My Picks for Amazon Prime Day 2022

My first microphone was the Blue Yeti. This microphone is very popular among content creators for a very good reason. It’s affordable and easy to use since it’s a USB microphone, you can just plug it into your PC. You don’t have to mess around with the settings too much but make sure to play with the gain and pickup pattern to achieve the best sound for you and your environment. If you’re recording voice-over, set the pickup pattern to cardioid mode. You can improve your audio quality even more by getting the microphone off of your desk to reduce the vibrations using a Mic Stand and Shock Mount. And throw in some Sound Dampening Foam for good measure!

When you’re recording video, it is so important to have good lighting. Starting with a Ring Light is a great way to enhance your video to not only look professional, but make you look good too! I set mine to the soft yellow lighting and reduce it about halfway. You also want to space out your ring light so it isn’t right up on your face. I position mine about a foot behind my laptop and webcam. This is actually the 2nd right light I’ve had, my first one was cheap and it broke. I’ve had this one for a few years and it has never failed me. It comes with a remote too! If you want to make your lighting even better, you should use a 3-point Studio Lighting Kit.

I used to record webcam footage using the integrated webcam that came with my laptop. That camera was ok but it only recorded in 720p and 30fps (frames per second). If you want clear and crisp video, you need to upgrade to a webcam that can handle 1080p at 60fps such as the Anker PowerConf C300. This webcam also has a swivel feature that I just found the other day, I wish I had known about that a long time ago! If you want a slightly different angle, then you don’t have to move your laptop, you can just swivel the camera!

If you don’t want to buy an expensive webcam, you can absolutely record video on your phone. All you need a good Camera Stabilizer. I like to use a tripod/stabilizer combo so I can either record while walking or sitting down. You will also need a Tripod Adapter for your phone and you want to be able to record in either portrait or landscape modes. I use my stabilizer to record my TikToks and IG Reels in portrait mode and I can also record in landscape mode for Twitter or LinkedIn! If you want to level up the audio recorded from your phone, I like the Rode VideoMic Go. Some phones may need an adapter, such as a USB C to 3.5MM Headphone Jack Adapter.

If you really want to invest in yourself and your future, I highly suggest buying the Rode Procaster while it’s on sale for Amazon Prime Day! This is the best microphone I’ve ever had. Most people start with something like the Blue Yeti and then upgrade later. If I had known that, I would have gone straight for the Rode Procaster. This is not a USB microphone so you will have to buy an XLR to USB adapter such as the Shure X2U XLR-to-USB Signal Adapter. I have both the Rode Procaster and the Rode Podcaster and while the Podcaster is great, the Procaster produces audio that sounds like you recorded it in a professional studio.