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Build explanatory videos into your engagement strategy
Editor’s note: Throughout the month of October, the Institute and Canva are offering free bite-sized trainings on tips, tools, and Canva templates designed just for journalists. Sign up now to receive the daily emails.
Engaging today’s news audiences means ditching a one-size-fits-all approach to presenting vital information. Audiences don’t just read the news, they watch it, scroll it, and share it. And while accuracy is paramount, authenticity is essential when presenting complex subjects and information.
One way to inject authenticity and context into your work is by creating short, asynchronous explainer videos to layer with your coverage.
With Canva, you don’t need a production studio to create these types of video, which gives you the opportunity to connect with your audience and explain your journalism in your own words.
Here's how:
First, prepare your graphic. (In our example, we’re opening a customizable infographic template we created during an earlier Camp Canva installment on infographics.)
Next, we’ll open Canva’s Recording Studio. You can do this by selecting “videos” in the far left column of your window. Another option to enter the Recording Studio is to select “Uploads” in the far left column of your window.
From here, select “Record yourself,” then “Record a talking head.” (You can also do a simple voiceover recording if you prefer.)
Once you select “Record yourself," you’ll see yourself in a circle toward the bottom of your design. That circle is mobile; that is, you can move it where you’d like within the design. First, though, let’s adjust the settings.
You’ll verify your camera and microphone settings in the top right corner. If the options disappear, you can use the gear icon to bring them back to your screen.
In Canva, you can record using just your camera, just showing your screen, or both your camera and your screen.
To start, select “Record” at at the bottom of your window. Canva will initiate a three-second countdown before the recording begins. (Click here for some pointers for your recording.)
Once you are satisfied with your recording and infographic, it’s time to preview what you’ll be sharing with the world. To do so, select “Preview” at the top of your window.
Watch your preview and adjust anything you’d like ahead of sharing. To share, explore your options by selecting “Share” in the top right corner of your Canva window. You can share directly to your linked social media channels, download the file to use across platforms, create a QR code to share in ads, and more.
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