Author: Isabella Lovett
Dogs are the stars of social media: adult dog owners post pictures of their dogs online six times a week and watch dog videos about three times a week, NBC reports. One in ten has a social media account entirely devoted to their favorite pooch. If you’re interested in joining in the fun and making videos of your dog, you’ll need to know the steps to take to make your videos stand out from the thousands of other pet videos on the web.
Use a DSLR camera
A DSLR (digital SLR) camera will help make your videos top quality whether they’re 4K or HD. They provide better resolution, sharpness and clarity than phone cameras, thanks to stronger processing power and larger sensors. You’ll also benefit from interchangeable lenses to use for different shots, along with better zooming capabilities. These cameras also have an excellent ability to shoot bokeh: a technique that creates a soft, aesthetically-pleasing, out-of-focus background in your videos, therefore enhancing the viewing experience. Sound quality is also better with a DSLR camera, so your videos won’t potentially be ruined by bad sound.
Make your videos accessible
Taking the time to make your dog videos accessible means everyone, including people with disabilities, can view them. Not only does this help all viewers feel included, but you’ll also reach a wider audience. In fact, adding captions to YouTube videos results in a 7.3% increase in views. Additionally, 89% more people are more likely to watch a video to the end if captions are offered. Used by people with hearing impairments, captions are written text of the dialogue and sounds (including background noises) that occur in the video. Although YouTube can automatically add captions, you’ll find doing them yourself to be a more accurate translation. Captions in different languages are also useful to viewers from different countries who may not speak English as their first language, which means even more people can enjoy your content.
Make it fun and interesting
If you want your videos to go viral, they need to be interesting. For example, funny dogs are particularly popular — and your dog probably does plenty of things that make you laugh. Think about what these things are. Do they go crazy when you get their leash or steal food from the table? You could even film your dog visiting new locations and film their reaction — dogs often react humorously to novelty. Additionally, switching up the camera angles can make your videos more engaging. While you’re most used to looking down at your dog from above, holding the camera at ground level can give a different perspective of your dog that viewers aren’t used to seeing.
Dog videos are some of the most popular pet videos on the web. With a little thought and creativity, along with your dog’s natural charisma, you’ll be able to successfully make your very own pooch a video star.
