The title of this article could be described as clickbait; however, it is factually correct. I will be discussing how you can legally make money from other people's content in this article.
There's no big secret here. The answer is Videvo. Videvo is predominantly a motion graphics and stock video website. If you go onto their site, you will be met by a search bar and a title that says free stock video footage. For those of you who just wanted a quick answer, feel free to follow the link and enjoy the huge library of content.
For those of you who want a few tips on how to make money with this library of content, the long answer is below.
Why Videvo?
There are several reasons why Videvo is probably the best option for content. The first thing is the level of quality. Many stock sites tend to have a segment of free content and a segment of premium content. In general, the free content is relatively poor in quality and, for the most part, a neglected afterthought. Obviously, this makes sense from a business standpoint because they don't want to give away all of their best stuff for free.
Videvo, on the other hand, seems to have taken a different approach to this. The quality of its free content is arguably on par with the premium content. The only difference is that the premium service offers more flexibility because everything is available to use. On the site there is a plethora of different kinds of high-quality content. Surprisingly, there's even a wide range of green screen footage that you can use to composite into clips. This level of attention and care given to the free segment is somewhat unheard of.
Secondly, all the content is available to use for commercial use. This includes the free content too, meaning you can download footage and motion graphics from the site and use them without needing to worry about permissions. Of course, the copyright remains with the original creators; you're simply allowed to use the content.
The third reason is the site and how it operates. The user experience is second to none. You can quickly audition a wide range of footage and graphics without needing to click on them or open lots of tabs. This means you can quickly sort through and view a large amount of content quickly, thus speeding up your workflow. The site also is very clear about what content is free and what content is premium.
If you hover over any piece of content, it will either display a watermark and the words premium, or it will clearly say free on it. Once again, you're not having to open lots of tabs or waste time fumbling through premium content if you're not quite ready to make a purchase.
The only thing you need to be aware is whether or not credit for the original creator is required. This isn't the case with all the free content; however, you will likely come across free footage and graphics that require you to credit the creator.
YouTube
YouTube is one of the most popular websites in the world. With an audience of around 2.6 billion active users, it is one of the most viable websites to produce content for. Over the last decade, the kind of content that has been going up on the site has dramatically improved in quality.
Instead of family videos and pets, YouTube has become a serious contender for daytime television. The downside is that content creators have had to improve their skills in order to keep up. And if you're not quite as talented with a camera, this may end up being a significant hurdle.
This is where Videvo can be a massive help. There are lots and lots of highly successful YouTube channels that have grown entirely on the back of stock footage. A great example of this is the YouTube channel from Alux.com. Almost all the content on this channel is produced either entirely or mostly from stock footage.
As long as you post consistently and promote the channel with some effort, it's very likely you'll start to generate income from YouTube.
If you have a good idea and you're able to come up with a good script, you may not need to produce any footage of your own. You can simply use the gallery of free motion graphics and free video effects available from Videvo.
Commercial Work
This is an obvious one. If you're doing any work for a client, adding stock footage or motion graphics into your content will probably elevate the result. For client work, it's likely that stock footage will probably not be appropriate in every situation. For this kind of work, the motion graphics and templates available from Videvo will probably be more useful.
As mentioned above, almost all the content available from the Videvo website can be used for commercial work too. Some content may require you to credit the creator; however, this is not always the case.
Additionally, Videvo also offers a wide range of music and sound effects. Effectively, you have all the tools available from this one site to produce more meaningful content.
Content such as motion graphics can really help drive the message home. They can also help to keep the attention of the audience. Engagement is a huge factor when producing content. And if you can produce more engaging content for your clients, it's likely that your work will be worth more to them.
Social Media
This is somewhat of an indirect way of making money, however, it can still generate income. Using the stock footage and motion graphics to produce impactful content on social media is a really good idea.
Many of the most popular platforms are now leaning towards video. Instagram has categorically come out and confirmed that it is prioritizing video from now on. Content such as photos will still get support, but video is where the platform is going.
Instagram will probably not generate any income for you directly; however, the benefit of Instagram is the huge audience and potential you have. If you have a business, then social media is probably one of the important parts of your marketing strategy.
Much content on Instagram isn't produced with high-quality graphics and footage, and this is where you can stand out from the crowd. If your stories and reels have a higher-than-average production value, then you're probably going to attract a larger audience, thus increasing your potential customer base.
Similar to YouTube, consistency is important. However, the beauty of Videvo is that the library is so plentiful. You can potentially have weeks of content produced in a short period and then just schedule the posts.
Building your audience by producing regular content is a great way to get your business or brand in front of more eyes. A bigger audience offers greater potential for you to generate income.
Final Thoughts
There's absolutely nothing wrong with using free stock footage and content to produce the results you want. This is something that has been done for a long time, and this practice is likely to continue for a long time to come.
For example, if you're starting out with a YouTube channel, it's unlikely that you'll have a huge budget to produce lots of great content immediately. Stock footage and graphics are a great way to build a foundation from which you can grow.
Of course, as you grow, it will probably become a good idea to start using the premium content. This is mostly to prevent your content from becoming stale or looking similar to anyone else using the content from Videvo.
It truly is remarkable how much content and how many tools are available for you to start whatever project you like in the photography and video industry. You can check out all the content available on the Videvo website using this link here.
