Ranking Ways to Make Money as a Video Editor

Summary

This video script discusses various methods for video editors to make money in 2023, ranking them from a tier list. It covers freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, in-house editing, traditional media, personal brand videos, user-generated content, automotive videography, podcast editing, course editing, YouTube editing, and starting an agency. The speaker emphasizes the importance of positioning, portfolio quality, and adapting to trends, while highlighting the potential of YouTube editing and creating an agency as top-tier opportunities.

Takeaways

• 📈 There is a high demand for skilled video editors, offering various opportunities to make money in the current market.
• 🌐 Upwork is a good platform for beginners to start making money as a video editor, but it's competitive and can be challenging to find well-paying jobs for Western editors.
• 🎨 Fiverr is another platform for freelance video editing work, but it suffers from the same competitive pricing as Upwork, with a focus on low-cost services.
• 🔍 PeoplePerHour is similar to Fiverr and can be a good place to find long-term work, positioning oneself as a reliable, long-term editor.
• 🏢 In-house editing jobs can be stressful with high workloads and limited rewards beyond a fixed salary, making them less desirable for some editors.
• 🎬 Editing classic movies and shows is a traditional path that requires connections and a strong portfolio, but can be rewarding for those who break into the industry.
• 👥 Personal brand videos are in demand for social media and content creators, offering a high potential for income if one can offer trend-relevant and engaging content.
• 📦 User-generated content (UGC) editing for e-commerce brands is a growing niche, with high demand for converting user submissions into effective ads.
• 🏎 Automotive video editing, while potentially saturated, still offers opportunities for businesses looking to stand out with high-quality video content.
• 🎙 Podcast editing is an emerging field with potential, especially as podcasts gain popularity on platforms like YouTube.
• 🎓 Course editing for platforms like Skillshare can be lucrative due to the high ticket nature of courses, but it has a high barrier to entry.
• 📹 YouTube video editing is in high demand and offers significant earning potential, especially for those who can edit for viewer engagement.
• 🏅 Starting a video ad agency is a top-tier strategy for making money as a video editor, involving finding a niche, securing high-paying clients, and outsourcing work to a team of skilled editors.

Q & A

What is the current state of the video editing job market according to the transcript?

The video editing job market is experiencing a shortage of skilled editors, and there are numerous ways to make money as a video editor in 2023.

What is Upwork and how is it useful for video editors?

Upwork is a platform where video editors can offer their services. It's particularly beneficial for beginners to make some money, although it can be competitive and may not offer high-paying jobs for those in Western countries.

How does the transcript describe the experience of using Fiverr for video editing work?

Fiverr is a platform where freelancers can find quick work. It shares similar challenges with Upwork, such as price competition and the need for a strong portfolio, but allows for creative positioning of specific services.

What is PeoplePerHour and how does it differ from Upwork and Fiverr?

PeoplePerHour is another platform for hosting services, similar to Fiverr. It is suggested as a place to find long-term clients and build trust, which can help video editors stand out and secure more consistent work.

What are the challenges of working as an in-house video editor?

In-house video editing can be stressful with high workloads and limited rewards beyond a fixed salary. It may not be suitable for those who desire more recognition for their hard work or higher earnings.

How does the transcript suggest approaching work in the traditional film and television industry?

The transcript suggests that working in the traditional film and television industry is challenging and requires building connections and a strong portfolio. It is described as a classic and old-school way to work, with a slow progression.

What is the strategy for finding clients as a video editor for personal brands?

The strategy involves finding a niche, identifying top creators in that niche, and offering services to enhance their content and increase leads and sales. This requires staying up-to-date with trends and knowing what works in the market.

What is the role of a UGC (User Generated Content) editor and how can they profit from it?

A UGC editor works with e-commerce brands to re-edit user-generated content into ads. They can profit by approaching brands and offering to make their videos more native to the platform, thus increasing conversions.

Why is automotive videography considered a potentially lucrative niche for video editors?

Automotive videography is seen as lucrative because businesses in this sector often want to stand out with high-quality videos. There is a barrier to entry, but finding the right clients, such as performance car dealerships, can be very profitable.

What is the current trend with podcast editing and why is it recommended for video editors to get involved?

Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular on platforms like YouTube. The trend suggests that there is a demand for visual storytelling, and podcast editing can be a profitable niche for video editors who can enhance the storytelling aspect.

How does the transcript suggest approaching the role of a course editor?

The transcript suggests that course editing can be profitable, especially for high-ticket industries like e-commerce, fitness, and real estate. However, it also notes that there is a high barrier to entry, and one might need connections to break into this niche.

What are the key attributes of a successful YouTube video editor according to the transcript?

A successful YouTube video editor should be able to edit for engagement, have a good understanding of comedic and informational timing, and be able to find good b-roll. They should also be able to approach creators with a clear game plan for improving their content.

Why is starting a video ad agency considered an S-tier opportunity for video editors?

Starting a video ad agency is considered an S-tier opportunity because video ads are in high demand and have a long-term market presence. The model involves finding a niche, securing high-ticket clients, outsourcing work, and reinvesting profits for growth.

What advice does the transcript give for video editors looking to grow their business?

The transcript advises video editors to actively outreach to potential clients rather than waiting for clients to come to them. It emphasizes the importance of having good verbal skills for meetings or finding someone who can do it effectively.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Opportunities for Video Editors in 2023

The script discusses the current shortage of skilled video editors and the various ways they can make money in 2023. It ranks different platforms and methods, starting with Upwork, which is good for beginners but competitive and often underpays. Fiverr is similar but requires a strong portfolio and niche-specific offers to stand out. People Per Hour is suggested for long-term collaborations. In-house editing is stressful with limited rewards, while editing classic movies and shows is hard to break into but rewarding. Personal brand videos are a high-demand niche, requiring trend awareness and quality content.

05:01

🛍️ Diversifying as a Video Editor: From UGC to Podcasts

This paragraph explores additional avenues for video editors, including working with user-generated content (UGC) for e-commerce brands, which is in high demand but could become saturated. Automotive videography is mentioned as a potentially lucrative but competitive field. Podcast editing, particularly for YouTube, is highlighted as a growing trend with storytelling potential. Editing courses for platforms like Skillshare is recommended for high ticket items but has a high barrier to entry. Lastly, YouTube video editing is emphasized for its high demand and the importance of editing for viewer engagement.

10:02

🚀 Scaling Success: From Freelancing to Video Ad Agencies

The final paragraph focuses on the potential of creating a video ad agency as the top tier for video editors looking to scale their income. It emphasizes the longevity of video ads and the strategy of finding a niche, securing high-paying clients, and outsourcing work to skilled editors. The model involves reinvesting profits to grow the business, with an active approach to finding clients and a focus on verbal skills for meetings. The speaker also mentions their coaching program for those interested in this path and encourages proactive outreach rather than waiting for clients.

Keywords

💡Video Editor

A video editor is a professional who edits and assembles video content for various purposes, such as entertainment, marketing, or educational content. In the video's theme, the role of a video editor is central, as the script discusses different ways to make money as a video editor in 2023. The video editor's skills are in high demand, and the script explores various platforms and industries where these skills can be applied.

💡Upwork

Upwork is an online platform that connects freelancers with clients looking for various services, including video editing. The script mentions Upwork as a place where video editors can post their services and find work, especially beneficial for beginners. However, it also highlights the competitive nature and the challenges of finding well-paying jobs due to the global currency exchange rates.

💡Fiverr

Fiverr is another freelance platform where people offer services, known for its low-cost offerings. In the context of the video, Fiverr is discussed as a platform where video editors can find work, but similar to Upwork, it is very price competitive and requires a strong portfolio to stand out.

💡People Per Hour

People Per Hour is a freelance marketplace similar to Upwork and Fiverr. The script suggests that it might be a better place to find long-term clients and establish oneself as a reliable, long-term video editor, rather than just taking on singular gigs.

💡In-House

In the video, 'in-house' refers to working as a video editor directly for a company, rather than as a freelancer. The script points out that while this can provide a steady income, it may also be stressful and limit the potential for earning more, as one's salary is fixed regardless of the amount of work produced.

💡Personal Brands

Personal brands in the video refer to individuals who have a strong personal identity or brand, often entrepreneurs, business people, or content creators. These individuals often require video editors to produce content for their social media platforms or other marketing materials. The script suggests targeting personal brands as a way to make money as a video editor.

💡UGC Editor

UGC stands for User Generated Content. An UGC editor is someone who edits content created by users, often for e-commerce brands. The script mentions that UGC editors can repurpose user-submitted content into ads, which can be highly effective for brands and thus a lucrative opportunity for video editors.

💡Automotive Videographer

An automotive videographer specializes in creating video content related to cars, such as showcasing car features, tuning, and modifications. The video script suggests that despite the saturation in the market, there is still potential for video editors to stand out by creating unique and appealing content for businesses in this niche.

💡Podcast Editing

Podcast editing involves taking audio content from podcasts and editing it for clarity, flow, and storytelling. The script notes the growing trend of podcast content being adapted into video format on platforms like YouTube, presenting an opportunity for video editors to enter this market.

💡Course Editor

A course editor specializes in editing educational content for online courses, often on platforms like Skillshare. The script suggests that this is a high-ticket market, with potential for high earnings, but it also notes the high barrier to entry due to the need for connections and a strong portfolio.

💡YouTube Video Editor

YouTube video editors create content specifically for the YouTube platform. The script emphasizes the importance of editing for engagement, understanding comedic and informational timing, and using b-roll effectively. It also suggests that there is a high demand and low supply for skilled YouTube video editors.

💡Video Ad Agency

A video ad agency is a business that specializes in creating video advertisements for clients. The script positions this as an 'S-tier' opportunity, suggesting that it is one of the most lucrative ways to make money as a video editor. It involves finding a niche, securing high-paying clients, and outsourcing the work to other editors while reinvesting profits to grow the business.

Highlights

There is a current shortage of skilled video editors, offering opportunities for those who want to enter the field.

Video editing can be a lucrative career with various ways to earn money, depending on how one positions themselves.

Upwork is a good platform for beginners to start as a video editor but can be competitive due to currency exchange rates.

Fiverr is another platform for video editors but faces similar issues as Upwork, including price competition.

PeoplePerHour is suggested for those looking for long-term work and building trust with clients.

In-house video editing can be stressful with high workloads and limited rewards beyond a fixed salary.

Editing classic movies and shows is a traditional path but requires connections and a strong portfolio.

Editing videos for personal brands is a growing niche, especially for entrepreneurs and business people.

UGC (User Generated Content) editing for e-commerce brands is in high demand and can be profitable.

Automotive video editing is a niche that still offers opportunities despite saturation.

Podcast editing is an emerging trend on platforms like YouTube, offering a new avenue for video editors.

Editing courses for platforms like Skillshare can be lucrative but has a high barrier to entry.

YouTube video editing is in high demand, requiring skills in engagement and timing to succeed.

Creating a video ad agency is a top-tier strategy for earning money, involving niche targeting and client outreach.

The importance of active outreach to potential clients rather than passively waiting for business.

The potential for growth in video editing, especially when reinvesting profits and scaling the business.

Transcripts

we are in a shortage of very good video  editors in this day and age and if you  

want to be a video editor you can definitely  take a slice of the pie and you will be able  

to make good money with it just have  to position yourself in a good way  

in this day and age there are thousands of  different ways to make money as a video editor  

however which one is the right one for you well  in this video I'm going to break them down and  

rank them with a t-list so that being said let  us begin at the bottom here I have different ways  

to make money as a video editor in 2023 let's  start with the most obvious one which is upwork  

so upwork is a site where you can post yourself  as a video editor and actually it's a very good  

site if you're just starting out and you want to  make some money however because of the nature of  

the fact that a lot of people from countries  where the currency exchange rate is lower for  

westerners it's very hard to actually find jobs  that can pay you for the cost of living in the  

west however for my viewers who a lot of them are  from India Pakistan etc. great place to find work  

the difficulty is that you have a limitation on  how many offers you can apply to and you really  

have to just kind of sit there and wait for work  to come to you which makes it very difficult for  

you to actually make consistent income because you  have to really just have a good experience or good  

portfolio in order for people to come to you and  as well as that because there's so many people  

on there it's kind of a race as to who can do it  cheapest and who can do it the best which makes  

it very competitive so for that reason I'm going  to put upwork on beta the next side that everybody  

knows and everybody has probably used once in  their lives is Fiverr now Fiverr is a great  

platform if you're a freelancer you need some  quick work done if you're a video editor it's kind  

of the same problem as upwork but the difference  is that people are willing to do things for even  

cheaper and you do need a very good portfolio and  it's a game of throwing out different offers and  

just seeing what sticks however if you're smart  enough what you could do on these platforms is  

you can actually position your offer as something  super specific for example I can do Alex homozy  

style subtitles with the Emojis something super  Niche is what's going to help you stick up better  

on Fiverr however like upwork is very price  competitive it relies a lot of human reviews  

so for that reason I'm gonna put you actually  on C2 the next way to make money is using people  

per hour this is the last one of the websites for  hosting your services now people per hour I would  

say is similar to Fiverr my first editor Patrick  he's from people per hour so shout out to my boy

I think it's more of a place where you look  for long-term creators that are going to help  

you with the business as a result put yourself out  there as hey I'm going to be your long-term editor  

I'm going to be someone that's not here for just  a singular gig we're going to build more trust  

with the people that you're going to work with  and as a result it's going to make you stand out  

better there so that's why I think people power is  very good I'll probably put it at the same place  

as upwork so probably beat you now the next type  of way to make video editing is actually quite a  

classic one and that's in-house now I was a video  editor in-house for about a year and a half for  

a company it really depends on the business that  you're in in most cases it's very hard it's very  

stressful and you'll be doing a lot of videos I  remember in a week I'd be doing like maybe like  

30 videos and it was so hard and regardless of  how hard you work how much you push you're not  

going to get rewarded any more than your salary  that's the problem with working in-house if you're  

someone like me who likes to work even harder  it's very efficient is very good at editing you  

kind of get punished for being good because the  better you are the more work you're gonna get  

you're not gonna get paid anymore for that reason  I think in-house editing is probably going to be  

be a seater the next way to make money as a video  editor is to edit classical movies and shows that  

is super hard I know two people that are doing  that right now in the industry it's a really  

classic and old school way to do it where you have  to work yourself up you have to be basically an  

assistant just doing very small jobs doing nothing  then you work your way up to starting to cut some  

stuff and then you work it up again and then again  and again and by the time your 20 is in you're  

pretty much are where you want to be but if you  want to get these kind of jobs you have to have  

a portfolio connections you need to know somebody  that knows somebody that knows somebody that knows  

somebody and it's very hard to get into it however  it can be very rewarding if you're working on  

really cool shows I go on Netflix or film I think  it's a hard way to make money especially in this  

day and age I think it's much better to focus on  New Media and making videos for the internet so  

for that reason I'm actually just going to throw  you on a detailed videos for personal Brands so  

videos for personal brands are videos that people  need on their social media for if they're teaching  

staff if they're content creators if they're  coaches they need editors most personal brands  

are you looking to do this for are ones that are  usually rich people or entrepreneurs business  

people real estate agents how do you find these  people well very simple you find a niche such as  

Fitness real estate you find the top creators in  that Niche you go to their followers you go on  

their profiles and you check what they're doing is  their content good enough do they have a following  

and do they have something that they sell if they  have a course program digital downloads whatever  

it's good because then you can offer them hey look  I will make you content that will bring more leads  

more sales to what you're already selling so they  can go okay makes sense I do need you let's get  

working the only difficulty is you're gonna have  to keep up with Trends you have to really know  

what's changing what's working what's not working  however it's a really good one and for that I'm  

actually going to put this on the a tier the next  is the ugc editor so ugc is user generated content  

if you go to sites like below for example people  send products to these guys and they are basically  

just generate content and what you can basically  do is is if you work with e-commerce Brands  

and they have all these creators that send ugc  content you can basically take all that content  

and re-edit it into different ads for businesses  that you can see the videos are not like there's  

no difficult effects here however they convert  really well for e-commerce Brands and as a result  

they are in high demand for brands that are trying  to sell products you can do this by approaching  

different e-commerce Brands and a person and say  hey look your videos are great but they're overly  

produced they don't look native to the platform  let me Source the ugc content for you you're going  

to edit it for them send it to them and that's how  you're going to profit a lot of money from it so  

for that reason I'm putting ugc as to however you  must know these things can get overly saturated  

so it might be asked here for now however in  the future it might get saturated you might get  

too many businesses doing the ugc thing however I  think you can still grab a nice big chunk of the  

pie and try and make money from it the next is the  automotive car videographer obviously because I'm  

one you may may think it's a bit saturated with  all of these video editors making all these really  

cool funky videos however a lot of businesses  want to stand out and they want to sell services  

like tuning Bodywork wrapping if at one tuning  company in one area has sick reels with speed  

Rams and effects and it looks really cool the one  next door is going to want to have the same thing  

until it gets to the point where everyone's doing  the same thing dealerships are hard because unless  

they sell expensive cars they're not gonna need  the videos smaller dealerships are gonna sell the  

cars anyway however if you can find dealerships  that specifying performance cars for example  

that's a great client to try and find there is  a bit of a barrier to entry and a barrier to  

find these clients however it is possible and  that's why I'm going to put them on a tier the  

next is podcast editing podcasts are exploding on  YouTube I mean there's even a song for this trend  

oh another white boy with a podcast there are air  apps like Opus clip that can do it for you they're  

not 100 perfect but they can get you to like 80  of the way there however I think there's still  

way to make these videos better the beer row that  is done the storytelling you can get from it this  

is a visual form of Storytelling literally people  sitting down and telling stories this is the most  

raw form of content and I don't think it's going  anywhere I think I'm gonna actually see more and  

you should jump in however it is a lot of work you  have to really go through and find the segments  

and you might find gems some people might not  either way it's a great one to get into but I'm  

gonna put this at beta the next one is actually  a course editor so someone that edits courses  

for skillshare personal Brands and this is great  because most courses are quite High ticket the  

industries that do this Drop Shipping e-commerce  Fitness business real estate all of these guys are  

doing courses however the barrier to get to that  is quite High you need to maybe even know somebody  

that's doing a course that's hard to easily just  find somebody who's doing a course probably beat  

you the next is a YouTube video editor the staple  of creating content on the internet YouTube video  

editors are in such a high demand and a low Supply  even I find out how to find the YouTube editor but  

let me tell you what works number one you need to  be able to edit for engagement be able to do stuff  

that engages people all the time be able to figure  out comedic timing information timing find good  

b-roll when you edit for somebody the results of  the video speak for themselves the results being  

higher attention you need to really approach them  with a game plan hey look your videos are good  

however you can do this this to improve them I can  do these things for you let me show you how you  

have to really find those up and coming creators  that are getting to like 100k 200k now for that  

reason there is a high barrier to entry however  the likelihood of you making good money from it is  

very high so for that reason I'm actually going to  put YouTube editing as an S tip now the last way  

to make money as a video creator is to actually  make your own agency specifically doing video ads  

so video ads are gonna be around for a long time  everybody's running ads every business needs to  

do Outreach as a result there are lucrative way  to make money and the model is pretty simple you  

find a niche you get get high ticket clients you  then take on the work you Outsource that to people  

that are way better than you are going to make  much better videos than you then you take those  

profits you reinvest in your business you find  more clients you grow you grow your growth that's  

how I did it that's how I grew to 25k a month  that's what I'm teaching my clients in my coaching  

program which if you're interested you can just  DM me the word grow on Instagram you don't just  

sit there and wait with your fancy portfolio and  just go hey can't wait for my clients to arrive  

you actively Outreach to potential clients to  find them no money up front you have to spend  

on you just have to have good verbal skills when  it comes to doing the meetings or you can find  

someone to do it and the opportunity to grow  is endless as a result agencies are a hundred  

percent an S tier all right so that's the current  2023 tier list for making money as a video editor  

let me know which one I missed out and you  would want to see if you have any questions  

drop them down in the comments below if you're  wondering why you can't get high ticket clients  

you won't want to check this video here with  that being said I'll see you in the next video