If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is a video worth? There’s a reason video remains one of the most eye-catching ways to connect with audiences around the world. It allows a mixture of all the artistic mediums and can hit viewers with maximum impact.
If you’re making content on your own, you’ll need to master the art of editing. Editing is perhaps the most important part of the content creation process. That being said, there can be a steep learning curve to learning this skill.
Reading through a few essential editing tips can help you get your bearings and move through your edits much easier. What are some editing tips and tricks you should know? Read on.
Choose the Right Software
If you’re brand new to the world of editing, it’s time to first set up the environment you’re going to be doing your work in. That will mean picking the right kind of program.
There are all sorts of video editing programs out there, and more and more continue to pop up on the market each year. Each come with their own benefits, learning curves, price ranges, and needs.
You’ll need to look through them and decide, based on what you’re trying to create and your resources, which will be right for you.
There are more professional options such as Avid, DaVinci, and Adobe Premiere. These programs are used as the industry standard, and much of the movies and television you watch are edited in these programs.
They can do so many things: you can combine video, add graphics, play with effects, and output to any format you could dream of.
However, these programs are also more complicated to use. If you’re looking to make a very simple video, using iMovie or something similar might be easier.
Make Lots of Copies
Editing is a trial and error practice. You’re not going to get everything right in your edit on the very first try. As such, it’s important to keep a workflow that allows you to try many things, and go back to previous versions when you’re new ideas don’t work.
It’s a good idea to keep an organized folder within your edit program where you can continually duplicate your editing sequence. This will allow you to go back to a previous version of your edit each time you make a major change.
This can save you loads of time and frustration.
Learn Keyboard Shortcuts
Editing is a time-intensive practice, so anything you can do to help make the process run a bit faster can be advantageous. One of the easiest ways to speed up the editing process is by learning some of the keyboard shortcuts.
Professional edit systems can almost be run entirely off the keyboard, meaning there’s almost nothing you can’t do with a quick keystroke. Getting familiar with the shortcuts for the features that you use the most can save lots of time.
The more efficient you are, the quicker you’ll end up with a final product you can be proud of!
Editing Tips and Tricks
If you’re learning to make edits on your computer, you’ll want to get familiar with how the video editing process works. The above editing tips can help you master this art form and create great content.
Need more video advice and info? Keep scrolling our blog for more.
The First Edit: A Simple 5-Step Workflow
Follow five steps for your first edit. First, import your clips and organize them into folders by scene or topic. Second, make a rough cut. Put the clips in order and remove the bad takes. Do not worry about polish yet. Third, trim the clips. Cut the pauses and the parts that add nothing. Fourth, add music, titles, and simple transitions. Keep them subtle so they do not distract from your content. Fifth, export the video and watch it all the way through before you publish. You will catch mistakes you missed while editing. Write down what to fix, fix it, and export again.
Keyboard Shortcuts That Save Hours
These shortcuts work in most editing programs, including Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve. Learn them one at a time and they will soon feel natural.
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Space | Play or pause the video |
| J / K / L | Rewind, pause, or play forward |
| I / O | Mark the in point and out point of a clip |
| Ctrl + Z (Cmd + Z on Mac) | Undo the last change |
| C | Switch to the blade tool to cut a clip |
Print a shortcut cheat sheet for your program and keep it next to your keyboard until the keys become habit.
Audio Matters More Than You Think
Viewers forgive shaky video, but they leave fast when the audio is bad. Record with a microphone when you can. Even a cheap lapel mic sounds better than a camera’s built-in mic. Remove background noise with your editor’s noise reduction tool. Keep background music low under speech so the words stay clear. Check your audio levels before you export. The sound should stay in the green and yellow range, not hit the red. Watch your finished video with headphones to catch buzz, clicks, and echoes you missed on speakers.
Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
Beginners make the same few mistakes. First, they use too many effects. One or two simple transitions beat ten flashy ones. Second, they cut too fast or too slow. Let each shot breathe for a second before you cut. Third, they ignore audio. Fix the sound before you add music. Fourth, they export in the wrong format. For YouTube, export as MP4 with H.264 video, which plays well everywhere. Fifth, they forget to back up. Keep a copy of your project file and your raw clips on a separate drive, so one crash does not lose your work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free video editing software for beginners?
DaVinci Resolve offers a free version with professional tools, and CapCut and iMovie are free and easy to learn. Start with a free program and upgrade only when you need more features.
How long does it take to learn video editing?
You can learn the basics in a few weeks of regular practice. Start with simple cuts, then learn one new skill at a time, such as titles, audio, or color.
Do I need a powerful computer to edit video?
Not for simple edits. A basic computer handles short videos in 1080p. Long videos and 4K footage need more memory and a faster processor.
What format should I export my video in?
Export as MP4 with H.264 video for YouTube and most social platforms. It gives good quality at a small file size.
How do I make my edits look smooth?
Cut on movement, match the audio between shots, and keep your transitions simple. Watch your edit without sound to check the flow, then watch it with sound to check the pacing.
Disclaimer: Prices and free plans change often. Check each maker’s own website for the latest details before you buy. This guide gives general information only.
Last Updated: 6 November 2026