- In this video, you will learn how to create
awesome screencast videos to help elevate
your product demos and boost your customer experience.
Screencast videos make it easy for potential customers
to see how your products can fit their needs
and can also serve as a great way to teach new customers
how to get started with their recent purchase or free trial,
so stay tuned to find out how you
can make one for your business.
(upbeat music)
Hi, I'm John here at Spiel creative.
Before we get started,
make sure you click the Subscribe button
and hit the bell, so that you'll get notified each time
we upload a new video to help you with your video marketing.
With that out of the way, let's jump right in.
If you're interested in making your own screencast video,
you should consider what style of video you'd like to make.
Now, you can opt for a more basic screencast style,
where you simply see a screen recording
and someone narrates what is happening
as they show you around the software.
Or if you want to add more quality to your production,
you can go for a dynamic or mixed screencast video.
Dynamic screencasts are where
you make use of effects like zooms
and highlights to draw more attention to specific parts
of the screen or include animations and transition effects.
If you really want to up the ante,
you can opt for a mixed screencast video,
which combines screen recordings with motion graphics.
All right, so now that you've got a handle
on the different types of screencast video,
let's look into steps that you have to take to make one,
including the best screencast apps.
Let's start with step one, write your script.
Even though great screencast videos may appear
like they were done live, they almost always use a script
to ensure that all the important features get covered
in a way that's engaging and easy to understand.
Before your begin writing your actual script,
it's a good idea to start out by writing a brief
or a script outline, that sets out
all the points you want to touch on.
From there, all you need to do is connect the dots
in the brief with natural and engaging language.
Remember that your viewers will be seeing
a lot on the screen itself, which should be the main focus,
so try not to over explain
and make your script too wordy,
as this could potentially overwhelm your viewers.
Aim to keep a nice balance between the script
and the visuals and remember that every 150 words
comes out to about one minute of video,
so keep that in mind when writing.
Okay, so once you've written your script,
it's time to move on to step two, record your visuals.
This is the meat of your video, the actual screencast.
Here, you'll need to go through your script
and pick screen recordings and visuals to match your text.
How you do this will depend on the tool you're using.
Now, if you are using a Mac, you can always use
the New Screen Recording feature in QuickTime player,
which is useful if you are editing on a separate software.
However, there are plenty of awesome tools out there
that can help you create really impactful screencasts,
so here are our top three recommendations.
Our first recommendation is ActivePresenter.
In addition to being a great screen recorder,
ActivePresenter lets you edit
your videos right in the software.
It also excels at delivering conference material,
so if you want to integrate a slideshow presentation
with your screen recordings, this is by far your best bet.
ActivePresenter is available from atomisystems.com
and costs a one-off fee of $199
for Standard or $399 for Pro.
Next up, we have Loom.
This is one of the most popular screen recording tools
out there because it's so easy to use.
All you need to do is click one button
and Loom will start recording
and provide you with an instantly shareable video
when you're finished.
Loom is great for barebone screencasts,
but you won't be able to edit your videos
and add effects like you can with ActivePresenter.
There is a free version which gives you access
to basic features, but you can also upgrade
to Pro for just $8 a month per user.
Similarly, CamStudio is always a great option
if you want to make basic screencasts.
There's no editor included, but it's open source
and free to use, so if you're on a budget,
this might fit the bill perfectly.
Okay, so once you've chosen your preferred tool
and recorded your visuals, it's time for move on
to step three, recording your voiceover.
When you record a voiceover, you have two options;
recording one yourself or hiring a professional.
Going the DIY route may save you a bit of cash,
but depending on your video's goal,
getting a professional can well be worth the extra money.
Not only will you get a voiceover
from a skilled professional,
but you'll also be able to choose a voice
that perfectly fits your brand and your target demographic.
When it comes to recording your voiceover,
there are a few best practices to bear in mind.
Now, if you haven't already checked it out,
make sure you check out our video on how to record
the perfect voiceover,
which includes all of these best practices
and is available on our YouTube channel.
I've also included the link in the description below.
And finally, after recording you voiceover,
it's time to move on to step four, editing your video.
Next up comes the editing process.
This is your opportunity to add effects, transitions,
and cut together all your screen recordings
in time to your voiceover.
Generally, all you'll need to do is drag
and drop the screen recordings
and voiceover into your editing software's timeline.
If you're not overly confident with editing,
there's no need to worry, as this can sometimes be done
within your screencasting tool, such as ActivePresenter.
If you want to learn more about the exact steps involved
in editing your video, I recommend you check out our videos
specifically on that subject, available on our channel.
I've included a link to this
in the description below as well.
We hope you've found this video to be helpful.
As always, don't forget to like and subscribe,
and if you require any further help
with your video production, you can always
get in touch with us
here at Spiel at www.spielcreative.com.
Bye for now.