Image for an article about shooting a video for marketing. Image of woman filming herself with a smart phone.

Massage therapists can create impactful marketing videos using only a smartphone, no fancy equipment or technical knowledge needed. Choosing a clear angle, such as a testimonial, technique demo, or self-massage tip, helps build trust and showcase expertise. Writing a concise script and keeping the video brief enhances clarity and engagement. With basic filming tips like good lighting, steady shots, and clear audio, even simple videos can feel professional and authentic.

Key Takeaways

  • You can shoot effective marketing videos using just your smartphone, no need for expensive gear or advanced technical skills.
  • Choose a clear video angle (like a testimonial, self-massage tip, or team intro) that builds trust and speaks to your target clients.
  • Write a short, focused script to keep your message clear and avoid rambling.
  • Use basic filming tips like facing natural light, minimizing background noise, and holding the camera steady for a more polished look.
  • Simple editing tools like iMovie or Shotcut can help you trim your video and improve its quality with minimal effort.

How to Shoot Video for Marketing—Using Your Smartphone

Do you take videos of your cat or dog playing? If so, you can learn how to make a basic-yet-effective marketing video for your massage business.

Wait, no fancy recording equipment needed? Nope. In fact, if you never heard of shutter speed, aperture, or white balance, purchasing recording equipment will be a waste of money, says Mark and Amanda [last names withheld by request] of Massage Therapy Media.

Here’s what you will need: Your phone camera, a marketing angle, a script and some tips to follow when shooting and editing the video. Let’s make a video.

Pick a Massage Marketing Angle

Personal videos are often spontaneous. Your cat starts chasing your dog and you hit record.

A marketing video is planned and has a purpose: To persuade people to do business with you.

You persuade potential customers to do business with you by gaining their trust.

Keeping the trust principle in mind, here are some video marketing angles to consider:

1. Get a testimonial.

A testimonial can be a powerful persuader. According to Forbes Magazine, “nearly 91% of customers check out an online review before visiting a business.”

When asking a client to be in a video testimonial, make sure the client is comfortable on camera. In addition, pick a client that is going to attract the customers you want. If your market is sports massage clients and Elena comes to you for relaxation massage, then Elena’s video testimonial won’t attract the clients you want no matter how much she loves your massage.

2. Highlight yourself or team.

When highlighting you or your team, don’t simply list credentials. Save that for the About page. Instead, engage the viewer.

You can engage the viewer by connecting “what drew you to you massage” to “how you do massage.” For example, you might say: After spending many years in IT, I get how work postures contribute to neck and shoulder pain. My massage technique specifically addresses pain issues caused by static postures and repetitive movement.

3. Show a massage technique you do.

Remember this video is not a massage technique video for a colleague. So, don’t bore the viewer with 10 minutes of you doing massage. Keep the video short and pick something you do that is unique or will make the viewer want to be on your table.

Mark and Amanda of Massage Therapy Media recommend capturing the client’s experience on camera to help the viewer imagine what your massage would feel like.

4. Provide a self-massage tip.

When you provide a good self-massage tip, you give the customer the experience of what it feels like to have less pain or feel more relaxed. In addition, you reinforce that you are indeed an expert in massage. Pick a self-massage technique that is easy to do and record.

5. Make an announcement.

Introduce a new product, service, event or therapist. If it is a new product or service, do a short demonstration. If you are announcing an event, think from the viewer’s perspective and identify what would make the viewer want to attend the event.

Once you have an angle, it is time to write a script for your video.

Write a Short Script

Having a script is important. Why? You will do less video takes if you have a script memorized. Also, writing a script helps you hone your message and will keep you from rambling. There is no rule for script length, but a short script, one to two minutes, will be easier to memorize, execute and edit than a longer one.

Do you have to write and memorize a script? No. Mark and Amanda create storyboards on the fly. They take a lot of footage and then create the story in post-production. If that is how you create, go for it. But for most, a script, at the very least, is going to give you starting and end points to work within.

Here’s an example of a short script with a single message: We are experts at providing the perfect pressure for relaxation and pain-relief massage.

Short Video Script Example

[Mark sitting on the massage table]
Hi, my name is Mark Liskey, co-owner of PressurePerfect Massage and massage
therapist of 30 years.
Marlene was the first massage therapist I went to.
Her massage was great.
It was relaxing and I had no pain afterwards.
I went to Marlene for many years, but then one day Marlene moved.
That’s it, I thought, no more great massages.
But a few months later, I saw Xentho.
His massage was great, too.
The odd thing was Xentho and Marlene massage techniques were completely different.
This didn’t make sense—until a few years later when I was training a new massage therapist, Joe.
Joe’s massage was just OK.
To help him with his massage, I taught him more techniques, but when I did, his massage got worse.
In desperation, I went back to the basics and taught him how to deliver pressure.
Joe struggled with pressure, but persisted.
After a lot of practice, his light, medium and firm pressures were spot on.
Next, the clients started to say how great Joe’s massage was!
From that point on, I understood the difference between an okay massage and a great massage.
It’s what we do here.
[Mark stands up and points to the PressurePerfect Massage sign.]
The perfect pressure every time.
We look forward to seeing you.

Record and Edit Your Video

You are not a national massage spa, so you will get a pass if your video is not Hollywood grade. In fact, a phone video can play to your advantage by feeling more genuine and down-to-earth to the viewer. However, it must not look amateurish. Do these key things and you will be OK:

Keep it simple. To keep your camera from shaking, hold your cell phone with two hands, says Sunny Lenarduzzi, a popular YouTuber who was voted “Must Watch YouTube Channel that will Change your Business” by Forbes. An inexpensive selfie stick (also hold with two hands) or tripod will lessen or eliminate any unwanted camera movement.

Minimize background noise. Close all windows and doors and make sure there is no TV or music in the background. Think minimalist for your set. You want the viewer to pay attention to you and not be distracted by what is around you.

Face the light. Bad lighting causes shadows and can ruin a video. Aubrey Gowing, international massage teacher and director at Holistic College Dublin, says he has has an easy fix that costs nothing. Face a window so the natural light is lighting your face evenly. If the sun is too bright, sit far enough back so that it is not in your eyes. If you want a little more control over your lighting, Gowing suggests a ring light with a stand that holds your phone for less than $50.

Check the audio. Bad audio quality equals an amateurish video, according to Mark and Amanda of Massage Therapy Media. If you are close to your phone mic while recording, you are okay. If you are far away from your mic, you should consider purchasing a phone mic. You will be paying between $100 and $250 for a good mic.

Place yourself (or subject) correctly in the frame. To make sure that you are not losing the top of your head in the frame, Gowing suggests keeping “the phone far enough away from you that you see some of the background on either side of your shoulders.”

Next, he says, “place a hand on top of your head with your palm facing the camera. The top edge of your hand should just be visible at the very top of your phone screen. This will ensure your face is well placed in the shot.”

Also, shooting in landscape mode will make your video look better on computers. • Do basic editing. A tight and well-rehearsed script may mean you only need to trim the video at the beginning and end, which can easily be done on your phone. For more advanced editing, Mark and Amanda of Massage Therapy Media recommend the free-software Shotcut. If you want to edit on your phone, check out iMovie.

Make Your First Marketing Video

Admittedly, it is a lot easier to take a video of Mittens or Rover being cute than it is to make a marketing video for your business.

However, you can efficiently make an inexpensive and effective marketing video if you (or your subject) face the light, stay close to the camera for better audio, position yourself in the frame correctly and follow a short script that has been well-rehearsed.

You build trust with the viewer by picking a marketing angle that answers a viewer’s questions, demonstrates your competence as a massage therapist or gives the viewer more insight about you and your massage. Last but not least: Be yourself, and let it roll.

Image of the headshot of author Mark Liskey

About the Author

Mark Liskey, LMT, CNMT, is a massage therapist, business owner, teacher and blogger. You can access his free, massage-business crash course on his business page.

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