9 Tips For Being Confident on Camera as an Influencer

These days it seems like everyone is fully on board with video content. While showing up on video can be fun, it can also certainly be a little bit intimidating in one way or another.

Even though I have always felt pretty confident in my ability to speak to people, I really didn’t know anything about how to use my camera and my first videos were often shot out of focus or with distracting backlighting.

Since video is at the forefront of almost every major social media platform, I believe it’s essential for content creators. I wanted to share my top 10 actionable tips for looking natural on video and being confident on camera so you can face the camera without fear.

9 Tips For Being Confident on Camera as an Influencer

1. Find a quiet filming area 

I do live in an apartment building in a busy city so there are occasionally sounds in the hallways or down on the street.

As much as I can accommodate with my filming schedule, I will try to film at quieter times like early morning where I know that kids are not out from school yet or that people have already gone off to work.

That way I can sit in my filming spot and record content in a nice, quiet place so I can make sure my audience will get decent sound when they watch and so that I don’t get distracted while I’m filming.

2. Take the pressure off

Being on camera can feel intimidating, so let’s take the pressure off! If there’s something that I filmed and I didn’t quite love my wording, I will likely film it a second time and then in editing, I can always choose the clip that I prefer to actually go in the video.

Remember that you can always do multiple different takes. Make sure that you have room on your memory card on your camera, and if you’re filming on your phone, you can check and see how much storage you have available too.

When in doubt, film as much as you want and know you can always edit it down later.

3. Do a test run and watch yourself

You may not realize it, but we all have little movements or quirks that we can do subconsciously. Maybe it’s playing with your hair, talking with your hands, or saying “um” more than you mean to.

This is why I recommend watching yourself and practicing where you can see yourself and how you appear on camera.

A few places you can do this: looking in the mirror, using the viewfinder / flip screen on a camera, over FaceTime with a friend, and so on. Practice, and take note of anything that you may want to adjust.

4. Test your filming equipment

After you check your own actions, check your equipment too to feel confident on camera.

If you’re filming content for TikTok or reels, make sure that you’re fully in the frame of your camera.

If you’re using a DSLR camera, make sure you’re in focus and that the lighting looks good and that you’re framed the way you want to be.

For YouTube I always film a few poses for my YouTube thumbnail first that takes about 60 seconds so I can have that footage but also quickly confirm that everything looks good from a production standpoint.

(Need affordable filming equipment? Here’s what I use!)

5. Wear something that makes you feel confident

You may notice I almost always wear a dress or top in a fun color. It makes me feel confident.

I like how the color interacts with my background. It helps me stand out more than black, white, or neutrals.

That’s my go-to look for YouTube videos, but choose whatever makes you feel comfortable, confident, and like yourself.

When you look good, you feel good and that will really come through on camera as well.

6. Remember your message and who you’re talking to 

All of my videos on YouTube have a common theme, helping content creators by giving them tips and strategies to feel confident with content creation. You can also check out my content hacks for more tips on running a successful creator business.

That’s always in the back of my mind whenever I’m filming videos and it really helps me stay focused and motivated when I’m on camera to picture who I’m talking to.

By the way, If you are not 100% clear on your niche or who your audience is, I highly recommend checking out my free guide The Influencer Launchpad!

This is a free resource that I’ve created that is filled with tons of actionable tips and resources, including figuring out what posting platform is best for you, finding your “why” as a creator, and so much more. Grab your copy here.

7. Give yourself talking points 

For talking videos, make a bulleted list of points. Keep it beside your camera on your phone or laptop. As I talk, I glance at the list to see my next point, then look back at the camera.

I usually add a simple bullet and talk freely about it. This keeps the video conversational. If you’re new on camera, you can write key points word for word to follow along comfortably.

8. Personality > perfection 

Remember that people really want to see your personality on YouTube and that should shine through.

In fact, sometimes when I’ve messed up in videos before or you know not quite said the right thing, it’s actually turned out to be better than what would have happened if I had just stuck with the plan.

Personality is really the thing that really draws people in and gets them to know, like and trust you which is really important for building a successful creator business and a personal brand online.

9. Always throw away the first pancake

The saying “always throw away the first pancake” is actually a really good one to apply to video content creation.

I remember when I first started my YouTube channel. I was so determined to make my first two videos perfect. I wanted to upload them immediately, but I couldn’t even use the first one. It was blurry and out of focus.

I was super bummed. My advice to anyone new to video creation is simple. If you’re filming long-form or talk-through content, record a video and don’t post it.

You can delete it, save it to laugh at years later, or use it as practice. It takes the pressure off having to show it to anyone, and it can help you get started with your YouTube channel launch.

So that’s the saying “always throw away the first pancake” because it might be a little lumpy or it might not have cooked evenly at first, but by the time the griddle warms up the rest of the pancakes should cook evenly. 

Those are my best tips for how to feel confident on camera! I really hope that this post helped you and gave you some new ideas.

Any questions? Other suggestions that have worked for you? Please leave me a comment and let me know.

yours,

Austen

Photo above by: Jessie Alcheh

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