

The main one is that you’ll follow a structured course of input– with a focus on a different aspect each week. You can do this in your own time AND- I’m all about learning by doing – you’ll make a video every week- just a short one- one or two minutes -and we’ll meet on Zoom to talk about it on Sundays for an hour.

In a group of four. I guarantee it will never be more than four. This is really unusual in online courses. Look around. Most group programmes have much bigger groups than this, but I want everyone to get individual attention and this is how I can do that. Having some peers is great- you get to know them, you’re encouraged by them and you’ll be inspired by them- but four in a group allows this AND means you get to have your say, too.

There are four different groups of four on Sundays so don’t worry about time zones- I’ve got you covered wherever you are!

OK- that’s the first way you’ll get support. The next is one to one tutorials  with me at the beginning and the end of the course AND help whenever you need it throughout the eight weeks. If you’re stuck, just message me and we can meet up – I’ll unstick you!

What else- the Facebook group. This is where you’ll see and be inspired by the videos that your peers in the other groups are posting AND where you can get more support. Got a question? Just ask. Feeling a bit frustrated (it happens to us all once in a while)- feel free to vent. Or ask for help. It’s always available.

And finally- the support doesn’t finish when the course is over- the materials, the fb group, me- all still available for as long as you want or need it.

Who is the course for?

In my professional dealings with people, I see a lot of teachers who have incredible expertise. Knowledge that sells. The ability to teach in niches that people need and want and will pay well for. Business English, preparation for exams like IELTS or TOEFL, revision for Cambridge suite exams, Aviation English.

If you’re a teacher who wants to attract more online learners for 1-2-1 or more lucrative group classes, or you want to make an online course to sell as a side hustle, if you want to give your existing business a boost, or just learn skills that will make  you more attractive to employers- this is for you.

It’s no secret that our industry isn’t very lucrative- in fact in many cases, it’s almost exploitative and you don’t have to put up with it.

The answer is video. Good video. Engaging video. Video connects with an audience in a way that text just can’t. It shows YOU so it helps people to feel as if they know you. And Like you. And Trust you. I’m sure you’ve heard that saying-  people buy from people they know, like and trust.

I’ve built a six figure business on this, one gives me a lot of freedom to travel, take holidays and spend time with my family and friends when I want to.

It’s not a get rich quick scheme and it does take work but it’s fun and it's a way for you to grow your career and your income with very little risk. This doesn't have to be a scary, overnight change. You don’t have to give up your current job. I built my business up gradually while I was still working and bringing up three children and you can, too. Try it out, see where it leads ..and you might be as surprised as I was.

Shortcut

There are three good reasons why you should take this course. The first is that it'll be a huge shortcut. There's lots of information about everything online and you can find out how to make video if you look but it's taken me ten years of trial and error to learn how to make video well and I'm going to share all of that with you. I’ll take the frustration out of learning how to edit (some of it at least!) and I’ll help you look and feel your confident best.

Practical approach

The second reason is that the best way to learn anything is to DO it, get feedback on it and DO it again... And again. If you can imagine a CELTA-type experience for video making, this is it. You'll work hard (nothing worth doing comes easily) but you’ll have the support I mentioned before and you'll learn from me and from discussing and analysing your own work and other people's. I've seen this approach lead to enormous progress in so many different contexts so I'm completely committed to it.

Motivation

The third reason is that if you've been thinking about making video for a while, or maybe you've already started but are finding it hard to find your way, this is going to give you the motivation you need to stop procrastinating, to get down to it and to really take it forward with a group of like minded people. You can do a lot more than you think you can when you have support and encouragement and you do things in a group.

OK, so I can see you sitting there watching this, maybe starting to think that this might be a good thing- starting to daydream about the possibilities and my guess is that there are two things that might hold you back.

The first is ‘I haven’t got enough time for this’. I get it. We’re all busy and I won’t pretend that it won’t take you time, because it will. Anything worthwhile does. The course will probably take you 6-8 hours a week over the 8 weeks.

BUT think about how long you spend watching TV, or doom scrolling through social media. Could you put some of that time to more productive use? How about getting up a bit earlier in the morning (that quiet hour is always my most productive time). Don’t think that this is going to be difficult to motivate yourself to do – I really think you’re ging to like it. Making video is creative, it’s interesting and it’s fun and the course is carefully structured to make it motivating and do-able.

The next thing you might be worried about is that it’s a significant investment. It is. There’s a reason for that- you’re paying for a great product and more importantly, my time and support, so you get a lot of it! I'll hold your hand. I'm good at that.

Think about your current situation. What do you love about what you do now? Do you see yourself doing the same thing until you retire? Are you earning enough to retire? If you'd like the freedom to work when you want to and where you want to and not be working for a wage that someone else dictates, then making video is the way forward.

By the end of the eight week course, you'll have  a clear idea of the niche you want to target and videos that you can USE - professional looking material that you can put on social media to promote your services or for online courses to sell.

Investing in yourself means that you’ll be seriously motivated to do the work. This is the idea. And all of the other people on the programme feel the same way. So imagine what it would be  like to work in a group like that? awesome! Have a look on the alumni page – the link’s below- to see what people say about the course and what they’re doing with it.

Ultimately, I can't promise you anything; the work you do and the success you have will be yours - BUT I can assure you that unless you do something different, nothing will change.

There are a limited number of places on the course – I can only work with four groups of four at one time and the doors close next week. So what are you waiting for? This is your time and I’m looking forward to working with you and giving you a video VoiCE.