With a decent phone you can film content that’s valid for social media, but there’s a big gap between “filming something” and filming something that really adds to the brand. Here are the key points we usually apply in our productions.

1. Vertical format, whenever it’s for Stories, Reels or TikTok

A video filmed horizontally and forced into a vertical crop loses framing and quality. If the final destination is a vertical platform, it needs to be thought out and filmed that way from the start.

2. Sound matters as much as the image

A video with good visuals but audio with echo, wind or background noise stands out — and people drop off quickly. A basic external microphone already improves the result enormously compared to the built-in microphone on a phone or camera.

3. The first 3 seconds decide whether someone stays

On social media, the opening “hook” (a question, a striking image, a direct statement) determines whether the person keeps watching or moves on to the next video. It’s worth thinking about before filming, not improvising on the spot.

4. Light it, even if it’s just natural light

You don’t need a professional set: standing in front of a window with natural light already changes the result completely compared with filming backlit or in dim light.

5. Subtitles, almost always

A large share of video consumption on social media happens with the sound off. A video without subtitles loses that entire audience within the first few seconds.

6. Keep a recognisable visual identity

Colours, typography, editing style: if every video looks like it’s from a different brand, it’s harder for the content to be associated with you. Visual consistency between posts helps just as much as each individual video.

When is it worth hiring a professional?

Filming everyday content on a phone (behind the scenes, spontaneous content) can be done by the business’s own team. But for pieces that represent the brand more formally — corporate video, campaigns, coverage of an event — a professional team brings pre-production, better technical equipment and careful editing that’s hard to match without full-time dedication.

Want video content that represents your brand well?

We produce video for social media with our own team, designed for each platform. Tell us about your project.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What format should a video for Instagram or TikTok be?

Vertical (9:16), thought out and filmed that way from the start — forcing a horizontal video into a vertical crop loses framing and quality.

Do social media videos need subtitles?

It’s highly recommended: a large share of video consumption on social media happens with the sound off, and a video without subtitles loses that audience within the first few seconds.

When is it worth hiring a production company instead of filming on a phone?

For spontaneous day-to-day content, a phone can be enough. For pieces that formally represent the brand (corporate video, campaigns, event coverage), a professional team brings pre-production, better technical equipment and careful editing that’s hard to match without full-time dedication.