10 Tools to Help You Level Up Your Video Editing Skills

Video content is a trending strategy in today’s digital marketing world. As a matter of fact, 87% of companies agree that video is a vital marketing tool they’ve implemented, and this trend is consistently going up, from 63% in 2017 to 81% in 2018.

This drastic upward change in the marketing landscape shows that businesses are becoming more aware that video marketing can significantly increase sales volume, enhance brand visibility, and help in building a loyal, engaged following.

There are many other compelling statistics to convince entrepreneurs that they need to realign their strategy to the current video marketing trend and include video as a mainstay in their organized content marketing workflow.

And in creating more of this type of media, brands are constantly at work improving their video editing skills.

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Video Editing Made Easier

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When it comes to video editing, the entire process can be very time-consuming and still render suboptimal results if not done properly. A lot of work needs to be done even if you aren’t actually trying to make a Hollywood-quality special effects film. But thankfully, there are countless tools to help you streamline this process and level up your video editing skills.

Thanks to editing tools, anyone can become a filmmaker. The advent of video editing software has made it easier for users to digitally edit video footage and audio files and create promotional ads, feature-length films, educational videos, and so much more. Be sure to also read out post to learn how to optimize Youtube videos the right way!

Modern video editing software is right at our fingertips whereas before, this was only available to professionals.

You don’t need to enroll in expensive courses or read lengthy books to start video editing. All you have to do is check out the tools we provide on this list and implement them on your laptop or smartphone. Combine them with a mix of imagination and creativity, and you’re good to go.

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The first step in the video editing process is to choose the right tool for you and your brand. There are many types of video editing assistants out there, with different prices and features. Your preference may vary depending on the interface, usability, and features.

And though the process can be a bit complicated, the key is to take the time to choose which tool works for you.

Here are 10 we think you should consider and one additional new company we have in our sights as an honorable mention, because like us, it's not a bad thing to be an underdog.

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OpenShot

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OpenShot is a great open-source free video editing software solution for beginners.

There are complex tools that offer the same editing features. However, its intuitive interface and minimal design are suitable for beginners who are just learning to create their first video projects.

OpenShot has numerous useful features that enable you to create 3D animations, opening titles, and slow-motion videos similar to iMovie. Its huge library of visual features can make any video look engaging.

And more importantly, it’s an affordable (read: free!) option for small businesses and freelancers. Although since it’s an open-source editor, it takes time for developers to update or fix any bugs on the software. Some users also note that it can lag a little and sometimes freeze up.

Still worth a look? Absolutely. OpenShot will easily get the job done and allow room for plenty of creativity.

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Magisto

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Magisto is an online video maker specifically to help businesses transform static content into animated videos.

By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, Magisto is a smart tool that offers cross-channel video content hosting as well as an insights section to help you analyze the metrics of your social media marketing videos.

Its business-oriented features are packed with tons of pro video clips and photos. It relies heavily on templates and automatically utilizes a cookie-cutter backend system. This may not be appealing to videographers and conventionalists but is immensely helpful otherwise.

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Blender

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Blender is a robust, open-source program available for Windows, Mac, and Linux users. The editor is primarily developed as a 3D animation software with a built-in video editor.

What’s fascinating is how it allows users to perform basic tasks like video cuts and splicing. But you can also manage more complex tasks such as video masking. Its flexible interface is perfect for both beginners and pro-videographers.

You can rely on Blender for most of your business’ video needs.

Other notable capabilities of this amazing tool include live preview, histogram displays, chroma vectorscope, and waveform visualization.

Full disclosure: This software fails to meet the standards of professional video editing software products for Mac despite its amazing modeling and animation features.

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Shotcut

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Shotcut is ideal for meticulous video editors who want a customizable interface and compatibility while working on their projects. It supports a wide range of video file formats, including FFmpeg, DNxHD, PRoRes and 4K, ProRes.

It also provides good audio effect options. Shotcut’s most valuable feature is its native timeline editing feature that does not require importing projects from your computer.

Since it was originally designed for Linux, some may find the interface a bit tough and be disappointed that its preset export formats are limited. Regardless of these issues, Shotcut is still a good option for video editing.

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iMovie

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iMovie is a popular tool among newbie Apple users and a household name in straightforward video editing. It’s the ideal software when it comes to quick turnaround projects and budget-friendly needs.

At the entry level, it does a good job of combining professional themes and animations, trailer features, and an easy-to-learn interface. iMovie offers direct sharing to YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook.

However, unlike the other software options that are available on multiple platforms, you can install this on Mac and you won’t be able to transfer project files to other non-Apple users.

While there is a slight learning curve (which there usually is), once you get the hang of it and learn some of the basic keyboard shortcuts, iMovie is a real timesaver.

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Filmora

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Filmora is yet another beginner-friendly tool. It targets not-so-tech-savvy video editors who are looking for simple solutions to creating shareable content.

This tool makes it easier to create compelling videos for beginners without compromising quality—a huge plus when you're still green in the world of editing. This video editor balances powerful features with an intuitive interface at an affordable price.

The best part of it is its vast library of stickers, background music, and text effects. It gives you the option to really customize your video content and give it personality.

It also supports all video formats, as well as HD and 4K video outputs. There have been some complaints, however, about crash and lag issues, and slow customer support response. But if you are okay with this minor inconvenience, then be ready to spend some time on learning Filmora.

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Clipchamp

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Clipchamp is a cloud-based tool that provides essential editing options for MP4 videos. Compared to the other video editors, this software can run on your browser through its unique compression approach.

What’s good about Clipchamp is it doesn’t require you to upload heavy media files to its platform. Its simple drag-and-drop interface lets you work on as many projects as you'd like.

After completing your projects, you can export your videos in whichever resolution you prefer (including 480p quality) with no watermark.

If you are creating advertising videos, you can use its in-built and pro-grade features. These will make your content look competitive over premium software editors. Its paid version, however, has more functionality and fewer limitations.

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WeVideo

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Similar to Clipchamp, WeVideo makes working on video editing easier as long as you have access to the internet. You can work virtually anywhere — whether it be a Windows or Mac browser, or iOS, Chromebook, or Android devices.

Its competitive advantage over its competitors is its vast assets. They contain one million photos, video clips, and audio tracks, which are free for subscribers and licensed users. This feature makes the tool even more inclusive and all-encompassing than it already is.

On top of that, WeVideo made cloud video editing pretty easy. You don’t have to wait for locally stored files to load. However, the rendering time of this online editor tool is slower than videos that you can edit on traditional desktop software.

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Camtasia

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Camtasia is one of the most suitable video editing software for complete beginners and just about as popular as iMovie. Its standout features are interactivities and drag-and-drop functionalities, which let you convert your captured screen video into a professional one.

Camtasia is a perfect all-around choice for making promotional, educational, and training videos. It can even convert a PowerPoint presentation into a video from a remote source.

However, important to note is that the results it produces might not be as visually high-quality compared to other more high-end software. However, it’s still a good choice for starters.  

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VSDC Video Editor

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This list wouldn't be complete without VSDC. This popular video editing tool is almost always present on "top 10" lists, and for good reasons.

It comes in both free and premium versions. The free edition alone offers an impressive set of powerful features and a range of different formats, including AVI and MPG.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS

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Did you know Canva has a video editor?

Canva's video editor is a complete, beginner-friendly film tool that makes it simple for anybody to create and share high-quality videos. In one easy-to-use platform, which is available for free on the web, desktop, and mobile, you can access hundreds of customizable video themes as well as a vast media library. The single-layer timeline allows scenes to be re-ordered, lengthened, or divided, making it simple to develop a plot, and the new scene-based editor eliminates the learning curve.

To incorporate music, sound effects, and narration into videos, multiple audio tracks can now be imported from the media library or published to Canva.

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Have you heard of VEED?

We know that making videos can be difficult, slow, and expensive with professional video editors or software. It’s complex, clunky to do basic things like trimming, stitching, add text to your video, and add audio to your video with professional software.

VEED is a simple online video editing platform for creating social media video content to promote your brand or business, in a matter of minutes! It is perfect for anyone looking for simple yet fast video editing without the need to install or setup complex software and keep all your content, fonts, logos, and color palettes in one place, so you are always on-brand.

If you want to deliver a presentation that requires smooth transition, special effects, and powerful charts, VSDC is the editor for you. Another awesome feature is its video stabilizer to help remove shaky footage captured on smartphones, GoPros, or drones. The only serious downside is that the free version lacks multiple color chroma tools and limits your video content to resolutions below 1080p.

There's no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to video editing. And clearly, you have plenty of options to choose from! What matters is finding something that suits your budget, produces great results, and supports you in learning how to use it. There's more than one way to skin a cat.

One thing we can say with certainty, though, is that if you're not incorporating video content into your digital marketing strategy, you're falling way behind. Video is quickly outpacing static images as the material that people most enjoy consuming. Are you leveraging its true potential? Get recording, ASAP!