As we all know, in today’s digital world photos and videos are a great way to promote your practice. They provide current and potential patients an insight into your business and the services you provide. Allowing customers to view photos and videos on things like before and after transformations, team members, or the practice itself will not only enhance the customer experience but also build trust and loyalty. Customers want a personal experience with your business, and with so much of our communication and promotion now in digital form, it is imperative that your practice provides this for patients.
With the use of photos and videos comes the need to edit them when and if required. Preferably quickly and easily from your cell phone! Today, I’m going to outline the best apps for quick and easy photo and video editing which are available right at your fingertips – from your mobile phone.
Snapseed
Developed by Google, Snapseed is a photo editing app that comes with an array of features including cropping and brush tools. It also has an autocorrect feature, making it simple to use for editing your practice image quickly and precisely. One of the most widely used photo editing apps, Snapseed is also one of the preferred mobile apps for many professional photographers due to its ability to edit raw images on the go!
Pros
- Wide range of tools and filters
- Autocorrect feature for fast and simple editing
- High quality editing that you would find in professional photo editing software
Cons
- Some tools can be challenging for first time users
Cost: Free
VSCO
VSCO, or Visual Supply Company, is considered one of the best photo editing apps, not just for its features but because of the user’s ability to take and edit photos straight from the app! It also provides a photo sharing community for its users. One of the best features for small businesses using VSCO is being able to sync across multiple devices. For example, an Orthodontist could use the app to take a patient photo and another team member would be able to access the photo and make changes on another device.
Pros
- Advanced built-in camera app
- Wide array of filters and basic editing tools
- Ability to sync on multiple devices
Cons
- Display and menu isn’t as sleek or speedy as some other apps
Cost: Free. Option to pay $34.99 per year which include more than 170 presets, advanced editing tool and tips and tricks.
Adobe Lightroom
Part of the Adobe Creative Cloud software on desktop, the mobile app of Adobe Lightroom is great for beginners and advanced users, and there is no need to be a current Adobe Creative Cloud subscriber. It is perfect for basic editing and adjustments and provides a feature that automatically enhances your photos. You can also share your edited images direct to social media, making it an efficient process when you are wanting to post your amazing before and after transformations!
Pros
- Beginner and advanced editing tools
- Simple and easy to use
- One-tap presets for automatic enhancements
- Ability to share to social media direct from the app
Cons
- If you are used to using the desktop version of Adobe Lightroom, you may find the mobile app doesn’t have all the features or tools you are used to
Cost: Free. Option to pay $6.99 per month for premium features.
Canva
Known as perhaps the best online graphic design software for small businesses and those who aren’t experienced graphic designers, Canva can also be used to edit and enhance photos. It really is a one-stop shop for using edited images to advertise and promote your business. You can post direct to social media and can also create other promotional and in-house items including flyers, posters and presentations. Canva is highly recommended by us at TIO as an easy-to-use all-in-one design program.
Pros
- Advanced filter effects
- Access to image library with free and paid options
- Share designs direct to social media
- Live camera feature
Cons
- Only provides basic editing tools
- If you use Canva on desktop, you may find the mobile app harder to use
Cost: Free. Canva Pro is $17.99 per month for access to more templates, photos etc.
Animoto
Easy to use, Animoto is a great video editing app for inexperienced video editors who want to edit a video and get it out into the world fast! Used by our TIO team and the app that we recommend, it comes with an array of templates, customization options and music tracks to choose from so you can create professional videos of your practice on the go. A main advantage of Animoto is the simplicity of its interfaces, making it easy to use for members of your team.
Pros
- High quality video
- Large library of music tracks, fonts and images
- Share videos direct to social media
- Simple, fast and easy to use
Cons
- Unable to make changes to single sections of the video
- No control over the style of edits
Cost: Free. Premium version is $15.49 per month.
Adobe Premiere Rush
Adobe Premiere Rush is a simple, easy to learn video editing app that offers basic editing tools and an array of music options to create professional videos. It is a hassle-free program that focuses on simplifying video editing so is perfect for inexperienced users. It also has a built-in camera so you can capture your patient’s journey right from the app and edit it once filmed!
Pros
- Easy to learn and simple to use
- Unlimited exports on the free version
- Share videos direct to social media
- Built-in camera for videos on the go
Cons
- Inability to edit clips down before using them
- Unable to copy and paste sections
Cost: Free. Premium version is $7.99 per month.
iMovie
Developed by Apple, iMovie is ideal for beginners just getting started with video editing. It is especially great for Apple users as it’s free to use and you can easily transfer videos between your Apple devices. Whilst it is not the most powerful video editing app, its strength lies in its customizations, special effects, the automatic editing tool, and the ability to fix shaky videos.
Pros
- Functionality of using across multiple Apple devices
- Simple and easy to use
- Music soundtracks adjust to fit your video
- Share videos direct to social media
Cons
- Unable to use your own music
- Limited features
- Not available for Android
Cost: Free
Movavi Clips
Movavi clips is an easy-to-use video editing app with an impressive array of features that you don’t always find in a mobile app. It is perfect for practices that use Instagram regularly due to the template sizes it offers for the social media platform. You are also able to use any music files you upload or choose tracks from their library. In addition, Movavi Clips allows you to shoot videos straight from the app and start editing.
Pros
- Simple user interface
- Quality features and tools
- Merge videos and quickly remove unwanted sections
Cons
- Movavi watermark on videos with free version
Cost: Free. Premium version is $2.99 per month.
We hope the above information helps you when it comes to choosing photo and video editing mobile phone apps. We have only just scratched the surface of what apps are available, however chose these to focus on, taking into account their ease of use, simplicity and ability to edit quickly as we understand how busy your teams are.
Each app has different features, costs, advantages, and disadvantages, so it is important to choose apps that are going to suit your practice and your team. It is not a one app fits all basis! The great thing about apps is that you can try most of them out first and see which ones you like before committing to a subscription – if you need to subscribe at all. Happy editing!
