There is a growing demand in the advertising industry for video editing and video editors. Video has been proven to be superior to photos due to its ability to better grab the attention of a target audience. The same is also true on websites and social media platforms. Online videos are forecasted to increase to up to 82% of the online traffic.
It was also found that especially on mobile devices, users often have their sound turned down, so there is also an increasing need to add subtitles to videos, when the content in the video form an integral part of the advertising campaign. Advertisers and marketers often outsource the editing of video, as they either do not have the software, the skills, or the time to do this themselves.
If video editing is your passion or if you are considering making a career of it, you will be glad to know that one can make money from video editing, either as a part-time, or full-time income. If you have a creative side, video editing can be very satisfying, and a particularly good opportunity to do something that you are passionate about and make money at the same time. Modern technology and online advances also mean that this is something that you can do from anywhere and that you can work from home.
With that said, it is important to understand that making a full-time income, when you are starting from scratch, will not happen overnight. The first step is always to learn the skills. Although, video editing may seem simple, making a profession of it will take time and effort. To be truly successful at it will also require passion and the ability to market yourself.
There is video editing software available for mobile devices, but it is advisable to make use of a PC if you want to make either a part time, or full-time career editing videos.
How to prepare to earn from video editing
As mentioned previously, the first step is to learn the skills. To do this, you will first need editing software. Cyberlink has a range of products, including a free download to get started. On their website, they also have a learning center with various tutorials, some in text and others in video format. This will greatly reduce the time that it will take to learn the skills that you will need but will not eliminate the fact that you will need to practice these skills.
For the first video, I suggest that you shoot a series of video clips yourself. Use these to practice your skills, like importing, editing, stitching together, subtitles etc. There is something about using your own video clips and knowing that you did the entire project from start to finish yourself that just makes it much more satisfying.
You can also practice on videos that you download from websites like Pexels, or Pixabay. Always keep in mind that you cannot simply download any video from any site, if you intend to publish it afterwards, as this belongs to someone else. Be sure that you understand copyrights and never infringe on it.
Background music can be downloaded from sites like Free-Stock-Music, Fesliyanstudios and Incompetech. Like with video, audio is usually also subject to copyright, so keep this in mind if you intend to publish and be sure to understand the definitions of free music, royalty-free music and free to use music. Also check the terms of use of any music before you use and publish it on your edited videos.
How to market your video editing skills
Once you followed the previously mentioned steps and are confident that you are ready, you will have to decide how much you will charge and if your rates will be per hour, or per project. Your rates will depend on the going rates in the market that you are targeting and the complexity and time that you estimate that it will take to do the editing required. Do not take on any projects that are above your skill level.
When you first start to market your skills, I suggest that you start by targeting your local community to edit their family videos, wedding videos etc. This will give you the opportunity to hone your skills and further prepare you for progression into a more complex client base. Once you have advanced your skills sufficiently, you can list your services on freelance websites like Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer, Simplyhired etc.
Always continue to improve your skills and always strive to become a leader in the industry. Familiarize yourself with what other competitors are doing in the industry and be sure to stay up to date with the latest trends and requirements from your clients and potential new clients.