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You, Uncut: Using Video Bloopers to Boost Engagement

Posted By Guest Blogger 16th of July 2012 Writing Content 0 Comments

This guest post is by Carla of Looqiloo.com.

I love watching blooper reels at the end of movies. Sometimes they’re my favorite part of the whole experience. It’s nice to see that the multi-million dollar, polished product you just sat and watched was the product of lots of trial and error. It reminds you that actors are just people too, and yes, they sometimes get it totally wrong too! Let me share this series of my favorite bloopers from the show Friends to loosen you up and get those face muscles working.

Just like the movies, great online videos don’t just happen. I can’t count the number of times I have to remake even the most mundane of videos, usually because I stumble over the script, or the dog barks, or for some equally unentertaining reason.

Sometimes though, the mistakes can be better than the finished product.

People don´t spend their time watching boring monotone videos—they want something interesting. We love to connect with people online, and we want our audiences to feel something towards us. Whether they love us, respect us, or think we’re pee-your-pants funny, it’s all about making that connection. What makes you more real than the mistakes you make?

Bloggers all about being social and spreading the word. After reviewing hundreds and thousands of videos, I can say is that there is one thing most of us are trying to achieve: to make an audience feel like they’re part of something, so they (your potential customers, followers, friends) identify with whatever it is you’re trying to convey.

So next time you’re thinking about making a video, keep it simple and honest: showcase your bloopers and mistakes! Let your audience join you in the little jokes, engage people by being you, uncut!

Here are my top tips for putting bloopers to good use for your blog.

Build credibility

Be natural. If something comes out kind of funny, leave it! You’ll probably be surprised how many people with laugh along with you as you begin building up a persona through your videos. You can also try laughing at yourself a bit after the mistake, or apologizing in a playful manner.

Don’t try to force it though. Fake isn’t funny. For a look at how this can work when it’s done well, see these bloopers on live news.

Leave the viewer smiling

Why not take your cue directly from the movies and collect all your best bloopers to include at the end of your video? This can be particularly helpful when the video topic is educational or a little dry, as it leaves the audience with something to smile about, and a reminder that you really are just like them.

Best of

If you produce a lot of video content, an annual “Best Of” video can be a great opportunity to build engagement through bloopers. Whether you schedule it randomly, to fill in those quiet Christmastime days, or tie it in with another promotion, so long as you can make it truly funny, your audience is guaranteed to laugh along with you.

You never know, your video might even go viral and you, my friend, will reap the benefits.

Don’t confuse crud with comedy

Keep in mind that there’s a fine line between simply making mistakes constantly and “blooping.” Knowing what you’re talking about and getting back on track without dragging on the joke for too long will make all the difference.

When people don’t know what they’re talking about, and don’t recover from their mistake, it can backfire and lose viewers. Take, for instance, this blooper video: it’s too much of the same thing, and constant re-takes.

You don’t want to waste people’s time, otherwise not only may you bore your audience, you might also have them run off for good!

Let them know you’re good first

It is very important that, before you show your audience your mistakes, you show them you know your topic. From there on, it’s smooth sailing!

The reason I bring this up is because when we make mistakes, we don’t necessarily mean to be funny. You could get stuck, or not know what you’re talking about, and this is not good.

But if you stumble over your words a little, add a friendly smile or short laugh, then pick up the pace, you’ll likely entertain the viewer and have them keep to your train of thought easily.

You, uncut

Enjoy your bloopers, they make it real! That authenticity and organic development is rare, and it could be your gateway to success. After all, there is very little we love to share more than laughter!

Do you use your bloopers in the videos you share with followers? Show us your best blooper links in the comments.

Carla lives and works in the tropical paradise of Costa Rica, and is the community manager and face of Looqiloo.com, where she helps video product reviewers look great on camera every day! Follow her on twitter @trendseeker and @Looqiloo.

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Comments
  1. Hi Carla,

    Interesting thoughts – quick question.

    Most of my bloopers consist of me swearing (yeah I have a potty mouth). Would you include them?

    Cheers :)

    Rhys

    • Hello Rhys,

      I would have to say that it depends on the audience you want to engage. Pay attention to how your followers react based on this, you may want to make it a little more PG-13 to increase the amount of people you want sharing your review etc. For example, instead of the ¨F¨word use ¨fudge¨ it will still give it that edge without limiting yourself.

      Some lower key words that are not offensive you may want to leave in there to help you develop a personality.

      Hope this helps!

      Have a great week and cheers.

      Carla J.

  2. lunaKM says: 07/16/2012 at 12:28 am

    The videos I produce are one take. If I goof it’s in there. I agree that it makes you more personable and likable. My followers enjoy that if I say something silly or stumble over my words that it happens and I just correct myself. I am, after all, pretending to talk to them not the camera. My most commented video has a bit with me telling my cat to stop petting himself on the tripod!

    • Hey LunaKM,

      That is awesome, pets always make videos SOOO much fun!

      I am glad to read that you agree and most importantly have a good time.

      Thanks so much for your comments.

      Cheers!

      Carla J.

  3. Timely post!

    I just recently made my first ever video and posted it on my site. Although I probably did “too much of the same thing,” with “constant re-takes,” I had a lot of fun making and editing the video. It was just an intro, after all, and I really wanted my readers to get to know me, flaws and all. But in future videos I’ll definitely use your tips for improvement.

    I agree–it’s so important to be real and if you can induce a smile or laughter, all the better!

    • Hey Katrina!

      Great to hear and I am glad to hear you enjoyed yourself, it opens up more doors. Now a days it´s all about getting personal online.

      Thanks for the comment.

      Carla J.

  4. What a terrific and creative idea! I’m not yet doing videos on my blog yet but as soon as I do, I’ll look for a good “outtake” to promote. Thanks!!

    • Hello Daphne,

      That´s great to hear! I am glad you find it handy. Feel free to practice with your favorite products on Looqiloo.com, it´s a great way to make some money and have fun and grow a video personality as well!

      Enjoy your day and thanks for the comments!

      Carla J.

  5. At my school, bloopers are considered a core part of a student film project. They’re expected to be at the end, because they happen often. For the music video I made, I chose one particular moment during filming when the “singer” wasn’t doing what I wanted her to do, yet it was hilarious.

    If only real bloopers happen in animation…maybe I’ll do one Pixar style.

    • Hey Chihuahua Zero,

      I think Toy Story movies from Pixar include bloopers at the end that are hilarious!!

      I am glad to see you apply this at school, it breaks the ice, engages people and can go viral quick.

      Thanks for your comments!

      Carla J.

  6. Hi Carla,

    Until now I have not used bloopers in my videos yet. But the Youtube links you showed in this post initiate me to use the bloopers. Thanks a lot for your great tips here.

    • Hello Daniela,

      Glad you enjoyed the links, have fun and I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the tips.

      Thank you for the comment.

      Have a great day,

      Carla J.

  7. You make a good point here. In fact, I think I enjoyed Hearts of Darkness: The Making of Apocalypse Now more than I did the actual movie. It was fascinating all of the things that went wrong. There’s something humanizing in things going wrong.

  8. I found here the best information about blogging . Thanks a lot

  9. Haha this is such a great idea!

    I personally don’t make edits in my videos as of right now to keep it almost like a one-on-one conversation. I’ve been making talking head videos and short films since 2007 so I have a bit more experience than many people.

    At the same time I have plenty of room to grow and if edits become a thing in my videos down the road, I will definitely incorporate this!

    Thanks for the awesome post!
    -Gabe

    • Hey gabe!

      That is great, I am glad to hear that someone with so much experience enjoyed my post.

      I hope you enjoy the process when you decide to apply it!

      Thanks for the comments!

      Carla J.

  10. I actually used this exact strategy for a client video. He’s an electrician, and we were trying to make a personal, short intro spot talking about his business. Well, he had so much trouble on camera, and we had so much footage that couldn’t be used in the main video, that we set up an “outtakes” section at the end of the main video. It’s still up on his homepage if you’d like to see it: http://jbelectricllc.com

    • Hello Seth,

      Thank you so much for sharing the link! And yes that is exactly what I mean, plus the Dog is just so adorable!

      Thanks again for the comments and for sharing!

      Carla J

    • Neil McPherson says: 07/17/2012 at 3:31 pm

      This reply reveals a very smart outfit at work. May not work in Germany: no funny electricians here!!

  11. Talking about edits on videos, I wonder if there is an easy way to do them. I am currently in Greece on holiday. The place we stay is very near a busy airport. It is really hot and have to keep windows open to get a breeze. I have thought about creating video posts for our blog, but I really don’t want the airplane noise in the background. Is there an easy way to remove unwanted noises from the audio of videos?

  12. I haven’t made any video yet, but I got inspiration and will surely try it. Looks much creative and have to research on what topic should I go with.

    • Hello Siddhi,

      It´s great to hear you´re going to try it!

      May I suggest you begin by making a video on a product you love? Try it! Even feel free to post it on Looqiloo.

      Have a great week and thanks for the comment!

      Carla J.

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