Video bio: how to record a short video about yourself on your phone

A video bio is a short clip where you introduce yourself to people who haven't met you yet. A minute of you talking does what a page of text can't: people hear your voice, see your face and decide whether they'd like to work with you. Here's how to make one with the phone in your pocket.

Who a video bio is for

Anyone whose clients are choosing a person, not a product. Realtors, coaches, lawyers, trainers, tutors, consultants, stylists, contractors who send the crew lead to your door. If people ask "what's she like?" before they hire, a video answers it.

How long should it be?

Aim for 45 to 90 seconds. Long enough to say something real, short enough that people watch to the end. If you have more to say, record a second video about one topic, rather than one long one about everything.

What to say: a simple script

Don't write a speech. Write four short notes and talk through them:

1. Hello and who you are. "Hi, I'm Dana. I'm a personal trainer in the north end."
2. Who you help. "Most of my clients are over 40 and haven't trained in years."
3. One small story or detail. "Last spring a client of mine carried her grandson up three flights of stairs without stopping. That's the kind of goal I like."
4. What happens next. "If that sounds like you, book a free first session below. We'll just talk and move a bit."

Read the notes once, put them away, and talk. A few "ums" are fine; people trust a real voice more than a perfect one.

Light: face a window

You don't need lights. Stand or sit facing a window, so daylight falls on your face. Avoid having the window behind you, which turns you into a silhouette, and avoid ceiling lights alone, which put shadows under your eyes. Overcast days are perfect.

Sound matters more than picture

People forgive a slightly soft picture. They don't forgive sound they can't hear. Record in a small, quiet room with soft things in it: a bedroom or an office, not a kitchen with tiles. Turn off the fan and the fridge hum if you can. If you have earbuds with a mic, try them against the phone's own mic and keep whichever sounds clearer. A small clip-on mic is cheap and helps if you plan to record often.

Framing and the phone

• Phone at eye level, on a stack of books or a small tripod. Looking down at the camera is the most common mistake.
• Use the back camera if you can see yourself another way; it's usually sharper. The front camera is fine if it helps you relax.
• Vertical or horizontal? If people will watch it on their phones, vertical fills the screen. Horizontal suits a laptop.
• Look at the lens, not at your own face on the screen.
• Leave a little room above your head, and show your shoulders, not just a face.

Record five takes, keep one

The first take is always stiff. By the third, you've stopped thinking about the camera. Record a few, pick the one where you sound most like yourself, trim the start and the end, and stop. No music, no effects. If your phone can add captions, add them: plenty of people watch with the sound off.

Where to put your video bio

A video only works if people see it before they decide. Put it where they land first: the first screen of your own profile, right under your name, with a button to call or book next to it. Then share that one link everywhere: your card, your email signature, your social bio, a QR code on your sign or your door.

For realtors, the same idea works for homes: a QR code on the sign that opens a video tour of that listing. See QR codes on real estate signs.

Common mistakes

• Reading a script word for word. It shows. Talk from notes.
• Starting with your résumé. Start with who you help.
• No next step. End by telling people what to do.
• Hiding it. A great video three taps deep might as well not exist.

Common questions

Do I need to hire a videographer?

Not for a video bio. A recent phone, daylight from a window and a quiet room are enough. Hire someone later for listing videos or a brand film if you want; your bio should sound like you on a normal day.

What should I wear?

What you'd wear to meet a client. Plain colours read better on a small screen than busy patterns. Skip anything with a big logo on it.

How often should I update it?

When something real changes: a new area, a new service, a new look. Once a year is a good time to check whether it still sounds like you.

I'm nervous on camera. Any tips?

Pretend you're talking to one client you like, not to an audience. Record standing up if you talk with your hands. And remember you can record as many takes as you want; nobody sees the first four.