Do you often need to save or share what you see on your computer screen? While mobile and desktop operating systems offer basic screen capture tools built-in, most have limited functionality.
Do you find that the built-in tools on your devices don’t offer as many functions as you’d like?
That is why there are also third-party apps, like Snagit. Snagit is the perfect tool for people who take lots of screenshots and need more robust tools than the ones built into their devices.
In this blog post, we’ll show you how to take a screenshot on both Mac and Windows! We’ll be using built-in tools like the Windows Snipping Tool and third-party programs like 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!
To capture the entire screen, simply press the Print Screen button (PrtSc). This will copy the screenshot to your clipboard. You can then open any program that allows you to insert images, such as Paint, Microsoft Word, or PowerPoint, and paste the screenshot by pressing Ctrl-V.
The downside to this capture is that it screenshots everything you can see on your monitor.
If you only want to capture the window you currently have open, you can hold down the PrtSc button at the same time as the Windows key Alt.
Capture parts of the screen on Windows
The Snipping Tool (available on Windows 7 and later versions) allows you to select the area of the screen you want to capture, as well as add notes and save the image in different formats.
You can open the Snipping Tool by searching for it in the toolbar search. Use the Windows-S shortcut to open Windows search and type in Snipping Tool.
Just follow the instructions, and take as many screenshots as you need!
How to take a screenshot on Mac
These methods work with versions of macOS–10.10 (Yosemite) or higher.
Press the Shift+Cmd+3 to screenshot your full screen.
Next, you can either click on the preview that appears in the corner of your screen or open the screenshot from your desktop to edit and/or share it.
Capture parts of the screen on Mac
Shift+Cmd+4 turns your mouse into crosshairs. From there, you can select a specific window or drag and drop the crosshairs, selecting the area you’d like to capture.
To capture a screenshot on a Mac, press Shift+Cmd+5 simultaneously to open the screenshot tool.
With the screenshot tool open, you’ll notice several new options for taking different types of screen captures, including recording the entire screen and recording a portion of the screen.
Expert Tip: If your MacBook has a Touch Bar, you can capture it in your screenshot by pressing Shift+Cmd+6.
To copy a screenshot of your entire screen to your clipboard you need to press Shift+Cmd+Ctrl+3 at the same time.
Screen capture using Snagit
With Snagit, you have way more possibilities for capture. The software offers precise capture, image editing, free cloud-sharing, and so much more.
Step 1: Open the capture window
Open Snagit from your menu. If you’re in the Snagit editor, click the Capture button in the toolbar to bring up the Capture window.
Click the Capture button on any tab in the Capture window to start your screen capture. You can also start a capture by using the keyboard shortcut Shift+Cmd+3 or PrtSc keys.
Step 4: Click and drag the crosshairs to selects parts of your screen
Your capture is automatically saved in the Snagit library. Use Snagit and Screencast’s Share Link feature to share your screenshot with anyone!
No matter which method you choose, taking a screenshot should be fast and convenient for you.
Annotate and edit screenshots with Snagit
Professional mark-up tools and powerful features make it easy to create helpful images.
Over the last decade, businesses have faced numerous changes, requiring internal adjustments. These changes can range from minor, phased adjustments to major organizational transformations. Change management is the process of effectively managing these changes.
Organizational change management helps identify impacts, prepare teams, and achieve the company’s goals. This method includes planning, providing the right tools, communicating changes, making them happen, ensuring they last, and checking the results.
Snagit can help with documentation, communication, and training throughout the change management process, from planning to review.
What is change management?
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, change management involves managing change and development within a business. It uses a structured process and tools to achieve desired outcomes.
Change management is critical for business success, especially during significant transformations. Successful change management requires that employees are on board with the change.
A recent Gartner study showed that employees faced 10 planned changes in 2022, but support for these changes dropped from 74% in 2016 to 43% in 2022.
A Forbes article explains that people resist change not because of the change itself but because of its uncertainty. Concerns include more work, job security, loss of control, strained relationships, and whether their team and managers will support the change. Effective change management, including a communications plan, can help mitigate these concerns, ensure employees understand the desired outcomes, and support successful implementation.
How to manage change
Core elements to consider
Successful change management leans on these Core Elements:
The change – Understanding what needs to change, what it needs to change to, and why
Plan for implementing change – How will you make the change happen? What are the impacts/risks that you need to include in your plan? What training is your organization going to need for the change? How will you engage stakeholders?
Communication plan for the change – How will you communicate the change to get understanding and support for it with the people of your organization?
Necessary tools for the change – Ensure you know what tools are needed for the change and equip your employees with the required tools and training.
Implementing the change – Putting your plan into action to enact the change your organization needs.
Retrospective of the change – Review how the implementation of the change went. What problems/concerns are there still? What went well? Is there any additional training or iterations that need to be done?
The first step in the change management process is preparation. Clearly articulate the change and the desired outcome the organization wants to achieve. Identify your key stakeholders and the timeline for implementation.
UseSnagit’s screen recorder to create quick videos to convey the change and desired organization to your stakeholders. This can save management and stakeholders time in understanding and conveying the information. Collecting questions and concerns from your stakeholders will help you develop your change management plan.
Step 2: Developing a change management plan
Create a detailed plan that outlines the various steps in the change, the timeline for when it will occur, a communication plan for helping your organization understand and support it, and the resources needed for it.
Who needs to be involved?
Do you need external knowledge or assistance?
Who is your project manager?
Who is the sponsor of the change, and who is the decision-maker if something unexpected comes up during implementation? Will there be checkpoints along the way?
What meetings, training, etc., need to be scheduled? Proactively identify potential resistance.
Snagit allows you to create visual guides that compare changes, explain a concept, or provide a timeline of events. With Snagit, you can visually map out the change management plan and share it with your team.
Step 3: Implementing the change
Before you start implementation, begin with your communication plan. It is imperative for success that you effectively communicate with everyone involved. Senior leaders, managers, and employees must understand the change, its benefits, their responsibilities, and why it is happening. As part of this, ensure you are all on the same page regarding what success looks like and have regular check-ins scheduled to monitor progress and address any concerns or risks that may arise.
After your communications plans are set, you can execute the change plan. This includes training, supporting, and continuing to communicate. By reinforcing the change, its benefits, and what success looks like, you remind the organization of its goals and keep everyone focused.Snagit is an excellent tool for creating training materials, recording tutorials, and capturing real-time feedback during implementation. It is especially great for making quick tutorials or step-by-step instructions on new or changing technology, systems, or processes to help employees get up to speed.
Step 4: Monitoring and managing resistance
Managing resistance to change is crucial for successful implementation. Start by implementing a structured approach from the start, engaging senior leaders as active sponsors and direct managers, and clearly communicating the need for change and its benefits.
Expect resistance as a natural response, and plan for it by understanding its root causes, such as fear of the unknown, disruption of routines, and loss of control. Use active listening to gather feedback and address specific concerns.
Engage key stakeholders and influencers as advocates and ensure transparent communication so employees understand the reasons for the change and its benefits, such as the desired outcomes.
Monitor progress and be prepared to adjust strategies based on feedback and shifting circumstances.
Tools like Snagit can also enhance communication and documentation by creating clear visual explanations, capturing feedback, and providing step-by-step guides. These can assist employees in adapting quicker and reducing resistance. By following these strategies, you can better manage resistance and increase the likelihood of success.
Step 5: Reinforcing the change
To ensure the change is sustained over time, it is essential to reinforce it through continuous support, communication, and training. Regularly update employees on the progress and benefits and provide ongoing training to help them adapt to new processes.
Use Snagit to create follow-up materials, such as video tutorials and annotated screenshots, to reinforce learning, and provide easy reference guides. Capture best practices and document success by recording success stories and performance metrics.
This continuous reinforcement helps embed the change into the organizational culture, ensuring its long-term success while pushing against the status quo and achieving short-term wins for teams across your organization.
Why change management matters
Change management is crucial for organizations to navigate transitions and achieve desired outcomes. The benefits of change management include ensuring changes are implemented in a structured manner, minimizing disruptions and resistance. Organizations can achieve strategic goals and maintain a competitive edge, creating a better future state, by preparing, equipping, and supporting individuals to adopt new processes, technologies, or structures.
Addressing the human side of change improves employee engagement, reduces resistance, and increases the likelihood of successful implementation. This leads to faster adoption, higher usage rates, and better proficiency in new systems or processes. Ultimately, organizational change management drives success by aligning people with desired outcomes, realizing benefits, and sustaining improvements over time.
Here are three key benefits of effective change management and how Snagit can assist in each part:
Minimizes disruption
Implementing a structured change management approach reduces the disruptions that often accompany change. Snagit can help by creating clear visual guides and tutorials that explain new processes or systems, making it easier for employees to understand and adapt quickly. This ensures that business operations continue smoothly, minimizing the impact on productivity and employee morale.
Enhances employee engagement
Change management involves clear communication, active listening, and addressing employee concerns, which helps to engage employees in the process. Snagit can capture and share feedback visually, making it more impactful. Creating engaging and informative updates enhances any organizational change management strategy, and Snagit can also keep employees informed and motivated, fostering a more cohesive and supportive environment.
Increases the success rate of change initiatives
With a well-planned strategy, organizations can increase the likelihood of successful change initiatives. Snagit can assist by documenting best practices, capturing success stories, and creating follow-up materials such as video tutorials and annotated screenshots. These resources can reinforce learning, provide easy reference guides, and showcase the benefits of the outcome, leading to higher adoption rates and better usage of new systems or business processes.
Looking to improve your change management process?
Are you looking to improve your change management process? TechSmith’s Snagit is a versatile tool that can significantly enhance your efforts by capturing, communicating, and sharing information throughout the change management journey. Snagit allows you to create clear visual guides, record video tutorials, and capture feedback, making it easier for employees to understand and adapt to changes. To help your team get started, TechSmith offers a variety of tutorials and resources, ensuring that everyone can leverage Snagit’s full potential to support a smooth and successful change initiative.
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See how small changes to the way you share information can help you reclaim your time at work.
What are the biggest challenges in change management?
The biggest challenges in change management often include resistance to change, where employees may be reluctant to adopt new processes or technologies. Communication issues can also arise, leading to misunderstandings and a lack of buy-in.
Additionally, resource constraints such as limited time, budget, or personnel can hinder the implementation of changes. Without strong support from your management teams, change initiatives may struggle to gain momentum. Cultural barriers at the organizational level or within specific teams may resist changes that conflict with established norms and values.
How do you measure the success of a change management process?
Success in change management can be measured through various metrics, such as employee adoption rates, which indicate the percentage of employees who have adopted the recent changes. Performance metrics, including improvements in productivity, efficiency, or other key performance indicators (KPIs), are also important.
Feedback and surveys from employees and stakeholders provide insights into its effectiveness. Achieving specific goals and milestones within the change management plan is another measure of success. Finally, evaluating the return on investment (ROI) helps determine the financial benefits gained from the outcome compared to the costs incurred.
What tools can assist in effective change management?
Several tools can facilitate effective change management, including project management software like Asana or Microsoft Project, which help plan, track, and manage change initiatives. Communication platforms such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom enable seamless communication and collaboration among team members.
Training and development tools like LinkedIn Learning or Coursera provide resources to help employees adapt to changes, while Camtasia and Snagit can be used to create tailored training materials. Snagit is a vital tool for capturing visual content, documenting processes, and facilitating clear communication during change management. It allows you to create screenshots and screen recordings, annotate images, and share visual instructions, making it easier to explain new processes and ensure everyone is on the same page.
What is a change management model?
A change management model is a framework designed to guide organizations through the process of change.
What types of organizational change require official change management techniques?
Organizational change that requires official change management techniques are those that are likely to significantly affect processes, people, culture, or technology usage within an organization. This could include technology implementations and upgrades, mergers and acquisitions, organizational restructuring, cultural transformations, process improvement initiatives, and regulatory or compliance changes.
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.
Ever wondered what it’s like to experience a viral moment firsthand? Or perhaps you’ve simply wanted to share your unique perspective on a piece of content. That’s where reaction videos come in.
These clips, where people share their real reactions to something new, have become a key part of online entertainment. Although they originated on Youtube, reaction videos today extend far beyond Youtube reaction videos and can now be found across nearly every social platform. With the right tools and a touch of creativity, anyone can create their own captivating reaction video and connect with a global audience.
What is a reaction video?
A reaction video (or react video) is a type of video where one or more people record themselves watching or listening to a piece of original content for the first time. The purpose of the video is to capture their thoughts and emotions in real time, so the audience can see people react to the content as it plays. These are often hosted on YouTube, and some creators have even made an entire YouTube channel from reaction videos alone.
Anything can be the focus of a reaction video, but here is a list of some common content types:
Movie trailers
Songs
Music videos
Video game gameplay
Fail videos
Funny videos
Television
Opening gifts
Commercials
Reactions to current events
Gender reveal videos
Unique uses for your reaction videos
Reaction videos are not just for entertainment. They can be added into professional and academic realms too.
Reaction videos can help generate ideas and share perceptions of what the original creator has posted. They can be used by marketing to get reactions to marketing strategies and create buzz about new announcements and products.
Teachers can use reaction videos to help provide feedback on assignments and spark student brainstorming sessions, collaboration, and engagement. This is also a fun way to get quieter students to break out of their shell.
Why create your own reaction video?
Reaction videos are a very popular genre of internet media and are likely to be a mainstay of content creation. TechSmith products make it easy to record your reactions and even incorporate screen recordings to share them with the world. Here are the leading reasons why you should create your own:
Viewers love them
Reaction videos became an internet sensation in 2007. But this fad didn’t fade. They have since become an internet mainstay and are so popular that countless content creators have dedicated their entire channel and brand to exclusively producing reaction videos. The REACT! YouTube channel has more than 20 million subscribers.
Tara Purswani calls reaction videos “the secret sauce for getting more views, attracting more followers, and boosting engagement.”
If utilized properly, reaction videos can help you gain subscribers, publish great content, and express yourself.
Nostalgia
A twist ending of a movie
A buzzer-beating shot
Meeting your puppy
Discovering a new song
These are first experiences that can only be lived once. However, reaction videos are the closest someone can get to reliving an experience. The viewer gets to relive the shock or joy of that first experience through someone else’s eyes. Reaction videos offer the audience a chance to reminisce on their own life experiences.
Community
Have you ever shown a friend or family member a funny clip and waited for their reaction? Why do we do that? It is about social connection.
Reaction videos create social bonds through a shared emotional experience with people they might never encounter otherwise. Also, a video’s comment section allows the audience to engage with each other and connect over discussing the original content and the creator’s reaction.
Discovery
Reaction videos are a great way to introduce viewers to content they might not normally consume.
Reaction videos are really interesting to me because they tap into the archival capacity of the internet.
Content that was once forgotten or lost is being reintroduced to society through reaction videos.
They are also a great way for viewers to discover alternative interpretations and engage with new perspectives. The audience gets to see how people from other generations, cultures, and economic classes may view content differently or similarly to their own views.
They’re fun!
Reaction videos are great entertainment. If you are having fun while creating your reaction video, your audience will too.
What makes a reaction video successful?
The success of your video is solely dependent on the personal goals and ambitions you set. It is completely subjective. Some content creators gauge success on analytics like views, watch time, replays, and likes. Others just want to create fun and engaging content.
Choose your content wisely
Pick something that will keep your viewers engaged. Consider your video’s purpose and how you’ll measure success.
Write a catchy title
Your title should be informative and grab attention, enticing viewers to click.
Be bold and expressive
Let your personality shine through. Your genuine reactions are what viewers want to see.
Be transparent and genuine
Don’t overthink your reactions. Let your natural emotions flow.
Use contrasts to your advantage
A reaction to an aria in a beautiful opera will surely differ from seeing Rachael Gunn’s (aka Raygun) breakdancing performance in the Paris Olympics for the first time.
Consider what your audience may expect. Play around with making your reaction contrast the content to see if that works for you.
Be creative. Try to surprise the viewer to keep them interested. Once your video becomes predictable, it may become boring.
Keep it concise
The length of your video should generally match the length of the original content.
Prioritize good sound
Edit out unwanted noise and filler words for a professional feel. Any recording will naturally have unwanted pauses and blemishes that Camtasia Audiate can fix. TechSmith’s Camtasia Audiate makes editing audio easier than ever. It will improve the quality of your project drastically by removing unwanted pauses and filler words (like um and uh), reducing background noise, dampening plosive sounds, and so much more.
Polish your recording
Use Camtasia to make edits and improve the quality of your project. Try adding emphasis with close-ups. Add text. Highlight key words. Add dynamic captions. Edit the cursor path and cursor effects. The Camtasia tutorials library offers many tutorialvideos and articles to help you make desired changes.
Also, use Camtasia Assets to your advantage. Add stamps, backgrounds, or templates to your project. TechSmith offers many starter assets for free. Full access to the Camtasia Access library can be gained with an annual subscription or is included with Camtasia Pro.
Stardom awaits!
Camtasia is the perfect way to create exciting content for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and more!
To make the most of your reaction video, start by outlining your goals, approach, and optimal screen layout. Many reaction videos show the original content being played in a large window on the screen, so the audience can watch and listen to the content along with you and better understand your reactions.
Most creators display their image to the side or in a smaller window, known as picture-in-picture video recording. However, other reaction videos focus solely on the person reacting. Camtasia Rev helps you choose your desired format accordingly before getting started.
Also, consider pauses for dramatic effect to discuss your thoughts. This is a normal practice in reaction videos. It ensures that you (or the audience) don’t miss anything while you are expressing your thoughts.
It might be helpful to predetermine whether you’d like to do this, but you can also just decide in the moment. A little planning helps, but remember that a great reaction video is about letting what happens happen.
Step 2: Nail your intro
An introduction is a great way to lead into the content naturally and build audience anticipation. Before jumping in, consider describing the content you will be reviewing to your audience, your expectations, the reasons you chose this particular video or song, and some background information for context.
Avoid the temptation to completely script this because it won’t feel natural. Jot down a few notes so you can start your video with confidence, then move on.
Step 3: Hit the record button and leverage AI with Camtasia Rev
Camtasia is the best screen recorder and video editor to create your reaction video. The Camtasia Rev workflow makes it simple to format, style, add custom effects, and apply backgrounds to create engaging content. And it only takes a few clicks of the mouse. This will significantly cut down editing time, so you have a professional-looking, polished video right after recording.
Camtasia really, for me, is the easiest, most efficient way for me to do reaction videos. Without Camtasia, I don’t think I would be doing reactions at this level.
Once you’ve created your reaction video, it’s time to share it with the world. Camtasia’s versatile export and share options make it easy to not only share videos on YouTube but also to repurpose your content for various platforms.
You can choose from a variety of file types and sizes, ensuring your video is optimized for different social media platforms, websites, and devices. Whether you want to share your reaction on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, Camtasia has you covered. This flexibility allows you to reach a wider audience and maximize the impact of your video.
Ready to create your own reaction videos with Camtasia?
So, what are you waiting for? With the power of TechSmith tools like Camtasia and Camtasia Audiate, creating your own reaction video has never been easier. Whether you’re a seasoned content creator or just starting out, the possibilities are endless once you start recording.
So grab your camera, choose your content, and let your personality shine. Remember, the most successful reaction videos are those that are authentic, engaging, and, above all, fun. You don’t need to create a viral video to successfully engage with an audience authentically. Happy creating! Download the free trial of Camtasia here.
Faster video creation with Rev
Make videos as easy as click, click, done! Camtasia Rev is so fast it’s like magic!
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.
Built-in screenshot tools for Windows, like the Snipping Tool, can sometimes fill your basic screenshot needs.
Simply press the print screen button on your keyboard to do so. You can open the snipping tool that way as well.
But what if you need to go beyond the bare minimum? Screenshot your computer screen with more detail, or add extra annotations and effects with Snagit!
There’s a better way!
With the power to easily communicate details and share knowledge, Snagit’s features make it the best screenshotting software for Windows 10.
From advanced effects and editing tools to detailed capture techniques, Snagit can help you create amazing screenshots with ease.
Read on for an easy-to-follow walkthrough of how to take a screenshot on Windows 11, plus how to store and organize your screenshots.
The best snipping tool for Windows and Mac
Don’t let clumsy built-in tools hold you back. Take and edit screenshots with Snagit!
When it’s time to go beyond basic screenshots, TechSmith Snagit combines powerful features with an easy-to-use interface. You can download a free trial here to start taking great screenshots!
Step 1: Select what type of image you want to capture
Taking a screenshot with Snagit starts the same – with the print screen button. With Snagit open, simply click the red Capture button. You can also do this from the Snagit icon in your toolbar.
In the toolbar, you will notice different screenshot options. You can select either All-In-One or Image to screenshot your screen.
All-In-One gives you the option to select image, video, or panoramic capture. This is a great option if you aren’t sure exactly what type of screenshot you need.
The Image setting will display your options for a still screenshot, including panoramic, window, full screen, and more. This is a great option when you need to tailor your capture dimensions to your screen.
To use Snagit super efficiently, you can program keyboard shortcuts or hotkeys to speed up your screenshotting process. For example, you can program the Windows logo key or the PrtScn button to take the screenshot once you press it.
For this tutorial, let’s use the All-in-One capture setting.
Step 2: Use the crosshairs
If you’re wondering how to take a selected screenshot on Windows, look no further than Snagit’s crosshairs feature. It makes it easy to select the area you want to capture and leave out the rest!
Hover over windows or regions to auto-select the area, or click and drag across a portion of your screen to make a custom selection.
Step 3: Preview your selected region
Release the crosshairs to preview your selection. If needed, use the handles at the edges to make adjustments.
Then, when you’re ready, click the camera icon in the Snagit toolbar to take your screenshot.
Adding annotations and effects to screenshots on Windows
After you capture your screenshot, your images and videos open automatically in the Snagit editor. Then, you have the option to add various annotations and effects such as text callouts, symbols, blur, and more.
Snagit also makes it easy to crop and change the size of your screenshot.
You can find more in-depth tutorials on editing and adding effects to Snagit screen captures here.
How to record your screen on Windows 10
Need to record a video of your screen instead of a still image in Windows? Snagit makes screen recording incredibly simple. It can even record audio and video at the same time!
How to share screenshots and screen recordings on Windows
With Snagit, it’s easy to share screen captures to any platform. You can easily copy and paste a link or file into a chat or email.
To save or share a screenshot to your computer, a network drive, or a hosting platform, simply click the Share button in the top right corner of the Snagit editor. Then, select where you’d like to share your captures to.
Or, click the Share Link button and watch as a unique link is copied to your clipboard. Paste it in any messaging application to easily share!
To copy and paste your screen capture, right-click on your finished image and select copy. From there, you can paste your screenshot wherever you want!
Still, you can drag and drop your screenshot into several applications including Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and more.
How to store and organize your screenshots
There’s no need to clutter your desktop with screenshots or create a bunch of folders. Any captures taken with Snagit are automatically saved to the Snagit library!
Screenshots can be organized in the Snagit Library by capture type, date, applications, windows, and more. You can even create custom tags to organize your screen captures.
It’s that easy! You’ll be a screen capture pro in no time.
Get ready to amaze your coworkers and friends with your clear, easy-to-follow screenshots and annotations. You now can communicate information anytime, anywhere!
For a great video walkthrough of the instructions in this post, check out this video:
Ready to get started with screenshots? Download a free trial of Snagit!
Annotate and edit screenshots with Snagit
Professional mark-up tools and powerful features make it easy to create helpful images.
With Snagit’s screen snipping tool, you can drag your cursor from the corner of your screen or anywhere on top of your screen to take a screenshot. Your screenshot will be saved automatically in the Snagit library.
Can I set a keyboard shortcut for easy capture?
Yes, you can! On Windows, we recommend you use the Windows key and Print Screen key simultaneously to take a window snip.
Are there other alternatives available?
Yes. Windows has a built-in Snip & Sketch tool or the Xbox game bar available to take basic screenshots, but they are unmatched compared to Snagit’s powerful screen capture tools.
Are you struggling with choppy video playback while editing high-resolution videos? You’re not alone. Few things can be more tedious and time-consuming than constantly waiting for your video editor to become unstuck so you can continue editing your content. Fortunately, proxy videos can help alleviate issues surrounding video editing performance.
Proxy files are lightweight, low-resolution copies of your original video designed to help improve the editing experience in your chosen video editor.
Because of their smaller file size, you can edit these proxy videos with fewer hiccups than you might with your larger, high-resolution original recordings.
This guide will give you a greater understanding of proxy videos, including when to use them, how to create them, and some of the considerations to remember when working with them.
What is a proxy video?
Proxy videos improve editing performance because they are low-resolution and lighter copies of your original media; these less cumbersome files should be more suited to an editing environment than the original raw files.
Proxy files are often substitutes for high-resolution files from DSLR cameras, smartphones, and digital cameras, or screen recordings and other video files greater than 1920×1080 (including 2K and 4K videos).
Most video editing software has predetermined settings that ensure your media is the most efficient. This, in turn, will help ensure you don’t suffer from choppy or sluggish editing.
It’s important to note that proxy video files are typically specific to both the editor you’re using and the project it’s associated with.
Some video editing software will have proxy videos that stay with and follow the original media; this means you can load the raw files into a new project and shouldn’t need to go through the steps to proxy your video. TechSmith Camtasia allows you to use the same proxy media in multiple projects (so long as you don’t empty your Proxy Videos folder).
Why use proxy videos?
Proxy files being lower in resolution than the original files help ensure the smoothest editing experience in your video editor by temporarily sacrificing quality for speed.
Heavy video files, such as those from digital camcorders, DSLRs, HDR-enabled media, and 4K media, to name a few, aren’t well-suited to editing on their own, and that’s where proxy videos come into play.
Even media files loaded from cloud and/or network locations, while not recommended when you’re actively editing, are subject to being proxied (which means a duplicate version is created). In doing so, the performance will be improved while editing files from those locations.
Once your media has been proxied, most editors with proxy video features will temporarily substitute the proxy file for the original media, and your editing should be smoother.
With a smoother editing experience, you’ll be able to be a more efficient editor. You’ll spend more time editing and less time waiting on your computer while it works with the heavier video files.
What are some downsides to using proxied videos?
The benefits of proxied media outweigh the negatives, but there are a few things to keep in mind. A proxy video may appear blurry in your editor’s preview window, making it difficult to discern fine details.
Reading text is another example of something that may become difficult with proxied videos. In addition, you may not be able to see fine details on a person’s face, see colors as vibrant as the raw files, or, in some cases, the motion could become slightly blurred due to the lower resolution of the proxied video.
Additionally, proxy files take up a small amount of hard drive space. This can be a concern when using proxy files on systems with small primary hard drives or with projects stored in external locations. Because of this, most video editing software can manage the size of the Proxy Videos folder. Even though files are relatively small compared to the original videos, proxy files can still take up space, so space should be considered.
How do I know if my media has been proxied?
The telltale sign that your media has been proxied will most notably be seen in the preview window.
The heavier, more complex original media will be transcoded into a smaller, lower-resolution video that is far easier for most editors to work with. The tradeoff for the speed and efficiency of a proxy video is a temporary drop in visual quality.
It’s important to remember that proxied files are only low-resolution in your editor and should not affect the overall quality of your finalized video.
Some editors, such as TechSmith’s Camtasia, have an indicator icon on the video thumbnail. In Camtasia, a yellow dot is in the bottom right corner of your media’s thumbnail in the Media bin. This helps you quickly identify whether there is a problem with your source files or if it’s simply the side effect of being a proxy video.
How do I create a proxy video?
The creation of proxy videos will depend greatly on your chosen editing application.
Some editors, such as Adobe’s Premiere Pro, can create proxy files when you load them into your project. As soon as you import your media into the project, Adobe will start transcoding the original media into the lighter-weight proxy media format.
TechSmith’s Camtasia is similar in that it will detect whether your original media is high resolution, such as 2K, 4K. The process also begins whether it is a heavy video codec such as AVCHD or HEVC, or if it’s stored in a location that’s not recommended to edit from, such as external hard drives or cloud storage.
This method is called “ingesting” or “autoproxy” and can be helpful in streamlining the editing process. There are other methods of creating proxy files, though most will be unique to your preferred video editor.
Some tools, like Apple’s Final Cut Pro and TechSmith Camtasia, have right-click menu options that allow you to quickly select the option to create (or delete) a proxy file if one wasn’t already created.
The easiest way to edit videos
Stop wasting time and discover how Camtasia makes creating incredible videos easier than ever.
The only types of files you might consider proxying are video files (such as the MP4 and MOV extensions).
Can I use a proxy video in more than one editor?
Proxy files are typically unique or specific to the project with an editor; for example, TechSmith’s Camtasia proxy files are stored locally in a hidden system folder. They are not part of the project and can only be utilized properly within Camtasia.
Advanced Tip: Some editors may allow you to edit with a placeholder instead of the original media; if your editor supports this method, you can use a third-party utility like Handbrake to manually transcode a lighter, easier-to-work-with file and use that in place of your raw files.
My project looks blurry while editing. Will my final video look blurry, too?
No, it should not. Video editing software that uses proxy videos will do so only in the context of editing. Once you have finished editing and are ready to produce/render your final video, the software will use the original raw files instead of the proxy videos.
Advanced Tip: After you have produced your final version of your video and you no longer need to make changes to your project, you may want to delete the proxy file(s).
The video in the project’s preview window should then appear crisp, clean, and without any blurring; this should be a near-identical approximation of the quality you should receive in your final video (though results may vary depending on your production settings).
Proxy videos make your video editing experience smoother and less prone to performance issues. Proxy files are beneficial for projects containing high-resolution videos (such as 2K, 4K, and 8k resolutions), HDR-enabled videos, DSLR and smartphone movies, or large screen recordings. They are created by importing large videos into a project or created through options found in your video editing tool.
Finally, proxy files have a few inherent elements that may trip unsuspecting editors up: They are blurrier than the original media and take up additional space on the hard drive.
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.
Should that pesky mouse cursor be included in your final video?
If you’re like me, this question is one of those finer details of video editing that is not at the forefront of your project planning. However, choosing how best to represent the mouse cursor adds a subtle but professional touch to your final video.
Why you might want to keep or remove the mouse cursor from videos
We have all heard the old saying, “Negative attention is still attention,” and we want to avoid that perception when it comes to our video projects.
In the age of utilizing video communication to create a visual representation of a subject matter, the mouse cursor is seemingly minor in the recording process. However, the same mouse cursor plays an essential role in the final video by either enhancing the steps for the viewer or, negatively, turning it into a distraction.
When creating a tutorial or step-by-step guide with our videos, we can take advantage of Camtasia by applying mouse click enhancements called Cursor Effects. These show the viewer where our clicks happen and allow the mouse cursor to stand out from the screen background. Camtasia 2024’s editing process makes editing easy by adding visual cues along the track for smoother editing.
With a Cursor Effect added, the visual for the viewer adds context to the mouse click, and you can see some of the options available with Camtasia 2024’s Cursor Effects:
Not every video needs a mouse cursor, and the mighty little arrow can detract from an otherwise flawless presentation. For example, you put some time and effort into creating an engaging PowerPoint presentation and record it to share. Then, you realize that the mouse cursor is hanging out on stage right, and it looks like amateur hour.
Tips for better screen recordings with or without a cursor
Some additional tips as you embark on your video editing journey:
Pro Tip 1
Plan your recording ahead of time. Create a Video Storyboard to prepare for your recording project.
Pro Tip 2
Use shortcuts to enhance the recording efficiency. Utilizing the shortcut options within Camtasia or applicable shortcuts within other programs will give you a cleaner recording.
Pro Tip 3
When possible use keyboards or touchpads during recording. Not all applications have shortcuts for all tasks. Most computer mice make a heavy click sound. This noise is often captured during recording and can distract the viewer.
Pro Tip 4
Practice makes perfect! Before you hit that record button, run a complete practice through your presentation in its entirety so that you do not fumble through the actual recording.
Can I remove the mouse cursor while creating the recording?
The Camtasia Recorder cannot remove the mouse cursor while the recording is in progress; this step must be done during the editing phase.
How can I remove the mouse cursor for Snagit videos?
Removing the mouse cursor is specific to Camtasia-created videos (.trec files) and does not apply to Snagit-created videos or videos created by non-TechSmith software.
What if I only want to hide the mouse in certain parts of my video?
You can remove the mouse cursor from a portion of your video by making that section of the video its own clip. This is done by splitting the video using the split feature. Once the part of the video you want to remove the cursor from is its own clip, you can then follow the steps to remove the cursor.
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.
Almost everyone has a desire to make clean, professional video content, but must weigh how much time they spend on it. Thankfully, the days of having to rely on the restrictions of linear video or audio editing are behind us.
Instead of working with projects in a set sequence that restricts creativity and chews up valuable time, Camtasia’s non-linear editing (NLE) empowers flexibility.
You can use just what you need from a library of audio or video clips, utilizing the parts you need and discarding the rest without altering the source files.
How does a non-linear editor work?
Would you like to use the same video in multiple projects? You can, because you never actually change the original. Do you just need a ten-second sound bite from the middle of a five-minute speech? Pull that out but don’t let the other four minutes and fifty seconds slow your editing process down.
Non-linear editing essentially assembles the perfect puzzle but is composed from the pieces of your choosing. This is incredibly powerful when making a series of videos with shared elements such as specific key graphics or the intros or outros (sometimes called bumpers) at the beginning and end of your videos. These give your series some connective tissue while still enabling you to convey unique content in each video.
Cut, copy, paste, slide, speed up, shorten whatever piece of media you want, place it where you want, and reuse it as many times as needed. Your project should work on your terms – not the other way around. Non-linear editing software allows you to experiment, iterate, and get the best possible results in the least amount of time without loss of quality.
The easiest way to edit videos
Stop wasting time and discover how Camtasia makes creating incredible videos easier than ever.
Step 1: Setting up your non-linear editing workflow
This is a two-part process. The first is identifying the media you want to bring into your presentation. This can be images, videos (both clips and longer pieces), and audio.
Once you’ve decided what you want to use, you need to bring the media into your project. You can learn more about how easy it is to import your desired media with Camtasia here.
Step 2: Editing with a non-linear editor
This is where an NLE gets to flex its digital muscles for you. Now that you know what media you want to use, you can put it together and polish it up in whatever order you like.
Want to pull in a bunch of content at once and start laying it out on your timeline to get a feel for the overall flow of your video? You can do that, but if you prefer to just bring in a single clip and start editing it to make it more concise, or perhaps add special effects? You can do that too.
The timeline is where this heavy lifting happens, and it’s best described as a visual representation of your future video. Here you can see thumbnails for your images or videos and the waveforms for your audio that are represented in a way that makes them easy to identify and work with.
A great benefit of using an NLE is flexibility. You move clips and pieces around as you need them, where you want them, without having to always just work with a single massive file.
You can have a large three-hour recording as your base, but most of the time you will want to break it up, take out the stuff that’s not needed, or draw attention to specific details in that video in a way that allows you to highlight the content you want to without drowning the view in stuff they don’t need.
Benefit 2: Streamlined workflow
These editing features provided by Camtasia are fantastic, but perhaps the most important part of video creation: getting the video made and shared. You don’t want to spend your time editing a video only to have it be such a laborious process that the finished content sits in a project file and never sees the light of day.
Camtasia assists this streamlined process in multiple ways. For one, there are plenty of options within the timeline that speed up the editing process, from magnetic tracks, to grouping media and numerous shortcuts within the software that respect your time by simplifying tasks.
Camtasia also provides assets and templates that work well with your content to provide polished, professional content without creating everything from scratch. Transitions are as easy as clicking and dragging your desired effect to the timeline between your two clips.
Effects such as transitions, blurring, animated text, and zooming into important areas of the screen are quick and easy to apply and can elevate even the simplest of images or videos into something high-quality and engaging for your audience.
Templates provide a framework for your videos that streamline the process of video editing by providing placeholders for your media. Similar to the aforementioned intros and outros, learning how to leverage templates can provide consistency between your videos. This is particularly useful if the end goal is to provide a series of videos and not just a one-shot production.
Ready to give non-linear video editing with Camtasia a try?
Getting started with Camtasia can be surprisingly simple. Camtasia has numerous tutorials available, and they cover a diverse range of topics. The structure within the software provides guidance for new users, but a wealth of options also gives users a reason to dig deeper as they get more comfortable with non-linear video editing.
The easiest way to edit videos
Stop wasting time and discover how Camtasia makes creating incredible videos easier than ever.
What’s the difference between linear and non-linear editing?
Simply put, a linear editor has you working in a left-to-right fashion, often with a single large piece of media. Non-linear editing provides a less structured approach that encourages experimentation and flexibility, which provides plenty of polish.
Is Camtasia a suitable video editor for beginners?
Absolutely. The software provides plenty of guide rails for new users, an intuitive interface and numerous tutorials that teach the basics, while still providing opportunity to learn more for those who want to explore Camtasia’s many features.
What features should I look for in a non-linear video editor?
With features such as drag-and-drop editing, provided assets such as transitions, the flexibility to use a variety of image, video and audio media and templates, Camtasia provides easy access for beginners and a wealth of options that experienced editors should expect as well.
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.
Video has revolutionized the delivery of information and training content.
Whether you’re teaching people through online content or training internal coworkers, using video to share knowledge is becoming an expectation.
Don’t make folks spend their time pouring through long, wordy training manuals or documentation to learn a skill, new process, or gain knowledge. In fact, 83% of people prefer watching videos to accessing instructional or informational content via text or audio.
The type of content you create matters just as much as the information you are trying to share, this includes video.
The problem is many companies struggle with how to create and deliver engaging and effective instructional videos that viewers will actually watch.
TechSmith conducted research to learn more about people’s viewing habits and preferences around instructional and informational videos.
We wanted to know: how we can ensure that people start – and continue – watching videos?
Highlights
– 83% of people prefer to consume instructional or informational content by watching a video.
– People watch videos because they want to. Only 16% of respondents said they watched a video because they had to.
– 87% of viewers prefer a real person vs. an animated character or AI avatar.
– People prefer longer videos than in the past. 10-19 minute long instructional or informational video being the most popular time frame, a distinct change from previous surveys, which showed viewers’ inclination to watch shorter videos.
– Nearly a third of respondents said videos over 20 minutes are too long.
– By using AI tools strategically and selectively, creators can leverage audiences while keeping humanity at the forefront.
– People believe that a quality speaker and audio matters more than conciseness, level of interest, and even clarity.
– 2/3s of those surveyed watch at least one instructional or informational video per week.
People prefer videos
Video has emerged as one of the most powerful and widely used formats for delivering training and instructions, regardless of your intended audience
The acceptance and consumption of video (including mobile video) continue to grow across most departments, segments, and demographics.
This should come as no surprise.
As employees, students, and customers increasingly expect information to be available in video format, businesses are embracing video for its benefits, visual appeal, and effectiveness. In fact, 83% of people prefer watching videos to accessing instructional or informational content via text or audio.
The big question is no longer “Should I create a video?” it’s “How do I create effective videos that people actually watch?”
Learn more in the report
Dive into the insights and advice about 2024 video viewer trends and habits.
About 50% of the video content accessed by respondents is made up of informal or formal training videos and live streams or webinars.
Respondents could select more than one option, and on average, people chose 2.4 different types of videos, and 71% chose at least two video types. This further suggests that a one-size-fits-all approach to video isn’t ideal. Different videos serve a specific purpose for varying situations and viewers tend to watch a variety of video types.
How (often) do viewers watch videos?
61% of respondents watch videos on YouTube or another public video site.
Putting instructional and informational videos on YouTube is a helpful way to make content available to a broad audience. If you want your videos to succeed, get watched, and reach new audiences, you should pay attention to what about the content draws in viewers.
People aren’t always accessing information through internal resources, and there is a reason for that. Researching the videos watched by your audience and trying to mimic the style and quality can be worthwhile.
Short-form instructional content on social media platforms can also reach a wide audience. 44% of respondents watched tutorials and how-to videos on a social media platform.
Why do people watch videos?
People watch videos because they want to. There is a bigger emphasis on using videos for knowledge and skill acquisition and a lesser focus on using them to solve immediate problems.
The key takeaway here is that YouTube has become one of the world’s leading destinations for informational and instructional content — and that most of that learning is self-directed. People are learning because they want to.
Only 16% of respondents said they watched a video because they had to.
How do people choose which videos to watch? Our data shows that many factors influence their choice.
54% of respondents simply saw a description that matched their needs. That’s a 14% increase since our 2021 study, when under 40% of respondents relied heavily on description. 35% of respondents chose a video because of an interesting or intriguing title, compared to 25% in 2021. In other words, if you want people to watch your videos, make sure they have accurate and engaging titles and descriptions.
Titles and descriptions that get noticed
With titles and descriptions being such an important factor for viewers choosing your video, it’s more important than ever to get them right.
Best Practices
Attention-grabbing titles are key. You want your video to stand out among the rest so it gets noticed.
Skip the “how to.” Jump right into the title and drop those two words.
What can you do for them? Explain what your video can do for them in the description. You’re competing with hundreds of other videos. Why is your video the best option?
We’ve all heard that shorter is better, right? Apparently, wrong!
Respondents shook up preconceptions with 25% preferring a 10-19 minute informational or instructional video respectively.
Combined, 30% and 35% of viewers still preferred either 3-4 minute or 5-6 minute long informational or instructional videos respectively.
These responses are on trend with the vast current consumption of short social media videos and people’s desire to be efficient with their time.
When it comes to required videos, about 60% of respondents prefer short videos, under one minute. This follows the idea that viewers are more likely to spend time on a topic that is directly relevant to their skillset or interest rather than required “homework.”
Viewer’s interest patterns
57% of respondents answered that “it is easy to follow” is the video element that keeps them most interested. Respondents want a comprehensive solution that informs them without being complicated.
Relatable and current content is almost as important with 55% of respondents answering that it keeps them interested in the video.
Content is the most important
The most important quality for a video to have is … content! Of course, viewers want to watch videos that are relevant to their interests or the problem they are trying to solve.
People noticed that a quality presenter and audio as an aspect of the video they found engaging.
Viewers also crave relevant professional-style graphics, style, and lower thirds, which is an interesting pattern given the prevalence of informal training videos.
Stand-out professional graphics.
42% of respondents ranked professional graphics as one of the top three content characteristics they felt was most important in a video.
Graphics aid the viewer by adding information that is beneficial for the viewer.
Visuals that add value
Lower-thirds add the speaker’s name and, usually, occupation at the bottom of a video clip. This gives viewers insight into who is speaking and their relationship to the material that is being presented.
Infographics collect key takeaways for the viewer in one convenient space. Make it downloadable so that viewers can save and share the main points with others.
Videos are meant to be watched all the way through, so what compels viewers to click off prematurely?
For 33% of viewers, they simply got the information they needed before the video ended. After all, that is the aim of most tutorials and once the task is done, the need to keep watching is gone. If people stop watching your videos because they got the information they needed, you should make sure you’re only covering what’s necessary.
22% of respondents reported the video to be boring or uninteresting. We get it. Not all topics are extraordinarily exciting and interesting, but there are a number of ways you can keep your viewers interested. Even just varying the tone of your voice or introducing more motion can make a drab topic seem more exciting.
Lastly, 9% of respondents stopped watching videos because of poor quality. Of those respondents, poor audio and blurry footage were tied for the top spot, followed by insufficient explanation.
What did we learn from this? Be engaging, lively, and concise in your videos.
Don’t be boring
Entertainment value keeps viewers engaged and watching videos. 22% of respondents answered that they stopped watching the most recent instructional or informational video because it was boring or uninteresting.
The top four reasons? Monotone speech, not concise or efficient, video length, and off-topic rants.
Monotone speaker
Liven up! Viewers are here to learn new information from this content, and they want to be excited about it. Lean into creativity and humor to grasp and retain viewers’ attention.
Get to the point quickly. Introduce important information and requirements right away. Don’t spend too much time on your introduction, telling a story, or giving background information.
Problems come in many ways and so can solutions. Find the best solution for your audience’s problem and explain it thoroughly but concisely.
Balance video length
More respondents preferred a 10-19 minute video than a 3-4 minute video. However, longer is not always the key. The majority of respondents would not watch a video 60 minutes and longer. Balance is key here. Ultimately, we always say that your video should be as long as it needs to be.
Shorter videos are a popular choice, especially on social media, so leverage the platform you’re on. Shorter video lengths may perform better on certain platforms over others, so keep experimenting. Experiment and consider offering shorter as well as long, more in-depth videos on key topics.
Stay on topic
Create a script and stick to it. You can be intentional with the information included and focus on the problem-solving at hand.
Be purposeful with what is included. What you find interesting is not what everyone else finds interesting. Small anecdotes that you enjoy but don’t have a specific purpose may detract from your video more than anything.
If you find yourself trying to cover too much, remember that creating more than one video is an option.
Learn more in the report
Dive into the insights and advice about 2024 video viewer trends and habits.
Videos with blurry or shaky footage can be unwatchable for some viewers. After all, how are they supposed to learn a new skill or acquire new knowledge if the video can’t show them exactly what they need? To the respondents who stopped watching a video due to poor quality, blurry footage is the biggest deal breaker, tied with poor audio quality.
This is an interesting find as it hints that some types of production quality are valued and expected. Videos need to be, at the very least, put together in a high-quality, understandable way to invite viewers to continue watching.
35% of respondents agreed that high-quality and easy-to-hear audio narration keeps them interested and watching.
On the flip side, fuzzy audio is tied as the top reason respondents stop watching a poor quality video. This means that ensuring that video audio is clear and crisp is key in keeping your audience engaged and interested. Audio needs to be, above all, understandable.
The rise of AI avatars
87% of viewers prefer a real person vs. an animated character or AI avatar. Although viewers are watching videos online, the human connection aspect seems to be inherently important to video creation.
This indicates that picture-in-picture recordings of informational and instructional videos may be here to stay. Viewers prefer to hear and see a real person explain new information to them rather than an AI-generated avatar.
AI’s Helping Hands
75% of respondents indicated that they are very receptive or somewhat receptive to watching instructional or informational video content created with the help of artificial intelligence.
Respondents seem to find a line of demarcation between AI that you can see or hear and AI that simply helps the creator find the content they need.
But AI content does not come without concerns. 90% of respondents have concerns about receiving video content created with AI. Of those concerns, 45% of respondents worry the accuracy of the content may not be up to par.
These concerns, although understandable, can easily be remedied by fact-checking AI content before creating a video. Although respondents seem to be wary about the credibility of AI, you can uphold personal credibility that will shine through content.
By using AI tools strategically and selectively, creators can leverage audiences while keeping humanity at the forefront.
The future of video in the workplace
So much is clear videos are here to stay, but do they have growth potential?
It seems so. Respondents are inclined to make video a bigger part of their workday. 38% of respondents would prefer it if coworkers shared knowledge in the form of more videos. Only 10% of respondents would prefer fewer videos.
Even though only 19% of respondents tried creating an instructional or informational video in the past year, almost half of respondents received screen recording share-outs or content from their coworkers in the past year.
People want videos but are reluctant to make them themselves. We understand – talking to a camera can be uncomfortable – but people are so receptive to them.
The TechSmith Academy has plenty of free resources to create your first tutorial video and screen recording to share with your team. It’s easy to get started, and your coworkers will thank you!
Learn more in the report
Dive into the insights and advice about 2024 video viewer trends and habits.
People want to watch instructions and informational videos, that much is clear. Understanding viewer’s preferences and habits around videos provides insight into how to create content that will resonate with an audience. Viewers watching instructional or informational videos want easy-to-follow, relevant content that will help them achieve their goals.
Recently, viewers’ focus has shifted from informal to more polished videos. Plus, although AI can be a helpful tool for content sourcing, viewers are not receptive to its blatant presence, as with AI avatars. Viewers want human-centered content that is engaging, easy to follow, and that meets their needs.
Whether you’re making a YouTube video or recording a presentation, if you make videos — especially how-to and explainer videos — you will almost certainly need to record voice overs.
So how do you record voice overs that grab and keep your audience’s attention? And, what AI tool can you leverage to create great voice overs?
In this article, we’ll discuss the ins and outs of what a voice over is, how you can record your own, and go over some voice over tips for beginners.
What is a voice over?
A voice over recording is a person speaking during a video — often describing, highlighting, explaining, or providing additional context to what a viewer sees.
It’s often confused with narration. And, while they are similar, they are not quite the same thing.
Narration is a specific type of voice over that describes all of the on-screen action, often telling a story based on what’s happening. While narration is more commonly used for entertainment, non-narration voice overs are often used on instructional, informational, and educational videos.
Why is a good voice over important for your video?
Some might think that the audio portion of a video is less important than the visual aspects, but that’s not true. Most people that watch videos say they are more likely to stop watching a video with bad audio vs. one with lower-quality video.
This isn’t that surprising when you think about it. While the on-screen elements of your video are what makes it a video, in many cases, it’s the voice over that helps people truly understand what’s being shown.
Muddy, muffled, or otherwise garbled or difficult-to-understand audio tracks are frustrating to viewers. And, for people who are blind, but still need the information your video provides, good audio is essential.
So great audio isn’t just important. It’s a fundamental necessity to keep an audience interested and engaged — and to ensure they get the information they need.eep an audience interested and engaged — and to ensure they get the information they need.
The Easiest and Fastest Way to Record and Edit Voice Over Audio!
Audiate makes recording and editing your voice as simple as editing text in a document.
When most of us think of great video voice overs, we probably think of actors like Morgan Freeman or James Earl Jones, usually because there’s a tendency to associate voice overs with having a great voice. And while that can help, it’s not a prerequisite for doing a voice over.
In fact, with a little know-how and some practice, almost anyone can produce a professional-quality voice over for a video. All you have to keep in mind are the key elements that make a voice over stand out:
Audio clarity and volume
Pacing
Vocal tone and inflection
Pronunciation
1. Audio clarity and volume
The clarity of your voice and speaking at a comfortable volume may be the most essential parts of great audio.
If your voice over recording is fuzzy or muddy sounding, it will be difficult for people to understand and your audience will be distracted and unable to absorb the information or may simply switch your video off. Either way, they’ll miss your message and you’ll miss an opportunity to share your knowledge.
Similarly, if the volume of your audio is too low, it may be difficult for people to hear. And if it’s too loud, you risk distorting it. Fortunately, there is a solid sweet spot for getting the volume just right, which we’ll talk more about in a moment.
2. Pacing
Ever talk with someone who has an exciting story to tell, but they’re so excited about it that they rush through it and when they’re done you can’t even remember what they were talking about? Or, someone who drones on and on with no end in sight, while you struggle to keep your eyes open?
This is called pacing, and it’s important to get right. Too fast and your audience won’t know what hit them. To slow and they’re likely to get bored.
The best voice overs have a natural and deliberate pace, which is why you should always write a script (and practice it!) before you start recording as this will help you speak naturally. You should also remember that pacing includes things like pausing now and then to take a breath, either for effect or to give the listener a break to process important information.
3. Vocal tone and inflection
Like pacing, vocal tone and inflection refer to ensuring you speak naturally and pleasantly. You want to sound friendly and engaging, but not so much that you sound fake.
No one wants to sound like a game show host (or like Troy McClure). But, you also want to avoid a monotone robot voice which, like pacing that’s too slow, can be boring and off-putting.
4. Pronunciation and enunciation
The final element of great voice over work is ensuring that you pronounce each word correctly and that you speak clearly enough to be understood. Avoid mumbling, but don’t shout or over-enunciate, either.
Be mindful of your regional accent (yes, we all have them) and pronunciations as they relate to your audience. While it’s perfectly acceptable to “warsh” your hands in Missouri or have a great “idear” in New England, those pronunciations may confuse people from other locations.
Don’t worry, though. No one expects you to sound like a professional voice actor. The best thing you can do is speak naturally and clearly — the rest will follow with practice.onal voice actor. The best thing you can do is speak naturally and clearly — the rest will follow with practice.
The Easiest and Fastest Way to Record and Edit Voice Over Audio!
Audiate makes recording and editing your voice as simple as editing text in a document.
Not all videos need a ton of preparation. Quick one-off screencasts or a fast demonstration of a new user interface for a colleague can probably be done on the fly. But, for videos where you want a more polished look or need to cover more information, a bit of preparation goes a long way.
Find a quiet place to work
You can create a great voice recording space with minimal effort and little expenditure.
You want a space that’s free from distracting noises and where you are unlikely to be interrupted. Most decent microphones pick up even faint ambient sounds, and those sounds will make it into your recording.
Nowhere is going to be completely silent, so find the best place you can — even if that means thinking outside the box.
For example, you might find the quietest place you can find to record is in your car (with the engine off, of course). It might not be the ideal setup, but if all you need to do is speak into a microphone, it might be the quietest environment you have access to — and you might be surprised by the results!
Choose a microphone
Next, you need a decent microphone. We won’t go too in-depth with this here, but we do have another article detailing the best microphones for recording video.
What we will say, however, is you should definitely avoid recording your voice overs on your laptop microphone, if possible. While built-in mics are fine for the likes of Zoom meetings, even a low-cost external microphone will be better for a video voice over.
You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars, either. You can get a decent USB microphone for $50-$100, which is well worth the investment if you’ll be doing a lot of voice over work. However, even the headphones that come with your smartphone (which usually have a small built-in mic) will record a better sound than just your computer’s microphone.
If you do intend to use an external mic, we’d also recommend investing in a pop filter. They’re cheap and help minimize the distracting sounds caused by hard consonants such as “p” and “b.”
Choose your audio software
Audio editing software is incredibly important to polish and perfect your recordings. Audiate is a great example of that, but it comes with extra features that’ll make your recording process even easier!
Audiate is text-based editing software, which means that you can edit your voice over as text instead of nondescript soundwaves. Look out for hesitations, umms, ahhs, and other mistakes so you can delete them simply by hitting backspace.
2. Write a script
Writing a script is probably the single most important thing you can do to ensure your voice over sounds professional. Nothing ruins a good voice over faster than a lot of “uhms” and “ahs” as you try to remember what you wanted to say.
The best scripts will include everything you intend to say, word for word. Taking the time to write this out before recording helps ensure that you will cover everything you want to without the risk of wandering off into unrelated topics.
And if you don’t want to write a script, you don’t have to! Audiate’s Generate Script feature lets you enter a prompt and writes the script out for you. You simply need to edit it to your liking and you’re done. You’ll never have to stare at a blank page again!
Before you get down to the real thing, though, be sure to run a test recording to ensure your equipment is working as it should, and your audio levels are good.
Even if nothing has changed from the last time you did a voice over, run a test first. There’s nothing worse than jumping straight into the recording, only to finish and find that something wasn’t set up properly.
You don’t need to record the entire script for your test recording, but a few paragraphs will give you enough to ensure that the audio is clear and doesn’t include any stray or ambient noises.
Top Tip: When you listen back to your test recording, use headphones to check the audio quality. These will be much better than your computer speakers at picking up any unclear audio, feedback, or weird noises.
While you’ll obviously want the audio to sound good on the cheapest speakers, you (and your audience) will be much happier if you use headphones to check for quality. Remember, many of your viewers will probably listen via headphones, so you want to make sure they have the best possible audio.ant to make sure they have the best possible audio.
The Easiest and Fastest Way to Record and Edit Voice Over Audio!
Audiate makes recording and editing your voice as simple as editing text in a document.
You also want to consider where to place your microphone. If it’s too close to the person speaking, it will pick up all kinds of weird mouth noises and air puffs. However, if the mic is too far away you might sound lost in a large room.
Ideally, place the microphone about six to eight inches from your mouth, and slightly below your chin. If you’re using an LAV (clip-on mic), make sure it’s about six to eight inches below your mouth.
You should also be mindful of the surface where you place your mic. Some microphone stands will be susceptible to picking up noises from the desk or table they’re sitting on, so be sure to listen for those types of sounds on your test recording.
Check your volume levels
Getting the volume level right for your audio ensures that it’s easily heard and not distorted. If the volume is too low, your audience will have trouble hearing what you say. If it’s too high, you risk garbled audio or blowing out your people’s ear drums.
While you can always make a video louder and adjust levels when you edit, starting with the best possible audio level as you record is always your best bet.
Audio levels are measured in decibels (dB).
In audio editing, 0db is actually the maximum you want to achieve. It sounds weird, but trust us.
For the most part, your ideal audio level is between -10db to -20db. Your audio should peak around -6db.
Never go above 0db, as your audio will distort or “clip.”
Most audio recording software will have indicators that let you know when your audio is in danger of being too loud and clipping.
The image above shows TechSmith’s Camtasia interface with the waveform (a graphical representation of your audio recording) on the left and the level indicator on the right. The indicator shows that the audio peaked at just under -6db and is well within the acceptable levels.
4. Record your voice over
Once you’re satisfied with your microphone placement and audio levels, you’re ready to record your voice over! With Audiate, it’s as simple as clicking the record button and speaking.
As you record your script, remember these key tips for ensuring a great voice over:
Speak slowly and clearly: Enunciate each word, but don’t concentrate on it to such an extent that you sound like a robot.
Consider your tone: You want to sound pleasant, but not overjoyed or overly excited.
Pro Tip: Smiling while you read your script can help you sound happier and more natural.
Don’t stop: If you make a mistake, you don’t have to start over — you can always fix it when you edit. Just go back a sentence or two in your script and start again.
Pro Tip: With Audiate, you’ll be able to see and edit your voice over’s text, so you can easily go back and fix any mistakes when you’re done.
Take breaks: If you struggle with the script or it just gets too hard to keep going, pause your recording and take a break. Rewrite any parts of the script that may be giving you too much trouble and try again.
Practice makes perfect: As with anything, voice overs get easier the more you do them. Don’t give up if it’s not perfect the first time!
5. Edit your audio
When you finish recording, it’s time to edit. Even if you didn’t make any mistakes, there’s a good chance there’ll be a few things that need fixing. Minimally, you’ll want to trim the beginning and end to remove any dead space.
However, Audiate makes it so easy to edit that you’ll barely have to lift a finger.
With traditional audio software, you have to hunt through your recording to find your mistakes and edit them individually. Even a short video could take an hour or more to edit depending on how complicated your edits were.
Traditional audio software only displays your recording as an audio wave, making it much more difficult to edit your audio.
But with Audiate, you can just read the text before highlighting and deleting any mistakes you find. You might also notice that the Audiate interface (below) is much less complicated than the software shown in the screenshot above.
With Audiate, you can still edit with the waveform if you like but you can see that the text is displayed, allowing you to more easily see where to make your edits.
When editing a voice over, it’s always worth listening to the entire recording from start to finish, before making any changes.
While you might find it useful to make some notes to remind yourself of something you want to edit later on, you should try and focus on listening to the overall pacing and tone of your recording on the first listen.
Does it sound like you hoped? Are there any parts that sound rushed, or too slow? Are any words unclear? Did you mumble? Are there weird silences or strange sounds? There’s no better time to answer these questions than on your first listen.
Once you’ve listened to your voice over all the way through you can go back to the beginning and start editing and reducing audio noise. You might also want to cut out any abnormally long silences between sentences or statements.
But remember, pauses are ok! In fact, they’re necessary to help break up the audio and make it feel more natural and conversational.
6. Import your audio into your video editor
In Camtasia, importing and working with audio only takes a couple of clicks and with Audiate, it’s even easier. You might also want to check out this post on syncing audio and video in Camtasia, but for the most part that’s it! You have just successfully recorded your voice over!
A large portion of your audience will probably listen to your video via headphones. But, what if we told you that there’s also a high chance that many people will watch your video without sound?
This is why adding captions and subtitles to your video, as well as providing an audio transcription, are so important. For those who can’t, or otherwise won’t, listen to the audio elements of your video, captions allow them to digest all of the information your video provides.
This is another reason why Audiate is so incredibly helpful.
With most other audio tools, you would have to send your audio out to a professional transcription service to have an audio file transcribed and timestamped. Even if you typed out a full script, it wouldn’t have the necessary time stamps to be used as a captions file.
However, with Audiate, the transcription happens automatically, complete with time stamps that can be used as captions.
Once you’ve recorded and edited your voice over, you can export that transcription as a caption file (and SRT file) and import it directly into Camtasia. Then, Camtasia will automatically insert the captions into your video. It’s practically magic!
The Easiest and Fastest Way to Record and Edit Voice Over Audio!
Audiate makes recording and editing your voice as simple as editing text in a document.
Creating a stunning video requires a wide variety of skills and talents. One of the key factors in a video’s success happens long before any lighting decisions are made or the audio recordings need editing. Excellent videos require excellent scripts, but writing a script for a video can be one of the most difficult things for a creator.
Because of that, we’ve created this step-by-step guide to creating a great video script! We’ve even included a free video script template that you can use to make sure all of your videos start with a solid foundation.
Why do you need a video script?
To get more inspiration
How often have you found that getting words flowing from your mind onto paper just opens a floodgate? Ideas and inspiration just seem to multiply once you allow them to flow. Because of this, the process of writing a video script can unlock ideas you may otherwise have missed.
So often when we put pen to paper we are able to access pieces of our imagination that add important elements to our end product. Writing a video script can be a springboard for what will make your video impactful.
To deliver your message efficiently
Structure and clarity are two non-negotiables for successful videos. Writing a script for your video is a great way to make sure that your message follows a logical pattern and that the viewer is able to clearly understand the point you are trying to get across.
Writing a video script also helps to make sure that the message is delivered in a way that is in line with established brand standards – audience confusion is not efficient!
To save editing time
The script for your video will outline the audio and visual components that the final product should display. This could include sound bytes, illustrations, and animations among others. An editor who is able to work from a prepared video script will be able to do their job in a more timely way than the editor who is left to guess where each element belongs.
A narrator or main character who is guided by a full script will have fewer instances of hesitation or interjections of fillers like “um”, “like”, and “uh”, which can significantly impact editing time.
To make recording easier
Recording is made infinitely easier when the process is guided by a well-developed script. If you are recording solo, having a script to refer to can help calm your nerves and keep you on topic.
If you are recording an interview, being able to provide the script to the interviewee in advance can help them prepare, often resulting in fewer takes and less editing required to create an excellent end product.
How to write a video script?
We recommend writing scripts in collaborative ways, like by using Google Docs, so stakeholders can comment and react to the script as it’s developing.
Identify your audience
A key step in video script writing doesn’t involve a pen, paper, or a video camera. Identifying the target audience for the video being developed is an all-important first step. Your choices around language, humor and tone will vary depending on the audience identified for the video.
Creating a script that is engaging for teenagers is different than writing a script for a video targeting retirees! If you don’t know exactly who you are speaking to it is likely that your message won’t be well received.
Knowing your audience is also important for how the end product is used. A video geared toward teenagers may be only a few minutes long, recorded vertically, and placed on TikTok, while a training video for new employees would be much longer in duration and require less focus on an attention-grabbing hook.
Set a goal for your video
The key question to ask yourself at this pivotal point is “Why is this video being made?” Is it meant to teach people something? To unify a group of people? To establish a brand’s identity? Knowing and sharing the answer to this question will help steer your video script writing and the work that everyone else involved is doing as well.
Choose the main characters
Good storytelling is key to creating compelling videos, and what is a story without some engaging and relatable characters?
If you are struggling to identify the main character, go back to your target audience and your goal. Think about who that audience would relate to and want to hear from concerning the goal you have established for the video.
For example, if your video‘s goal is to build trust with a company following a public failure, having the CEO as the main character may suit, whereas if your video is a solution to a recurring workplace accident, the health and safety representative might be a good choice.
Your audience will dictate which character speaks to them.
Write an outline
Starting with an outline helps to give structure to your video script. An outline is a great starting place to get all of your ideas out of your head and onto paper so that you can see which ones fit well in a structured video script and move you toward your goal and which ones may actually end up as distractions.
It can be tempting to jump right into video script writing but skipping this important step can cause your message to be lost and the video to appear overstuffed and disorganized. Your outline should help to establish what the beginning, middle, and end of the video script will include. You can include any details that might be helpful as you move into the next step – video script writing.
Generate a script for you
We get it, writing can be tough and it’s not easy to start from scratch. Luckily, you don’t have to! With Audiate’s Generate Script feature, you can request a script about anything and Audiate will write it for you. Then, tweak and edit as needed to add your personality back into it. It’s super simple and can really speed up the process for you!
Audiate’s text-to-speech generator reads out loud using AI voices!
Attention (Grab their attention in the first line)
Agitation (Agitate the pain that you can solve)
Activity (Show them how to solve it)
Action (Call them to action and tell them how to get the solution)
Use this script template as a guide for your videos. Take a screenshot now and save it for whenever you need to refer back to the structure.
Breaking your outline down and writing a video script section by section is an excellent way to make sure your thoughts stay organized and the storyline for your video follows a logical progression.
Beginning: attention & agitation
Start writing with a hook, or a compelling introduction that delivers an accurate preview of your video. No clickbait here! Try phrases like “Have you ever…” and “The top three…”, as your starting point.
Ensure the viewer can recognize your brand and associate this video’s message with it. You can do this by incorporating brand colors into the scheme for the video, displaying a logo, and writing your video script using brand-aligned language and tone. This helps establish your video as something familiar and trustworthy.
Middle: activity
Deliver your message. You’ve drawn them in with the hook and established who you are, so now is the time to tell them exactly what you came here to tell them. Be sure to write this portion of your video script to be as concise as possible so that the message is clear.
End: action
Include a Call to Action (CTA). This is the opportunity in your video script to tell the audience exactly what you want them to do. Whether that’s “book now”, “watch the next video”, “buy now”, or anything else, do not miss this opportunity to provide that extra bit of clarity around what you want the viewer to do with the information you have just provided.
Tips to write an amazing video script
Pro tip: Start your video with “Hey Mom” to create a comfortable environment and conversational tone. Just don’t forget to cut it out in post-production!
Stay true to yourself
We’ve all had the experience of watching someone speak, whether live or on video, and being painfully aware that they are reading from a script.
So how do you prevent that from happening with your video scriptwriting? Well, a focus on writing conversationally is a big help with this. If you’re writing a script that you will be speaking from, write it the way that you talk normally.
Make sure to write your video script using language that feels comfortable, is aligned with the brand you’re representing, and feels familiar. If you are comfortable and remaining true to your natural communication patterns (or those of the speaker you are writing for) your audience will be more fully engaged than if it feels obvious that you are “putting on a show”.
Get to the point
The average human attention span is a maximum of 8 seconds, and people are used to being entertained. Taking the time and energy to consume your content may not seem like a big ask, but in this day and age, it actually might be.
For these reasons, it is important to get right to the point and be as concise as you can be when writing a video script. Surrounding your message with too much back story or context can be distracting and confusing for viewers. Save any of the information that you think is important to share but doesn’t fit well within a concise video script for use in future videos or other types of content.
Stick to the video script (mostly)
You are writing this video script for a reason right? And part of that reason is to make sure the message gets delivered and the video fulfills its goal. A little riffing or adlibbing here and there is ok but do try to stick to the script as much as possible. A few additions to add personality can go a long way, but too much will likely have a negative impact.
If you or the person who will be presenting the script are likely to go off script, try to include some of the content that may inspire the adlibbing in the video script itself. This can reduce the temptation to go rogue. And if, in the end, the video script just isn’t working, a rewrite is often more effective than an improvised, unscripted video.
Do a verbal run-through off-camera
A verbal run-through, or table read, is a great opportunity to take your video script out for a test drive and identify any challenges you may have missed in the writing phase. It is not at all uncommon for a word or phrase to look great on paper but sound ridiculous when spoken out loud.
An off-camera run-through can also help to shorten sentences, cut unnecessary words, and make sure the real-life impact of the words chosen is the same as what you were hoping for during the video script’s writing.
Support any B-roll with the proper callouts in your main narrative
B-roll is a term used to describe secondary shots that are shown while the storyline continues audibly. Using B-roll footage can allow you to feature products, employees, happy customers, charts and graphs, testimonials, and other content that enhances the message presented by your video.
Be sure to include cues and instructions for your narrator or main character to help integrate B-roll footage without causing confusion or distraction for the viewer. Phrasing like “…in the chart you see here…” can help the viewer contextualize what they see on the screen and guide the speaker to gesture or position themselves appropriately.
We’ve all seen the videos where the subject points in one direction and the B-roll footage shows up somewhere else, but that’s much less likely to happen to you with a properly scripted video.
Don’t forget – there is no need to start from scratch every time you need to write a script for a video. If you have a video script that has worked well in the past, you can easily templatize it and keep using it!
If you need some help to get started, click here to download the free video script template we created for you. You simply document some background information, like your target audience and goals, and then fill in the blanks – what could be simpler?
Picture this: you’re working on a presentation, but you need your pictures to have a transparent background. Now that’s a problem. You need to remove the background from those images!
Sound familiar?
We’ve all been there! And we know how frustrating it is when you have a clear idea of how you want your presentation to look but can’t figure out how to delete the background from an image.
Fortunately, learning how to make an image transparent isn’t as tricky as it sounds. By using a handy tool like TechSmith’s Snagit, there’s an easy way to make backgrounds disappear without convoluted design tools.
In fact, Snagit makes it easy to remove the background from pictures in just a few clicks, so you don’t need to be a graphic designer to reach your goals!
How to make a picture’s background transparent with Snagit
Step 1: Insert the image into the Snagit editor
Start by taking a screenshot with Snagit, or uploading an image from the File menu. Images that have white or solid color backgrounds or high-contrast backgrounds usually work best.
Step 2: Next, click the Fill button on the toolbar and choose Transparent
To add the Transparent Fill option to your Quick Styles for the first time, it’s pretty simple. All you need to do is click the Fill Color option in the Tool Properties and select Transparent Fill.
Then, click on the background of your picture and Snagit will automatically remove the pesky background for you. No fancy editing tools required!
Step 3: Adjust your tolerance as needed
If you find that the Fill tool is removing too much, or not enough, of your background then you might need to play around with the tolerance settings.
Adjusting the tolerance is easy with the slider. If you’ve got a complicated background with lots of colors and shades, it might be a little trickier.
For example, if you have an image with lots of similar shades and gradients in the background you may end up with some bleeding around the parts of the image you want to keep.
When adjusting the fill tolerance, keep in mind that 1% is the most strict setting, and 100% means it will pretty much wash out your entire image.
Meanwhile, adjusting the opacity will dictate how transparent you want your fill to be. The more opaque, the less transparent it will be. In other words, to erase the background from your image completely, go with 0%.
Pro tip: You can also add a new background color!
Step 4: Click the background areas you want to remove
If you’re editing a screenshot or a PNG image, any background you remove will become transparent by default. However, if you’re working with a different file format, like a JPG, you’ll need to adjust your background color in the Snagit editor, or it will default to a white background rather than transparent.
To do this, simply click Image > Canvas Color (on Windows) or Image > Change Canvas Color… (on Mac).
Step 5: Save your image as a PNG
Once you’ve finished making the transparent background on your image, make sure you export it as a PNG file.
Each file format is different so it’s worth taking the time to understand image file formats, but PNG is one of the few formats that supports transparent pixels.
And that’s all there is to it! You now know how to use a simple background eraser tool to remove image colors from the background of a picture in just a few steps. This is a great skill to ensure a seamless look for your process documents, social media marketing materials, and presentations.
The best snipping tool for Windows and Mac
Don’t let clumsy built-in tools hold you back. Take and edit screenshots with Snagit!
Danielle Ezell is a Marketing Content Strategist at TechSmith, where she writes about effective workplace communication, offering tips and strategies for using images and videos to collaborate more effectively in hybrid and remote environments.
Did you know that good audio is just as important to your video as the quality of your video footage? It’s true! In fact, a TechSmith study found that poor audio quality was one of the leading reasons people stopped watching a video.
High-quality audio is best described as audio that sounds natural — as if the listener and the speaker are in the same room. Quality audio is a great tool to use in PowerPoint presentations, voiceovers, podcasts, and more. Let’s dive in!
How to record audio on a computer
If you choose to record audio from your computer, there are many options you can choose from. Two of the most popular options are QuickTime Player on Mac on Mac and Voice Recorder on Windows 10.
How to record audio on Mac
Open Quicktime Player
Click File and then New Audio Recording
Make sure that the correct microphone and quality settings are in place using the Options popup menu. Remember that the higher the quality, the larger the resulting files will be.
Use the circle to begin recording audio and the gray square to stop.
Save your work
How to record audio on Windows 10 and 11
Your Windows 10 computer comes equipped with free audio recording software called Voice Recorder.
Launch the Voice Recorder app
Click the record button to begin
Use the standard stop and pause buttons as needed to complete your audio recording
Use the icons near the bottom of your app window to trim or share as needed
Record more with Audiate
Built-in tools are fine for basic recordings, but professional audio recording software is essential for every creator. Third-party applications like Audiate are the perfect tool to take your audio from basic to advanced.
Launch Audiate
Click the “Start Recording” button
Watch as your audio transcribes as you speak
Once you’re done, click the stop button
With Audiate, you can record audio that automatically uploads into a text-based editor. Then, edit out mistakes and hesitations with a simple backspace. It’s made to be easy!
Master audio recording with Audiate
Audiate is the best audio recording software for any project!
If you choose to record audio on your phone, the options depend on the OS your phone runs on. Below we will cover recording audio on Android and recording audio on an iPhone.
How to record audio on Android
There’s no one-size-fits-all for how to record audio on Android. As a first step, search your installed apps using keywords like “voice recorder” “memo” or “notes”.
If nothing suitable appears, head to the Google Play Store and use the same terms to identify an audio recording software that will meet your needs. You will find that most of the options available use the standard symbols for Record and Stop, and are relatively intuitive.
How to record audio on iPhone
iPhones have a built-in voice recorder. To record audio, you will need to open the Voice Memos App on your iPhone. Tap the red button to start your recording and press the red button again to end it. Once you’ve completed your recording press “done” and then name and save your file.
Tips to record great audio
No matter what audio recording software you have, there is no substitute for setting yourself and your space up intentionally to achieve great audio. Here are some additional tips to help make sure that your audio recording turns out great.
Master audio recording with Audiate
Audiate is the best audio recording software for any project!
Of course, you know you need to record in a quiet space, but there’s more to that than just closing the door and silencing your notifications. Before you start recording sit in the space and listen intently. Seemingly small background noises can easily be picked up and heard by your audio recording software.
Even seemingly inconspicuous items like the buzzing of fluorescent lights and whirring of computer fans can be distracting background noise. Really listen to your space before you record.
When using Audiate, record your space while you sit quietly without talking first. This will allow the software to identify the frequencies it needs to improve the audio once you begin to speak. Think of it like creating a baseline.
Talk at the correct distance from your microphone
Extend your pinky finger and your thumb, and put the thumb just below your lower lip and point the pinky finger at the microphone. Your pinky should touch or be close to your microphone. This technique will give you the approximate distance needed for most microphones to not be too close or too far. Remember, each microphone is unique and you may need to adjust.
Control your breathing
Breath sounds can be incredible distracting in videos.While barely perceptible in an in-person conversation, breath sounds are more pronounced in audio recordings and can drastically reduce the quality of your audio. Try things like talking at an angle from the mic. Or, take a deep breath and hold it for a couple of seconds before you record so you can easily cut it out later.
If loud breath sounds still peek through, don’t worry! With Audiate’s waveform editor, you can see where the sound peaks and cut it out super easily.
Find a great place to record
Many of these tips for recording sound can be taken care of by being highly conscious of your location choice. The space in which you perform your audio recording can make a huge difference to the quality of audio you are able to produce.
Choosing a space that doesn’t have a lot of hard surfaces that will create echoes reduces the amount of time and energy required in soundproofing the space. A small carpeted room with curtains and bookshelves is a much better option than an expansive space with hardwood flooring and desks and bare walls. And if you don’t have an ideal space, bring in soft materials like pillows, blankets, and rugs to dampen the sound. Even a closet full of clothes are the inside of your car can be viable options in a pinch.
Edit your audio
Although you took all the precautions possible, your audio may still have some unwanted sounds. Edit recordings, and get rid of background noise, plosives, and other audio-related issues with quality audio editing software.
Audiate is the perfect editing tool to achieve high-quality recordings every time. Plus, you can remove hesitations like ums and ahs with the click of a button!
Get high-quality audio through audio improvement tools. Effortlessly improve audio files with a variety of easy to use features like Remove Plosive, Equalizer, and Volume Leveler. Clear, consistent audio has never been this easy.
Master audio recording with Audiate
Audiate is the best audio recording software for any project!
Training videos are one of the most popular ways to help your employees or customers learn new information.
In fact, we found that the top two instructional videos that people watch are informal and formal training videos. But for many corporate trainers, customer education, and HR professionals, it’s a challenge to know how to make a great training video in the first place.
So today, we’re going to go over these training video fundamentals:
What is a training video?
Why make a training video?
What makes a great training video?
What are the different types of training videos?
How to make a training video?
What is a training video?
A training video is a type of video content that is used to teach individuals or groups a new skill or expand their understanding of a particular topic. These can be used in the corporate world to facilitate employee training, in the customer service world to educate customers about how to use a specific product, and in countless other scenarios as well.
Make amazing training videos with Camtasia!
Need to make a training video? Download a free trial of Camtasia and learn to quickly and easily make your own videos.
Training videos are a great way to teach and share information with employees and customers because they help you in the following ways:
1. Make it easier to retain information
Human beings retain content accompanied by imagery better than they retain audio content alone. This is likely because our brains process imagery 60,000 times faster than they do words.
And while in-person training can a great experience, it doesn’t allow a viewer to rewind or rewatch a section that they don’t instantly understand.
Training videos give any viewer the opportunity to slow down or speed up their learning process.
2. Get higher engagement
When asked how they would choose to learn something new, 73% indicated video as their model of choice. If your viewers enjoy the content you share with them, they’ll engage more often and more fully.
3. Keep the training costs down
Training videos are far less expensive than traditional models of training. Looking at the corporate world specifically, in 2023, US companies spent an estimated $101.8 billion on training alone.
Replacing parts of your in-person or outsourced training with high-quality videos can save you time and money without reducing the training quality.
4. Create on-demand training
Live training often requires coordinating schedules with individuals across your organization. This can be a nightmare to manage due to everyone’s busy schedules.
By creating training videos for your employees you can make the most of each individual’s time throughout the process – your subject matter expert can be recorded at a time that is convenient for them, and narrators or other characters can be filmed based on their own schedules.
And the learners, whether new or seasoned employees, can take the training at a time that works well within their schedules.
No more coordinating people across roles, locations, and time zones to all be at the same place at the same time means much more effective time use and buy-in to the training process.
5. Make your training more visual
Slide decks are an excellent tool for presenting content-heavy training sessions and when used properly can significantly impact the retention of information.
But what often happens is that the trainer leans hard into the bullet points and gives little thought to how to use visual media to enhance their decks.
Creating a training video can help elevate the content that you would typically include in a slide deck. By using images, video clips, and screenshots instead of long bulleted lists you can make your entire training more engaging. With easy-to-use tools like Camtasia, you can record your presentation and transform it into a reusable training video.
You make sure it is easy to understand, that it follows a logical structure, and that it is memorable. And don’t shy away from making updates as needed to maintain its relevancy.
1. Learning outcomes are identified
When creating a training video, one of the first steps should be to identify the learning outcome you are striving for. What point do you really need to get across? What is the main message?
Once you’ve identified that be sure to maintain focus on that outcome. Be sure that every piece of information presented is supporting the chosen outcome. Adding in too much information or irrelevant contextualization can confuse the message and likely reduce engagement.
A great training video maintains focus and attention on specific learning outcomes and ensures that the entirety of its content supports the goal at hand.
2. They’re tailored to your audience
Understanding the needs of your audience and accommodating them is a key factor in creating a great training video.
The first step here is, of course, becoming familiar with your audience. Don’t guess what their needs are – do some investigating and find out for sure. If, for instance, you need to create training videos related to a payroll process you may choose to provide basic details about how the payroll system works so that the learners understand the full context.
That will likely be effective for learners who are not familiar with finance and HR but it could also create an instance where those in the finance and HR departments disengage with the training video as it won’t feel like it is “for” them. In this particular example, it may be beneficial to distribute a training video with those “basic details” removed to the departments that don’t need them.
It can be a good idea to consult with your team about how you can best meet the needs of the audience for which your video training is being created. They may have a helpful perspective on the audience and they can also help you tighten up the presentation!
3. The format and style fit the goals
When you are creating training videos, it’s not just about what you say but how you say it. The format selected is a crucial factor in making an effective training video. Consider what the content in your training video will include and what the best way to present it is.
Complex systems can often be presented well with 3D animation, while training on a topic that may require vulnerability may be better served with a “talking head” style video.
4. They’re not too short (or too long)
Don’t buy into the “less is more” theory that says humanity’s short attention span dictates a need for short videos only. The most important variable in determining the length of your video is the content. Your content should always dictate the length of your training video. Cutting it off just to meet a shorter timeframe will feel disruptive and disengage your learners. Longer videos are very effective as long as they are segmented, and the subject matter is complex enough to warrant the length.
The range in video length starts around 30 seconds and can increase exponentially but about 15 minutes is a fairly common length for a “long” video. 30 seconds to 1 minute can suffice for a trailer or a recipe tutorial while the training videos running 15 minutes and longer are usually pretty deep dives into some complex subject matter.
Make amazing training videos with Camtasia!
Need to make a training video? Download a free trial of Camtasia and learn to quickly and easily make your own videos.
Training videos do not come in only one shape and size. There are many ways to create training videos and we’ve described them below. But we didn’t stop there! You’ll also find helpful tips about which types work best for what use cases.
1. Presenter-style training videos
Presenter-style training videos typically feature a speaker on screen and incorporate a variety of other information-sharing techniques, like animation, graphics, etc. Sometimes the focus of the presenter-style video training is a demonstration, like in the case of orienting new staff around the use of a specific piece of equipment. This style of training video humanizes the content, making it more relatable and engaging, by using a person to convey the information. These are also referred to as “live-action” videos.
Scenarios where it’s relevant:
When your training video needs to facilitate an emotional connection
For interview-style training
When you are creating training videos that show a product demonstration
Screencast Training Videos
Screencast training videos are screen recordings with audio narration added in overtop. These training videos can be recorded with a very low budget compared to other types of videos.r types of videos.
Softwares like Camtasia and Snagit can make creating training videos in screencast style easy and seamless. You can get a free trial of Camtasia here and Snagit here – download them now and try your hand at this type of training video!
Scenarios where it’s relevant:
Getting an employee introduced to a specific software
When there is minimal budget available
When you want to provide efficient answers to frequently asked process questions
Tutorials
A tutorial video is often filmed with specific instructions and holds teaching something step-by-step as their top priority. These typically follow the main character through the actions they are describing but may also be filmed from the first-person point of view. Tutorials may also incorporate interactive elements like quizzes.
Scenarios where it’s relevant:
When step-by-step instructions are needed
For hands-on video training
When the combination of a presenter style and screencast style training videos will best serve your learners
Corporate training videos
This type of training video is typically used to explain very specific aspects of a workplace, like customer service, shifts and schedules, sexual harassment policies, and other similarly repeatable concepts.
Scenarios where it’s relevant:
When you need to familiarize new employees with a policy
For situations where an aspect of workplace norms has changed and employees need to be retrained en masse
When you want to train employees on office norms, policies and safety
Make amazing training videos with Camtasia!
Need to make a training video? Download a free trial of Camtasia and learn to quickly and easily make your own videos.
Very similar to the presenter-style video, this type of training video is used when there is a benefit to having a certain location shown. It incorporates a presenter, a narrator, and recordings from the location in question.
Scenarios where it’s relevant:
For virtual visits to factories, warehouses, or plants
When you want to show front-of-house staff the inner workings of a kitchen
For showing behind-the-scenes work
Motion Graphics Training Video
Motion Graphics Training videos use computer simulations or animations rather than human actors or presenters. These often come in handy to present scenarios that are too dangerous for real-life demonstration or require too high a budget to replicate realistically.
Scenarios where it’s relevant:
When you need to bring a light mood to heavy material
For showing hazardous situations in safety training
When the budget does not allow for real-life replication of a scenario
Stock Footage Montage & Text-Based Training Videos
This type of training video is made primarily from purchased materials like stock footage, music, and custom graphics.
Scenarios where it’s relevant:
When your budget doesn’t allow for a film crew
For situations where anonymity is important
When the content for your training video is relatively generic
Interactive Training Videos
Interactive video trainings are the cutting edge of training videos. They offer unique opportunities to create training courses for employees where they get to direct the path of the training video, and the educator can gain information about student progress through the learning exercise.
This is a highly engaging type of video training where the learner becomes fully immersed and multiple different outcomes can be reached. The interactive components can include yes/no scenarios, or calculations among other things.
Scenarios where it’s relevant:
When you want to incorporate virtual or augmented reality in your training program
When you want to be able to track a learner’s progress
For situations wherein active learning is favorable to passive learning
How to make a great training video?
1. Plan your video
Before anything else, plan your video ahead of time. Planning your video’s content can be the most important step in the process of making your training video.
Before you start recording, you want to know exactly what you want to say and show to your viewers. You’ll save time and energy and avoid a lot of potential headaches.
You may want to write a script or even create a storyboard. If you want to generate a script quickly and avoid staring at a blank screen, use Audiate’s Generate Script feature to write a full script in minutes. And while you may not need to script every word, it’s best to at least have an outline to help ensure you stay on topic and don’t forget anything important.
Keep your videos simple and focus on only one customer pain point so you don’t overwhelm your viewers.
If you have more than one subject you need to cover, you can always make more videos.
2. Download a tutorial video editor
If you already have video editing software that you love, perfect. Use that. For this post, we’ll be using Camtasia for our training video.
Make amazing training videos with Camtasia!
Need to make a training video? Download a free trial of Camtasia and learn to quickly and easily make your own videos.
If you plan to include video captured directly from your computer screen like software applications, websites, or presentations, Camtasia’s screen recorder makes it easy.
Just open Camtasia, click record, select the window and microphone you would like to record, and toggle the webcam option on or off depending on whether you wish to be in the video as well.
Now you should be ready to start recording.
4. Choose a template
You really can make a training video without much stress. Here’s why. Depending on the topic and content you’d like to present, Camtasia templates have lots of options available.
Camtasia comes with free video editing templates, but you can find more options under the Templates icon in the TechSmith Assets Store.
Simply go to the Template Manager in the menu and select ‘Download More Templates’ to take a look. Once you finish your recording and have selected a template, it’s time to import your video and audio, as well as any other visual assets you need, into Camtasia.
5. Import your media
Open the Media tab, and select ‘Import Media.’ Then, select the video, image, and audio files you need, and import them into Camtasia’s Media Bin for easy access while editing.
In addition to your own recordings, Camtasia offers tons of free downloadable assets to add to your videos, such as titles, lower-third graphics, stock footage, and even background music.
Some options do come with each template, but you can also open the library tab in Camtasia, click on ‘Download More Assets’ and find more on your own.
Make amazing training videos with Camtasia!
Need to make a training video? Download a free trial of Camtasia and learn to quickly and easily make your own videos.
With your template ready to go and your footage and other assets imported, you should be ready to edit your video.
Click and drag your files down into the template placeholder and select ‘Ripple Replace.’
To trim the beginning or end of your video clips, just mouse over the edge you would like to trim and drag it to the appropriate length.
To customize the text of your intros, titles, and graphics, double-click on the words on the canvas and add your updated text in the box. If there are any extra text boxes present that you don’t need for your video, you can select and delete them.
Once you have all of your files and assets arranged and edited, make sure to watch it from start to finish to look for any errors or anything else you might have missed. If everything looks good, go ahead and export your video.
Click the Export button in the top right corner and select the ‘Local file…’ option in the drop-down menu to export the video file to your computer. Or, use one of the other preset options to upload your finished video directly to the internet and share it with others.
7. Host and distribute your training video
Now it’s time to get this training video made public. Or at least available to the people who need to access it.
The first step here will simply be producing the video – rendering the files in your editing software into a usable file format like .mp4. This should be your default file type for your training videos unless there is a specific reason to use a different one – for example, if your hosting platform requires a particular file type.
Once you have the file, you will need to upload it to whichever hosting platform you have selected. For free hosting, consider Youtube or Vimeo. Both of these options are easily accessible and offer private or public videos. If there’s information contained in the training videos that is sensitive or confidential to your company, your best option is to use an internal network, LMS, an existing company knowledgebase, or a password-protected page on your website.
Create a training video FAQ
What is a training video?
An online training video, whether for employee training or customer training, is a video dedicated to educating viewers on a specific topic with the goal of teaching a skill or knowledge.
How do you make effective training videos?
The number one thing to do to create a high-quality training video is to make sure the content is relevant and relatable. Of course, things like visual effects, music, and other enhancements help, but if the video isn’t interesting and informative, your video will fail.
Where can I host a training video?
Hosting is how a video is made available to viewers. YouTube and Vimeo are examples of hosting sites, but there are a number of other ways to host your video content. It’s important to choose the one that works best for you.
Can I use YouTube for training videos?
If you want to make your video public, I would suggest making a YouTube video. YouTube is great for learning content. However, if you want it to be available only to people at your company you can host it on your company’s help desk, knowledge base, or website.
How do you create a training video?
You don’t need a lot of experience or video skills to easily create a training video. You just need a camera or screen recorder, a good microphone, and some video editing software.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in February 2018 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Matt Pierce is a Learning & Video Ambassador at TechSmith. In this role speaks and teaches about video creation and visual communication. A graduate of Indiana University he has ten years of experience working in learning and development with a focus on visual instruction. He has directly managed the training, user assistance, video, and other teams for TechSmith. Teach him something @piercemr
So you’re looking for your new favorite screen recorder?
Whether you’re a beginner who needs a simple solution or an expert who needs more advanced features, we’ve got you covered.
Research found that people value professional-style graphics and edits in the instructional or informational videos they watch. Public-facing videos must carry a basic level of editing and polishing so viewers regard them as highly valuable.
Camtasia and Clipchamp offer differing features for their users depending on their individual needs. It’s time to figure out which editor is right for you.
Screen & camera recording
Camtasia: high-quality no matter what
Camtasia comes standard with the best screen recorder in the industry. Powerful, precise, and easy to use, Camtasia’s screen recording abilities are unmatched.
Record your full screen, a window, or a custom size as needed. Plus, record your camera, system audio, and microphone, or your choice of them.
Traditional screen recorders burn everything together, but Camtasia records all of your screen’s elements, camera, screen, mic, cursor, and audio, on separate tracks. This saves you time since you won’t need to re-record burned content and it gives you precise control over the final product. Camtasia gives you all the tools you need to create easily-editable videos.
Clipchamp: a basic screen recorder
Clipchamp has tools a beginner video creator needs. A downside is that the free tier includes lower-quality recordings, with the option to upgrade to 4k recording for a fee.
Clipchamp offers a built-in teleprompter that can be used while recording, which can come in handy occasionally. While these are useful for beginner video creators, more advanced creators tend to edit post-production since this allows for a higher level of detail.
Feature
Camtasia
Clipchamp
Record full-screen or window
✅
✅
Record custom dimensions
✅
❌
Multistream recorder (records elements separately for precise editing and control)
✅
❌
Record webcam
✅
✅
Capture system audio and microphone
✅
🆗 (Only full screen)
Capture 4k
✅
❌ (With premium)
60FPS
✅
❌ (With premium)
Picture-in-picture recording
✅
✅
Built-in teleprompter during recording
🆗(Web cam only; does not work with screen recorder)
Custom cursor editing
✅
❌
Winner: Camtasia
Camtasia’s screen recorder is top-of-the-line and unmatched compared to Clipchamp. The screen recorder’s ability to separate layers is incredibly useful for easy editing, which saves you time in the long run.
Video editing capabilities
So you’ve got your video recorded and you need to make a few edits? Let’s go over your options.
Camtasia: for beginners and professionals
Camtasia Essentials has everything a beginner video editor needs to create professional videos for every occasion. Basic edits, transitions, cropping, and other effects are available to every Camtasia user. Custom animations, motion paths, and behaviors make elevating those edits to a professional, polished level possible.
With Audiate, available as part of Camtasia Create and Camtasia Pro, it is incredibly easy to edit videos using only text. Eliminate ums, ahs, and other hesitations with the click of a button, and edit your video by trimming out any unnecessary words. The text will automatically sync to your video and trim it for you. It’s like magic!
Plus, Camtasia has dynamic captions for visual effects and a closed captions generator with an SRT file for accessibility purposes. Camtasia has your bases covered!
Clipchamp: the very basics
When it comes to video editing, Clipchamp has the basic tools. Trim, split, and crop your videos and add effects and filters to your liking. In this regard, Clipchamp and Camtasia are similar.
Like Camtasia, you can remove the video background and create fun GIFs for your team! Even though Clipchamp’s editing capabilities are suitable for beginners, they lack the complexity advanced video creators may seek in their tools.
Feature
Camtasia
Clipchamp
Core editing: trim, split, crop…
✅
✅
Multi-track timeline
✅
✅
Picture-in-picture
✅
✅
Cursor Effects
✅
❌
Custom animations
✅
❌
Transitions, filters, effects, etc.
✅
✅
Crop & resize video
✅
✅
Video background removal
✅
✅
Text-based editing
✅ (With Audiate)
❌
Media library
✅
✅
GIF creation
✅
✅
Quick-edit keys
✅
✅
Auto subtitle generator with SRT file
✅
❌
Dynamic Captions
✅
✅
Cursor Smoothing
✅
❌
Cursor Scaling
✅
❌
Hide Cursor
✅
❌
Winner: Camtasia
Camtasia has everything you need whether you’re a beginner or an advanced video creator. With Camtasia Create and Pro, text-based editing takes Camtasia to an incredibly easy video editing level. Additionally, custom animations and behaviors add a level of polish to videos that Clipchamp ultimately lacks.
Audio editing
Although video edits are incredibly important, clean, clear audio recording is crucial for any video, whether casual or professional.
Camtasia: enhanced editing & text-based add-ons
Camtasia Essentials has basic and advanced audio editing available. Change clip speed, fade your audio, and make it dance with audio visualizers!
However, with Camtasia Pro and Create you get Audiate, an incredible tool for more advanced audio editing and improvement. Eliminate hesitations at the click of a button, create text-to-speech automatic voiceovers, and eliminate annoying background noise. Plus, you can generate a script to kick-start your video creation process using Audiate’s Script Generator.
Clipchamp: basic audio editing
Clipchamp is similar to Camtasia Essentials in its basic editing capabilities. However, there is no direct text-based editing like Audiate provides.
Clipchamp has ASL characters that can help create an accessible environment for ASL users. These ASL characters do not translate your video. There are only 16 phrases to choose from, such as “welcome” and “congratulations.”
Feature
Camtasia
Clipchamp
Change clip speed
✅
✅
Fade in and fade out
✅
✅
Audio visualizers
✅
✅
Text-to-speech with automatic voiceovers
✅(With Audiate)
❌
Silence removal in recordings
✅(With Audiate)
❌
Hesitations and mistake removal
✅(With Audiate)
❌
Background noise removal
✅
❌
16 phrases ASL characters
❌
✅
Visual effects
Effects and edits are key to creating a video distinguishable from the rest. People even prefer high production value in informational and instructional videos, as per this TechSmith study. Effects are not something you want to overlook!
Camtasia: more effect options
Camtasia Essentials offers a huge array of visual effects, transitions, and behaviors.! It has the basics, such as blurring your video, tints, and templates to help you get started, but so much more.
Add cursor effects to your recordings to help highlight what’s important, or add a spotlight to important information to draw their attention. You can even freeze regions and mask others to create a polished, professional video that everyone will want to watch.
When you need to use stock options, Camtasia has a ton of options for you. And if none of them fit your needs, no worries! With Camtasia’s new AI image generator, you can create the perfect images to use in your videos.
Additionally, you can unlock millions of assets in Camtasia’s asset store at any time. You’re sure to find what you need with Camtasia’s extensive asset library.
Clipchamp: limited effect options
Clipchamp offers basic effects but doesn’t venture far beyond. Stock media is limited for the basic user, and unlocked with a premium subscription as are filters and other effects.
You can also create a brand kit with Clipchamp, but that sits beyond a paywall.
Feature
Camtasia
Clipchamp
Cursor effects
✅
❌
Spotlight, glow, or vignette
✅
❌
Device frames
✅
❌
Freeze region, mask, or media mattes
✅
❌
Tint, colorize, filter
✅
✅
Blur the screen
✅
✅
Pre-built templates
✅
✅
Stock media: images, audio, music, and graphics
✅
✅
Create and share brandkits or themes
✅
✅ (with Premium)
Winner: Camtasia
This one is an obvious one. Camtasia has far more capabilities for video effects than Clipchamp and definitely takes the win.
Sharing & collaboration tools
So you have your video, now what? Let’s see what sharing options you can choose from.
Camtasia: taking collaboration to another level
Camtasia’s Pro plan is all about communication and collaboration through your videos. Whenever you need feedback or are ready to share your video with a team, Camtasia’s Screencast integration allows you to do that seamlessly.
Just click the Screencast option and the link to your video will be automatically copied to your clipboard. Then, comment, react, and converse in the link with anyone! It makes collaboration super easy. You can also batch export and convert your videos to save time. Instead of exporting one video at a time, you can make it happen all at once. Talk about a time-saving feature.
Clipchamp: lots of sharing options
Clipchamp has countless share options for users. You can export your video to TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and more. Plus, you can share the link to your viewers too, but they can’t react and comment it like they could using Camtasia.
The premium Clipchamp version also has cloud backup of projects, which can come in handy.
Feature
Camtasia
Clipchamp
Cross-platform compatibility
✅
✅
Download or web
✅
✅
Mobile app
❌
✅
Shareable link with option to review/comment
✅(With Screencast)
❌
Batch export
✅
❌
Export to social media
❌
✅
Export to Google or YouTube
✅
✅
Cloud backup of projects
❌
❌(With Premium)
Winner: It’s a tie!
Both tools have standard share-out options, and with Camtasia’s collaboration capabilities and Clipchamp’s social media export capabilities, this one is a tie.
Performance, support, and learning
Now for the technical stuff. It can end up in the back of your head, but it is an important part of choosing the tool that is right for you.
Camtasia: going above and beyond
Camtasia’s performance and stability are incredible. It offers GPU acceleration, proxy video editing, and offline activation for easy access to your projects.
Most importantly, Camtasia is fully invested in your success. With free monthly webinars, certification courses, and tutorials in multiple languages, Camtasia has a ton of resources for users who want to discover every nook and cranny of the tool.
And, if trouble does arise, our technical support team is the best in the business.
Clipchamp: basic support
Clipchamp only checks a few boxes. It tends to push its users online, which can detract from the video editing experience.
However, Clipchamp has a collection of tutorials in multiple languages as well to support its customers in their video-creation process.
Feature
Camtasia
Clipchamp
GPU acceleration for faster rendering
✅
✅
Proxy video editing
✅
❌
Offline activation and no user account options
✅
❌
Tutorials in multiple languages
✅
✅
Free monthly webinars
✅
❌
Certification courses
✅
❌
Priority technical support
✅
❌
Winner: Camtasia
Camtasia’s customer support and outreach are unmatched and create an environment where creators are free to learn at their own pace.
Pricing options
Choosing a pricing option depends on the cost to benefit ratio of a product and how that product can best serve you.
Camtasia: a tiered approach
Camtasia offers several plans to offer users more choices depending on their needs and budgets. There are three plans: Camtasia Essentials, Camtasia Create, and Camtasia Pro, with each offering more features than the previous.
Notably, Camtasia Essentials is truly anything a video creator needs. Camtasia Create includes Audiate, which facilitates text-based editing, a broad portfolio of audio editing effects, and more. Camtasia Pro offers, in addition to Audiate, Screencast integration and Asset integration, which unlocks access to millions of audio, video, image clips and more for its users.
If you’re curious about Camtasia, there is a free trial to get you started and exploring.
The best video editor out there
Camtasia has everything a beginner or advanced video editor needs!
Clipchamp comes with one huge upside: the basic plan is free. However, the basic plan is very limited.
A lot of advanced features are behind the premium paywall, which leaves video creators with the option to suffer through sub-par options or upgrade for more. This very black-and-white approach may work for some, but it does not offer the variety of options many users crave.
Overall winner: Camtasia
Clipchamp is fine for basic video creation as it is simple and free.
However, it is limited and does not offer the video creation expertise that Camtasia offers. Camtasia’s features are suitable for anyone from beginners to advanced creators, which makes it a tool that grows with you. Its intuitive interface makes it easy to get started, and it has all of the tools to keep you going.
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.
Instructional videos are a powerful tool for anyone looking to teach colleagues, employees, and students. Whether you’re an employer, an educator, or a content creator, videos are an effective way to engage your audience and deliver information in a way that’s easy to follow along and understand.
After all, this TechSmith survey found that 98% of people who use video at work say it improves the effectiveness of their message.
While it’ll come as no surprise that instructional videos are a great way to teach people to do things like how to make a Youtube video, they can also help people learn completely new skills like video editing.
However, instructional videos can be used for more than just educating viewers, as videos can also help you grow your business. By providing educational content to potential customers, businesses can establish themselves as industry leaders and earn the trust of their audience. Moreover, having video content on your website can work to increase traffic to your site and boost social media engagement.
With such a wide range of uses and benefits, it’s no wonder that video content is the number one way people prefer to share knowledge and learn new skills. In fact, research shows that people prefer to consult video content when looking for answers to specific questions. Additionally:
In this guide, we’ll discuss why video is important, what makes a good instructional video, and show you how to create different types of helpful videos — from explainer videos to video demonstrations — in ways that will captivate your audience.
By reading this guide, you’ll also learn:
The most popular types of instructional videos
Common mistakes people make when creating instructional videos
The best software for making instructional videos
The best way to make instructional videos in 7 steps
The actual cost of making tutorial, training, and explainer videos
What is an instructional video?
In a nutshell, instructional videos are visual tools that teach viewers how to do something, or explain a subject, process, or concept.
The best instructional videos are designed to be engaging and visually appealing through the use of visual effects, text, and audio. An instructional video might also feature a number of animations, graphics, and on-screen annotations to highlight key points and make the information more focused and digestible.
Of course, the benefits of instructional videos aren’t solely for the viewers as they’re actually really easy (and pretty fun) to make. Once you start creating your own instructional videos, you might also find that they can help simplify your concepts, ideas, and processes while making both the teaching and learning process much more personal.
“Camtasia is incredibly versatile, yet easy to learn, set up, and use. I use Camtasia to edit nearly all of my instructional videos.”
The most common types of instructional videos
The great thing about instructional videos is that there is no limit to the topics they can cover. For example, an instructional video could be a product demonstration, a how-to guide, a software tutorial, or a safety procedure – the possibilities are endless!
Microvideos are brief and concentrated instructional videos that center on teaching a specific and narrow topic without going into too much depth.
The term “microvideo” is really just a fancy word for “short video.” They’re designed to be super-concise and are typically less than one minute long. As with many types of video content, microvideos can either be highly polished or very informal, depending on their purpose and audience.
Plus, microvideoscan deliver a targeted message without an overwhelming amount of information. By focusing on one particular topic, microvideos help viewers quickly learn a new skill or gain knowledge on a specific subject.
When to use a microvideo?
You might use a microvideo whenever you need to teach or explain a simple concept in a few steps. For example, a microvideo could be perfect for explaining how to use a new software feature. On the other hand, more complex concepts could be broken down into several logical steps with a series of microvideos for each one.
Some instructors shy away from long-form videos as many argue that microvideos offer the same outcomes, but with better audience engagement. This strategy also allows for more control over the pace of learning and makes the content easier to consume.
While microvideos are most often used to teach a skill, they can be used to share knowledge or information or teach soft skills.
2. Tutorial videos
Usually between two and 10 minutes long, tutorial videos (sometimes referred to as “how-to” videos are the go-to instructional method for teaching a process or giving step-by-step instructions.
Unlike microvideos, tutorial videos typically explain more complex processes and will often give direct instructions and follow-along guidance. Sometimes, what makes the best tutorial videos are interactive elements, such as quizzes, which help captivate the viewer’s attention.
As with all video content, understanding its purpose and the people who will be viewing it is key to knowing how polished it needs to be.
For example, if you’re making a tutorial video for an audience outside of your organization, such as customers or clients, you’ll probably want to make sure it has a little more professional polish. On the other hand, if it’s a tutorial video for staff training or internal communication then it can be as formal or informal as you need it to be.
When to use a tutorial video?
Like microvideos, tutorial videos can teach just about anything and there aren’t any rules for deciding how or when to use them. Essentially, if there’s ever a time that you need to teach a process or share valuable information on how to improve a skill, a tutorial video will always be useful.
3. Training videos
Training videos are a more specific type of instructional video to those that we’ve covered so far. They are a powerful tool for improving employees’ workplace skills and addressing interpersonal topics that are important for maintaining a healthy work environment.
While there are some clear similarities to tutorial videos, training videos are more focused on improving job-specific skills and covering work-related topics such as compliance and health & safety training.
Training videos are also more likely to use footage of real people, which could be used to create examples of real-life situations. This could also help the trainer connect with the trainees. However, as with most video content, there are no set rules and this isn’t a requirement for creating a training video.
Visual aids such as animations and graphics can be just as useful for creating engaging and informative training videos. The most important thing to remember is that the best training videos will help businesses improve employee knowledge and performance while promoting a positive culture of learning and development.
When to use a training video?
Employers, trainers, and HR teams might use training videos when onboarding new staff, introducing new processes or technology, and providing refresher training.
However, businesses can use training videos to teach employees about any subject or process. This type of instructional video is used a lot in situations that lend themselves to live video, where the interpersonal connection can enhance knowledge retention.
4. Explainer videos
An explainer video is like a modern-day elevator pitch, and like an elevator pitch, the best ones are short (between 30 seconds and a few minutes). They’re also designed to quickly capture the viewer’s attention and simplify ideas, products, and services.
These videos are a popular way for businesses to introduce and explain complex (and sometimes even simple!) concepts in an entertaining and visually engaging format. While it’s not always necessary, some explainer videos will use a combination of animation, graphics, and voiceovers to help grab the viewer’s attention and convey information.
One of the primary advantages of explainer videos is their ability to communicate information in a way that’s concise, engaging, and entertaining. By using a combination of storytelling, animation, and visuals, explainer videos can help to establish a clear and memorable message that resonates with viewers.
Additionally, explainer videos can be easily shared on social media platforms, making them a cost-effective and efficient way to reach large audiences.
When to use an explainer video?
On a fundamental level, businesses use explainer videos to introduce a new product or service to prospective customers to help them understand how it works and why it’s valuable. It’s a simple idea but once you’ve got a well-polished explainer video ready, there are many different ways it can be used and shared.
For example, great explainer videos can double up as marketing material and be used across adverts and social media. Businesses might also feature their explainer videos on their website so that it’s the first thing prospective customers see when shopping online.
With the added ability to revisit sections they may have missed or didn’t fully understand the first time, viewers can pause, rewind, or fast-forward as needed. By providing this level of flexibility, you can ensure that your instructional content is more accessible while encouraging a deeper understanding of the material.
This type of instructional video also doesn’t need to be complicated to create. You could, for example, create a simple visual and audio presentation featuring just your slides and your voice. Or, for something more professional, you could set up a camera (or cameras if you plan on recording your own TedTalk!) to complement your presentation.
When to use a lecture or presentation video?
There are a few reasons why you might want to record a lecture or presentation. First, you might want to make it available to a wider audience or be able to share it with people who couldn’t attend the live event. Second, you might want to review your content and presenting style at a later date.
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Screencasts are videos created primarily from screen recordings that aim to teach someone how to complete a task or share knowledge. For example, you could even create a screencast demonstrating how to make an instructional video with a screen recording!
While screencasts aren’t a specific type of instructional video, they can be used to create all the videos mentioned in this article. Generally speaking, they’re usually quick, informal, and intended for smaller audiences than tutorial videos.
The beauty of screencasts is that they allow the instructor to quickly grab information from their screen to answer a question or clarify a concept. Because they can be produced so easily, with minimal production value, many screencasts tend to be considered “disposable” videos, serving a specific purpose for a short time.
But that’s not to say that screencasts can’t also provide long-lasting value. For instance, a well-crafted software tutorial screencast may prove to be useful for months (or even years!) and could be used to onboard new team members or educate customers.
When to use screencasts?
Screencasts are great for sharing quick instructions in an informal format. For example, if you know your audience is going to be small and the stakes are low, making a quick screencast is a great way to visually communicate an idea or help answer a question or solve a problem.
The best software for making instructional videos
With so many different software packages to choose from, finding the right tool to capture your screen and edit your videos can be a daunting and difficult task, especially if you’re new to creating instructional videos.
However, tools like TechSmith Camtasia are perfect for beginners and professionals alike as it’s easy to use and provides a range of advanced recording and editing tools. This makes Camtasia great for creating all types of instructional videos, as it’s easy to get to grips with.
With Camtasia, you don’t need any advanced video editing skills, but if you do want to learn how to edit like a pro, we’ve got plenty of helpful tutorials to get you started. You can even download a free trial of Camtasia to start recording & editing and get a feel for the software.
“Camtasia solves the problem of recording class videos efficiently, benefiting educators by enabling them to create engaging and high-quality instructional content for students.”
How to make an instructional video
If you’re wondering how to make an instructional video, there’s one thing you need to remember: Always have a video plan.
As with any creative process, ensuring you have a well-thought-out plan for what you want to create and how you’re going to create it is crucial to making a successful instructional video.
Taking the time to really think about the purpose of your video, your audience and the information you want to convey will help you get started, but let’s take a look at some of the other steps you should consider before recording your footage:
Step 1: Find the right software and equipment
Firstly, you’re going to want to make sure you have all the tools you need to actually record and edit your footage – this is an important step in making sure you’re happy with the final version of your instructional video.
Understanding your audience and the purpose of your video will help determine the hardware you need. For example, you can probably create a 30-second screencast with the built-in camera and microphone on your computer or laptop. However, if you’re going to film an hour-long presentation for hundreds of people, you might want to consider investing in more sophisticated recording equipment.
When it comes to the software you use to edit your video, Camtasia is great for recording and editing both short and long-form video content.
Step 2: Determine and get to know your target audience
The more you understand your audience, their needs, and their interests, the better equipped you’ll be to create an instructional video that engages and captivates their attention.
Things like age, interests, language, and even geographic location can all play a part in knowing how to best communicate with your audience. For example, an educational video about dinosaurs is going to be very different for a class of 10-year-olds than it would be if it was for a group of paleontology students.
While it sounds obvious, you can always learn a little bit more about your audience. This is another important part of creating instructional videos that your audience not only learns from, but also enjoys watching.
You might also consider asking your audience questions to better understand what they need help with or are most interested to learn, as this can help you focus your content on the very topic they want to know more about.
Step 3: Write a storyboard and script
Once you have a topic and know your audience, create a storyboard to outline and visualize what you plan to show.
Creating a storyboard ahead of time will help you make an instructional video that is clear, concise, and interesting to your audience.
Some people get creative and draw detailed pictures, but you don’t have to be an artist. Your storyboard can be as simple as this:
Quick sketches and stick figures are perfectly fine for live video. If you’ll be recording your screen to demonstrate a process, use a series of simple screenshots to show what you plan to display with the narration.
After storyboarding is done, it’s time to write a script.
Even a simple script will help you be more efficient, saving both yourself and your viewers time. Plus, you’ll also be far less likely to forget something.
It’s helpful to match your narration to what will be happening on screen during your video. If you were creating an instructional video about using the default calculator on a Mac, your script might look like this:
You don’t need to start with a blank page. Using a general script template can help you write a successful script in less than 10 minutes.
Step 4: Record your narration
With your script in hand, it’s time to record the narration. Camtasia comes with a built-in, easy-to-use voice recording feature that is a great option. Still, you can take your voiceover and narration recording to the next level with TechSmith Audiate.
Audiate transcribes your voice in real-time – as you record. This means you can edit your audio just as you edit the text in a document.
With Audiate, you don’t have to stare at a waveform all day to figure out exactly what you said and where. Audiate even automatically finds and deletes all of your “ums,” uhs,” and other hesitations for you.
Already have a voiceover recorded? Import it into Audiate, and the program will transcribe it for you.
You can save your edited audio file and import it right into Camtasia. You can even export the edited text as a transcript or SRT file for captions.
Even if you’re comfortable using professional audio recording software like Adobe Audition, Audiate is the best (and easiest) way to record voiceovers.
Next, get your hands on the best microphone you can find. Even a middle-of-the-road mic (like the one connected to your headphones) will provide much better sound quality than the one built into your computer.
If all that sounds too complex, don’t worry. Even if you don’t want to record your narration you can still get a high-quality narration. Audiate lets you go from text to studio-quality audio within seconds. You can type or import a script, and generate audio in a variety of customizable AI voices and languages.
Step 5: Record your video
Depending on your instructional video’s topic, you might need to capture a recording of a process happening on your screen, demonstrate something in real life, or both.
Recording your screen for an instructional video
First, clean up your computer screen and close any unnecessary applications. Turn off notifications that might pop up before you start recording. Follow these directions to get a crisp, clear screen video.
Then, open the application you want to record and conduct a few practice walkthroughs of exactly what you want to show your viewers. This practice will help you get smooth cursor motions, and you’ll have less editing to do in the end.
After a few run-throughs, open the Camtasia recorder and capture your screen just as you practiced. Remember, if you make a mistake, pause and start again from that point. You’ll be able to smooth things out when editing later on.
TIP: When you choose a screen capture or screencasting software, pick a tool with built-in recording, editing, and sharing features. It will save you time and let you do all of your work in one tool.
If you want a simple way to increase engagement and help viewers connect with your content, try adding a camera recording to your screencast.
“Camtasia is the ultimate in screen-recording software. This allows me to create instructional videos, not only for my YouTube And TikTok accounts, but also for my students when creating explainer videos.”
Recording an instructional video with a camera
There are a lot of similarities between recording your screen and creating a training video with a camera. You still need a plan, a script, and the right tools, but stepping in front of the camera brings new challenges.
Here are a few things to consider when creating an instructional video that includes camera video:
Don’t get overwhelmed by equipment. In the video above, we only used five tools: a tripod, smartphone, phone clip, a clean backdrop, and lights.
Make sure your recording space is well-lit. You’ll either want to record in an area with a lot of natural light or add some video lighting to your equipment list.
Place your camera on a tripod, and position it as close to your subject as possible while still getting everything you need in the shot. Being close to the subject will help you get the best possible audio when recording with a smartphone camera.
Step 6: Edit your video
Most people feel like they need to be a professional video editor to make a nice-looking video, but the truth is that you don’t need expensive editing tools or a lot of knowledge to get started.
In Camtasia, you can cut out mistakes by selecting them with the playhead, then clicking cut. To trim extra footage from the ends of your recording, drag the end of the clip in.
Add your audio narration to the timeline when you finish editing your video. You can use clip speed and extend frame to sync the audio and video in your project.
If you need more time explaining a concept, split the clip and use extend frame to freeze the video.
To speed up a boring part of your recording, add clip speed, then drag the handles to speed it up.
Add interactive elements like callouts, arrows, shapes, lower thirds, or sketch motions to highlight key points in your video.
Step 7: Add a video intro
Use a video intro to lead viewers into your content, but don’t get too crazy. Keep your opening simple and to the point.
Viewers want to get to the substance of your video. They don’t care about anything other than what you promised to teach them.
A good intro clearly lays out the topic and quickly explains what viewers can expect to learn.
To create your own video intro in Camtasia, you will need to add some space at the beginning of your video. Hold the shift key on your keyboard and drag the playhead to the right.
Then, open the media bin and select the Library tab. From the “Motion Graphics – Intro Clips” folder, drag the intro you like onto the timeline.
Step 8: Promote your video
After you’ve spent all that time preparing, recording, and editing your video, you’re probably going to want to share it with the world – and you should!
Posting your videos online, sharing them on social media, and sending them to your friends, family, and colleagues are all great ways to promote your instructional video. However, there are other ways to expand the reach of your videos and grow your audience.
Here’s a quick round-up of just some of the ways you can promote your instructional video:
Create an engaging title, ideally one that’s optimized for search engines, and try adding relevant keywords to the video’s description.
Promote the video on your social media with links and short clips.
Share the video in forums related to your video’s topic, but be sure to explain why it’s relevant in your comment.
Share the video with your email list and give some insight as to what went on behind the scenes.
Include links to your new video in your past videos, both in the old video descriptions and on the videos themselves.
Embed the video on your website or blog and write a post that either summarizes or expands on the topic.
And finally, tell people about it! Sometimes the best way to promote your content is with some good old word-of-mouth, so share it with your friends and family, and encourage them to share it within their own circles.
By following these steps, you’ll be sure to maximize the reach of your video content. Who knows, your next video might become a viral sensation and people might start coming to you for the best instructional video examples.
Instructional video mistakes to avoid
While creating videos is, in many ways, easy and straightforward, it’s still possible to make mistakes. If you’ve read this far you should be more than ready to go and make your first instructional video, but you should also consider the most common mistakes people make so that you know how to avoid them.
Focusing on equipment: Don’t get distracted or overwhelmed by fancy equipment if you’re just starting out. It’s much more important to master the basics and focus on developing your video creation skills.
Striving for perfection: While it can be hard to let go of your need to perfect every little detail, being a perfectionist can also cost you a lot of time and we believe it’s much better to release a video that’s engaging and creative than to spend an unnecessary amount of time on things most people probably won’t notice.
Targeting the wrong audience: Make sure you know your audience and create your video with them in mind.
Explaining steps too broadly: The point of an instructional video is to provide clear, concise, and specific instructions. So be sure to thoroughly explain each step and include visuals to make everything easier to understand.
If you’re wondering how long an instructional video should be, research from Techsmith found that viewers generally prefer shorter videos, between 1-6 minutes long. However, longer videos of up to 20 minutes may be more effective for certain topics and audiences.
What is the best software for making video tutorials?
TechSmith Camtasia is a user-friendly screen capture and video editing tool that offers a range of features to help you create high-quality tutorial videos, from simple demos to more complex projects. With Camtasia, you can easily create and edit your videos with a variety of tools and effects, making it a great choice for both beginners and experienced content creators.
What equipment do I need to make instructional videos?
You don’t need professional equipment to create a professional-looking and effective instructional video. All you really need to get started is a computer, a camera, and a microphone – in fact, the webcam and microphone built-in to your computer will usually be good enough for most instructional videos.
What Are the Costs of Creating Instructional Videos?
The costs of creating instructional videos can vary widely depending on the equipment and software you use. However, it is possible to create high-quality instructional videos on a budget — or even for free! — by using basic equipment and affordable software, such as Camtasia.
Matt Pierce is a Learning & Video Ambassador at TechSmith. In this role speaks and teaches about video creation and visual communication. A graduate of Indiana University he has ten years of experience working in learning and development with a focus on visual instruction. He has directly managed the training, user assistance, video, and other teams for TechSmith. Teach him something @piercemr
