If you’re starting a blog, video channel, or social media account and would like to have a carefully crafted make intro video before your amazing content appears on the screen then this post is for you. In it we’ll show you how to make an intro video with some basic and commonly available tools as well as some free and premium software.
We’ll also highlight some good starter projects for those just getting started.The intro video is an important part of your overall marketing strategy and, obviously, the first thing people see of your work. We highly recommend that you include a short intro video in addition to your post with every blog post on your site.
What kind of video should I use as an intro?
You should use a short video to introduce your brand or business that is a maximum of 2 minutes in length. There are lots of stock video sites out there, probably the most popular one being Shutterstock but there are many others out there.
Your intro video doesn’t need to tell any kind of story; the goal here is simply to introduce yourself and your work. We have additional resources on the videos we used for this post at the end if you’re interested in learning more about them.
What software do I need?
We’ll show you how to create a simple, clean intro templates using some basic software that anyone can use. If you’re looking for something more advanced and robust then there are options out there that can help you do so.
Adobe After Effects is probably the most well-known option but it’s also the most expensive, starting at about $10 per month. There is an excellent program called DaVinci Resolve that has a FREE version but you’ll have to pay if you want to export videos from it (we use this for some of our videos).
Can I use stock footage in my intro video?
Yes, although we believe that you should use a clip or an image that is related to your business (which should be affiliated with it at some level) as opposed to just repurposing some stock footage.
You can find a lot of free and premium stock footage sites out there like Free Stock Footage and Stock VFX where you can find a lot of professional digital clips. If you want to get more from your youtube intro maker then we’d recommend grabbing two clips from the same location and media type.
What software should I use to enhance my intro?
Most of the really good paid and free video editing programs can do this for you or you can use simple after effects plugins to make your work even better. If you want some great tutorials on how to get started in After Effects then consider checking out this great set of tutorials by Krakatoa Video.
For Premiere Pro, Blackmagic Design also provides some very nice tutorials covering different aspects of the program (some of which we used in our tutorial) on their website.
