Instagram Reels: the Dos and Don’ts
22 June 2021
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20 July 2021
Cameraschuw? 6 Tips to get comfortable in front of the camera.
Are you scared of showing yourself online? Scared of a selfie as a post, filming yourself for Instagram Stories or an Instagram Reel? Are you camera shy, and therefore find it difficult to stand in front of the camera?
That’s completely normal. Many people feel scared at the start! Including me. Although I now regularly show my face online, it was a huge struggle at the start. I told myself things such as:
No one likes to see what I am doing.
Who wants to see my face
I don’t like myself enough to show myself on camera.
Until I switched. I realized that I was avoiding an essential element by not showing myself: I withheld my following from creating a connection with me. I was hiding behind all my design infographics, without showing myself. And actually, that’s quite weird: the services I sell include me. So how could potential clients see with who they were going to work?
This made me think, and let me decide to show myself online. And trust me, that wasn’t easy.
Therefore, I am sharing some tips which helped me feel more comfortable in front of the camera, so you can get started and feel less scared.
Create vlogs or videos of yourself without publishing them.
Eh… Without publishing them? YES! Because when we see our face, or hear our voice, we all think ‘Is that me?. By filming yourself and reviewing it, you get used to the way you look, and the way you sound. By doing this multiple times, you’ll embrace these aspects of you.
Add a few people to your ‘Best friends’ list on Instagram, and upload your stories on there.
In Instagram there is an option to generate a ‘Best friends’ list. In here, you can add specific follower to make a list. When making stories, you can choose to upload your stories only in this group. Only the followers you’ve selected will be able to see your stories. In this way you can practise, without showing yourself to your entire following.
This is how you create a ‘Best friends’ list:
– Open Instagram
– Go to your profile page, and click on the 3 horizontal stripes in the upper right corner.
– Click on ‘best friends’ and select the followers you would like to add to the list.
Start practising in an environment you feel safe in.
When you start doing something you’re scared of, it is important to feel as comfortable as possible. Filming yourself is quite vulnerable. Therefore, ensure to be in a room you feel safe in. This could be your bedroom, your office, or outside in your garden. It’s up to you!
Preparation is key
Are you scared of getting a black-out? That you forget what you want to say? I’ve been there, done that. What helped me is by writing a small note including what I want to share. In case I would forget, I could grab the note and continue. Most of the time, I didn’t even need the note, but only the thought of having the note available helped me mentally.
Bonus tip: If you write down your ideas, it becomes more clear on how you can structure your story. This avoids gibberish and helps you to come across structured and clear, so your followers completely understand you.
Put on an outfit that makes you feel confident.
It is a very small element, but your outfit can change your mood. When you wear a dress of which you know it looks fantastic on you, you can feel on top of the world. And this mood is exactly what will help you feel more confident on camera. When you feel good, you look good. So get your prettiest dress out of your closet, your high heels you only wear to special occasions because they are too pretty, and take it away!
Nobody is perfect
Embrace little errors and imperfections. Nobody is perfect! And be honest: how many times did you noticed a small imperfection of someone else? And how much did it bother you? Did it bother you when someone can’t find the words they are looking for? Probably it didn’t bother you at all. Why would you be this strict on yourself? Be kind to yourself, less strict and perfectionist. Because, nobody is perfect, right?
