First up, lighting is everything. Seriously. The best light source you have is the big, bright one in the sky. If you can, film yourself facing a window. This will bathe your face in soft, even light, instantly making your video look clearer and more vibrant. Whatever you do, avoid filming with a window behind you—it’ll turn you into a dark, shadowy silhouette.

Next, you have to get a steady shot. Stability is non-negotiable. Nothing screams "amateur" faster than shaky, wobbly footage that’s hard to watch. You don’t need a fancy gimbal to fix this. Just prop your phone against a stack of books or grab a cheap, basic tripod. This one tiny change makes a massive difference in how polished your videos feel.

Finally, and this might be the most important tip of all: audio quality is more important than video quality. Viewers are surprisingly forgiving of video that isn't perfectly crisp, but they will click away in a heartbeat if they can't hear you clearly. Your phone's built-in mic will work in a pinch, but it tends to pick up every little echo and background noise. A great hack is to record in a quiet room with lots of soft furnishings, like a carpeted bedroom, to deaden that echo.

"I see it all the time—new creators obsess over getting the perfect 4K camera but completely forget about sound. Crisp, clear audio builds an instant connection with your audience and keeps them listening, even if your visuals aren't Hollywood-level yet."

Once you’ve got these basics down, you can think about a couple of small, strategic upgrades that give you the most bang for your buck.