Make Your Talking Head Videos More Engaging

If you’re using videos on your blog, you’re probably making what’s known as “talking head videos.” These are simple to make – after all, it’s just you and a camera – but they can be difficult in terms of engagement. If you think about it, that makes sense. No one wants to watch you chat for 5 minutes. There are some things you can do to make them more interesting, though. Since most people find it easier to learn when visual is combined with audio, video is a natural choice. And by using a concept called picture in a picture and green-screen technology, you can create a better talking head video that gets the results you want without boring your viewer.

Use Picture-In-Picture Technology to Add Interest to PowerPoint

This is easy to do using presentation software such as PowerPoint or Keynote. First, create your presentation as you want it. You don't want your face to block your text so be sure to leave space (generally in the lower right or left corner) for your video. You will get to choose where you want your face using software like Camtasia with the add-in for PowerPoint enabled. Then simply record the presentation by enabling both audio and web cam video to create the picture-in-picture recording. You can preview it the entire time so that you can see exactly how it will look.

Green Screens Allow for Endless Background Options

Want to have fun with your background? Green screen recording makes it easy. Making a green screen is simple, too. Just buy some bright florescent green poster boards to make the screen as big as you want it, then buy some florescent green duct tape, then simply tape it all together as neatly as possible onto a wall.  Alternatively, you can paint a section of wall florescent green. You can also make a pure white background. Make a white background by using just a white wall, or you can cover the wall with a movie screen, or white bed sheet, or white paper. You can spread the green or white color onto the floor a bit for a better effect.

When you make your recording of your face giving your presentation, be sure to try different lighting options. You’ll want to make sure there is enough light – and coming from enough different directions – to eliminate unwanted shadows. Check out some of the professional photography lighting setups on Amazon. You can buy an entire lighting kit for less than $200, and it will make all the difference in your video quality. 
 
When you’re finished recording, just use editing software to put your PowerPoint file inside the recorded presentation as the background by using the chroma key setting within your editing software. It will look beautiful and seamless.

If all this sounds like a lot of work, another option is to simply choose an interesting background to record against. Bookshelves with a few plants and knick-knacks are a popular choice, as is a nice outdoor scene. Avoid blank walls, and be sure to watch for troublesome details such as plants that appear to be growing out of your head.

Don’t ignore talking head videos. They are still a fantastic way to create more engagement with your audience. After all, nothing creates more trust than seeing you as a real person. But do make an effort to create interesting videos that keep your viewer’s attention.