Table of Contents
Start With Action—Instantly
You have zero seconds to waste. The moment your video hits 0:00, things need to be happening—music, visuals, motion. No intro. No buildup. No “hey what’s up guys.” That dead air at the start? That’s where your audience scrolls away.
If you’re running this video as an ad, intros are a guaranteed way to lose 99% of viewers before you say a word.
End It the Second It Stops Being Good
If the excitement drops, cut the video right there. Forget the outro too. A 5-second video that gets rewatched 10 times beats a 45-second one nobody finishes. Social algorithms reward full views, so make your edit tight and skip the fluff.
Every Millisecond Counts
Boring is lethal. Watch your footage second-by-second—millisecond if you can. If anything drags, replace it or trash it. Don’t justify a shot just because it “looked cool in the moment.” It’s either engaging or it’s gone.
Keep It Under 30 Seconds
Sure, Shorts and Reels let you go longer, but when’s the last time you watched one to the end? Exactly. Staying under 30 seconds keeps you eligible for all platforms and dramatically improves retention and completion rates.
This also means you can repurpose one video across Reels, Shorts, TikTok, and more without trimming. Win.
Make Sure It’s Clean Enough for Ads
Want to run Meta or YouTube ads? Then your content needs to be squeaky clean. That means:
- No curse words in audio or captions
- No guns, nudity, drugs, liquor, or smoke (including weed and tobacco)
- No suggestive visuals, even if you think it’s subtle
If your lyrics are dirty, edit the captions. If your audio is dirty, reverse the track during the curse word (yes, including the beat behind it). It sucks—but not as much as your video getting rejected by ad platforms.
Want help building videos that pass and perform? Check out our Content Creation campaigns.
Color Grading Is What Makes It Look Expensive
What is color grading? It’s the thing that makes your video look like it cost money—even when it didn’t.
It’s not just about filters or brightness. Good color grading gives your footage mood, polish, and professionalism. And yes, it’s a deep skill, but here’s the truth: you don’t need to master it to get 50% of the way there.
Here’s how to fake the high-end look:
- Use high contrast (deep blacks, bright highlights)
- Lean into warmer tones—cool tones can feel cheap if not balanced right
- Add a touch of vignette to pull focus to the center
- Avoid over-saturation—let the colors breathe
- Use a basic LUT (Look-Up Table) to apply a cinematic tone in one click
Even basic color correction makes a massive difference. Flat, gray footage screams “DIY.” Graded footage feels intentional.
If you want help making your vertical content actually look good, check out our Content Creation plans.
Start With 4K, Export to 1080
One of the simplest tricks to get that clean, “crispy” look? Shoot your footage in 4K—even if you’re going to post in 1080.
Why? Because downscaling sharpens everything. It compresses more data into fewer pixels, making your video look smoother and more detailed.
This is especially important for music videos and Reels, where clarity and detail matter. Even on small screens, the quality difference is obvious.
Shoot 4K. Grade your colors. Export 1080. Your stuff will instantly look pro—even if it was shot on a phone.
Don’t Sleep on Sound Quality
Low audio? That’s an instant scroll. Your video should sound as loud and polished as the average Reel. If it’s live footage, make sure the vocals are crisp. If they’re not, scrap it.
Captions Are Mandatory
Most people scroll with sound off. Add captions for everything said in the video. Censor curse words. And whatever you do, don’t stick the captions at the bottom…
Keep the Bottom of the Frame Clear
Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube all place UI and captions at the bottom of the screen. If you put your important text or visuals there, they’ll be hidden. Use the top 2/3 of the screen for anything crucial.
Format Your Video 16:9 and Fullscreen
“Vertical video” means 16:9. That’s smartphone screen shape. No borders. No black bars. No letterboxing. Your video should use every pixel of the screen.
Running ads? Make sure the ad format supports your video dimensions—or your money’s wasted.
Vertical Video Editing Checklist
✅ Start with action at 0:00 — No intros, no build-up. Grab attention immediately.
✅ Cut it the second it stops being good — Tight edits = more replays.
✅ Keep it under 30 seconds — Improves retention and cross-platform reach.
✅ Every millisecond matters — If a moment drags, cut it.
✅ Clean enough for ads — No profanity, weapons, drugs, nudity, or suggestive visuals.
✅ Add captions — Most viewers scroll with sound off.
✅ Censor curse words — In both audio and captions.
✅ Keep bottom of frame clear — Platform UIs will cover anything down there.
✅ Format full-screen vertical (16:9) — No black bars or borders.
✅ Use 4K footage and export to 1080 — Sharper, cleaner, more professional look.
✅ Apply basic color grading — High contrast, warm tones, light vignette, subtle LUT.
✅ Don’t neglect sound quality — Loud, crisp, polished audio or don’t post.
✅ If using a music video, cut smart — Only show action, start with full thoughts, make it standalone.
Follow this list, and your vertical videos will not only look pro—they’ll actually get watched.
Turning Music Videos Into Reels? Follow These Rules
Not ideal, but sometimes you have to. If you’re chopping a horizontal music video into a vertical reel:
- Only show the part of the screen with action
- Start at the beginning of a lyric or idea—not in the middle of a sentence
A reel should stand alone. Don’t assume viewers have context—they probably don’t.
Pro tip: If you’re relying on your music video for Reels, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Read why in Stop Hiring Directors.
If you’re ready to take action on this kind of strategy, check out our Content Creation plans designed specifically for music videos, Reels, Shorts, and UGC campaigns that work across platforms.
360 Promo is a full-service music marketing, promotion, distribution and admin company. Learn more about us and what we do at 360 Promo, follow us on Instagram and contact us to tailor a plan that works for you.