Don't look AWKWARD in your FIRST YOUTUBE VIDEO! My Best Tips For Talking To A Camera!

When you decide to start a YouTube channel after you figured out what you were going to say in your first video, the next thought that probably comes to mind is, okay, how am I going to look and feel confident on camera? Most of the time I hear from students and clients that they feel super awkward on camera and they think they are the most awkward person ever to put themselves on camera. But I'm going to let you in on a little secret here. Even though it may look that I'm confident and comfortable here talking on camera, it's did not start that way. And I still don't really enjoy watching my own videos back. But if you seriously watch one of my first videos, you will see the huge journey that I've had finding my own personality and finding my own confidence here on camera. So if you're ready to hear some simple things that you can do to help you feel more comfortable on camera, hit that, like, button and let's dig in. Hey there. If you're new, my name is Trena and this channel is a place for business owners, entrepreneurs, and content creators who want to learn how to grow organically through online video. I first want to start explaining what made the biggest difference for me finding that confidence on camera, from going to that super cringy person in those first couple of videos to feeling better about it now, that was lessening the amount that I scripted. Now, I still vouch that a script is absolutely important, and I have one right here off to the side of my camera right now that I'm going off of. But what happened for me was I would script everything word for word, and I'd be so wrapped into my perfectionist mindset that I needed to say everything on that script word for word. So what happened was I became very robotic and uptight, just stressing out over saying everything in that script instead of allowing myself to speak the way I normally speak to my friends and giving myself that freedom to. To flow with what I'm talking about. So what I actually do now is I will write mostly what my video is about, and I will just deliver a couple pieces of that script on video right now, and I will pause for a second. The camera's still running. This is something that we edit out in the editing process. But I will go for a little bit, I will take a pause, I will look over here at my screen script and see what the next piece of content is that I'm going to be talking about, get it in my head, come here, look back up into the camera and deliver a little Bit of content at a time. This one allows me to be more me, allows me to not be so stressed out, and it actually makes the filming process go a lot quicker because I'm not rambling on, forgetting what I'm saying, going on a tangent, I'm staying very on task. So it allows filming to go quicker and it allows me, editor, to edit a lot quicker. Another thing that I had to let go, coming from a masters of business side of things and being a really suit and tie type person, was letting go of perfectionism and trying to be perfect on video. I thought I had to be this very perfect professional person to build authority and for people to trust me. But in reality, people just want to be able to connect with you. When you get so wrapped up in being perfect, you end up kind of looking like a robot. And nobody ever really connects with a robot unless you're that one from Saved by the Bell that Screech had. So when you can open up yourself and give yourself the freedom to let more of your personality shine through, even though it feels weird and it feels vulnerable, that's where you're going to see a change and where you're going to connect with your audience. So you can actually let in your stumbles, let in your mistakes. It makes you human and really allows people to connect with you. If you watch a couple of my videos from a few weeks ago, I let in content where my kid was in the background. Because we have been quarantined for months and there's no way around it. Kids are going to pop into my video at some point in time. So just get over trying to make everything perfect and let more of you come through. Another way to feel confident on camera is to talk about your zone of genius. Now, we may get all strategic on videos and you may think this is the exact video that you need to talk about, but it may not necessarily be your zone of genius. When you are here on YouTube, it's really important for you to talk about your passion because you're going to be much more confident talking about it and. And people are going to be able to see it shine through on you. I know for me, if I'm talking about something that I'm not 100% on, but you've asked me for a video, I don't feel as confident on camera. But when it comes to topics like how to be confident on camera or YouTube strategy or filming a video, that's my passion and that's where you can really see a difference. In my video, in my Camera Persona is when I'm talking about the things that I love. And a pro tip here, don't worry about what somebody might say, somebody that you deem an expert might say on your video. Honestly, they're probably too busy to one, know you exist, or two, be watching your YouTube video. So don't think if you say something wrong or you're worried about sharing your own personal opinion on something that somebody's going to call you out. It's 99.9% not going to happen. So get over that. You'll be fine. Another thing to remember is it will take time to feel and find yourself on camera, but practice. And there are some great places that you can practice, like Instagram stories and those suckers disappear in 24 hours. Or you can delete them if you don't want to show them. And they have filters, so they're gonna instantly make you look 100 times better. Or film a couple practice YouTube videos, act like you're doing them for real and do some test runs. Start to find your vibe on video and then just delete them if you want to, or use them, because you're probably going to be your own biggest critic. And those videos are probably great. But you need to start practicing to be able to get to a point where you feel more comfortable and confident on camera. And really remember, don't get so fixated on being perfect. I can tell you right now, I hate my teeth and I have crooked bottom teeth and that's all I see on video. But nobody else sees that on video. And we ourselves are going to pick out our biggest weaknesses and critique ourselves to a point that is totally not fair to ourselves and most people aren't even going to recognize it. So get out of your head, stop picking yourself apart, and just allow yourself to be you on camera. Your friends like you, after all. Your family loves you after all. Another thing, don't let your confidence get so wrapped up on your background first. For example, today my husband is working in my office, my kids are in there, and I'm trying to shoot video when I can since everybody is now at home thanks to COVID 19. So just get over the fact that your background may not be perfect, but it doesn't have to be perfect for you to film, okay? Your background should not reflect your confidence on camera. If you got a plain white wall behind you, rock it. Be confident with it. You know, that is you and that's where you're going to be filming. So allow it, not affect how you're going to show up on camera for me. I know no matter where I sit, I'm showing up here and I'm talking to you directly to this camera lens where I know you're on the other side and I'm here to help you get started on video. That's why I show up and that's why I don't care if there's birds chirping in the background, you hear a lawnmower, or I'm on my back porch. That is why I show up. And hopefully that is why you watch this channel. So some other external things that could boost your confidence and making you feel better is thinking about, you know, your hair and makeup. And I am no professional hair and makeup person. Everything that I've learned has been from YouTube tutorials. So maybe put some makeup on. I put tinted chapstick on. That's as far as I go. Put something on. Does that make you feel confident? Do you feel good in that? If not, don't wear it because you think it's professional wear. What makes you feel good? For me, it's T shirts. That's why you will see me in a lot of T shirts, T shirts, especially over the summer, because that is me. That is who I am. I'm a jeans and T shirts kind of gal and that's what I'm most comfortable in. So show up on video if you're confident with no makeup. Rock no makeup. If you need some makeup, don't think it needs to be professional, professionally done makeup, you know, just go with what makes you feel good. My secret tip here is have a dance party before you turn on the camera. I have a playlist on Spotify that I will turn on a lot of 90s, pop some Taylor Swift and just dance it out. Get hyped up, maybe get some caffeine. I have a soda here to the side. But just get that energy in you because the camera will suck out a lot of your energy. So you do have to turn it up a bit and be a little bit more energetic on camera so that it shows through. So do what you can to really get that energy pumping right before you turn the camera on. So if I've now convinced you that you are ready to be on video, I've created a 15 page roadmap that is going to show you all the steps you need to do to make sure your YouTube channel is set up successfully and is going to get you more views and more leads to your business. All you need to do to grab that roadmap is click the link on your screen right now or down in the description box. Pop your email in there and I'll send it right to your inbox. And if you're still stuck on what should be your very first YouTube video, make sure you click the video that is on your screen right now, because I'm going to show you the top five three places to find the best video ideas for your first YouTube video. Click that video and I'll see you over there.