Building a Clip Farming Team: Hiring Video Editors

When you're ready to scale beyond DIY clip farming, building a team becomes essential.

When to Hire

You're ready to hire when:

• Editing is taking more than 10 hours per week
• You're making enough revenue to afford $800-2000/month
• You have a proven content system that works
• You'd rather focus on content creation than editing

Don't hire too early. Master the system yourself first so you can train effectively.

Where to Find Editors

Upwork & Fiverr

Pros: Easy to test multiple editors quickly, built-in payment protection

Cons: Higher rates, inconsistent quality, high turnover

Best for: Testing editors before committing

OnlineJobs.ph

Pros: Cost-effective, dedicated workers, good retention

Cons: You handle payments directly, time zone differences

Best for: Long-term hires once you know what you need

Reddit r/forhire

Pros: Quality Western editors, good communication

Cons: Mid-range pricing, competitive market

Best for: Finding specialized short-form experts

YouTube Comments

Pros: Find editors who already know your style

Cons: Time-consuming outreach

Best for: Finding niche-specific talent

The Hiring Process

Step 1: Write a Clear Job Post

Include:

• Specific niche/style you need
• Volume expectations (clips per week)
• Required skills (software, platforms)
• Examples of your preferred style
• Pay range and schedule

Step 2: Screen with Questions

Ask candidates:

• "What editing software do you use?"
• "How many short-form clips have you edited?"
• "What's your turnaround time for 10 clips?"
• "Can you identify good clips from long-form content?"
• "Share 5 examples of short-form work"

Step 3: Paid Test Project

Give top 3 candidates the same test:

• Provide one 30-minute video
• Ask for 5 clips in your style
• Pay $50-100 for the test
• Give a 3-day deadline

This reveals their ability to:

• Identify clip-worthy moments
• Match your style
• Meet deadlines
• Communicate professionally

What to Look For

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in editing software
• Understanding of aspect ratios (9:16, 1:1, 16:9)
• Knowledge of platform-specific styles
• Ability to add text, effects, transitions

Creative Skills

• Can identify clip-worthy moments
• Understands hook creation
• Knows pacing and timing
• Creates engaging thumbnails

Soft Skills

• Proactive communication
• Consistent availability
• Takes feedback well
• Suggests improvements

Pricing Expectations

Basic Clips ($3-5 per clip)

Filipino or Indian VAs doing simple cuts with basic text overlays. Good for high volume, low complexity.

Professional Clips ($10-15 per clip)

Experienced editors who understand platforms, can identify clips, add effects and transitions. Good balance of quality and cost.

Premium Clips ($20-30 per clip)

Specialist short-form editors who craft hooks, optimize for virality, understand psychology. Worth it for flagship content.

Training Your Editor

Create a Style Guide

• Example clips you love
• Font choices and sizes
• Color schemes
• Transition preferences
• Hook formats

Standard Operating Procedure

Document:

1. How to access raw footage
2. Naming conventions for files
3. Where to deliver finished clips
4. QA checklist before delivery
5. Revision process

Provide Feedback

• Specific, not vague ("Make the text larger" vs "Make it better")
• Explain the why behind changes
• Praise what works well
• Video reviews are better than written

Managing Multiple Editors

Once you're at scale, you might hire 2-3 editors. Here's how:

Specialize Roles

• Editor 1: Identifies and extracts clips
• Editor 2: Adds hooks and effects
• Editor 3: Creates thumbnails and optimizes

Quality Control

• Implement a review checklist
• Track metrics per editor
• Share top-performing clips as examples
• Monthly training sessions

The ROI

Let's say you spend $2,000/month on editors producing 400 clips.

If just 1% of those clips go viral and bring you clients, products sales, or sponsorships worth $200 each, you need 10 successful clips to break even.

Most clip farmers see 5-10x ROI on their editing investment within 3 months.

Your time is valuable. Spend it creating content and building your business, not editing clips.