Outsourcing your video editing is critical in streamlining your content creation process. It saves you time and brainspace, allows you to focus on strategy and filming, and boosts your content quality.
Hiring a freelance video editor looks like the logical first step. On platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, thousands of more or less seasoned editors offer their services at affordable rates.
However, there are several huge pitfalls you need to avoid. Otherwise, hiring a freelance editor will get you nothing but frustration. And lost money.
Here’s what to watch out for.
Key Takeaways
- Don’t merely rely on a freelancer’s reviews. Take the time to thoroughly check their portfolio and verify that they have the skills you need.
- Make sure that they have edited videos in your niche before. Someone who’s specialized in wedding video editing won’t necessarily be great at producing business content.
- Communication is key. Make sure that your editor is responsive and can talk about their work in detail.
Keep reading for the full scoop!
Failing to Deep-Dive Into their Portfolio
First off, don’t just trust reviews – take the time to deep-dive into an editor’s portfolio. Finding an affordable editor with a five-star rating can seem like hitting the jackpot. However, it’s often misleading.
If the people who write rave reviews about them only needed basic edits or came from niches completely different to yours, job platform ratings alone often don’t mean much. Plus, many editors also solicit reviews from biased sources to drive up their ratings.
Instead, take a close look at your candidates’ portfolios. Check that they do the kinds of edits you want in terms of complexity, pacing, tone, transitions, and content type. An extensive video portfolio that proudly showcases their work is a big plus. If you can only find one or two videos, move on.
Not Matching Niches
Another common mistake when you hire a freelance video editor is to go with a generalist, or someone who is specialized in a different niche than yours.
If you’re a business owner getting into video marketing, hiring an editor who’s specialized in wedding videos is not a great move. (Unless you own a bridal shop!)
Similarly, if you’re aiming to make long-form travel vlogs for YouTube, going with someone who usually edits LinkedIn videos for corporations is not a fantastic choice.
If you can, filter for your niche already when you search for video editors. At the very least, you should verify that an editor’s portfolio contains videos from your niche – or something very close to it.
Neglecting Communication
When you’re first hiring a freelancer, finding someone with fantastic editing skills may seem like the top priority.
However, communication is just as important.
In addition to being a seasoned pro at editing, the freelancer you choose to work with needs to be responsive and available through your usual communication channels. Plus, they need to be able to talk about their work in a way that’s accessible to you.
All of this is critical when it comes to giving them notes on what you want your edit to look like, and for making revisions requests as efficient as possible.
The Alternative: Go With a Video Editing Service
Checking all of these factors when you’re choosing which freelancer to work with can be a lot of work. Plus, when you finally pinpoint someone who’s perfect for your needs, they’re often not available. Many freelance editors who are worth their salt work on retainers for regular clients. Or their pricing is out of your budget.
Fortunately, there’s a solid alternative. Go with a video editing service.
Good video editing companies are specialized in hiring top-notch editors and doing all the vetting for you. At Tasty Edits, for example, we only accept 0.5% of applicants.
Plus, the best video editing services out there come with guaranteed turnaround times, redundancies, quality control, and additional services such as thumbnail design and YouTube channel management.
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FAQs
How to find a great freelance video editor?
When you’re looking for a freelance video editor, start by filtering for someone who is specialized in your niche, then take a deep-dive into their portfolio to make sure they edit the type of content you want. Finally, make sure they’re responsive and match your communication style.
What mistakes to avoid when hiring a freelance video editor?
Don’t merely rely on a freelancer’s reviews. Take the time to thoroughly check their portfolio and verify that they have the skills you need. Make sure that they have edited videos in your niche before. Someone who’s specialized in wedding video editing won’t necessarily be great at producing business content. Communication is key. Make sure that your editor is responsive and can talk about their work in detail.
Should I hire a freelance video editor or a video editing company?
Overall, opting for a video editing company gives you greater security. They have guaranteed turnaround times, internal quality control, and back-ups in case your editor gets sick or needs time off.
