Pictory

I have to say, when I first heard about Pictory, I was intrigued. As a journalist with a mountain of articles, the idea of transforming all that text into engaging videos felt like a dream. I dove headfirst into the tool, eager to see if it lived up to the hype. The initial setup is straightforward: you paste your text, and off it goes, generating a video that includes visuals and captions. It’s almost like magic, but I soon realised that it’s a bit more hit-or-miss than I anticipated.

One thing I genuinely appreciated was the automatic subtitle generation. I often watch videos on social media while on the bus, and having captions is a must. Pictory nails this part—it’s quick and painless. Plus, the option to create highlights from longer videos is a game changer. For example, I had a 45-minute interview I conducted, and I was able to pull just the most compelling 2-minute snippets to share online. This is where Pictory shines: it makes repurposing content a breeze.

However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. I found that the AI's choice of visuals can be a bit off. For instance, when I converted an article about the benefits of meditation, the video included random stock footage of people at parties. Not quite the serene vibe I was going for. So, while it’s great for quick content creation, you’ll still need to spend time fine-tuning the output to match your brand.

Comparing it to competitors like Canva Video and InVideo, Pictory falls short on customisation. Those platforms offer a more hands-on approach, allowing users to really get into the nitty-gritty of video editing. If you’re someone who craves that level of control, Pictory might feel restrictive. However, for marketers and small business owners looking for an easy way to create videos, it’s a solid option.

Pricing is another factor to consider. The Starter plan at $23 for 30 videos is decent, but if you’re producing content regularly, you could easily hit that limit. The Professional plan at $47 for 60 videos starts to feel more reasonable, but still, it’s a lot if you’re just trying to keep up with the content demands of today’s social media.

In conclusion, Pictory is perfect for content creators who want to save time and effort in producing videos from existing written content. It’s an excellent tool for social media managers and small businesses, but those who need more creative freedom may want to look elsewhere. If you can manage the pricing and don’t mind doing a bit of manual tweaking, Pictory can be a valuable addition to your content creation toolkit.

Getting started with Pictory

In this guide, you'll learn how to create engaging videos from your written content using Pictory. By the end, you'll be able to transform blog posts, articles, or scripts into branded videos complete with visuals and captions.

Step 1: Sign up and set up

Step 2: Your first video

Step 3: Get better results

Pro tip

Take advantage of the “Auto-Highlight” feature to automatically select the most compelling parts of your text. This saves time by ensuring your video focuses on key messages.

Common mistake to avoid

Avoid using overly long text blocks. If your script is too lengthy, Pictory may struggle to create engaging scenes. Aim for concise paragraphs to enhance visual storytelling.