Onboarding Procedures with Visuals & Videos

Shaking hands.

You now have an offer accepted! Don’t go patting yourself on the back just yet. We have to get through the employee onboarding process. 

New Employee Onboarding title image. A guide to help you during your first week.

Although you may not think that onboarding is an important piece of the hiring process, you’d be remiss if you didn’t have effective and engaging onboarding processes. 

According to Talent Insight Group, there is an 82% improvement in new hire retention when organizations use a robust onboarding process. 82% is HUGE. As HR professionals, don’t we all want an 82% increase in our new hire retention, especially within the first 90 days of their start dates? Here is how you go about creating a robust onboarding process.

Common onboarding challenges

The biggest challenge to overcome in your onboarding process is boredom. All companies are the same as far as the “requirements” of onboarding. Tax forms, handbooks, policy sign-offs, I9, and more (insert yawn). We can’t get away from the compliance items of onboarding processes; however, we can make them more bearable with video. 

By using video, you’re able to entertain and inform your new employees about the organization, leadership, policies, procedures, tools, skills, tasks, and so much more, all while keeping employee engagement high. You can’t change a government form, but you can change how the information is presented. 

An onboarding video being edited in Camtasia.

The way in which the information is presented can really help to outline what the work environment is like within your organization. This is even more important when you’re working with a fractured workforce (geographically, hybrid, full-remote, on-site). 

How can someone who’s never been to your office get a feel for the organization from their home office? You can either show them what the environment and culture are like, or they will go ahead and form their own assumptions. By having a robust onboarding program utilizing video, you’re able to set the tone for the new employee for their first day, week, month, and 90 days. 

There are also onboarding challenges that come with hybrid and remote work scenarios. In-person training and onboarding may be extremely difficult due to time and location constraints. The last thing you want to do is put off employee onboarding until they are able to be in the office. 

An employee working in a remote setting.

Onboarding programs that include visual and video components provide opportunities for remote employees to get onboarded immediately. In-person time can be reserved for topics and discussions that truly require a face-to-face connection.

How Snagit and Camtasia enhance onboarding processes

Step 1: Capture processes with screenshots

By using tools like Snagit and Camtasia, you can quickly grab a screenshot of whatever form, site, tool, software, etc. that you’re trying to highlight and provide clear verbal or visual cues to guide them along. This provides your new hires with a clear and concise understanding of what they’re learning. Here is more on capturing a process with Snagit.

Taking a screenshot of work with Snagit.

Step 2: Record onboarding tutorials with screen recording

These recordings can be very simple, or can be more robust, from a simple “here is where you’ll fill out your information and sign here” to “this is how we use our robust and in-depth in-house software.” By creating quick screenshots or longer tutorials, you’re able to not only inform and entertain; you’re providing them with a resource they can use for years to come. Here is more on creating a tutorial with Camtasia. 

Camtasia's pre-recording user interface with a screen, microphone, camera, and system audio enabled.

Step 3: Edit and annotate for clarity

Additionally, when creating tutorials, you are able to utilize the many tools available within Snagit and/or Camtasia to help bring attention to certain items. For example, when demonstrating how to use your payroll system, you can highlight your mouse movements and even zoom in on the specific clicks the new employee needs to navigate the system. Furthermore, you can use tools like closed captioning to allow for more accessibility to all of your new hires, regardless of their abilities. 

Adding cursor effects in Camtasia; Enabling click animations and cursor highlights in Snagit.

Ideas to enhance your onboarding experience using Snagit and Camtasia

General welcome videos

From leadership or other persons of importance within the company

  • Digital time-clock training
  • Requesting time-off training
  • Filling out tax forms: intro and overview
  • Benefit enrollment assistance
  • Company history overview video
  • Company values overview video
  • Enhance your employee handbook with visuals and video
  • So much more

Individualized welcome videos

From managers and team leaders

Individualized building maps

Highlighting items important to the role

Giving your new hire Snagit/Camtasia can assist them by:

  • Recording Zoom meetings with others when being trained
  • Allowing them to review previous training
  • Creating their own individualized workflows
  • Creating quick video guides to common tools and tasks
  • Create videos to share with your manager/trainer/lead showing them what you’re struggling with in new systems or any issues you run into

Sharing onboarding content with Screencast

Typically, onboarding is not a one-person show. When developing your robust onboarding processes, there will likely be several collaborators working alongside you. People from various areas of the organization, such as HR, IT, training, learning and organizational development, facilities, security, senior leadership, and so many more. This collaboration is pivotal in creating a well-rounded onboarding experience. 

Likewise, collaboration is imperative when creating videos. By using a tool like Screencast to share your onboarding videos, you’re also able to utilize its video review features. The video review feature will allow you to share your video(s) with your collaborators and allow them to asynchronously provide in-video, time-specific feedback. This not only allows for a smoother creation of tutorials as you can collaborate asynchronously but will also provide a better overall end product for your new hire, providing a better employee experience.

A screenshot on Screencast with comments and highlighted cursor effects.

When creating videos, tutorials, and screenshots, it is important they can be integrated into existing systems as well. With any of the content you make using Snagit or Camtasia, you can seamlessly integrate them into existing LMS (Learning Management Systems), slideshows, SharePoint sites, etc. Keeping your new hire in as few systems as possible while learning should be a cornerstone of your onboarding strategy.

Why Snagit and Camtasia are the perfect onboarding tools

Another challenge that comes when onboarding new employees is getting all parties involved while still allowing for colleagues to get their work done. The likelihood that every presenter and every subject matter expert will be available on the same schedule is low. 

By utilizing tools like Snagit and Camtasia to create walkthroughs, tutorials, and videos, you don’t have to align everyone’s schedule. Presenters are able to pre-record their material well in advance and still make a great impression. This truly will help your bottom line, as business can continue as usual and you don’t have to halt operations to onboard new employees. This is a “win-win” for all parties involved.

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An image of a laptop playing a training video created in camtasia

Conclusion

Whether you have a formal “Onboarding Program” or an onboarding checklist, or even if you just have “a new hire’s first day,” either way, you’re either driving up your long-term employee retention rate or driving up your attrition rate. 

Creating an onboarding program is more effective for your audience (new hires), more time-effective for contributors, more resourceful for new employees, and is a more entertaining way of bringing someone into your organization and company culture. It can also help relieve some of the anxiety that new hires feel when joining a new work environment and allow them to focus on their job duties and where they fit with the different roles and responsibilities of the organization.

Using Snagit, Camtasia, and Screencast as my video tools helps me (a novice video creator) to create, collaborate, and deliver videos, walkthroughs, and tutorials for new employees, allowing me to create an amazing onboarding experience. I would highly recommend you give video a try and make your onboarding experience for employees memorable. 

If you don’t know where to begin with video (neither did I), I would highly suggest checking out Snagit, Camtasia, and Screencast for your video needs. Not only are the tools powerful yet user-friendly, but they also have fantastic certification programs, tutorials, and webinars to help you get comfortable with the software. 

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TechSmith

TechSmith is the market leader in screen capture software and productivity solutions for daily in-person, remote, or hybrid workplace communication and customer-facing image and video content. Our award-winning flagship products, Snagit, Camtasia, and Audiate, empower anyone to create remarkable videos and images that share knowledge for better training, tutorials, and everyday communication.

How to Crop an Image: Create Perfectly Framed Photos

Icon of a landscape photo with a dashed border on a gradient blue background.

Cropping an image is a quick and easy way to enhance your photo’s composition, whether you’re editing images for social media or preparing a presentation.  With modern high-resolution cameras (including your phone camera) you can crop and zoom while maintaining high quality.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to easily crop pictures on your Mac or PC, adjust the aspect ratio, and use tools like Snagit to get the perfect final image.

How to crop an image using built-in tools

Cropping an image is the process of removing or adjusting the outside edges of an image to improve framing or composition, draw a viewer’s eye to the subject, or change the size or aspect ratio.

Images are often cropped to meet a required aspect ratio, trim out dead space, or to position the subject according to the rule of thirds. This is such an important aspect of any image, that there are many tools available to help users crop an image, including built-in tools!

Cropping a photo on Mac (Photos App)

Step 1: Open the image in the Photos app on your Mac by double-clicking it.

Step 2: Click Edit in the upper right corner.

Step 3: Select the crop tool from the options.

Step 4: Adjust the aspect ratio or free crop by dragging the edges to include only the part of the image you want.

Step 5: Once satisfied, click crop to finalize the changes and save your cropped photo.

Cropping a photo on Windows

Step 1: Right-click the image and select “Open with” > Photos app.

Step 2: Click “Edit” in the upper left corner.

Screenshot of the Edit button in the Photos app

Step 3: Click the crop tool from the toolbar at the top.

Photos app screenshot with labels for the crop tool, preset aspect ratios, and how to drag the corner of a photo

Step 4: Drag the corners to adjust the crop. You can also select a preset aspect ratio for easier cropping.

Step 5: After cropping, click “Save a copy” to keep your original and final image.

How to crop an image using Snagit

Snagit is a powerful image editing tool that goes beyond basic cropping, making it easier to capture, edit, and share professional-looking screenshots and photos. It allows more flexibility in adjusting aspect ratios and provides additional photo editing features.  Snagit also has an amazing set of annotation tools that helps you draw attention to key elements of your image – this is especially useful for documentation and presentations.

Screenshot of the crop tool in Snagit

Steps to crop an image in Snagit

Step 1: Open the image in Snagit. (Download a free trial of Snagit here if you don’t have it already)

Step 2: Click on the crop tool from the toolbar.

Step 3: Drag the edges of the cropping box to include only the part of the image you want to keep.

Tip:  Snagit’s Crop tool has guide lines to help you optimize the alignment of your subject.  Why is this important? Learn more about the rule of thirds here.

Step 4: Press the command key (Mac) or Ctrl key (Windows) to fine-tune your crop, then click Crop to apply.

Step 5: Optional: Use Snagit’s resize tool and aspect ratio options to maintain specific dimensions.

Step 6: Save your cropped photo or export it for sharing.

Tips for cropping photos effectively

Choose the right aspect ratio: Depending on the platform or use case (Instagram, presentations, etc.), select a preset aspect ratio to ensure your final image fits perfectly. Learn more about aspect ratios here.
Comparison of the same photo cropped to 9:16, 1:1 and 16:9 aspect ratios

Focus on the Subject: When cropping a photo, ensure that the most important part of the image is centered or highlighted.

Remove distractions: Crop out any elements at the edges of your image that are not necessary.  Not only does this look clean, but it also helps keep your viewer’s attention where you want it.

Be Creative: There are plenty of rules and guidelines, don’t let them restrict your creative freedom.  Understand the rules, but trust your instincts.

Keep Original Copies: Always save a copy of your original image in case you need to make further edits later.

Cropping is easy

Cropping an image is simple, whether you’re using built-in tools like the Mac / Windows Photos apps or advanced tools like Snagit. With a few clicks, you can transform your images into perfectly framed, professional-looking visuals.

Try Snagit today for even more control over your image cropping and photo editing needs!

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Ryan Knott

Ryan Knott is a Marketing Content Strategist at TechSmith, where he creates content about easy, effective, and efficient video creation, editing, and tips and tricks, as well as audio editing for creators of all kinds. He/him.

Content Localization and Why It Matters – Guide to Success

Globe with speech bubbles coming from different areas.

In today’s global world, many businesses are growing their brands by expanding into international markets. A key part of this, which is sometimes overlooked, is content localization. This means adapting content to fit the needs and culture of a specific market. It’s not just about translating text—it’s about making sure the content resonates with local audiences by considering their language, dialect, expressions, and cultural references.

Pizza hut webpage in two different languages.

Categories of localization

When speaking of localization, there are several key terms to understand. 

Internationalization 

Internationalization is about designing products, software, or content so they can easily be adapted for different languages and cultures. This involves setting company goals, team methods, and guidelines to support global growth. It focuses on finding efficient, scalable, and affordable ways to grow in new markets, based on strategies set by company leaders.

Localization 

Localization is a broad term that covers all the work needed to make your international growth plans happen. This includes everyday project tasks, team processes aimed at improving efficiency, localization kits, how teams are progressing with the Localization Model of Maturity (LMM), working with Localization Service Providers (LSPs), translations, and more. Think of localization as a department, like Marketing or Development, that handles all these tasks.

Under Localization are three categories for getting the language work done: 

1. Translation 

Translation is the process of putting words or text from one language into another. In the world of Localization, this term implies “as-is.” It is pretty much a word-to-word or phrase-to-phrase match, considering various locale forms of grammar, syntax, etc. 

An example might be software that looks and behaves exactly the same in any language. The features and user interface are translated as-is and no cultural adaptation is needed. 

Translation is typically based on content already created in a source language. Typically, with translation, the content looks and reads very similar across all languages. 

2. Transcreation 

This process involves adapting and translating words, images, videos, and campaigns to fit the culture of a different region. In localization, transcreation means “change.” It’s usually based on existing content but goes beyond simple translation. 

For example, taglines might be adjusted to fit local preferences, blog posts reworded to include regional examples, or page layouts changed to suit longer translations. Transcreation ensures content looks and feels similar across languages, even if it’s slightly different.

3. Content creation 

Content creation doesn’t use source content and implies “from scratch.” With this method, other language content creators write original ad copy, blog posts, video scripts, etc. without using the source language content for reference. Often outlines, brand guides, style guides, project plans, or in-person meetings help prepare the writers for the content needed. 

With content creation, the final content may look similar to the other language versions or it may be unique to each locale. 

Why content localization is important for global marketing 

In today’s digital age, businesses can quickly reach a global audience. To truly connect with them and grow, content localization is a key part of any global marketing strategy. Creating content in the language of your target audience makes them feel understood and valued, building trust.

Building trust with target audiences 

Localized marketing demonstrates you have taken the time and effort to understand their needs and preferences which fosters a sense of trust with your brand. 

Research has shown that 70% of online consumers prefer to engage with content in their language. Nearly 75% of consumers say they are more likely to make a purchase when products and supporting information are in their native language. 

By investing in content localization, you can tap into this preference and gain a competitive edge in the global market. 

Reaching global audiences with search engines 

Search engines are key in helping businesses reach their target audiences. Properly localized content boosts SEO for specific regions. By customizing your content to meet the needs and interests of each market, you increase visibility on local search engines. Factors like relevance, user experience, and local context help search engines rank websites, so localized content makes your site more likely to appear in local search results, driving organic traffic and attracting potential customers.

Content localization process: bridging the gap for global audiences 

Step 1: Understanding your target markets 

To connect with international audiences, it’s important to understand the culture, language, and preferences of each market. Before you start localizing content, research your audience by looking at language use, age groups, shopping habits, and local customs. This will help you create content that feels natural and engaging for each market.

 Step 2: Building a style guide for localization 

A style guide is a detailed document that covers a company’s goals, products, and branding, as well as specific rules for language use, tone, style, and formatting. Language-specific guides help keep content consistent across different languages. Working with local experts can improve efficiency and save costs during localization.

Index of a style guide.

Step 3: Using the right translation tools 

Translation tools help streamline localization by making the process faster and more accurate. Tools like machine translation can quickly translate content, but they often miss cultural details. Human translators bring in the cultural understanding needed for high-quality localization. 

While machine translation tools, such as neural machine translation (NMT), or other AI services can expedite the translation process by automatically translating content, they lack the finesse and cultural understanding required for effective localization. As a result complex technical terminology may be misinterpreted, or brand names may be mispronounced. Human translators, on the other hand, provide the added expertise and cultural sensitivity for high-quality localized content. 

A balanced approach, combining machine translation for initial drafts and human translators for refinement, often yields the best results. 

Step 4: Adapting content for multiple formats 

People consume content in many formats, like websites, apps, social media, and videos. When localizing content, it’s important to adapt for each format’s technical needs, such as screen sizes and resolutions. For video, tools like Camtasia can help add subtitles, voiceovers, and visuals for specific regions, making your content more relatable to local audiences.

Camtasia translating audio from one language to another.

How to build a content localization strategy

A strong localization strategy helps engage global audiences and grow your business. Hiring a Localization Service Provider (LSP) is a good way to ensure content is accurate and culturally appropriate. Different LSPs offer services from translation to creative content for specific regions. Resources like the Nimdzi report can help you find the right LSP for your needs.

One of the primary responsibilities of a localization expert is to ensure accuracy. Their job is to meticulously review and adapt the content, making sure that it is free from any errors or inaccuracies. This is especially crucial when dealing with culturally sensitive content, where a minor misstep has a significant impact on your brand’s reputation. 

Airport sign with improper translation.

Leverage technology to streamline localization processes

LSPs use tools to streamline the localization process, making it more efficient and cost-effective. These tools help with tasks like managing software updates and using translation memory. If you’re just starting out, tools like Camtasia and Camtasia Audiate can help you add captions and other localized elements to videos. They provide simple video creation and video editing with the ability to add region-specific elements and assets, on screen text in callouts and lower thirds, translated SRTs, and even AI voice over. 

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Common challenges in content localization

For many businesses, reaching international markets is a priority to increase sales and boost growth. However, embarking on a localization program comes with a significant number of challenges. 

Overcoming cultural barriers

One of the main challenges in content localization is the potential for cultural misunderstandings. Localization failures occur when businesses fail to adapt their content to suit the cultural preferences of the target market. 

For instance, humor is highly subjective and varies greatly across cultures. What may be amusing in one country can be considered offensive or simply fall flat in another. Companies must carefully tailor their jokes and wit to align with the cultural sensibilities of the specific market they are targeting. This attention to detail ensures humor lands effectively and fosters a positive connection with the audience. 

Similarly, idioms and regional language expressions are filled with linguistic and cultural nuances that do not directly translate into other languages. Translating idiomatic phrases word-for-word typically results in confusion or even offense. 

The best strategy is to avoid humor, jokes, and idioms, especially if they are not essential to the message being translated. If humor, jokes, or idioms must be used, original content should be created for each specific language or the content should be transcreated – NEVER simply translated. 

Managing costs without sacrificing quality

While quality localization is crucial, it can be an expensive process, especially when relying solely on professional translation services. However, there are ways to save costs without compromising quality. One approach is leveraging in-house tools for specific localization tasks. For example, using a tool like Snagit to create one source images to be used for all languages. 

A snagit template across a variety of languages.

Using Camtasia for certain aspects of video localization can help reduce expenses since this easy-to-use tool can be used internally. Similarly, transcription and translation tools like Camtasia Audiate can be utilized to streamline the localization of audio content. 

Combining in-house tools like these with professional translation services for complex projects, can help strike a balance between cost-effectiveness and maintaining high-quality localized content.

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Best practices for creating localized content

When creating localized content, it is essential to optimize web pages, URLs, blog posts, videos, tutorials, and social media for in-country audiences. 

Optimize blog posts and social media for local audiences

SEO optimizing content for a different locale includes using region-specific keywords, incorporating local references, or even adjusting the overall structure of the content to better suit the target audience. By customizing your content to resonate with local audiences, you increase the chances of content appearing in organic searches within that locale’s search engines and create a higher level of customer engagement, build brand awareness, and create meaningful and long-lasting connections with new international customers. 

For tutorials, software, and support articles, translation may work. However, some web pages and social media content may need Transcreation to modify the message. For other content like blogs, Content Creation is necessary to ensure the topics, examples, and links resonate with the intended audience. 

Other best practices include using a controlled source language. Each person on the content writing team should use style sheets, glossaries, and and have a review process to help maintain consistency across writers. This ensures translations are also consistent, accurate, and efficient. 

If using images, use a Simplified Image technique to reduce the need for localizing images. Software like Snagit has a built-in tool called Simplify for automating this process. 

Blog image with featured text translated to French.

Finally, launching a Once-And-Done style of management for your localization team helps keep everyone focused and working together to achieve the organization’s global goals. 

Monitor and measure localization success

After launching localized content, it’s important to monitor how well it’s performing. LSPs specializing in quality assurance can review translations, and analytics tools can track engagement and conversion rates to see if the content is resonating with the audience.

Conclusion

In today’s competitive market, businesses of all sizes can benefit from localizing their content to reach new regions. A good localization strategy helps companies connect with different audiences, build trust, and grow sales. This involves setting company-wide goals, using translation tools, and adapting content for various formats. Investing in localization helps businesses succeed globally by making their content more relevant and engaging across different cultures and languages.

Lauren North

Direct Marketing Specialist at TechSmith. I enjoy painting with watercolors, visiting our National Parks, and eating nachos.

Can Clipchamp Edit OBS Videos? A Complete Guide

Graphic of a green film strip with a timeline slider, clapperboard icon on the left, and fan symbol on the right.

If you’ve been using OBS Studio for screen recording, you might be wondering whether Clipchamp can help you take your videos to the next level with easy editing. In this post, we’ll explore whether Clipchamp editing software can edit your OBS videos, how it stacks up as a video editor, and when you might want to consider more advanced options like the user-friendly Camtasia editing software for professional results.

Can Clipchamp edit OBS videos?

The short answer is yes—as long as the video is in a supported file type. Let’s dig into the compatibility of file types and subscription obstacles below.

Keep in mind that Clipchamp can only export in 30 fps, so if you are recording in OBS in 60 fps, your recording will be edited in a lower resolution. 

Compatibility between OBS and Clipchamp

OBS Studio saves videos in formats such as MP4 or FLV, which are fully compatible with Clipchamp. Clipchamp also accepts MOV, WEBM, AVI, DIVX, FLV, 3GP, WMV, VOB, DCM, and MKV video container files, as well as a wide variety of video codecs. Not sure if your input file is supported? Simply add it and see if Clipchamp is able to recognize it. This means you can easily import your screen recordings into Clipchamp and start editing right away.

After you’ve recorded a video using OBS, you can upload it directly into Clipchamp’s video editor for basic trimming, cutting, and enhancement. The best video formats for Clipchamp (without having to wait for conversion) are .mp4 (MPEG-4), .mov (Quicktime Movie File), and .webm.

Editing features in Clipchamp

Powerful recorder

While you may be moving previously recorded OBS clips into Clipchamp, try out the screen recorder in Clipchamp. You can record your webcam with virtual backgrounds, blur, or green screen. These options do go away once you begin sharing your screen with your webcam, so record these as separate tracks. Another positive about Clipchamp’s recorder is that it has a built-in teleprompter and even a virtual Speaker Coach that will give you tips after you record for improvement. 

AI enhanced audio & captions

Clipchamp has a text-to-speech option with many AI voices to choose from, and you can convert your text in multiple languages. Say si, and oui, my friend! If you are using your own voice for the voiceover, Clipchamp can automatically remove long pauses for you, so if you mess up, just pause and keep going. Don’t forget to automatically add subtitles to your video!

Basic video editing

Clipchamp offers essential tools like trimming, cropping, and cutting, which work well for quick edits on your OBS videos.

Text and overlays

You can add text, transitions, and overlays to your videos, making it easy to annotate your OBS screen recordings. Keep in mind that unless you have a premium subscription to Clipchamp, you will not be able to animate graphics or text on your screen. Animating assets on your screen is not Clipchamp’s specialty, so play around with it first before deciding if you need a more polished video editor. 

Export options

Once edited, Clipchamp allows you to export your video in several formats, perfect for uploading to YouTube or social media.

The easiest way to edit videos

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How to edit OBS videos in Clipchamp

Step 1: Import your OBS video

First, record your screen with OBS Studio. You may choose to continue recording with OBS because of the ability to stream to YouTube or Twitch, or because you can pre-sync your audio and color-grade your webcam. After saving your recording in the compatible file formats mentioned above, head over to Clipchamp and click “Import” to upload your video.

Step 2: Use Clipchamp’s video editing tools

Use Clipchamp’s intuitive trimming tool to remove any unnecessary parts of your OBS recording. For a smoother look, apply transitions between clips of where you edited. Add text overlays and filters to enhance your video. Clipchamp’s drag-and-drop interface makes this process seamless.

Step 3: Export and share

After finishing your edits, choose your desired resolution and format, then export the video. Clipchamp supports exporting in HD, making it suitable for high-quality screen recordings captured with OBS.

Clipchamp vs. Camtasia: Which video editor should you choose?

When to use Clipchamp:

Basic editing needs: If you’re looking for a simple tool to perform quick edits like trimming or adding text, Clipchamp is ideal.

Free features: Clipchamp offers many free features that are enough for basic editing, making it a great option if you’re on a budget or working on shorter projects.

Online editor: Because Clipchamp is web-based, you can access it from any device with a browser, making it highly convenient. However, please remember to save often, as there have been reported syncing issues between the two platforms. 

When to choose Camtasia:

Precision editing:  Clipchamp has different tracks, but you cannot fine-tune your audio or any type of key-frame editing, which is important for any type of movement on the screen, let alone animation. If you only need text to appear on screen, Clipchamp is ok. But if you need control over where and how the text shows up, Camtasia is for you. 

Examples of moving text, lower-thirds, and animated arrows available pre-made in Camtasia.

Unlike Clipchamp’s simpler interface, Camtasia offers a full video editor suite, perfect for users looking to create polished, professional videos from their OBS recordings. Both programs are easy to use with drag-and-drop functionality. 

For more complex editing projects, having multi-track editing with the ability to “lock” a track so you can’t accidentally trim or to be able to select all to keep audio and the visuals in sync is going to save you from pulling out your hair using a basic tool like Clipchamp. Hide or group items on your timeline as well to keep things organized and keep you rolling on making a video. 

Gif of someone editing in Camtasia

With Camtasia, you can lock tracks, hide tracks or use the magnet to keep everything in sync. To move more things at once, select and shift things on your timeline.

Professional quality: Camtasia provides high-level tools like annotations, animations, and screen effects, making it ideal for professional presentations, tutorials, or long-form content. While Clipchamp offers a few motion graphics, these assets’ colors cannot be changed to match your company’s branding without a premium account. The assets they do have available are more catered to non-professional content. Keep that LOL-OMG-unhinged birthday cake out of your quarterly report, please! We want you to keep your job. 😉

Gif of a giant cake moving back and forth to show Clipchamp's animated graphics.

Clipchamp has an interesting amount of animated graphics, emojis, or text stickers available for personal use. 

Instead, try out some lower thirds, stock images, footages, motion text, and motion icons. Don’t want to be on screen? Try an audio-visualizer. These assets will add the necessary decoration to keep your videos engaging.

A gif of someone talking showing lines moving in reaction to audio.

Skip the bad hair days and use an audio visualizer on your next video to keep the content engaging. 

Library and templates: Who really likes repeating the same work over and over again? As you grow in your video editing journey, you are going to want to take some shortcuts. Editing videos already takes enough time!

With Camtasia, you can save your video as a template to easily drag and drop new video content in. Or, save your intro and outros to your library for easy use again. Do you find yourself making the same tutorial video again? Or do you clean up a webinar before posting it to YouTube? Save yourself time by utilizing templates and the Camtasia library. 

Step-by-step: Editing OBS videos with Camtasia

Step 1: Import OBS video into Camtasia

After recording with OBS, open Camtasia and drag your OBS video file into the media bin. Camtasia supports OBS’s file formats, making it easy to start editing right away. (((insert GIF))

Step 2: Edit with advanced features

Camtasia allows you to add multiple tracks, so you can layer video, audio, and effects easily. Unlike Clipchamp, Camtasia offers more professional transitions, annotations, and callouts to enhance your video. You can also record more footage directly in Camtasia to combine with your OBS video, offering flexibility for more dynamic content.

Step 3: Export in professional formats

Camtasia provides multiple export options, from standard MP4 to professional formats for different platforms. You can export your final video in full HD or 4K, depending on your needs. 

Conclusion: Clipchamp vs. Camtasia for editing OBS videos

While Clipchamp can effectively handle basic video editing for your OBS recordings, it’s limited when it comes to advanced features. If you’re looking for more professional-grade editing tools, Camtasia is the superior choice.

Try Clipchamp for simple edits or go with Camtasia if you need a robust, all-in-one video editor for your OBS videos.

The easiest way to edit videos

Stop wasting time and discover how Camtasia makes creating incredible videos easier than ever.

Get Camtasia
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Common questions about editing OBS videos with Clipchamp and Camtasia

Can Clipchamp handle long OBS recordings?

Clipchamp can handle longer videos but may not perform as efficiently with large files as Camtasia. For long-form projects, Camtasia is recommended.

Can Clipchamp export in 60 fps?

No, Clipchamp, whether on a paid or free plan, can only edit in 30 fps, which is a lower resolution. 

Do I need to convert my OBS video files before editing in Clipchamp or Camtasia?

No, both Clipchamp and Camtasia support the file formats generated by OBS, such as MP4 and FLV, so no conversion is necessary before importing.

Which tool is better for editing gaming videos recorded with OBS?

If you need advanced editing features like overlays, multi-track editing, and enhanced audio controls, Camtasia is the better option. For quick edits, Clipchamp will suffice.

TechSmith

TechSmith is the market leader in screen capture software and productivity solutions for daily in-person, remote, or hybrid workplace communication and customer-facing image and video content. Our award-winning flagship products, Snagit, Camtasia, and Audiate, empower anyone to create remarkable videos and images that share knowledge for better training, tutorials, and everyday communication.

How to Stop a QuickTime Screen Recording Easily

QuickTime logo.

Need to quickly capture a video of your screen? If you’re on a Mac, then you’re in luck. 

QuickTime is Apple’s built-in screen recording tool for Mac users, designed for capturing tutorials, presentations, and meetings with ease. 

While it’s straightforward, new users often find it confusing, particularly when it comes time to stop the recording. The lack of clear controls can lead to frustration, especially if you’re not familiar with the menu bar options. Understanding how to navigate QuickTime can help streamline the recording process and make it more enjoyable.

In this guide, we will break down the entire process of recording a video using the app. 

Step-by-step guide: How to stop QuickTime screen recording

Step 1: Start a QuickTime screen recording on Mac with File: New Screen Recording

First, select QuickTime Player from your Applications folder or the dock. Once you open QuickTime Player, start by clicking on “File” in the top menu. Then, select “New Screen Recording” from the drop-down menu to start a new recording in QuickTime. From there, you can choose to record your entire screen or just a specific portion of it.

The red recording button will appear on the right side of the options tray. In addition, there is a small arrow that opens up access to the recording settings. Once you have selected the best recording option to suit your needs, you will click the record button.

 As another option, you can also click on the screen when a camera icon appears, and it will start the recording for you. 

Selecting new screen recording in QuickTime Player.

Step 2: Stop the recording with Control + Command + Esc

To stop the recording, locate the stop button in the menu bar at the top of the screen after the recording begins. Click the square stop button whenever you are ready to end the recording. It appears as a small square icon and will only be visible while you’re recording.

You can also use the keyboard shortcut Command + Control + Esc to end the recording.

Tip: If QuickTime Player becomes unresponsive, you can use the Activity Monitor to force quit. Select QuickTime player and click the “Quit” button. However, this will not save your recording. 

Selecting the stop button in QuickTime Player.

Step 3: Save the recording

Once you hit the stop button, QuickTime Player will automatically open to show you your screen recording. But it has not been saved just yet! 

Click on File in the menu bar at the top of your screen, then select Save or Export As if you want to choose a specific format or resolution. A dialog box will appear, allowing you to enter a name for your file and select a location on your computer where you want to save it. After you’ve chosen your file name and location, click Save. Your recording will now be saved and ready for you to access whenever you need it.

Exporting a file in 1080p in QuickTime Player.

Tips for editing your QuickTime screen recording

While QuickTime Player is a versatile tool for media playback and screen recording, its video editing capabilities are quite limited. For users looking to make substantial edits to their videos, QuickTime’s basic features might not be enough. For anything beyond the most straightforward edits, users will need to turn to more powerful video editing software like Camtasia.

Using Camtasia for quick and advanced editing

Need to go a little more in-depth and add some pizzazz to your screen recording? Camtasia is what you’re looking for! With Camtasia, you can add transitions, captions, and visual effects to your recorded video.  These features go far beyond what QuickTime can offer. 

Camtasia’s extensive library of transitions enables you to create smooth, professional transitions between scenes or clips, whether you want a simple fade or a more dynamic swipe or zoom effect. For clarity, you can easily insert captions or subtitles to improve comprehension, especially in instructional videos or presentations. 

Additionally, Camtasia offers a range of visual effects, such as highlighting key areas of the screen, adding shadows or reflections, and even applying animations or zoom effects to focus attention on important elements. These tools make it easy to turn a basic QuickTime recording into a polished, engaging video with just a few clicks.

The easiest way to edit videos

Stop wasting time and discover how Camtasia makes creating incredible videos easier than ever.

Get Camtasia
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Conclusion

With Apple’s QuickTime Player, it is easy to start and stop a screen recording. Whether you are recording a tutorial, presentation, or meeting, having a powerful screen recorder is great for virtual communication. 

If you’re looking to edit together a video, screen recordings are a great place to start. With Camtasia, you can bring your screen recordings to life with full effect. 

TechSmith

TechSmith is the market leader in screen capture software and productivity solutions for daily in-person, remote, or hybrid workplace communication and customer-facing image and video content. Our award-winning flagship products, Snagit, Camtasia, and Audiate, empower anyone to create remarkable videos and images that share knowledge for better training, tutorials, and everyday communication.

How to Send a Screenshot

an image icon with a big share arrow over it

A picture—or a screenshot—may be worth a thousand words. But a great screenshot is even more valuable. 

Sending a screenshot is one of the most effective ways to communicate because it provides a clear, visual representation of what you want to convey, removing confusion. It allows the recipient to see exactly what you’re referring to, whether it’s an error message, a website layout, or detailed instructions. 

Screenshots save time by eliminating the need for lengthy descriptions and making complex concepts easier to understand. They also help reduce back-and-forth communication, as the visual context often answers questions immediately, making problem-solving quicker and more efficient.

Whether you’re providing feedback on a design mockup or documenting an issue for tech support, Snagit is the best way to take and send a screenshot. 

Step 1: Quickly capture what’s on your screen.

Step 2: Annotate it to ensure your message is clearly communicated.

Step 3: Send the screenshot in a way that works with your existing workflow. 

    No confusion or intimidating walls of text for your coworker, and no jumping through hoops for you. It’s a win-win.

    How to send a screenshot on a PC

    There’s more than one way to take a screenshot – and some options are clearly better than others. 

    If you use Windows, you already have a built-in tool for taking a basic screenshot. Press print screen (PrtScn) to capture your entire screen and copy it to the clipboard, or Alt+PrtScn to copy a screenshot of the window that is currently open. From there, you can paste the copied screenshot into another app. 

    You can also open the Windows Snipping Tool to access free-form and rectangle screenshot modes, plus a pen and highlighter for basic, hand-drawn annotations.

    Snipping Tool doesn’t offer much control over what you capture in your screenshot, as it lacks advanced features like precise cropping, annotations, or the ability to capture scrolling windows. 

    For users who need more flexibility and customization options, Snipping Tool’s limitations can be frustrating, particularly for professional or detailed communication. For a more comprehensive, professional solution, that’s still easy to use, there’s Snagit.

    Snagit offers flexible, powerful screen capture options such as:

    • Scrolling capture (both automatic and manual)
    • Text capture
    • Specified region capture
    • Specific pixel width and height capture
    • Repeat capture
    • Menu capture
    • Multiple region capture

    Screenshotting a webpage with Snipping Tool vs Snagit:

    Snipping tool splitting an image of a webpage into multiple different images vs. Snagit putting it all into one image.

    Snipping Tool’s hand-drawn annotation options are limited and far from professional, while Snagit’s Editor contains a whole toolbox full of easy-to-use editing and annotation tools and effects that go beyond hand-written text and highlighting. 

    Try Snagit’s callouts, arrows with multiple custom colors, font properties, automatically sequenced steps and labels, professionally designed stamps, and even options to edit text captured in your screenshot.

    Snipping Tool’s editing options vs Snagit’s editing options:

    Snipping Tool’s editing options vs Snagit’s editing options.

    Your step-by-step guide to sending screenshots using Snagit

    Step 1: Capture your screenshot

    With Snagit installed, press the capture hotkey: PrtScn on Windows or Control+Shift+C on Mac. Click and drag on the screen to select a specific area to screenshot, or click fullscreen. Then click the camera icon to snap your screenshot.

    The camera icon in the Snagit toolbar.

    To take a scrolling capture instead, click the Scrolling Capture icon, then use the window scroll bars or mouse wheel to scroll the content you want to capture, either vertically or horizontally. Snagit captures anything shown within the selected area.

    The scrolling capture icon in the Snagit toolbar.

    Tip: For even more powerful and flexible capture options, open Snagit’s Capture window and explore the different settings on the Image capture tab.

    The image capture tab in Snagit.

    Step 2: Edit and annotate

    Your screenshot opens automatically in the Snagit Editor. Select from a wide variety of annotation and editing tools and effects. 

    Add annotations like arrows, callouts, labels, and shapes to help communicate your message. Customize the annotation colors, sizes, fonts, and more to ensure your message stands out or to match your brand or product colors. 

    Favorites, arrow, text, callout, step, shape, stamp, and highlighter tools in the snagit toolbar.

    Remove unnecessary parts of the image with the crop, cut out, selection, or simplify tools, to help focus your viewer’s attention on what’s important. 

    Crop, cut out, selection, magic wand, and simplify tools in the snagit tool bar.

    Finally, add effects like borders, color filters, or capture information about the screenshot to add polish or context.

    Step 3: Share via Screencast

    When you’re ready to share your screenshot, make sure that anyone you send it to can view it. No worrying about file size, format, or account access.

    Click share link to instantly upload your screenshot to Screencast, TechSmith’s cloud-based solution for content hosting. 

    Share link button.

    Snagit automatically copies a shareable link to your clipboard to paste wherever you get work done – email, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom Chat, and more. Recipients can open and view your link – no account needed. 

    Even better, Screencast’s built-in collaboration and feedback tools help you to keep your work moving forward, even after you’ve sent the screenshot link. Add comments to solicit feedback, ask specific questions, and more. 

    People discussing in screencast the contents of a Snagit screenshot.

    Your recipients can reply and add new comments (still no account needed!) to keep the conversation going. 

    Why use Snagit for screenshots?

    Unlike the Windows Snipping Tool, which offers limited screenshot capabilities and basic, amateurish annotations, Snagit is an all-in-one Swiss Army knife that does so much more than just screenshotting. It captures, annotates, shares, and even stores all your screenshots for further editing and reuse, all in one streamlined, easy-to-use package.

    Don’t waste your time trying to figure out how to get what you need from Snipping Tool. Take the screenshots you actually want with Snagit.

    The best snipping tool for Windows and Mac

    Don’t let clumsy built-in tools hold you back. Take and edit screenshots with Snagit!

    Get Snagit
    Someone capturing a screenshot of a mountain scene with a person and goats using Snagit, showing cropping tools on the screen.

    Try Snagit for free

    Experience streamlined, professional screenshot sharing for yourself, and discover how easy it is to capture, edit, and send high-quality visuals. Improve communication, enhance productivity, and save time with Snagit’s powerful tools designed for effortless collaboration and clarity.

    Download Snagit for a free trial today.

    TechSmith

    TechSmith is the market leader in screen capture software and productivity solutions for daily in-person, remote, or hybrid workplace communication and customer-facing image and video content. Our award-winning flagship products, Snagit, Camtasia, and Audiate, empower anyone to create remarkable videos and images that share knowledge for better training, tutorials, and everyday communication.

    Create an Effective How-To Guide that Engages Your Audience

    an open book with two gears under a magnifying glass on the cover

    How often do coworkers interrupt you for help? 

    Did you know that 46% of workers are interrupted more than six times a day?  In our study of workplace flexibility, these employees reported decreased productivity or higher stress.

    Improve everyone’s quality of life with a little documentation. Here is everything you need to create step-by-step how-to instructions comfortably and confidently.

    The opportunities to share procedures, explanations, and methods are everywhere. 

    • Do you train team members on a new process? 
    • Onboard customers to your commercial product or service?
    • Facilitate open enrollment on the new HR software?
    • Instruct how to empty the coffee grounds?
    • Contribute to the customer knowledge base?

    Let’s learn how to make a how-to guide.

    Stop repeat questions

    Create clear videos and guides with Snagit so you only have to explain tasks once.

    Try it Free
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    Step-by-step instructions are one part of an internal knowledge base

    A quick tutorial is a step-by-step guide for completing an specific task.

    • Clear – Readers should be able to follow the steps. Often, this means combining text with pictures or videos.
    • Engaging – Organize the guide to hold readers’ attention and help them save time.
    • Relevant Information – Provide context and use cases that help the reader understand why it’s valuable to them.

    Other important parts of a knowledge base differ

    • Training manual – Don’t try to replace in-depth training or a certification course. 
    • Reference guide – Focus on one specific goal your audience can accomplish. 
    • User manual – Include a few tips, caveats, or good-to-knows, not every edge-case scenario.
    • Blog Posts – Simplify content for customer-facing marketing strategies and marketing campaigns. Or replace with case studies or bulleted lists to help with purchasing decisions.

    Step 1: Understand your target audience’s pain points

    Before you begin, identify your target audience, their goals, and their pain points or knowledge gaps to be addressed with your guide. It may be helpful to:

    • Conduct surveys
    • Peruse online forums
    • Solicit customer feedback

    Tailor your guide to your audience’s skill level and point of view

    You’ll also want to know your readers’ comfort with the topic. Different audiences have different skill levels.  An excellent how-to guide is suited to the technical abilities of the target audience, whether beginners or experts.

    Review search terms and feedback on existing training or educational materials. Talk to your customer support team for insight into the customer experience. Understand the keywords your audience uses—for example, in internet searches. What language do they use to describe the topic, their trouble, or points of confusion?

    Step 2: Structure your guide

    Create step-by-step numbered lists and bullet points

    Unsurprisingly, numbered lists are more accessible to follow than a dense wall of text. Break down your guide into discrete steps or manageable chunks.

    Remember that your audience may switch back and forth between your guide and the task as they read. Numbering or lettering the steps helps the audience follow along.

    Wall of text? Next!

    Snagit makes it easy to communicate more effectively with visuals.

    Learn More
    Screenshot of a document about puffin migration patterns with a section for changing styles highlighted.

    Follow a guide template

    If your organization creates multiple guides or a series, consider using a guide template. Consistent guides built from the same template help your readers know what to expect. It also makes writing instructions and creating guides much faster and easier for others in your organization!

    For example, consider including in your template an introduction to identify:

    • The intended audience for the guide.
    • The guide’s goal, or what a reader can expect to accomplish.
    • Software, tools, or resources needed to complete the process.
    • Contact information or help resources in case the reader gets into trouble.

    Consider a conclusion in your template:

    • To recap the purpose or goal of the guide, what should your reader be able to do now?
    • Next steps or follow-on guides in the series
    • Contact information or help resources

    Be sure to check out Snagit’s ready-made, professionally designed templates. We even have a category of “Steps” templates designed to fit 2-6 steps on a single page. These templates can also be modified to add additional steps on more pages as needed!

    Guide templates in Snagit

    Step 3: Write step-by-step instructions

    Create clear and concise steps

    Now it’s time to write! 

    Rather than relying on my memory (admittedly poor), I first walk through the task myself, taking note of each step as I go. Especially for familiar tasks I do regularly, it’s important to observe potential stumbling blocks for new users.

    Ensure that the language and terms used in your guide are consistent with what the user sees on their screen.

    Watch out! Ask yourself if there are points where what you see may differ from what your audience sees, or where steps may vary. For instance, is it possible that your reader is using a different software version, operating system, or browser?

    Add images

    I take screenshots or photos in real-time while walking through the task.

    Images help to illustrate a step or provide context. They help ensure that your guide is easy to understand and that your audience can follow regardless of their skill level.

    Annotate the images with arrows, comments, or labels. These types of visuals ensure your reader connects the text and the image.

    Example annotations on images in a how-to guide

    Be sure to remove extraneous details from the images that could confuse or distract your reader from the focal point. 

    Remember the audience you identified in Step 1 and their level of familiarity? Do you need to explain where you can find each item on the screen? 

    For example, it may be helpful when you tell someone to click the “Settings” button to explain that it looks like a gear. You may also need to emphasize the locations of easily-missed icons or duplicate elements on the screen.

    Annotations clarify the message in your image

    Step 4: Add additional information and resources

    If the task documented in your guide requires or can be supplemented with additional resources, be sure to include them. These might be project source files or links to related or more in-depth tutorials.

    This may include download links for other products. Your how-to guide shouldn’t be a sales or marketing page in disguise. If another software suits your audience’s needs better, offer guidance, especially if free options exist.

    Provide context and background

    Help your readers understand why your guide is of use to them. Include relevant examples or what they should be able to do once they’ve followed the guide.

    In a complex process, providing background information in the guide can justify the necessity of specific steps. This extra context can help users grasp the reason behind the process, especially if it is unfamiliar.

    Annotate and edit screenshots with Snagit

    Professional mark-up tools and powerful features make it easy to create helpful images.

    Try it Free
    Screenshot of a document about puffin migration patterns with a section for changing styles highlighted.

    Step 5: Test your how-to guide

    Ensure accuracy and usability

    Once the written list of steps with supporting visuals is assembled, review your guide for accuracy:

    • Did you miss any steps?
    • Is the language consistent with what readers will see?
    • For software guides, ensure that the instructions are accurate for all versions your readers might be using. Alternatively, specify the particular version covered and provide information on where to get help for other versions.

    Having another person review your guide—especially someone unfamiliar with the process—is always a good idea. This person can test it for you as an actual new user might. If there are areas you are unsure are clear, highlight those for special attention from your reviewer.

    This person can help ensure your documentation is not only accurate but easy to follow:

    • Is the language clear and easy to follow?
    • Are there overly complex steps that should be broken down further?
    • Are the right images included to provide clarity and context?

    Knowing someone might find mistakes or suggest improvements to your documentation can be uncomfortable. However, your readers are more likely to be successful if you fully leverage your team to spot potential problems.

    If no one else can review the guide, go through it yourself for accuracy and usability. Wait a day or two from when you finish writing a how-to guide before you review it, assuming you aren’t on a deadline. This will help you approach the guide with a fresh perspective, as if you were a new user.

    Make revisions based on feedback

    And, of course, revise the guide as needed based on reviews. Be prepared to receive feedback from your audience and be open to iterating on your guide as needed.

    Example feedback on a how-to guide

    Step 6: Publish and distribute your guide

    Choose the right platform

    When it’s time to publish your guide, consider the best location and method of distribution. Some things to consider:

    • If this documentation is internal, making it easily findable can significantly improve productivity.
    • If public-facing, does your guide need to be distributed? For example, emailed by sales teams or Customer Success Managers to new customers? 
    • Or, if placed on your website, how will your intended audiences find it? 
    • If you plan to share your guide widely, it’s better to send online links rather than using PDFs or posting in various places. Manage guides in a single location to facilitate updates and prevent outdated versions from circulating.
    • Will some of your readers have questions, comments, or tips that are helpful to others? Consider posting your guide to a platform with built-in conversations, like Screencast.

    Optimize for SEO

    If posted publicly, how will your intended audience find your guide?

    Ensure your instructions match the on-screen content. Your guide’s descriptive sections should mirror your readers’ language where feasible. 

    Researching your audience in Step 1 will give you insight into their language. Incorporate this into your guide to help people find it.

    Consider using SEO optimization tools such as SEMrush or the Yoast plugin for WordPress. Improving SEO improves the ability to find your content when needed.

    Best practices for writing a practical how-to guide

    Use simple, direct language

    The most crucial part of evaluating a practical how-to guide is determining if it is easy to follow. Use simple, direct language that your users can follow, no matter their skill level.

    Include images to clarify each step

    Help avoid confusion for your readers. Show what you mean with an annotated screenshot or photo for each step.

    Update your guide regularly

    Ensure your guide remains accurate by reviewing and updating it regularly. If available online, updates also help improve SEO and ranking.

    The important part: Make it easy on yourself

    Don’t let creating a how-to guide take longer than the training itself!

    Use Snagit, the market leader in screen capture software. You’ll love using an all-in-one solution for screen capture, gif creation, annotations, templates, and flexible export options.

    Stop repeat questions

    Create clear videos and guides with Snagit so you only have to explain tasks once.

    Try it Free
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    TechSmith

    TechSmith is the market leader in screen capture software and productivity solutions for daily in-person, remote, or hybrid workplace communication and customer-facing image and video content. Our award-winning flagship products, Snagit, Camtasia, and Audiate, empower anyone to create remarkable videos and images that share knowledge for better training, tutorials, and everyday communication.

    Convert MP4 to MP3: Step-by-Step Guide for Extracting Audio

    a video clip icon labeled 'mp4' with an arrow pointing toward a musical note icon labeled 'mp3'

    Sometimes audio is all you need. 

    Audio is an efficient and effective way to consume media.  The MP3 format is ideal for audio files.  It retains a great sound quality, but offers tremendous file compression for smaller file sizes.  Converting your MP4 to a MP3 file can save space on your device, extend battery life, and simply offer listening on the go.

    Tools to convert MP4 to MP3

    Online converters

    There are many web-based file conversion tools.  These can be a good option for quick conversion, when there is less concern about smaller file sizes or audio quality.

    Illustration of a web browser with a file picker to convert MP4 files to MP3

    Step by step:

    Step 1: Upload your mp4 to the converter site (some services also let you paste a URL to the mp4).

    Step 2: Click Convert.

    Step 3: Click Download to obtain an audio only mp3 file.

      A word of caution: Make sure you trust the service when using an online converter – while there are reputable sites available, proceed with caution when uploading and downloading from unsafe websites.

      Here are some security tips to keep in mind: 

      Data privacy concerns

      Sensitive information exposure: Consumers may be wary of uploading files containing confidential, personal, or sensitive information (e.g., financial records, legal documents, or intellectual property). They might fear that their data could be accessed or stored without their consent.

      Lack of control: Once a file is uploaded to an online platform, the consumer might feel a loss of control over where the data is stored, who has access to it, and how long it remains on the service’s servers.

      Data security risks

      Potential for breaches: Consumers may be concerned about the service’s vulnerability to hacking or data breaches, especially if the platform does not clearly communicate its security protocols.

      Encryption standards: Users might doubt whether their files are properly encrypted during transmission and while stored on the platform, which could leave their data vulnerable to interception.

      Trust in the service provider

      Unclear terms of service: Many consumers are wary of services with vague or overly complex terms of service, especially if it’s not clear what will happen to their files after conversion (e.g., if they’re stored or sold).

      No brand recognition: If the file conversion tool is provided by an unknown or lesser-known company, users may hesitate to trust it compared to established brands that have a proven track record.

      Data retention policies

      Unclear deletion policies: Users might avoid services that don’t specify how long files are stored post-conversion or whether they’re permanently deleted. Consumers want assurance that their data won’t be accessible after use.

      Fear of misuse: Without clear data retention and usage policies, users may fear their files could be exploited for marketing, analytics, or sold to third parties.

      Lack of compliance with regulations

      GDPR and other legal concerns: For users in regions with strict data protection laws (e.g., GDPR in the EU), concerns about whether the tool complies with relevant regulations can be a significant deterrent. If the service lacks compliance information, users may avoid it entirely.

      Desktop apps

      Using a desktop application for file conversion offers several advantages over online tools, particularly for users concerned with security, performance, and reliability. Here are the key benefits:

      Screenshot of Windows file browser and HandBrake desktop converter

      Enhanced privacy and security

      No need to upload files: Since the conversion happens locally, there’s no need to upload files to external servers, eliminating concerns about data breaches, third-party access, or sensitive information being exposed online.

      Full data control: Users retain complete control over their files without worrying about how long their data is stored or who has access to it. This is especially important for converting confidential documents.

      Offline use: Desktop apps typically do not require an internet connection, meaning that files never leave the user’s computer, ensuring complete privacy.

      Faster conversion speeds

      No Internet dependency: Conversion happens directly on the device, which is often much faster than waiting for files to be uploaded, processed on a server, and downloaded again. This is particularly advantageous for large files.

      Optimized for system resources: Desktop apps can use the full processing power and resources of a user’s computer, often resulting in quicker and more efficient file conversions.

      Better performance for large files

      Handling large or multiple files: Desktop applications are typically more robust when handling large file sizes or batch processing multiple files simultaneously. Online tools may have file size limits or slower performance for large tasks.

      No file size restrictions: Many online tools limit the size of files that can be uploaded for conversion. Desktop apps usually don’t impose such restrictions, making them ideal for converting large media files or high-resolution images.

      Offline access and reliability

      Work without Internet: A desktop app can be used anytime, anywhere, without the need for a reliable internet connection. This is useful in areas with poor connectivity or for users who prefer to work offline.

      No downtime or server issues: Online tools depend on external servers, which can sometimes experience downtime or slow performance due to high traffic. A desktop app eliminates this risk since it runs locally.

      Advanced features and customization

      More feature-rich: Desktop apps often come with more advanced features and greater customization options, such as enhanced file format support, compression settings, and batch processing capabilities that aren’t always available in free or web-based tools.

      Integration with other software: Desktop apps can integrate more easily with other installed software on the same computer, allowing for seamless workflows (e.g., converting files directly from document editors or media players).

      No ads or privacy intrusions

      Ad-free environment: Many online tools are ad-supported, which can be distracting and create a less professional user experience. Desktop apps, particularly paid ones, are typically free of ads.

      No data tracking: Some online tools may collect user data for marketing purposes. Desktop apps generally don’t track usage data, offering more privacy for the user.

      One-time purchase or lifetime access

      Cost-effective: Many desktop applications are available as a one-time purchase, allowing users to access the tool indefinitely, unlike subscription-based online services that may require recurring payments for premium features.

      No file retention concerns

      Local file storage: With a desktop app, files remain on the user’s device, and there’s no risk of files being retained or misused by an external service provider.

      Overall, desktop apps provide a more secure, reliable, and versatile solution for file conversion, particularly for users dealing with sensitive information or large-scale conversions.

      Step-by-step directions when using desktop video to audio conversion software

      Step 1: Install desktop conversion software.

      Step 2: Locate the import option and choose your local mp4 file.

      Step 3: Export to the desired audio format.

        Recommended Tools: Camtasia, VLC, Handbrake

        Convert with Camtasia

        The screen recorder and video editor Camtasia easily exports MP3 files from an MP4 file.

        Step 1: Import your mp4 to the Camtasia media bin.

        Step 2: Drag your media to the timeline.

        Step 3: Click File → Export → Export Audio Only.

          The easiest way to edit videos

          Stop wasting time and discover how Camtasia makes creating incredible videos easier than ever.

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          An image of a laptop showing the camtasia drag-and-drop editing feature

          Converting other formats

          When you are working with different video formats, like MOV, or desire alternate audio formats like M4A, the majority of the tools and steps above will apply in the same way, if the tool or service supports the formats you are working with.

          Tips for converting video to audio

          Tip 1: Check your goal
          Identify the main reason for the file conversion – File size, audio quality, or speed can all be factors that will be better or worse depending on the tool you select.

          Tip 2: Check your file size
          Once you have completed an audio extraction, check the quality and file size of the result. You’ll be aiming for the highest quality result with lossless compression. Depending on the tool and export settings selected, you may want to consider another tool or set of export options that is optimized for your goal.

          Tip 3: Check your channels
          If your source video is stereo or mono, ensure the number of channels you select (or the tool supports) is maintained.

            Converting MP4 to MP3 is a straightforward process.  With the right tools, you can achieve high-quality results.  By understanding your specific needs and exploring the available options, you can find the best method to suit your requirements. 

            Whether using online converters or desktop applications, the process of extracting audio from video is generally similar. Remember to consider factors like file size, audio quality, security, trust of the product, and supported formats when selecting a tool that best suits your desired web browser or operating system. With a little experimentation, you can effortlessly convert your MP4 files to MP3 and enjoy your audio content as desired.

            TechSmith

            TechSmith is the market leader in screen capture software and productivity solutions for daily in-person, remote, or hybrid workplace communication and customer-facing image and video content. Our award-winning flagship products, Snagit, Camtasia, and Audiate, empower anyone to create remarkable videos and images that share knowledge for better training, tutorials, and everyday communication.

            How to Embed a Video in PowerPoint

            simplified image of a PowerPoint presentation in edit mode

            Introduction to video in PowerPoint

            Are you concerned that your PowerPoint presentations might be boring your audience?

            According to a recent trends report, 50% of workers favor content containing images or videos over plain text. Whether it’s email, messaging, or presentations, use videos to make your content more dynamic.

            This step-by-step guide on how to embed videos in PowerPoint will teach you everything you need to know.

            We recommend using Camtasia to create embeddable videos. It is one of the most popular video editors for PowerPoint.

            Faster video creation with Rev

            Make videos as easy as click, click, done! Camtasia Rev is so fast it’s like magic!

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            An image showing the rev interface overtop of examples of videos that were made using rev

            Why embed video in PowerPoint?

            Text-heavy presentations fail to inspire and engage. Embedding a video in your presentation can significantly enhance the overall impact and effectiveness of your message:

            • Engagement: Videos capture attention and can break the monotony of text-heavy slides. They engage your audience emotionally, making your presentation more memorable.
            • Illustrating Concepts: Visual storytelling can make complex ideas or processes more easily understood. A video can explain your points in a way that words alone may not convey.
            • Diversity of Content: Video adds variety to your presentation, catering to different learning styles—visual, auditory, and kinesthetic—thus reaching a broader audience.
            • Professionalism: A well-produced video can enhance your credibility and demonstrate thorough preparation, reflecting positively on you and your message.

            How to add video in PowerPoint

            Step 1: Select the video

            • Understand media files
              • Audio and visual data need to be compressed and stored. Different video formats choose different approaches to encode and package content. Common video formats include:
                • MP4: A widely used format known for its balance of quality and file size, compatible with most devices and platforms.
                • AVI: An older format that offers high quality but with larger file sizes 
                • MOV: A high-quality format developed by Apple that may have compatibility issues on non-Apple devices.
                • WMV: A Windows Media format that provides good quality at smaller file sizes, though it may not work well on non-Windows platforms.
                • MKV: A flexible format that supports multiple audio and subtitle tracks. While it offers excellent quality, compatibility can be limited.
            Example video file properties
            • Check the video format
              • File Extension:
                • The easiest way to find the format is to look at the file extension after the dot in the filename (e.g., .mp4, .avi, .mov, .wmv, and .mkv).
              • File Properties:
                • On Windows: 1) Right-click the video file and 2) select “Properties.” You will see the format under the “Type of file” section on the video format tab.
                • On Mac: 1) Right-click (or Control-click) the file, 2) select “Get Info,” and 3) check the “Name & Extension” section.
              • Media Players:
                • Open the video in a media player (like VLC or Windows Media Player). Many players display the format information in their “File” or “Properties” menu.
            • Choose the right format
              • Different video formats have their own pros and cons, affecting your PowerPoint presentation in various ways:
                • Compatibility: MP4 is the universal format, working well across Windows and Mac systems. Pick MP4 to ensure your video plays smoothly on any device.
                • File size: Larger file sizes consume storage space and may reach upload limits. Formats like AVI fall into this category but can also provide higher quality. 
                • Quality: MOV and MKV formats can provide superior quality but may encounter playback issues.
                • Features: Some formats, like MKV, support multiple audio tracks and subtitles. The MP4 or WMV formats might be preferable if simplicity is your goal.
              • Microsoft recommends using MP4 files encoded with H.264 video and AAC audio. Other supported video formats also work, including .asf, .avi, .mp4, .m4v, .mov, .mpg or mpeg, and .wmv.
              • Tip: Ensure your video is compatible with the version of PowerPoint you are using.
            Add transitions between video clips in Camtasia
            • Edit your video with Camtasia
              • Import your video: Start by importing your video file into Camtasia. Simply drag and drop the file into the media bin or use the import option.
              • Trim and cut: Use the timeline to trim unwanted sections. Dragging out the edges to remove parts you don’t need ensures a polished final product.
              • Add annotations: Enhance your video with text, shapes, or arrows to emphasize key points. Use the annotation tools to create engaging visuals that guide your audience.
              • Insert transitions: Smooth out the flow between clips by adding transitions. Camtasia offers a variety of transition effects that can help maintain viewer engagement.
              • Adjust audio: Improve audio quality by adjusting volume levels, removing background noise, or adding music and sound effects. Use the audio editing features to ensure clarity.
              • Add captions: Camtasia allows you to create and edit captions easily, helping to reach a wider audience.
              • Choose compatible formats: Export your completed video in a compatible format (like MP4) for seamless embedding in PowerPoint.

            The easiest way to edit videos

            Stop wasting time and discover how Camtasia makes creating incredible videos easier than ever.

            Get Camtasia
            An image of a laptop showing the camtasia drag-and-drop editing feature

            Step 2: Insert the video

            • Inserting a video into your PowerPoint file from your computer
              • Find the Insert tab after opening the presentation and navigating to the desired slide. Click 1) “Insert” > 2) “Video” > 3) “Video on My PC” (or “This Device” or  “Movie from File” on Mac), then select your video file.
                Three steps to insert a video from your computer into PowerPoint
            • YouTube videos: Embedding a video from online sources
              • After selecting the slide, 1) click “Insert” > 2) “Video” > 3) “Online Video,” then paste the video URL.
                Three steps to insert an online video into PowerPoint
              • Considerations: Ensure a stable internet connection during the presentation.

            Step 3: Adjust the video settings to play the video

            • Options to play a video
              • When embedding videos in PowerPoint, selecting the right playback tab settings is crucial for maintaining audience engagement. Here are some key options to consider:
                • Automatically: Picking this option from the drop-down menu will play the video as soon as the slide appears. This maintains momentum in your presentation.
                • In Click Sequence or When Clicked On: This allows you to control when the video starts. Use this to pause to set up context or ask questions before the video plays.
                  Video playback options in PowerPoint
              • Customize: Resize and reposition the video on the slide.
                Format the size and position of the video in PowerPoint
            • Adding playback controls
              • Options: This setting lets you show or hide video controls during playback.
                PowerPoint setting to show or hide media controls

            Camtasia: The best video editor for PowerPoint presentations

            Camtasia is the leading video editor and top screen recorder. It is well-established for this use case. As a desktop application, accessing your media on the device is easy, as required for PowerPoint integration. 

            Camtasia recording options

            Faster video creation with Rev

            Make videos as easy as click, click, done! Camtasia Rev is so fast it’s like magic!

            Get Camtasia
            An image showing the rev interface overtop of examples of videos that were made using rev

            Fortune 500 companies and top higher education organizations consistently choose Camtasia for the following reasons:

            • Professional editing tools
              • Intuitive interface: With its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, Camtasia makes video editing accessible even for beginners. You don’t need extensive technical skills to create polished content.
              • Annotations and callouts: Easily add annotations, arrows, and callouts to highlight your video’s key points or essential details. These visual aids can help clarify complex concepts and keep your audience focused.
              • Transitions and effects: Choose from a variety of transitions and visual effects to create smooth and engaging transitions between clips. These enhancements make your video look more polished and help maintain viewer interest throughout your presentation.
              • Animations: Camtasia allows you to animate text and graphics, adding dynamism to your videos. By making elements move on-screen, you can draw attention to critical information in an engaging way.
              • Audio editing: The audio editor lets you change audio levels, remove background noise, and add voice and music. High-quality audio creates an immersive experience and is essential for retaining audience attention.
            • Seamless integration
              • Compatible export formats: Export your videos in formats perfectly compatible with PowerPoint, such as .mp4. This ensures smooth playback during your presentation.
              • Quality: The videos exported from Camtasia maintain a high resolution and frame rate. This ensures clear visuals and crisp audio, regardless of the device or platform used for the presentation.
              • Flexibility: Camtasia enables you to tailor videos, whether presenting live, creating an online course, or sharing a webinar.
            Camtasia export destinations

            Conclusion

            • Invest in video and visuals, as they will improve your communications’ impact and effectiveness.
            • You now know how to embed videos: select the video, insert the video, and adjust the video settings. 
            • Use Camtasia to create professional-quality videos that are hassle-free to embed into PowerPoint.

            The easiest way to edit videos

            Stop wasting time and discover how Camtasia makes creating incredible videos easier than ever.

            Get Camtasia
            An image of a laptop showing the camtasia drag-and-drop editing feature

            TechSmith

            TechSmith is the market leader in screen capture software and productivity solutions for daily in-person, remote, or hybrid workplace communication and customer-facing image and video content. Our award-winning flagship products, Snagit, Camtasia, and Audiate, empower anyone to create remarkable videos and images that share knowledge for better training, tutorials, and everyday communication.

            What is Customer Loyalty? Exploring the Most Direct Cause of Customer Loyalty

            A happy customer encircled by stars

            It has been said that it is cheaper to keep a current customer than obtain a new one. It might seem strange to spend time and money on existing customers who have already bought your products or services.  However, retaining loyal, long-term customers can have a significant impact on your business success. A loyal customer will buy from you, support you, and get you more customers!

            What is customer loyalty?

            Customer loyalty refers to the emotional and behavioral commitment a customer has toward a brand, company, or product. Loyal customers consistently choose a brand’s offerings over competitors, even when other options are available. They will also tend to make repeat purchases, recommend the brand to others, and exhibit trust in the brand.

            Understanding the direct causes of customer loyalty will provide the mechanisms for measuring progress and customer satisfaction. These main factors are:

            1. Delivering consistent quality
            2. Providing excellent customer service
            3. Engaging with customers regularly

            A business needs consistent communication with customers regarding the benefits their company delivers. Snagit, a tool from TechSmith, can help your business build and maintain customer loyalty by improving communication and engagement. Capturing and sharing data, simple updates via video, and personalized customer communications are just a few easy ways Snagit can help in the pursuit of repeat business.

            Video messages > meetings

            Record your screen and camera with Snagit for quick updates and feedback.

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            Screenshot of a video message with a dark-themed dashboard and various reaction emojis

            The most direct causes of customer loyalty

            Understanding customer loyalty does not have to be a daunting proposition.   The vast amount of data on this topic can be simplified into three key components. These three steps can then be boiled down to one overarching theme: trust. When a customer trusts, they will be more likely to be loyal through the inevitable ups and downs of a business cycle. 

            Delivering consistent quality

            With so many options available to customers, it is imperative that your product or service is being delivered at a consistent and high level of quality. One of the best ways to gather customer feedback is through a survey. Obtaining information from your customers after an encounter is the best way to get just-in-time data that will help you adjust and improve your customer experience. 

            Snagit provides a way to gather, compare, and track customer feedback visually. The video component of Snagit allows for communication between teams so the message is received once and understood by all. This allows for all departments to utilize the information and ensure product quality remains high. 

            Don’t forget to acknowledge and communicate with those customers who may have constructive feedback or concerns. Customers can be forgiving when they know a business cares about their opinions.

            Providing excellent customer service 

            What is excellent customer service? You can apply the golden rule to answer this question. Treat your customers the way you want them to treat your business or products. When you think of the question in this light, what words come to mind? Empathy, understanding, positive experience, clear communication. These are the best ways to reinforce trust and loyalty and secure repeat business. 

            According to Gartner, if customers receive value during a service interaction, there is: 

            • 82% probability of repurchase or renewal when presenting the chance to switch
            • 86% probability of increasing wallet share
            • 97% probability of sharing positive word-of-mouth

            Utilizing Snagit, excellent customer service can be facilitated through the creation of tutorials, screen recordings, and clear communication materials that enhance customer support. 

            Record your screen with Snagit

            Snagit makes it easy to share quick updates and how-to’s by capturing exactly what’s happening on your screen.

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            Engaging with customers regularly

            Customers do not want to be thought of as a number or a dollar sign. Reaching out to customers only when their license is about to expire or there is a new offering to be purchased is a surefire way to lose customer loyalty. Regular and meaningful communication with a customer will keep them sticky with your business and develop an atmosphere of familiarity and trust. 

            Engaging customers in a variety of ways will allow them to engage in a manner that best fits their needs. Traditional methods, such as only using the written word, have their place. However, tools such as Snagit allow for the capture and sharing of personalized content that enhances the customer experience, keeps customers engaged, and increases the likelihood of them opening future content. 

            Why customer loyalty is important

            Gaining customer loyalty and retaining repeat customers does take time, effort, and a long-term commitment. Understanding the why helps keep a business focused when other priorities may seem more pressing. 

            Customer loyalty increases customer retention

            Loyal customers are more likely to stick with a brand, reducing churn. They are also more likely to engage with your brand on social media, recommend your products to friends and family, and purchase new product offerings. According to a study by Bain & Company, increasing customer retention rates by 5% can increase profits by 25% to 95%

            Retaining customers is capturing returning business, and Snagit can be used to create and share targeted content that drives repeat purchases. Capturing customer preferences will provide the information that will allow your business to create personalized marketing messages, targeted offers, and tailored recommendations all through the utilization of Snagit. 

            Customer loyalty increases repeat business and a higher lifetime value

            Long-term loyalty will increase a customer’s lifetime value. According to Business.com, returning customers spend 67 percent more than new customers.  

            However, a one-time purchase does not equate to a customer for life. To obtain repeat purchases, a business must invest in marketing, customer loyalty programs, and other ways to create a happy customer who is engaged with the product or service.

            A loyal customer base results in word-of-mouth

            In this day and age of technology and media at our fingertips, word-of-mouth marketing is still vitally important in 2024. This is still one of the most effective ways to build trust in a cost-effective way. Collaborating with social media influencers, creating a referral program for family and friends, and positive reviews are all ways to generate brand advocates, driving new customer acquisitions. 

            Snagit is a great way to capture and share content that amplifies positive customer experiences. 

            Annotate and edit screenshots with Snagit

            Professional mark-up tools and powerful features make it easy to create helpful images.

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            How to build and maintain customer loyalty

            Building customer loyalty is not a one-and-done proposition. Keeping the customer engaged over time is one of the best ways to maintain customer loyalty. There are a variety of elements and practices that can be applied. 

            As discussed previously, providing exceptional customer service and personalized experiences will lead to the building of trust and appreciation for the care your business provides on an individual basis. This applies to all methods of service: telephone, chat, tickets, and website ease of use. 

            Proactively asking for feedback is an excellent way to keep your finger on the pulse of the customer base. Just remember, it is not enough to engage with customers through surveys and programs– communication must be reciprocated when there is negative feedback or suggestions. 

            A customer rewards program will go a long way to keeping customers engaged with your current products and future enhancements. Keep in mind that these programs are not only beneficial to current customers but are a great conduit for capturing family and friends. 

            Whenever possible, personalize the communication with your customers. Use your database information to acknowledge past purchases, confirm current status, or show gratitude for being a loyal customer. Technology has made it very easy to ‘fake’ personalization—use the knowledge of your customers to let them know they are valuable to your business in a meaningful way. 

            The ease of using Snagit makes it possible to build and maintain customer loyalty in such a way that the information and insights gained can be leveraged, updated, and modified for years to come. Snagit can be used to capture customer insights and create content that resonates with your customers. In addition, if capturing feedback, improving customer communication, or creating engaging content that fosters loyalty are on your list of to-dos, then Snagit is the right tool for you. 

            If your business is not currently using Snagit, sign up for a free trial and see how it can transform your customer interactions. There are also numerous videos and tutorials where you can find how to leverage the tool to fit your needs. 

            If you currently have a Snagit license and are unsure how to start, reach out to us and we will be happy to point you in the right direction. 

            Want to learn more about how video helps build customer loyalty? Check out “How video helps Cravings Popcorn maintain a fiercely loyal fan base”

            The best snipping tool for Windows and Mac

            Don’t let clumsy built-in tools hold you back. Take and edit screenshots with Snagit!

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            How can small businesses build customer loyalty?

            Small businesses can build customer loyalty by focusing on delivering exceptional experiences, fostering strong relationships, and adding value to their customers. There are several key strategies to help small businesses cultivate and maintain customer loyalty which include: providing outstanding customer service, developing a loyalty program that rewards loyal customers, providing quality products and services, and creating a memorable brand experience that shows appreciation to customers.

            What role does customer feedback play in loyalty?

            Customer feedback plays a vital role in building customer loyalty by helping businesses understand their needs, resolve issues, and continuously improve products or services. When companies actively seek and act on feedback, customers feel valued and appreciated, fostering trust and engagement. Feedback also allows businesses to identify pain points, tailor personalized solutions, and enhance the overall customer experience, which in turn drives loyalty. By tracking satisfaction metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), companies can measure customer loyalty and identify areas for improvement.

            Additionally, feedback helps businesses innovate and create offerings that meet customer desires while resolving complaints effectively can turn dissatisfied customers into loyal ones. Implementing changes based on customer input builds stronger relationships and increases retention. Satisfied customers often become brand advocates, spreading positive word-of-mouth, which strengthens loyalty further. Overall, customer feedback helps businesses create a customer-centric culture that fosters long-term loyalty and repeat business.

            What tools can help improve customer loyalty?

            There are various tools available that help businesses build customer loyalty by managing relationships, collecting feedback, and rewarding loyal customers. CRM software like Salesforce and HubSpot stores customer data and tracks interactions, enabling personalized communication and customer engagement. 

            Loyalty program platforms such as LoyaltyLion and Smile.io help create and manage reward systems that encourage repeat purchases and referrals. Customer feedback tools like SurveyMonkey and NPS tools such as Delighted provide valuable insights into customer satisfaction, helping businesses address issues and improve their offerings to enhance loyalty. 

            In addition, referral program software like ReferralCandy incentivizes word-of-mouth marketing, while analytics tools like Google Analytics help businesses understand customer data and behavior to refine their loyalty strategies. Social media management tools such as Hootsuite and rewards/gamification tools like Bunchball keep customers engaged and foster a sense of community around the brand. 

            Snagit, a screen-capturing tool, can also play a role in customer loyalty by creating high-quality visuals and tutorials for customer support, marketing materials, or personalized messages, helping businesses deliver clear communication and positive user experiences, which strengthens trust and loyalty.

            TechSmith

            TechSmith is the market leader in screen capture software and productivity solutions for daily in-person, remote, or hybrid workplace communication and customer-facing image and video content. Our award-winning flagship products, Snagit, Camtasia, and Audiate, empower anyone to create remarkable videos and images that share knowledge for better training, tutorials, and everyday communication.

            Bandicam Alternatives (2024 and Beyond)

            A recording button.

            Bandicam has long been a top contender for users looking for powerful screen recording software—but is it the right choice for the job? It’s always good to know your alternatives—whether you’re looking for higher quality recordings, more video editing options, AI-enablement, or general ease of use. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the best Bandicam alternatives that are currently available to help you find the right screen capture solution to fit your needs. 

            What is Bandicam?

            Bandicam is screen recording software that caters to gamers and other professionals that need to record their screen at a high frame rate and quality. One of its core selling points is its ability to capture high-quality video with minimal performance impact. Bandicam supports various recording modes, including screen recording, game recording, and external device recording like Xbox, IPTV, and more, making it a versatile choice for users with complex recording needs. 

            Bandicam Screen Recorder - A high-performance video recording software

            Bandicam creates MP4 or AVI files, but it natively does not come with any video editing options. The created recordings can be edited in their basic Bandicut software (sold separately) or imported into more powerful third-party video editing software such as TechSmith Camtasia. 

            Camtasia is an all-purpose video creation tool that combines high-quality screen recording with comprehensive video editing software. Due to its ease of use and broad collection of features, Camtasia fits well within all different kinds of industries.

            The most significant difference between Bandicam and Camtasia is where each tool focuses its strengths. While Bandicam specializes in high-quality screen recording, particularly for gaming and broadcasting use, Camtasia combines advanced screen recordings with a broader range of video editing features that enable users to create polished, professional videos.

            Crystal-clear screen recording

            Why settle for blurry screen content? Camtasia’s screen recorder captures everything at up to 4K!

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            A image showing the user interface for the recorder in camtasia

            Bandicam key features: 

            High-Quality Recordings

            Bandicam is known for its ability to capture high-definition video, including 4K UHD, with minimal lag or impact on system performance.

            Versatile Recording Modes

            Offers game recording, screen recording, and device recording (e.g., from HDMI, cameras, or consoles).

            Real-Time Drawing

            Allows users to annotate over the screen in real-time during recording.

            Bandicam pricing: 

            As of September 16, 2024

            • Free: 10 minute recording limit; recordings are watermarked; no commercial use
            • Personal: $33.26/year
            • Business: $49.46/year

            There are many alternatives on the market, and we picked out five other screen recorders to compare Bandicam to. 

            Camtasia

            Camtasia's editing interface.

            Camtasia by TechSmith is a top-notch alternative to Bandicam. Both tools have extensive features that allow for high-quality screen, audio, and webcam recording. While Bandicam stands out with its additional device capture and an impressively high capture framerate, Camtasia appeals to those that are looking for an all-in-one solution for high-quality screen recording and extensive video editing. With its intuitive user interface, Camtasia is easy for beginners to get started and powerful enough to appeal to even seasoned video creators. 

            Camtasia key features: 

            High-Quality Recordings

            Camtasia’s Screentelligence(™) technology captures screen, audio, webcam, system sound, and cursor data as separate, editable layers.

            Multi-Track Video Editor

            Camtasia’s included video editor gives users all the functionality they need to cut, polish, enhance, and turn their recording into full video productions: transitions, annotations, cursor effects, camera overlays, dynamic animations, captions, background music, and much more.

            Multi-Platform Suppor

            Unlike Bandicam, which is only available on Windows, Camtasia is available for both Windows and Mac users, and recordings and projects can be shared and edited across both platforms. 

            Pre-Built Templates, Stock Assets, and Rev-Workflow

            Camtasia’s pre-built video templates, elements, and stock footage guide the user through the video editing process and make it easy to turn simple recordings into great-looking and engaging clips.

            Artificial Intelligence

            Camtasia’s functionality gets selectively enhanced through AI-based features for speech-to-text transcriptions, camera background removal, and more. 

            Pros:

            • Screen recording and comprehensive video editing tools
            • Suitable for both beginners and advanced users
            • High-quality output with multiple export options
            • Extensive library of templates and assets
            • AI and audio-functionality can be expanded further through the Camtasia Audiate add-on

            Cons:

            • Higher price point compared to Bandicam
            • Larger installation size and higher system requirements
            • Less ideal for game or external HDMI device capture

            Camtasia pricing:

            As of September 16th, 2024

            • Free Trial: Fully functional with watermark; no recording time limit. 
            • Essentials: $ 179.88 per user/year
            • Create: $249.00 per user / per year (includes Camtasia and Camtasia Audiate for additional AI-based functionality)
            • Pro: $499.00 / per user per year (includes Camtasia, Camtasia Audiate, Screencast, and Assets for next-level AI features, premium assets, and online collaboration platform)
            • Enterprise: Get in touch with TechSmith to learn about discounts and offers for entire departments, companies, or institutions. 

            Snagit

            Snagit's capture window.

            Snagit is another proven product from TechSmith, focusing more on quick and easy screen captures and basic editing rather than full-scale video production. It is an excellent tool for those who need a straightforward way to record their screen and quickly share its content with coworkers, friends, or business partners.

            Bandicam and Snagit have a lot in common, such as the ability to record and draw on the screen during video recording and a comprehensive toolset for taking screenshots and editing them. 

            The biggest difference is in their respective strengths: While Bandicam prioritizes a high recording quality and external device capture options geared towards professional creators, Snagit has made it its mission to empower anyone to create quick yet appealing screen recordings and screenshots to share their thoughts, provide instructions, and give feedback. Snagit’s ease of use, supported by a comprehensive collection of training videos and guides, makes it a staple on many workplace computers. 

            Record your screen with Snagit

            Snagit makes it easy to share quick updates and how-to’s by capturing exactly what’s happening on your screen.

            Get Snagit
            Screen recording of a dashboard showing conversion rate, spend, and monthly performance with a picture-in-picture webcam view of a smiling man.

            Snagit key features

            Instant Videos

            Record screen, audio, webcam, mouse cursor (and clicks), and system audio to an instantly sharable MP4 file.

            Created videos and screenshots can be shared via a hidden link where viewers can comment and collaborate. Videos can also be directly uploaded to Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and other destinations. 

            Professional screenshots

            More than just a snip! Snagit’s image capture tools are matched by no other, and the captures can be extensively edited, combined, and enhanced using the included Snagit Editor. 

            Cross-platform compatibility

            Unlike Bandicam, Snagit is also available for both Windows and Mac users, enabling entire teams to be on the same standard. 

            Pros:

            • User-friendly video capture targeted at beginners and advanced users
            • Versatile capture options
            • Basic video editing features for quickly trimming and combining content. 
            • Quick sharing of videos via hidden link or by uploading them to common business platforms. 
            • Beyond video: Snagit excels at capturing, editing, and managing screenshots.
            • Built for improving documentation, communication, and knowledge transfer. 
            • Includes cloud storage for sharing 25 videos and unlimited images.
            • 30+ years of experience

            Cons:

            • Recording quality is not as extreme as Bandicam. 
            • No external device capture (exceptions: webcam, microphone)
            • No advanced video editing options

            Snagit pricing

            As of September 16, 2024

            • Free Trial: Fully functional trial version for 15 days. 
            • Personal: $ 39.00 per year and user
            • Business: $ 62,99 per user (unlimited, perpetual license)
            • Enterprise: Get in touch with TechSmith to learn about discounts and offers for entire departments, companies, or institutions. 

            OBS Studio

            OBS Studio interface.

            OBS Studio is an open-source and free alternative to Bandicam that offers advanced screen recording and live streaming capabilities, making it a popular choice for gamers, broadcasters, and streamers. 

            OBS Studio is completely free, which is a significant advantage over Bandicam and many other alternatives. The software offers robust recording and mixing options for multiple screens, connected devices, and other inputs. The stream customization options, such as live text overlays and scene creation, enable flexibility and professional productions. And unlike Bandicam, OBS Studio supports a wide range of plugins to extend its live streaming functionality, including features like adding custom overlays and chat windows.

            OBS features: 

            • High performance real time video/audio capturing and mixing. 
            • Unlimited number of scenes
            • Modular “Dock” UI
            • Highly customizable

            Pros:

            • Completely free and open-source
            • Screen recording and live streaming
            • Highly customizable with plugin support
            • Excellent live streaming features, supports multiple source types including webcams, capture cards, and browser windows
            • Cross-Platform Support: OBS Studio is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux

            Cons:

            • Steep learning curve with a more complex interface
            • Optimized more for streaming than recording
            • No built-in video editor
            • Limited customer support and documentation

            OBS pricing:

            As of September 16, 2024

            • Free

            ScreenFlow 

            ScreenFlow interface.

            ScreenFlow by Telestream is a premium screen recording and video editing software that is only available for MacOS. While its screen recording features are not as extensive as Bandicam, they are still powerful enough to meet the needs of most creators or trainers. 

            ScreenFlow combines these screen recording capabilities with a comprehensive suite of editing tools, and its intuitive interface makes it easy for beginners while providing enough features to satisfy advanced users. 

            ScreenFlow is an established alternative to Bandicam for Mac- users who are looking for a complete recording and video editing suite.

            Pros:

            • High-quality video and audio recording
            • User-friendly interface suitable for all skill levels
            • Comprehensive video editing options 
            • Access to rich templates, motion graphics, and stock media
            • Direct Publishing Options for Imgur, Wistia, YouTube, Vimeo, and more

            Cons:

            • Higher price point than Bandicam
            • Available only for macOS
            • It requires a learning curve for advanced features.

            Pricing: 

            As of September 16, 2024

            • Free: Free trial available
            • Personal: $169 for a perpetual license of the current version
            • Business Premium: $259 (includes premium support and premium stock media library)

            Loom

            Loom's screen recorder.

            Loom is another emerging screen capture tool, putting a spotlight on effortless screen recordings and enabling better communication patterns. It caters to those who need an uncomplicated method to capture their screens, create engaging video messages, and share content with teams or stakeholders.

            Both Loom and Bandicam provide screen recording capabilities, though Bandicam’s recording options are more robust and the quality is significantly higher. Both tools allow users to annotate on-screen during recordings and offer a limited toolset for editing the recorded content.

            However, their niches differ: while Bandicam focuses on superior recording quality and external device capture designed for professional creators, streamers, and gamers, Loom emphasizes immediate screen recordings tailored for direct communication, feedback, and informational purposes. 

            Loom key features: 

            • Instant Recordings: Capture screen, webcam, and microphone to create instantly shareable videos. 
            • Videos can be shared effortlessly using a unique link, facilitating viewer comments, easy collaboration, and team interactions.
            • Loom is a cloud-based tool available as a desktop and browser application, ensuring compatibility with both Windows and Mac. 

            Pros:

            • User-friendly interface designed for all skill levels
            • Rapid recording and sharing capabilities
            • Annotation tools for real-time feedback during recordings
            • Built-in sharing options
            • Workspace management for team collaboration

            Cons:

            • Video recording quality may not match the high standards of Bandicam.
            • Limited external device capture options (webcam, microphone only)
            • Basic video editing features compared to more advanced editors
            • Cloud-based nature might require continuous internet connection and tougher security compliance.

            Pricing of Loom:

            September 16, 2024

            • Free Starter: 5 minute recording limit and 25 video limit storage
            • Business: Starting at $12.50 per user year, this plan offers unlimited recordings and sharing.
            • Enterprise: Custom Loom pricing and functionality are available to large teams.

            The best Bandicam alternatives? Camtasia and Snagit

            While Bandicam is tailored specifically towards those who need to capture their screen at the highest quality and fidelity, the alternative solutions are often more versatile in terms of editing and sharing options.

            Camtasia and Snagit from TechSmith are both excellent alternatives, one leaning towards professional creators while the other enables quick captures for improved communication and documentation. 

            At the end of the day, it is important to evaluate your requirements, budget, and technical expertise to choose the most suitable screen recording software for your needs in 2024.

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            TechSmith

            TechSmith is the market leader in screen capture software and productivity solutions for daily in-person, remote, or hybrid workplace communication and customer-facing image and video content. Our award-winning flagship products, Snagit, Camtasia, and Audiate, empower anyone to create remarkable videos and images that share knowledge for better training, tutorials, and everyday communication.

            Top 10 OBS Alternatives for Screen Recording

            Green gradient background with a circular logo in the center and arrows pointing in opposite directions.

            OBS Studio is a free and open-source software created for screen and video recording as well as live streaming. OBS is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. Gamers are the largest and most prominent user group for OBS Studio.

            However, it’s not the only option available. If you’re looking for video recording software alternatives to OBS, there are several other excellent choices on the market.

            These alternatives offer varying features, pricing, and ease of use, so it’s essential to consider your specific needs before making a decision. In the following sections, we’ll explore some of the top OBS alternatives and their key features.

            1. OBS vs. Camtasia

            Obviously, Camtasia ranks high on our list. Mainly because it is ideal for recording video tutorials and made for people who are looking to do more than just record their screen. Camtasia is designed to turn high-quality screen recordings into visually engaging videos. 

            Recording interface from Camtasia, labeled "Capture Tools."


            Key features:

            • Full video editing experience, rich with templates, music, backgrounds, and more with Camtasia Assets.
            • High-quality video capture from your screen, webcam, and other sources.
            • On-screen annotations include text callouts, arrows, shapes, and more.
            • Background removal with automatic video layouts.

            Pros:

            • All-in-one screen recorder and video editor with endless recording tools.
            • Enhanced mouse cursor effects and editing.
            • Speech-to-text transcription for dynamic captions. 
            • Access to templates, titles, motion backgrounds, and other video assets.

            Cons:

            • No streaming support.
            • No Linux version is available.
            • It requires a paid license for full functionality.

            Crystal-clear screen recording

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            2. OBS vs. Bandicam

            Like OBS, Bandicam is primarily aimed at being a good option for video game recording. 

            the interface of two software applications layered on top of each other. The primary software interface in the background is Bandicam, while the secondary, smaller window in the foreground shows gameplay from the video game.

            Key features:

            • High-quality recording in multiple formats.
            • Game recording mode that is optimized for capturing gameplay.
            • Device recording mode for capturing external devices like webcams.
            • Screen recording mode for capturing desktop activity.

            Pros:

            • Capable of recording at high resolutions and frame rates.
            • Simple and user-friendly interface.
            • Efficient use of system resources.
            • Supports a variety of file formats for recordings.

            Cons:

            • Primarily focused on recording rather than live streaming.
            • The free version adds a watermark to recordings.
            • It requires a paid license for full functionality.
            • Only available for Windows.

            3. OBS vs. Icecream Screen Recorder

            Icecream Screen Recorder is a screen recording software that allows users to capture any area of their screen or record webcam video. While it offers some of what OBS does for recording, it may lack some advanced functionalities and customization options compared to Open Broadcaster Software.

            Icecream Screen Recorder interface, specifically the History tab. The interface has a clean and organized layout with a predominantly white and gray color scheme.

            Key features:

            • Screen and webcam recording.
            • Video trimming.
            • Onscreen video annotations and drawings. 
            • Video hosting and sharing.

            Pros:

            • Easy to set up and get started. Icecream Screen Recorder can be set up quickly without any in-depth technical knowledge, unlike OBS, which requires advanced configuration.
            • Able to schedule start and stop times for screen recording.
            • Video annotation tools. Icecream Screen Recorder offers built-in annotation tools to add visual elements to the recorded videos.

            Cons:

            • Limited streaming options are available.
            • Product limitations, like a watermark, in the free version.
            • Fewer ways to customize. Icecream Screen Recorder has limited settings for video and audio configurations, whereas OBS provides extensive customization options.
            • Unlike OBS, Icecream Screen Recorder does not have Linux support. 

            4. OBS vs. ScreenPal

            ScreenPal, also formerly known as Screencast-O-Matic, is another OBS alternative that covers some of the core needs for screen recording. ScreenPal is designed for both personal and professional use and includes both free and paid options.

            Video editing software interface showing an assignment tracker spreadsheet, a smiling man, and an editing toolbar with options like Cut, Copy, and Narrate.

            Key features:

            • Screen and webcam recording. 
            • Record audio voice narration. 
            • Ability to trim and cut recordings.
            • Quick sharing with a link.

            Pros:

            • Video drawing tools are available while recording. 
            • Green screen effects and virtual backgrounds for camera capture.
            • Available for iOS, Android, and Chromebook. 

            Cons:

            • No streaming support.
            • 15-minute limit on video capture. 
            • Separate apps are required for video recording and editing.
            • Paid subscriptions are required for additional functionality.

            5. OBS vs. Streamyard

            StreamYard is a live streaming, real-time video, and recording studio in your browser. It offers easy sharing to multiple platforms simultaneously, such as Facebook, YouTube, and other video streaming platforms. Focused mainly on podcasts and other live-streaming-type content. Streamyard is free to try.

            Livestreaming application with two participants, a man labeled 'Geige' and a woman labeled 'Dana', and a customized options menu on the right.

            Key Features:

            • Video recording and live streaming capabilities.
            • Easily bring in guests to the live stream.
            • Branding and custom lower thirds options.
            • Interact with views and comments on screen.

            Pros:

            • Multistream to several live streaming platforms at once, all within the browser.
            • StreamYard’s interface is far easier to use than OBS.
            • Support for green screen and various template layouts.

            Cons:

            • Lacks analytics tools for live streams.

            6. OBS vs. Lightstream Studio 

            LightStream Studio is another cloud-native, browser-based live-streaming service that gives extra attention to live console game capture streaming. Live Streaming API extends value to developers wanting to incorporate live streaming into their solutions.

            Streaming or video editing software interface showing a woman recording a podcast with elements like layers, audio mixer, chat, and scenes.

            Key Features:

            • Enables reusable stream setups for your live shows.
            • 3rd-party integration for on-steam alerts and social media engagement.
            • Mobile device control of your live streams—enabling remote streaming.

            Pros:

            • Browser-based streaming composition reduces performance impact on local hardware.
            • No download or setup, easy to configure and use immediately.
            • Console game live streaming integrations.

            Cons:

            • Not as robust of a feature set or as customizable as OBS.
            • Lightstream Studio comes with a monthly subscription.

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            7. OBS vs. ScreenFlow

            ScreenFlow, produced by Telestream, is a Mac-only video recording alternative to OBS. ScreenFlow is primarily for Mac-based content creators in education, gaming, and training. It offers both a free trial and paid versions, including higher paid tiers that include their stock media library content.

            Laptop showing a video editing software interface with a metal working tutorial video.

            Key features:

            • Screen recording and editing features.
            • Closed caption support.
            • Exports in multiple video file types.

            Pros:

            • Designed exclusively for Mac technology.
            • Offers iOS recording for app demos.
            • Sharing options to Wistia, YouTube, and Vimeo.

            Cons:

            • No streaming support.
            • No support for Microsoft Windows.
            • Limited audio editing.

            8. OBS vs. Filmora

            Filmora, made by Wondershare, is less of a streaming alternative to OBS and more of a stand-alone content creation product where the content can later be uploaded to social media platforms. Targeted at both beginners and more experienced video creators, Filmora offers both free and paid options.

            Wondershare Filmora video editing software with media library, video preview, editing tools, and timeline.

            Key features:

            • AI-driven capabilities for text editing, thumbnail creation, and music generation.
            • Large selection of templates to create custom-looking video productions.
            • Create or capture content on desktop, tablet, or mobile devices.

            Pros:

            • Filmora has a much more user-friendly interface than OBS, but is not centered around live-streaming.
            • Offers a wide variety of designs and effects through its content library.
            • Broad video editing and customization options while remaining easy to use.

            Cons:

            • No streaming support.
            • Restricted editing options, if looking for professional-grade video editing.
            • Paid model to continuous access software compared to OBS, which is free.

            9. OBS vs. Riverside.fm

            Riverside.fm is browser-based video recording and live-streaming software, with live streaming of up to 10 participants. Users can leverage Riverside on either desktop or mobile devices. Riverside.fm has both free and paid plans available.

            Video editing software interface displaying a video of two individuals with microphones and a transcription of their conversation.

            Key features:

            • 4K streaming resolution
            • Can multi-stream to different streaming platforms.
            • Easily capture a tab, window, or the entire screen.

            Pros:

            • Mobile app for recording on the go.
            • Up to 10 participants for each stream, including the host.
            • Custom branding for promotion/awareness.

            Cons:

            • Reliability and stability issues have been common.
            • You can only edit the videos on the desktop version.
            • Lacks user engagement and measurement analytics.

            10. OBS vs. Snagit

            Snagit is an amazing lightweight screen recorder tool. It’s great for anyone who is looking for screen recording plus screen capture with editing capabilities. Snagit provides flexibility on the recording side and offers some nice ways to add visual touches. See more about recording videos with Snagit.

            Snagit interface with options for selection, sharing, recording, and a large "Capture" button.

            Key features:

            • Screen and webcam recording.
            • Real-time drawing and video annotation options
            • Create videos from a series of images.
            • Custom webcam shapes and effects.
            • Simple video and image sharing.

            Pros:

            • Able to combine multiple images and videos into a single video.
            • Screen drawing available during recording. 
            • Flexible video and image capture options. 
            • Customizable sharing options for various platforms and services.

            Cons:

            • No streaming support. 
            • No Linux support.
            • Limited video editing options.

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            Conclusion and takeaways

            As you can see, there are several alternatives for OBS. Many offer a range of features catering to different needs, from professional video creation to dedicated video streaming to simple game recording. 

            Some key factors to keep in mind when looking for an alternative to OBS.

            Ease of use

            OBS can be extremely complex to use with a steep learning curve, even for the savvy video aficionado. Keeping simplicity at the forefront of your criteria will increase your chance of success.

            Purpose

            Not all video creation tools are built the same. Each of them can vary by the type of content you are trying to create. It is important to match the right product with your desired outcome.

            Support and community

            Inevitably, at some point, you are going to need assistance. Ensuring the company behind the product and the community of users who are loyal to that product are engaged, supportive, and knowledgeable will be invaluable.

            Features

            With the pace of innovation, especially with the onset of AI, it’s critically important in the content arena that your capabilities for design, customization, and new ways to engage audiences remain fresh.

            Hopefully, this information makes it easier to find the right screen recording video solution for your specific requirements. All of these options provide free trials or usage, so if you’re ever in doubt, try it out!

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            TechSmith

            TechSmith is the market leader in screen capture software and productivity solutions for daily in-person, remote, or hybrid workplace communication and customer-facing image and video content. Our award-winning flagship products, Snagit, Camtasia, and Audiate, empower anyone to create remarkable videos and images that share knowledge for better training, tutorials, and everyday communication.

            Top Loom Alternatives: Free and Paid

            Illustration of Loom logo under a magnifying glass

            The last three years have seen significant growth in options within the screen recorder category, and a lot has changed in the realm of free and paid Loom alternatives.

            If you’re deciding between Loom and alternatives for making and sharing quick screencasts, you’ve come to the right place. There are more options than ever, but not all of them are going to be a good fit for your particular needs.

            Why look for a Loom alternative?

            Loom is known for basic screen recording (not only your screen but voice and facecam, too), instant upload, and the ability to share your video via a link for others to view and comment. You may have heard of this video messaging. But in late 2023, Loom raised their prices more than 50% (to $150+ per year) before being acquired and folded into the Atlassian platform, alongside Jira. Then in September 2024, Loom announced that video editing features, like trimming and clip stitching, would move out of their free plans to behind the paywall. For a lot of people, this signaled a good time to take a fresh look at alternatives.

            We’ll take a look at 5 free and 6 paid alternatives to Loom. If you’re short on time, we recommend Snagit as the best Loom alternative for all-around screen recording and team communication use cases.

            Best free alternatives to Loom

            Teams/Slack/Zoom vs Loom

            Slack, Zoom, and Teams icons vs Loom icon

            If all you need is very basic screen recording with the ability to share a link to other team members, look no further than your video conferencing or workplace chat software—whether that’s Microsoft Teams, Slack, or Zoom. The classic hack is to record a meeting with yourself (sounds lonely, right?) and then share a link to that meeting. Or use built-in features like Zoom Clips or Slack Clips to record and share a short video.

            This works great for short, simple video messages or super confident presenters who can deliver their message smoothly in one take. But if you stumble over a word or lose your train of thought while recording you’ll have to start over. And over. The big disadvantage of these tools is they lack features for trimming, combining, or replacing clips. So they’re a good solution for quick video messages with the basic screen recording features, but they really lack in basic video editing capabilities. 

            And forget about adding anything fancy to your video, like eye-catching animations or dynamic captions. No-frills is the name of this game.

            ProsCons
            Built into your workplace communication software

            Good for short, no-frills videos
            No editing of clips

            No way to dress up your video

            PowerPoint/Google Slides vs Loom

            This one may seem like a surprise, but hear me out. Both PowerPoint and Google Slides have built-in features if all you need to do is talk over your slide deck and send out a recording as video. With PowerPoint, your live inking will even be captured in your video. The slideshow video can be embedded in your slides or exported to OneDrive or Google Drive for easy video file sharing.

            Similar to the tools listed above, however, there’s no way to fix a verbal flub-up or level up your video, for that matter. And when you send a shareable link to your video on OneDrive or Google Drive viewers can leave only basic comments on the video as a whole, which is much less clear and helpful than having comments anchored to a point-in-time in the video.

            ProsCons
            Built into your slideware

            Good for short, no-frills videos
            No editing of clips

            No way to dress up your video

            No anchored comments

            Best paid alternatives to Loom: general-purpose apps

            Zight vs Loom

            Formerly known as CloudApp, Zight is one of the most directly comparable products to Loom. Both are general-purpose, cloud-based applications for video messaging and more.

            Zight interface with a simplified chart on the workspace and editing tools

            The free plan for both products is limited to recording 5-minute-long videos and caps the total number of videos: 25 videos for Loom; 50 videos for Zight. So if you use either product for longer than a few weeks or for anything beyond very basic use cases, you will need to pay. Zight distinguishes itself here by charging $95.40 per year, whereas Loom charges a hefty $150 per year. 

            Note that if you want any of the AI-powered capabilities like auto-generated transcriptions, titles, summaries, and captions the cost for Zight jumps up to $155.40 per year (Loom has a similar fee for AI features that brings it closer to $200 per year). These days, video transcriptions and captioning tend to be table stakes so the premium up-charge for them is hard to justify.

            Two other areas Zight stands out from Loom: Zight offers slightly more depth and ease of screenshot image editing tools (think: cropping, annotating with shapes and arrows, layering on text), though still not going far beyond the very basics. And Zight has held onto vestiges of its origins as a file-sharing platform (along the lines of Dropbox or WeTransfer). This means you can use Zight to upload and share all kinds of random files with whomever you want around the world, whether PDF, ZIP, CSV, DOCX, or even EXE files.

            ProsCons
            Cheaper than Loom

            Slightly better image annotation tools

            Wins if you need to upload and share large files
            Expensive addon to get AI basics like transcription and captions

            Free plan is quite limited

            Snagit vs Loom

            Snagit’s main advantage compared to Loom is versatility: offering deep capabilities across capture, image editing, video and GIF creation, and even sharing. This makes it the strongest alternative to Loom for anyone who needs a lot of flexibility and creative potential in their everyday communication. Or who works in a more locked-down IT environment, like we’ll see later.

            Snagit interface with a simplified chart on the workspace and editing options

            You might be surprised to learn that Loom’s screenshot editing tools are only available to a small group of private beta users. Snagit’s tools are included: from special capture modes, capture presets, brandable annotation, and markup tools. to advanced features like magic wand selection, auto-fill, multiple styles of redaction, and OCR (grab text from an image).

            On the video creation side, Snagit matches Loom’s ability to trim and merge clips but stands out with its real-time drawing and screen annotation tools. Snagit also offers a unique, secure method of making a video from redacted screenshots and more fine-tuned control over GIF creation. 

            For those who work in restricted IT environments, Snagit stands out because it can be integrated with almost any cloud platform you already use (like Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box) rather than requiring additional IT permissions like Loom would. But for those free to choose their tech, TechSmith offers a cloud add-on that enables Snagit to function as a Loom-like video messaging platform, which takes Snagit’s price from $39 per year up to $138.99 per year (but does not charge extra for its AI-powered features like transcription, captioning, and summaries).

            ProsCons
            Most versatile for creation

            Flexible on cloud integration

            Most affordable of paid options
            Advanced features are more than some users need

            Runs on desktop devices only (Windows and Mac)

            Camtasia vs Loom

            Both applications are used to create videos and both are multi-purpose, but that’s where the similarities end. Where Loom specializes in simple, fast, and casual video, Camtasia specializes in beautiful, layered, and polished video.

            Camtasia interface showing a chart in the workspace, multiple tracks on a video editing timeline, and editing tools

            Loom videos can be trimmed at the ends and merged together as discrete chunks. One and done. But as a multi-track video editor with a high-end screen recorder built in, Camtasia is intended for creators to slice, dice, layer, animate, enhance, and more.

            It can take a little more time to learn, though the company offers templates and loads of how-to guides (a video academy open to all, a certification course for subscribers, and product tutorials) to help users level up both the quality and quantity of videos created.

            Camtasia’s entry price is $30 more than Loom’s, with plans ranging from $179.88 per year for the core editor up to $599 per year to add unlimited premium assets, unlimited use of AI features (a rarity!) for content generation and localization, and a cloud platform for gathering detailed feedback from your team.

            If your job role involves a heavy dose of content creation–whether in the context of training, teaching, selling, designing, or marketing–Camtasia offers a broad set of video creation capabilities that you are not likely to outgrow.

            ProsCons
            Deep set of video creation tools that grow with you

            Unlimited use of premium assets and AI features
            A moderate learning curve

            Runs on desktop devices only (Windows and Mac)

            Best paid alternatives to Loom: specialized apps

            Scribe vs Loom

            With Loom, you can capture a series of technical steps (think: how to record your screen on Windows 11) and generate a video or a set of raw screenshots showing each step.

            Scribe interface showing a sample how-to guide

            With Scribe, on the other hand, each step is automatically captured as you walk through the process and an online help article is generated. Each help article has the same format: a title and author name followed by a screenshot plus a text label to show and describe each step in the process. Videos created with other tools can be embedded into a Scribe guide. 

            Scribe appeals to people creating barebones standard operating procedures (SOPs) and staff onboarding guides, since they can create a whole set of interlinked documents as a kind of searchable knowledge base (KB), and churn these guides out very quickly. 

            The free version of Scribe can capture webpages, but not your desktop applications. It puts Scribe branding on your guides and doesn’t allow you to crop, annotate, or remove sensitive info from your screenshots. So you’ll need a paid plan, which starts at $276 per year for one individual; the team plan starts at $720 per year for 5 users, which is the minimum team size.

            Worth noting: Snagit (reviewed above) can create both step-by-step guides and video how-tos at a much lower annual cost.

            ProsCons
            Speeds up a laborious, tedious process

            Can document 200-step processes and combine guides into larger guides
            Simplistic, cookie-cutter templates

            Lackluster screenshot editing tools

            Very expensive for what it is

            Synthesia vs Loom

            Much as Scribe automates a lot of the work to crank out training manuals, Synthesia automates a lot of the work to crank out employee training videos.

            Synthesia interface with an AI-generated presenter and editing options

            These videos show an AI-generated talking head (pretty lifelike, actually!) reading a script, often alongside uploaded PowerPoint slides. Because Synthesia videos start with a typed-out script and some uploaded visuals, they can be generated, re-generated, updated, and localized into various languages without having to capture a single audio, video, or screen recording. Helpful for learning and development pros tasked with producing dozens of mandatory-viewing training videos per year.

            Most of the criticism from Synthesia users is that the avatars can have an “uncanny valley” effect where they look and sound almost too flawless, lacking the quirks, mannerisms, and subtle intonations that help an actual human connect with their audience. Now if your job role requires high volumes of video content and quantity matters a bit more than quality, this might be a great tradeoff. But scaled video creation comes at a steep price, with Synthesia’s published plans starting at $216 per year for just 2 hours of generated video, then jumps to $768 per year for 6 hours of generated video. 

            You could argue that Loom has tools for automatically removing human “defects” (like umms or ahhs) from a video you record but overall, screen recorders and video editors will preserve more authenticity and human connection than purely generative platforms like Synthesia.

            ProsCons
            Highly efficient way to scale up video production

            Generated videos are much easier to update and localize
            Some audiences don’t care for synthetic presenters

            Very expensive per minute of video

            Sendspark vs Loom

            While Loom can be used for external communication (the Enterprise plan has a basic integration with Salesforce, for example), its primary use case is for internal communication. 

            Sendspark, however, is 100% focused on recording personalized video messages for prospective clients and customers. A B2B sales executive might use Sendspark to send AI-personalized video pitches in their cold emails and LinkedIn DMs, then track viewer interactions with those videos in their CRM to know which leads are getting warm, which triggers the next outreach. 

            Sendspark videos are typically a combination of an AI-generated chunk (think: a personal-looking greeting from a talking head saying “Hey Brandon, I made you this video”) followed by a “1:1 recorded” chunk (think: screen recording with camera bubble talking through your product pricing). The magic is that the AI-generated chunk can be automatically created and the finished video automatically emailed out whenever a client fills out your “contact us” form and enters their name (in this case, “Brandon”) and their email address. This could even happen while you’re sleeping. 

            As you might expect from a product that is used to directly generate revenue, Sendspark charges a pretty penny for its platform. Plans range from $468 per year for 200 “dynamic video minutes” (the AI-generated chunks) up to $5,388 per year for 10,000 dynamic video minutes shared across your sales team.

            ProsCons
            Great for automating faux-personalized client or customer communication

            Many integrations to weave video generation into your sales stack
            High price limits use cases

            Conclusion

            For everyday visual communication within your team or company, we recommend Snagit as the most versatile tool both for creation and for sharing. If you’re a content creator ready to dive deep into video, add one of the Camtasia plans that best fits your creation workflow and budget.

            Record your screen with Snagit

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            Screen recording of a dashboard showing conversion rate, spend, and monthly performance with a picture-in-picture webcam view of a smiling man.

            TechSmith

            TechSmith is the market leader in screen capture software and productivity solutions for daily in-person, remote, or hybrid workplace communication and customer-facing image and video content. Our award-winning flagship products, Snagit, Camtasia, and Audiate, empower anyone to create remarkable videos and images that share knowledge for better training, tutorials, and everyday communication.

            How to Position Yourself in Vertical Videos Perfectly

            Phone recording vertically

            Vertical video is becoming the standard format for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, where mobile devices dominate. To make the most of this trend, it’s important to know how to position yourself properly in the vertical format. In this guide, we’ll explore the key tips for positioning yourself, creating engaging content, and using the right tools to edit vertical videos for social media platforms like Instagram.

            An image of a 9 by 16 vertical video.

            Why positioning matters in vertical video 

            Viewers’ attention is fleeting, so it is important to do everything in your power to grab it while you can. In vertical format, the aspect ratios are different from traditional widescreen formats. Typically, videos are shot in a 9:16 aspect ratio, which means the vertical space becomes crucial. 

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            Most people watch videos on mobile devices, so positioning via vertical format ensures your content is engaging and professional-looking. If you’re not centered or framed correctly, it can distract from the message you’re trying to convey.

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            Positioning tips for shooting vertical videos

            Center yourself

            Position yourself in the middle of the frame to avoid being cut off, especially if you’re planning to add text and graphics in post-production. Keep the camera at eye level for a natural look. Filming a vertical video too high or too low can distort your face or body and appear unprofessional.

            Good lighting = engaging content

            Natural light is always preferable, but if you’re indoors, position yourself near a window or use soft lighting to avoid harsh shadows. Proper lighting not only makes you look more professional but also ensures that your audience can see you clearly.

            Hold the camera steady

            If you’re shooting with a smartphone, hold the camera on its side for landscape content, or rotate it vertically for shooting vertical videos. Try finding a spot where you can stabilize your arm to avoid shaking. Consider using a tripod or stabilizer to keep the shot steady. If you don’t have a tripod, create a makeshift one by resting your phone on a stable object, like a book. 

            An Image of Camtasia's editor with a 9:16 frame.

            Editing your vertical video in post-production

            Aspect ratios and cropping

            When editing vertical videos, make sure to maintain a 9:16 aspect ratio. Using editing software like Camtasia can help you crop, resize, and adjust the framing as needed. Aspect ratios are important to the health of your social media content, so make sure to choose the right one for the occasion. 

            Adding text and graphics

            Vertical videos allow you to add text and graphics that fit the vertical format, making them perfect for platforms like Instagram Stories. Keep text simple and centered so that it’s easily readable on mobile devices. If you want to take your video to the next level, Camtasia makes it easy to add text overlays, animations, and callouts, enhancing your post-production process.

            Making your vertical video more engaging

            Create content that fits the platform

            When creating vertical videos for social media platforms, think about the content that resonates best in a vertical format. Short, snappy videos with eye-catching visuals are perfect for platforms like Instagram Stories or TikTok. Use Camtasia to experiment with different cuts, transitions, and effects to keep engaging content at the forefront of your audience. 

            Focus on your audience’s viewing habits

            Keep in mind that people watch vertical videos in quick bursts on their mobile devices. Ensure your message is clear and easy to understand, even in short formats. Use captions or graphics to support your content, as many users watch videos without sound on social media.

            Try it for yourself 

            Positioning yourself correctly in the vertical format can dramatically improve your content’s performance on social media platforms. Center your frame, use good lighting, and don’t forget to edit postproduction with tools like Camtasia. With these tips, you’ll be able to create vertical videos that engage your audience and look professional, whether you’re creating Instagram Stories or sharing content across platforms. Now go give it a try for yourself!

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            TechSmith

            TechSmith is the market leader in screen capture software and productivity solutions for daily in-person, remote, or hybrid workplace communication and customer-facing image and video content. Our award-winning flagship products, Snagit, Camtasia, and Audiate, empower anyone to create remarkable videos and images that share knowledge for better training, tutorials, and everyday communication.

            Understanding the Customer Journey and How to Map It

            A person is traveling along a winding road on their customer journey

            For organizations that wish to grow their businesses– which is most– there needs to be a shared understanding of the current customer journey. A customer journey is the series of steps that an individual prospect may take that ultimately lead them to purchase. 

            It’s essential for organizations to have an understanding of their customers’ experiences, as that is going to be key to empowering prioritization and continued execution of optimization efforts, which should in turn help to facilitate growth.

            A well-crafted customer journey map provides a visual narrative of every interaction a customer has with your brand, helping businesses align their strategies with customer needs. The journey encompasses all stages, from initial awareness to post-purchase engagement. For organizations that aim to grow, mapping the customer journey ensures alignment across departments, allowing teams to make data-driven decisions, optimize touchpoints, and ultimately enhance the customer experience.

            A clear understanding of your customer’s journey allows for better prioritization of efforts that directly affect conversion rates and customer satisfaction. Without it, even the best optimization strategies may fall short, as they fail to address pain points or opportunities at critical touchpoints. By mapping the journey, organizations are better equipped to identify these areas and execute targeted improvements that resonate with their customers.

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            While your team may have a general understanding of the various customer interactions that may occur, customer experience journey mapping is an incredibly useful exercise to align understanding around the specifics. Getting started can be daunting if you aren’t sure where to begin, but a tool like Snagit can help. With Snagit, you can capture screenshots of the different stages of the customer journey and add context and explanations with annotations, stamps, and more.

            What is the customer journey?

            The customer journey aligns with what most organizations would refer to as their sales funnel. At the top of the funnel, you’ll be mapping the activity which is your potential customer’s first interaction(s) with your brand. Typically, there is always a desired next step for them to take. If they do, they will move on to the next interaction and the subsequent step in the customer journey, and so forth.

            Example of a customer journey map

            The key stages of the customer journey are Awareness, Consideration, Purchase, Retention, and Advocacy. Notice those last two steps are post-purchase, but still critical. Retention means keeping your existing customers satisfied, while advocacy goes a step further by turning customer loyalty into five-star ratings, positive reviews, and peer recommendations of your brand.

            Understanding the customer journey helps businesses deliver personalized experiences, increase customer satisfaction both pre-sale and post-sale, boost sales, enhance retention rates, and foster customer advocacy. 

            What is customer journey mapping?

            Customer journey mapping is the process of creating an accurate and actionable visual representation of the customer’s interactions with a brand across various touchpoints. A good customer journey map provides an overview of a customer’s experience. This should include the funnel stages and touchpoints for each, along with the emotions individuals may be experiencing and their pain points. This is going to help you optimize your marketing messaging in a way that addresses and solves those pain points. 

            Conversely, if you didn’t have this granular understanding, your messaging may miss the mark, as it would potentially lack relevance and be easier to ignore.

            One of the benefits of customer journey mapping is that it allows you to identify gaps in the customer experience. Are there things you may have missed addressing outright? This can involve your messaging or the user experience, such as friction in a process or a clunky transition to the desired next action. 

            Another key benefit of customer journey mapping exercises is the improvement of customer engagement and retention by identifying various ways to optimize the experience. This might involve prioritizing efforts in areas where things are going particularly well and you wish to amplify that impact. Sometimes, this may involve identifying suboptimal experiences and brainstorming experimental ways to course-correct.

            Thirdly, another significant benefit of customer experience journey mapping is creating better alignment between marketing, sales, and customer support teams. Typically, these different departments are all interacting with prospective and existing customers at unique points throughout that purchase path. Having a visual representation of the customer journey allows everyone to step back and view the big picture holistically, adding context and providing a shared understanding that can be applied to achieve business goals.

            A screen capture tool like Snagit can be incredibly useful throughout this customer journey mapping process, as it democratizes the image creation process. You don’t have to be an expert to create professional-looking images. The markup tools in the program allow for annotating your screenshots with relevant data and visuals. 

            Example screenshot with Snagit annotations

            How to map the customer journey: A step-by-step guide

            Follow this step-by-step guide to create a comprehensive customer journey map that leads to actionable insights.

            Step 1: Define customer personas

            Customer personas are fictional representations of your ideal customers, based on real data and research. They help you identify key characteristics like demographics, behavior patterns, motivations, goals, and challenges. Developing accurate personas is the foundation of an effective customer journey map, as they allow you to focus on the customer’s unique needs.

            Understanding your customers’ motivations helps you align your messaging and offerings, while knowing their goals ensures you are solving the right problems. You should also consider the challenges they face throughout their journey with your brand.

            To assist in this process, use Snagit to capture and organize data from user research, interviews, surveys, and analytics. Snagit’s annotation features allow you to highlight key insights, while visuals can help create engaging, easily understandable customer personas. This way, stakeholders across your organization can quickly grasp who your customers are and what they care about.

            Step 2: Identify key touchpoints

            Next, identify the key touchpoints where customers interact with your brand, both online and offline. These touchpoints could include your website, social media, email, or interactions with customer support. Understanding where customers engage with your brand helps ensure your journey map covers all critical areas of interaction.

            To create a more accurate and detailed customer journey map, use Snagit to visually capture these touchpoints. You can record screenshots of different customer interactions, highlight important steps in the customer experience, and annotate these touchpoints to give context. By creating a visual representation of these touchpoints, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of how each interaction impacts the overall journey.

            Recording the customer journey with Snagit video

            Step 3: Outline customer goals and emotions

            At every stage of the journey, customers are working towards achieving specific goals—whether it’s gathering information, making a purchase, or resolving an issue. Along the way, they experience a range of emotions, from excitement and satisfaction to frustration or confusion. Mapping these goals and emotions helps you understand what the customer is thinking and feeling at each stage.

            Use Snagit to visually capture customer feedback from surveys or interviews, and annotate these visuals with key insights. You can also add emotion-based labels to illustrate how customers are feeling at different touchpoints, or simply use the built-in emoji stamps. This approach brings clarity to the emotional side of the journey, allowing you to address customer needs more effectively.

            Step 4: Identify pain points and opportunities

            Every customer journey has areas where friction or challenges arise—these are the pain points. Identifying these pain points is critical for understanding where customers struggle and how you can remove obstacles from their experience. At the same time, you’ll uncover opportunities to improve the journey by streamlining processes or enhancing interactions.

            Capture customer feedback and data using Snagit to create a visual representation of these problem areas. By annotating screenshots or visuals with specific pain points, you can provide clear and actionable insights for improving the customer experience. This visual approach not only highlights where things are going wrong but also showcases potential opportunities for enhancing customer satisfaction.

            Step 5: Visualize the customer journey

            Finally, use Snagit to create a visual journey map that outlines each stage of the customer’s interaction with your brand. This map should clearly depict the stages of the journey, key touchpoints, customer goals, emotions, and pain points. Including visuals such as screenshots, diagrams, or feedback annotations will make the map more actionable and easier for stakeholders to understand.

            Tips for enhancing your map with visuals:

            • Use screenshots to show actual customer interactions.
            • Add annotations to explain what’s happening at each touchpoint.
            • Include diagrams that outline customer emotions or pain points at specific stages.
            • Ensure the map is simple, clear, and focused on actionable insights.

            By following these steps and using tools like Snagit to visually capture and organize data, you’ll create a customer journey map that is both comprehensive and highly useful for driving improvements in your customer experience.

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            Why use Snagit for customer journey mapping?

            Creating a comprehensive and actionable customer journey map requires the right tools to capture and communicate insights effectively. Snagit offers a range of features that make it an ideal choice for building accurate, insightful customer journey maps. Here are three key benefits of using Snagit in this process:

            1. Easy visual captures for better mapping

            One of the key benefits of using Snagit is its ability to easily capture visual content, such as screenshots, web pages, emails, and other touchpoints that represent real customer interactions. These visual captures provide a more accurate view of the customer’s journey by showing actual experiences and engagement points. Whether you’re highlighting a website interaction, an email response, or a social media message, Snagit makes it simple to incorporate real-world examples into your map.

            By capturing visuals of customer interactions, you ensure that your journey map reflects how customers truly engage with your brand, rather than relying solely on assumptions or theoretical touchpoints.

            2. Annotation and editing for clarity

            Snagit’s powerful annotation and editing tools make it easy to enhance your customer journey map with clarity and precision. You can add arrows, callouts, text, and other annotations to highlight key insights, identify pain points, and emphasize opportunities for improvement. These annotations bring context to the visuals, making it easier to communicate the significance of different stages and interactions in the customer journey.

            For example, you can use arrows to point out areas where customers experience friction or add text callouts to summarize feedback from user research. By visually marking up the journey map, you can ensure stakeholders quickly grasp the most important insights without sifting through raw data.

            Add annotations to clarify your message and bring context to your visuals

            3. Seamless sharing and collaboration

            Effective customer journey mapping requires input and collaboration from cross-functional teams. Snagit’s seamless sharing capabilities allow you to easily share visuals, annotated maps, and customer insights with team members and stakeholders across departments. Whether you’re sending a quick visual update or collaborating on a full journey map, Snagit ensures everyone stays aligned and can contribute to the discussion.

            Sharing options make it simple to distribute customer journey maps via email, chat tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams, or through Screencast, enabling continuous feedback and iteration. This fosters better collaboration between marketing, sales, customer support, and other teams, ensuring the map is both comprehensive and actionable.

            Best practices for effective customer journey mapping

            By following these best practices, you can ensure that your map effectively captures the complexities of customer behavior and helps guide strategic decisions.

            An example customer journey storyboard

            1. Involve cross-functional teams

            An effective customer journey map isn’t the responsibility of one department alone. It’s essential to involve cross-functional teams—including marketing, sales, and customer support—to gain a comprehensive view of the customer’s journey. Each department interacts with customers in unique ways, contributing valuable insights into different stages of the customer lifecycle.

            For example, marketing teams can provide information on how prospects first engage with your brand, while sales teams offer insights into the decision-making process. Customer support teams, on the other hand, understand the post-purchase experience and ongoing service needs. Collaboration between these teams helps ensure that your customer journey map is holistic and reflects real-world experiences rather than siloed assumptions.

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            2. Regularly update your customer journey map

            Customer behavior is constantly evolving. Preferences, technology, and market trends shift over time, meaning that what was once an accurate representation of the customer’s experience can quickly become outdated. To ensure your customer journey map stays relevant and actionable, it’s crucial to regularly revisit and update it.

            By periodically reviewing your map, you can identify changes in customer behavior, uncover new pain points, and adjust your strategies accordingly. Regular updates also help align the map with business changes, such as new product launches, updated marketing tactics, or shifts in customer demographics.

            3. Use visuals to enhance your map

            Customer journey maps can be complex, often containing a wealth of data and touchpoints. To make this information more accessible and engaging for stakeholders, use visuals to simplify and highlight key aspects of the journey.

            Tools like Snagit can help capture visuals, whether you’re annotating charts, illustrating touchpoints, or creating step-by-step guides. Visuals not only make your map easier to understand, but they also make it more compelling, increasing stakeholder engagement and ensuring the map is actively used as a decision-making tool.

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            Ready to improve your customer journey mapping with Snagit?

            Hopefully, you’re feeling inspired to start your organization’s customer experience journey mapping. The good news is that you can get Snagit today to begin capturing and visualizing data for your customer journey map. Download the fully functioning, free 14-day trial and get immediate access.

            Check out Snagit’s full library of tutorials to browse all of the available help content and get you up and running with the tool. For customer journey mapping specifically, there are some how-to resources we can recommend:

            TechSmith

            TechSmith is the market leader in screen capture software and productivity solutions for daily in-person, remote, or hybrid workplace communication and customer-facing image and video content. Our award-winning flagship products, Snagit, Camtasia, and Audiate, empower anyone to create remarkable videos and images that share knowledge for better training, tutorials, and everyday communication.