No matter if you’re a creator or a business getting started in video marketing, having the right tools to turn your raw footage into solid viral gold is essential.
Picking the right video editing platforms is complicated, though, especially with the massive range of offers out there.
Here are three mistakes to avoid while you’re making your choice. And select the option that best meets your needs in every way.
Key Takeaways
- Compare offers with a concrete scenario (volume of videos per month, complexity of edits) in mind
- Consider both pricing and skill levels
- Factor in adjacent workflows like feedback, revision, and publishing
Compare With Concrete Scenarios in Mind
Chances are, you have a fixed budget you can spend on video editing tools per month. So far so good.
However, comparing different offers can be extremely challenging.
That’s because the tools that are on the market vary wildly when it comes to:
- the range of functionalities they offer
- what is included in a subscription and what you have to pay for as an add-on
- limits, eg. on footage you can store in your account (for online tools)
- billing periods
- costs for additional account users/seats
The worst case scenario? Your staff are mid-edit when you get a notification that you’ve hit your plan limits – and a demand to upgrade.
So how can you realistically compare offers and avoid any hidden costs?
Work with scenarios.
How many videos are you planning to edit per month? What raw footage sizes will you be working with? If you work with a team, how many users do you need for your account?
Moreover, how complex will your edits be?
This last aspect will let you set priorities when it comes to the functionalities you look at – which ones you absolutely need, which ones would be nice to have, and which ones are sweet add-ons but not necessary.
In all of this, don’t forget to factor in scalability. If things go well, what will your video production volume look like in a year? How easy is it to add additional users to the platform? How expensive are extra licences?
Taking this into account now will help you avoid lengthy, costly platform migration later.
Factor in Skill Levels
When you’re just orienting yourself among the myriad of video editing tools out there, it can be tempting to look at the software the pros are using. And go for that one.
Not so fast. While seasoned video editors can work visual magic with tools like Adobe Premiere Pro, rookies often find it overwhelming and difficult to navigate. There’s a serious learning curve.
If you have little or no experience with video editing and want to opt for a professional-grade tool, you need to plan in time to learn how to use it. It can take days or weeks to gain basic proficiency. And years to get to the point of producing high-level edits.
If you want to hit the ground running, it’s often better to opt for simpler tools with more intuitive interfaces and low barriers to entry. Especially if the edits you’re aiming for are fairly straight-forward – think simple tutorial videos or product demos.
Consider Related Workflows
If you’re a creator working solo and managing your own channel, this is not a major consideration for you. But if you’re a business owner or work as part of a team collaborating on video projects, it’s critical to factor in not just editing but also related workflows into your pick of tools.
Sharing raw footage. Reviewing drafts. Leaving comments. Exporting the deliverables. Uploading them to the target platforms.
All of these workflow elements can cause friction and lead to delays. Picking the right video editing tool can help things run more smoothly.
For example, some cloud-based video editing tools make it easy to pool raw footage, share drafts, leave comments, collaborate, and upload results directly to social media platforms. The editing functions might be very basic, and the edits quite simplistic, but this can save massive amounts of time.
In contrast, if you’re working on longer, more complex projects using high-level tools like Premiere, sharing working files is trickier due to their massive sizes. In this case, you may need to use an additional tool like Frame.io to give your collaborators the possibility of leaving frame-by-frame feedback. You’d have to calculate that into your post-production budget from the get-go.
Bonus: The Simpler Alternative
Pro-tip. Many businesses and creators save themselves not only the pain of comparing video editing tools but also the cost of paying for them – by outsourcing editing altogether.
Hiring a video editor has three major benefits.
First, they work with professional tools and pay for them out of their own pocket. You don’t have to.
Second, not only do you get access to the tools these editors use, but also to their expertise. They’ve already spent years fine-tuning their editing skills and you get to instantly leverage them.
Third, you can free up your time and headspace. Instead of worrying about software choices, spending time learning how to edit, or losing hours fiddling with cuts and transitions, you get to do what you do best – creating more amazing content.
Ready to get started?
Tasty Edits offers all-round video editing services and YouTube channel management for professional creators. Check out our portfolio – or start your first edit today!
FAQs
How do you pick the best video editing software?
Which video editing software is best for you depends on your budget, editing skills, and expected video output.
How expensive is video editing software?
Some video editing tools are free, such as iMovie and DaVinci Resolve. Professional editors, however, tend to use high-end solutions such as Adobe Premiere Pro, which offers annual subscriptions starting at around $300.
What are the best video editing tools for creators?
Which video editing software is best for you depends on your budget, editing skills, and expected video output. Many creators use high-level editing tools like Adobe Premiere Pro. However, the majority of professional creators outsource video editing.
