8 Tips for Better Instagram Videos

Techa Tungateja/ iStock / Getty Images Plus
Techa Tungateja/ iStock / Getty Images Plus

Instagram is more than just a place to post and view pictures of food … it’s also a place to post and view videos of food!

Let me just say that I’m not really one for words, which is exactly why I started making nutrition and cooking videos. When I search for recipes, I don’t always have time to read through lengthy blogs just to find the basic ingredients and directions. What I want is healthy, quick recipes that are affordable and customizable. In my videos, I include only a brief instruction of the process to put the meal together.

Another reason I decided to start making my own recipe videos — using nothing more than a smartphone camera and the free iMovie app — is because I saw too many posts on social media of people my age making excuses about why they couldn’t eat healthfully, whether it was due to limited time or limited money. I make recipe videos to show them how easy it really is.

Fish Tacos Made Easy (Drunken street vendor food in your kitchen!) Prep: 20 min Bake: 20 min Total: 40 min Ingredients White Fish 2 Limes 1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Black pepper 1/2 small head of green or red cabbage (about 14 ounces), cored and thinly sliced 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro 6 to 8 soft (6-inch) corn tortillas Season: Lime Juice, Garlic, Cumin, Chili Powder, Oil, Salt & Pepper Rest: 15-30 minutes Garnish: Sliced Cabbage, Onion, Cilantro, Lime, Oil, Salt & Pepper Bake: Fish at 425 for 20 minutes #Nutrition #Diet #Taco #FishTaco #MealPlanning #Wellness #Protein #FoodPhotography

A post shared by Andrew Doherty, RDN (@adoherty625) on

Here are eight simple rules for making videos and interacting on Instagram. 8 Tips for Better Instagram Videos -

8 Tips to Make Awesome Videos for Instagram

Keep It Simple
Limit the video to the essential steps and ingredients.

No Distractions
Focus the video on the one shot you are recording.

Have a Plan
My best videos are when I carefully plan out each step of the recipe and how the video will encapsulate each step.

Editing Takes Time
So start up your Netflix (for background noise), grab something to drink and get comfy while editing.

Learn from Experience
My first videos were bad. Ask for suggestions from your viewers on how to make them better.

Study
Cooking videos are not new. There are a lot of people creating better videos (or taking better pictures) than yours, and people who are better at engaging in social media than you are. Look for components of their content that you like and adapt it to your material.

Engage
Communicate with your followers. They are the reason you’re making your content, right? Ask for their input — it will make your content better and build a sense of belonging to a community that involves you.

Post What You Like
It’s your page, so make it your own. You’ll have more passion for creating new and better content if you like what you’re posting.

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Andrew Doherty
Andrew Doherty, RDN, is a dietitian based in the Twin Cities who works to promote nutritious food choices. He accomplishes this through hands-on cooking and nutrition education so that the people he works with can be empowered to make realistic healthful choices. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.