Video content creation tools are an important part of your content marketing strategy. Without using one, you may be missing out on a lot of potential customers who would probably prefer video. With this in mind, is it really worth not investing in video content creation tools? How many more sales will you miss out on by not using these tools? Take a look at our favorite video content creation tools and hopefully we can help you too!
Wondershare Filmora
Price: Starts at free on mobile | Platforms: iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
Wondershare Filmora (formerly Wondershare Video Editor) is the perfect option if you want to start out with basic video editing functionality with the opportunity to get more advanced as you go. The app is perfect for Instagram, but can create audience-ready videos for numerous platforms.
Filmora is available for Windows and Mac computers, whereas the company’s FilmoraGo mobile app is free to download for both iOS and Android devices.
Filmora’s “Easy Mode” strips away the complexity so you can drag and drop video clips, add some music, and produce a finished video in a matter of minutes. The FilmoraGo app has many of these features, plus an Effect Store where you can incorporate preset intros, themes, and transitions into your video creation.
Sound too good to be true? Well, you’re right: The free version of Wondershare Filmora adds a watermark to your videos that you can only remove through upgrading to their paid service.
Pros
- A powerful option for both beginner and advanced video editors
- The desktop version offers multi-track editing and more traditional video editing capabilities
- The mobile version includes easy-to-use effects, stickers, and filters
- You can layer music and different sounds in the mobile app
- Relatively affordable (starting at less than $50 per year for Filmora X, and free for the mobile app) compared to competitors such as Adobe
Cons
- The desktop apps are not free, but a trial is available
- Videos are watermarked with the Wondershare branding unless you upgrade to a premium plan
VSDC Free Video Editor
Price: Free | Platforms: Windows Only
In experienced hands, the VSDC Free Video Editor can produce some seriously professional-looking video. In addition to supporting nearly every major video format, the program offers advanced video effects, including object transformation and color correction, as well as advanced audio effects like volume correction and sound normalization. And unlike WeVideo, the VSDC Free Video Editor is truly free. You can use the program’s full feature set without having to deal with pesky watermarks.
Unfortunately, there is one catch. If you want technical support, you need to pay. (And because there is a bit of a learning curve, there’s a good chance you’ll need to.) Support for the VSDC Free Video Editor costs $9.99 for one month and $14.99 for one year.
Pros
- Free version is packed with typically premium features such as masking, blending modes, and 4K exports
- You can share your video directly from the app to YouTube, Vimeo, and other platforms
Cons
- You have to pay for support if you’re on the free version
- Not as user-friendly as other alternatives
- Users have reported a steep learning curve
Flexclip
FlexClip is one of the best video ad makers because it offers editing tools and resources that are both powerful and easy to use. It offers ad creators the ability to add transitions and filters, as well as changing up video speeds. FlexClip also provides a large media library with photos, videos, and music that you can easily add to your video advertising. FlexClip offers video ad templates you can use if you don’t already have a creative direction in mind.
Key Features:
- Rich media resources
- Video ad templates
- Easy editing and exporting
- No watermarks for videos under 1 minute that don’t use resources from the stock library
Avidemux
Price: Free | Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Like Machete Video Editor Lite, Avidemux allows you to do basic video editing (no audio editing) without having to worry about loss of video quality. But Avidemux also has a few more tricks up its sleeve.
For starters, the program supports multiple video formats, including AVI, DVD, MPEG, QuickTime, and MP4. What’s more, Avidemux comes with several filters that allow you to perform a host of different functions, from flipping and rotating clips, to adding subtitles, to adjusting colors and brightness levels.
And while the learning curve for Avidemux is slightly steeper compared to Machete Video Editor Lite, the upside is that there’s an extensive Avidemux wiki that covers everything you need to know.
Pros
- Supports multiple file formats such as AVI, MPEG, MP4, and Microsoft’s proprietary ASF
- Simple interface that’s best for tasks such as cutting and splicing footage
- Easy learning curve; simply download and start using
Cons
- Limited capabilities compared to other apps (especially mobile apps)
Movavi Business Suite
Movavi Business Suite is a great video editing software for beginners and professionals. It takes just a few minutes to record and edit with this video ad maker. Movavi Business Suite lets you add audio and commentary, include screen recordings, and choose from more than 200 effects and editing tools. It’s a comprehensive media editing platform that lets you create and convert videos, record your screen, and a whole lot more.
Key Features:
- Built-in image, video, and music libraries
- Free and paid courses to learn the software
- No subscription fees; just pay for the lifetime license
Wideo
Wideo is a video ad-making software that gives users access to 80+ video ad templates through its easy-to-use online editor. With Wideo, you can add logos and text to your videos and create engaging video ads that represent your brand well. You can even search for images for your video from Google. The subscription plans on the site don’t include commercial licensing, so to make a video ad you’ll need to contact the sales team.
Key Features:
- Tons of free pictures and audio
- Share and download videos quickly
- Includes images, animated effects, backgrounds, and music tracks for your video ads
Hyperlapse
Price:Free | Platforms: iOS
Hyperlapse is an app created by Instagram itself that condenses videos into brief, hyper-speed videos that you can upload to Instagram or Facebook.
You can choose among a few different speeds, and the app will show you how long the hyperlapsed video will be for every speed in comparison to the length of the video in real time. (So a 40-second video in real time will become roughly a 7-second video in Hyperlapse at 6X speed.) It’s a really cool way to capture something that usually lasts a while — like a sunset or an event setup.
See what happened when I used Hyperlapse to film daybreak at 12X in the video above.
Pros
- Easy way to speed up process videos
- Minimal layout that’s nearly identical to the iPhone camera
- You can capture videos straight from the app
- No sign-in required to get started
Cons
- Only has one capability: speeding up videos
- You can’t import already-filmed videos into the app
- The video saves into your camera roll, taking up storage space
- No multi-track editing, 4K exporting, or other features typically associated with apps for video editing
Animoto
Animoto is another one of the top video ad makers we’ve found. You just upload your photos or video clips, trim your video, add filters, voice-overs, and more. It’s easy to use and includes a stock library to choose from that includes some storyboards (but no templates). You can easily create video ads customized for the platform you want to publish on.
Key Features:
- Easy to use editing tool
- Stock library of over 1 million photos and video clips
- Drag and drop images and video clips right into your project
- Cloud-based
- Thousands of licensed audio tracks
Machete Video Editor Lite
Price: Free | Platforms: Windows Only
At the simple end of the spectrum is Machete Video Editor Lite, a free program allowing you to cut, copy, and paste different sections of video. As the Machete website puts it, Video Editor Lite was “designed for quick and simple ‘slicing’ of your video files.”
The program’s intuitive interface means you won’t have to waste time shuffling through technical support documents. And because Video Editor Lite doesn’t re-encode your video files when you slice them, you don’t have to worry about losing video quality.
The main downsides to the program? It only supports the AVI and WMV video formats, and it doesn’t allow for audio editing. Still, if you have zero video editing experience and only need to make simple edits, it’s a great option.
Pros
- Offers simple but powerful slicing and editing capabilities
- Incredibly simple and user-friendly interface; simply download and go
Cons
- You can only export AVI and WMV files
- You can’t edit or replace the audio
- Outdated website with limited support documents
Wave.video
Wave.video is one of the top video ad makers with a drag-and-drop interface that’s easy to use and it comes with tons of features that make creating a great video ad a breeze. With Wave.video’s free plan, you’ll get access to an extensive, royalty-free library of video clips and images, as well as five free videos with a 15-second time limit.
Key Features:
- Resize videos, add videos and images, and change layouts
- Add graphics, stickers, watermarks, music, and captions
- Unlimited social media native shares
Shotcut
Price: Free | Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Shotcut is another open source video software — and it’s completely free. It’s possible to use Shotcut to create professional-looking videos, but the interface is tricky to use. Perhaps that’s because it was originally developed for the Linux platform, which looks and feels a lot different from the typical Windows or Mac UX.
With dedication — and time spent in the Shotcut frequently asked questions and how-to guide sections — it’s possible to use this software to create and export high-quality videos, completely for free.
Pros
- Completely free—you never have to upgrade, ever
- Diverse list of features that rival those of paid apps
Cons
- Could be difficult to get the hang of at first
- Some users find the UI difficult to navigate
- Less intuitive compared to other apps such as Premiere Pro and FinalCut, even for experienced editors
Adobe Spark
Adobe Spark is one of the best video ad makers we’ve seen. Not surprising from a huge name like Adobe. It’s one of the easiest video ad makers around and comes with multiple layouts, storyboards, and themes so you can create a stunning video ad in minutes. It also includes a gallery that has excellent templates you can put to use. Adobe Spark includes a range of professionally-designed fonts that are available for free.
Key Features:
- Choose from a range of free, professionally-designed fonts
- Select from thousands of photos on the web or from your personal collections on Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe Lightroom, Dropbox, or Google Photos
- Explore a wide variety of best-in-class layouts, colors, and fonts
Conclusion
Online video content isn’t just watched more — it’s expected more. Luckily, you have the video editing tools to help you delight your audience and improve conversion rates across your social media accounts.
Both paid and free video ad makers offer the features and tools you need to create brilliant video ads that will motivate your target audience to convert.
No matter the type of video you want to create, it’s important to put your brand, products, and services in the best light. Any of our picks for the top video ad makers can help you do that. Get started with one of these video ad makers today to increase the time your audience spends on your page, build trust, increase conversions and sales, and more.