It's ShowtimeWhen buyers all over the world log into the POP Yachts website, they not only have access to thousands of used boats for sale, but those listings include photos and comprehensive videos that show off all the boats have to offer. Since the videos are an important part of the listings, we asked Mike Simpkins, who handles all the video editing and posting of POP Yachts videos, how to ensure a seller's boat looks the best on-camera. Here are five key points to keep in mind when one of POP Yachts' representatives schedules time to video a boat.1. Clean the boat. This is an obvious one, but sometimes gets overlooked. “I haven't really seen a terrible boat yet, but the cleaner you get it, the better it looks,” Simpkins says. “In cabin cruisers, inside the cabins often seem to be messy. Everything else is fine, but the cabins are cluttered.”2. Make sure there's plenty of room for taping. Trying to take video of a boat that's pinched in boat storage can really sell it short because it's difficult to get the full picture. Docked at a marina, like the 1996 Albemarle 305 Express shown below, will deliver much better results. “A good thing to do is if you can get the boat on the water or even just run the engine while you're doing the video, that obviously shows the engine's working,” Simpkins says. 3. Don't skip over areas. The video should start with a wide angle of the boat on the outside. The engine should be included as well as all of the interior. “I like to show everything,” Simpkins says. “Personally, I'm not one to skip over something or hide it. I think it's better to show everything. It helps you to build trust.”4. Commentary helps. “I recommend everyone talk about what they see when they take the video. Over time, you get better at it,” Simpkins says. “The engagement on video where the sales representative is talking is a lot better. That being said, if it's a really windy day and the waves are just going to cut you out, it ends up sounding really bad. But if it's a nice day out and you can talk, I do recommend that.”5. Video can help get that boat sold. “I think it's huge for both buyer and seller,” Simpkins says. “The photos in the listings are good and people show off quite a bit, but the problem with pictures is that you don't see the transition from one picture to another. With a video, you see everything.” That can really be important for a refurbished older boat, like this 1941 Matthews 38 Cabin Cruiser.