Today, video has become an integral part of marketing strategy, with up to 87% of marketers expecting a positive return on investment (ROI) from video efforts. When it comes to illustrating the potential and functionality of your product, the best thing you can do is create a demo video. It is a great way to connect with your audience and build trust. It provides a comprehensive visual guide to showcasing your product or service, highlighting its utility, and revealing its value proposition.
However, creating a winning demo video, also known as a product video, involves more than just recording your product in action. It requires careful planning, creative execution, and strategic marketing, including video marketing tools, to give potential customers a clear understanding of your product and its benefits.
In this guide, we'll discuss the recording demo video guide and the steps involved in creating an amazing one.
What is a Demo Video?
A demo video, also known as a product demonstration video, is a promotional tool that visually demonstrates the functionality and benefits of your product or service.
Specifically, it showcases your software, illustrating its utility and feature set to potential customers, clients, or stakeholders. A demo video is not merely about revealing your software's features; instead, it aims to show your software in action, offering viewers an interactive and engaging look at how your product operates and how it can solve their specific problems.
It offers the opportunity to illustrate the value your software brings to potential users, making the demo video a compelling, understandable, and relevant communication tool for showcasing new features and offering an app demo video or free trial for interested team members. However, it is important to note that the exact details of the solution are less important than showcasing how your product can solve the viewer's problem.
How to Make a Demo Video?
Creating a demo video might seem daunting, especially if you need to become more experienced in video production. However, with the right approach and effective tools like demo recording software, even beginners can produce a high-quality demo video. Let's look at the process involved in creating a demo video:
1. Plan how to record the product demo video
Detailed planning is the first and most critical step in creating a compelling demo video. This includes identifying what tools you will need for recording, editing, and showcasing the video. Choosing the right screen recording software, such as a computer screen and webcam recorder, is crucial to capture high-quality footage of your app idea or software in use. Additionally, considering using a live-action video of yourself talking can add a personal touch to your demo and make it more engaging for viewers.
Another essential planning aspect is the video's structure, which determines how it will open, the sequence of steps demonstrating your software, the next step, and the conclusion. Consider incorporating live-action footage of yourself talking about the product to give it a demonstrable look and engage with your audience, adding a human touch to your presentations.
Consider creating a comprehensive scene-by-scene plan for your video to ensure that all key points are covered systematically and everything important is noticed. Your plan should include a hook or introduction, a demonstration of your product's key features, an outline of how users benefit from these features, a wrap-up, and a call to action (CTA).
2. Set a timeline and budget
Establishing a clear timeline and budget is equally important for creating a successful demo video. Often, the process can consume more time than anticipated, particularly during the editing phase, where attention to detail is crucial. Define a strict timeline for completing the video, allocating sufficient time for each phase – planning, scripting, filming, editing, and marketing.
Budgeting for your demo video requires careful consideration of several elements. These can include:
- Equipment (do you already have a demo recorder and microphone, or will you need to buy these?),
- Scriptwriting (will you hire a writer or write it in-house?),
- Voiceover (will you use a professional voice actor or record yourself?),
- Video editing (will you need to purchase video editing software?) and
- Music (will you want to use background music?
The only thing you'll have to do next time is swap out the footage and any visual aids, such as text or annotations, that are specific to your recording).
3. Craft a script
While the visuals of your demo video play a significant role, the script is equally crucial as it guides your viewers through the video and animates the visuals. It's preferable to create a script that neatly aligns with the visuals in your demo video, ensuring smooth synchrony between what is seen and heard.
The script should be engaging and straightforward. It should demonstrate your product's key features and how it solves specific customer pain points. It must hold the viewer's attention and provide valuable information.
4. Grab attention in the first few seconds
Given that viewer retention greatly depends on the initial few seconds of your video, you must seize their attention right away. This is particularly vital when you're creating content for platforms like YouTube or social media, where viewer attention spans are notoriously short.
Start your video with a powerful statement, compelling statistics, a problem that your software addresses, or a contrast between life with and without your product. This could pique viewer interest, enticing them to stay, watch more, and eventually say, "I need this!"
Therefore, investing time and creativity into crafting an attention-grabbing introduction can yield great results for your demo video's success.
5. Highlight features that fulfill a customer's need
When it comes to making software demo videos, the focus should be on showcasing features that directly satisfy customer needs. It’s crucial to identify your customers' pain points and then design your video content to highlight how your product addresses their needs subtly.
Even if your software boasts numerous features, fascinating backstory, and glowing customer reviews, these aren't the primary focus of a demo video. Instead, conduct a thorough feature, advantages, and benefits analysis (FAB) to guide your video content toward demonstrating how your product features fulfill customer needs.
For instance, highlighting a screen recorder's features that allow users to capture their screen activities can be more enticing than detailing the software's origins. This can help potential customers visualize how they would use your product, leading to increased engagement and conversion rates.
6. Be creative with the video
Creativity goes a long way in making your demo video distinctive and engaging. Here are some innovative ideas that you can consider for your video:
- Record a Q&A: Addressing frequently asked questions not only directly answers viewer queries but also boosts SEO by capturing the common questions typed into search engines or voiced to smart speakers.
- Use Screen Capture: Demo recording software that records your software in action lets viewers envision what using your product feels like. It might be a good idea to host these screen capture demo videos on your website, where viewers can directly move from watching to exploring your product without distraction from ads.
- Show the user flow: Consider using the viewer’s perspective to create your demo videos, focusing on parts of their workflow or common tasks your software addresses. This creates a more relatable context for displaying the benefits of your product.
Spend time brainstorming and experimenting with different creative concepts to keep your demo video engaging and informative for viewers.
7. Edit the video
After recording the material for your demo video, it’s time to begin editing. Various video editing software solutions are available that are user-friendly, even for beginners. Video editing involves ensuring adherence to the script, achieving flow between scenes and harmony between visuals and the voiceover.
When editing your demo video, the most important thing is to keep focus on showcasing your software in realistic scenarios. Titles, voiceovers, background music, or captions should explain concisely what the software is doing at any given point. Editing tools, such as the built-in video editor in DemoCreator, can also allow you to add effects, annotations, and transitions that make your demo video production more appealing and interactive.
Demo software like SmartCue can seamlessly integrate with your workflow by utilizing editing techniques like text drag, highlighting, voiceovers and more.
It is recommended that you refrain from making a demo video in the vast majority of cases. However, if you do choose to create one, remember to include an audio narration using the record button to explain the features and benefits of your product.
8. Create a marketing plan
Creating a quality demo video is only half the battle; the other half lies in marketing your masterpiece effectively. A well-thought-out marketing strategy ensures that your demo video reaches a broad audience and drives meaningful engagement.
Consistency is key in messaging across your demo video and other media outlets, such as blog posts and website content. The same message should resonate with the audience across different platforms to avoid sending mixed signals. This reinforces your brand identity and builds brand loyalty.
Optimizing your videos for the platforms they're shared on is critical. Different social media sites may require varying lengths and aspect ratios, so be prepared to create tailored versions of your video for every platform.
3 Demo Video Formats to Try
Exploring different demo video formats to demonstrate your product’s functionality can make your content more versatile and attractive.
Mixing up your demo video formats keeps your content fresh, caters to different viewer preferences, and makes for a more interesting viewing experience.
1. How-to explainer videos
How-to explainer videos are step-by-step guides that walk users through how to use the different features of your software product. These videos educate potential customers on how to use your product optimally and various ways they can incorporate it into their routines.
How-to explainer videos act as a first-hand user manual and frequently serve as entry-point content for viewers seeking simple instructions on how to navigate your product.
2. Marketing demo videos
Marketing demo videos marry instructional demo content with persuasive marketing messages. They showcase your product in use while also selling potential customers why they need it.
Simultaneously educating and convincing, the marketing demo video format is ideal for brands seeking to foster confidence in potential customers who may be on the fence about making a purchase, all while teaching them how to make the most of what you offer.
3. Step-by-step slideshow videos
Step-by-step slideshow videos offer methodical visual guidance through your software's functions. Utilizing a series of static images or screenshots, these types of videos are particularly useful for software demonstration.
Step-by-step slideshow videos can be an effective format for communicating complex product features to your viewers by converting potentially confusing processes into a clear, manageable walkthrough.
What Makes a Demo Tutorial Stand Out?
Creating engaging demo videos is more than just recording your product in action. It requires strategic planning to incorporate elements that make your demo video more insightful, accessible, and useful for your target audience.
Let's look at the elements of a good demo video tutorial:
1. Video Audio
Video audio is one of the most critical elements of a demo video. Good audio sources significantly enhance the overall quality of your video, making it sound more professional. Whether you include voiceovers, background music, sound effects, or all three, ensure that the audio is clear, crisp, and coherently matches the visuals on-screen.
When introducing voiceovers, make sure they are well articulated and easy to follow. Background music can also be used to set the tone of the video, making it more engaging; however, the music volume should be low enough not to overpower the voiceover.
An option in demo recording software like SmartCue allows you to capture loud and clear system audio from software applications. This enables your viewers to hear the interaction within your software. Immaculate video audio greatly improves your viewers' experience and comprehension.
2. Helpful visuals
Helpful visuals are fundamental to any great demo video. Since a demo video essentially aims to visually demonstrate how a product works, the quality and effectiveness of your visuals can make or break your video.
When recording, make sure that your screen capture is clear and focused on the right areas. Further, incorporating a variety of visual aids like annotations, callouts, arrows, and zooms can guide the viewer's attention to the critical points you're showcasing in the demo video.
Consider adding brief textual explanations or captions where necessary to ensure that your message is conveyed accurately, especially if there are complex instructions or features to highlight.
Remember, ensuring that your visuals are sharp, clear, and properly highlighted can significantly increase the viewer’s understanding and appreciation of your product.
3. Accessibility
Accessibility is a significant factor in creating useful demo videos. Ensuring your video is easy to understand and view helps make it available to a broader audience, including people with varying abilities.
Including features like captions benefits those with hearing impairments and non-native speakers. It can also be helpful for viewing in environments where sound isn't ideal.
Consider providing audio descriptions that describe important visual elements in the video for viewers with vision impairments.
Remember, in many parts of the world, making your content accessible isn't just a good idea—it's the law.
More importantly, it’s the right thing to do. Prioritizing accessibility when creating your demo video ensures that all potential customers can understand and engage with your content.
4. Editing techniques
Editing plays a crucial role in polishing your demo video, and several techniques can elevate the overall video quality.
- Trim – Cutting out unnecessary portions from your raw footage can streamline your narrative and remove any distractions. This will make your video concise and focused on the main point.
- Transitions – Seamlessly connect different segments of your video with smooth transitions to ensure continuity.
- Text overlays or captions – Add textual content within your video to emphasize critical points or clarify complex terminologies.
- Background music – Incorporating ambient background music can set the tone of your video, making it more immersive and engaging.
Remember, effectively employing these editing techniques can significantly refine your demo video, making it more professional, clear, and appealing to viewers.
Also Read: Walnut vs Demodesk vs SmartCue: Why is the Best?
How to Record Demo Video Using SmartCue?
SmartCue is an interactive demo software that allows users to create product tours in minutes without the need for any coding skills. You can create demo paths that look like real user journeys, which guide people through the key features of your product.
Here’s a quick tutorial on how to create automated demos using SmartCue:
Step 1: Install the SmartCue Chrome extension and log into SmartCue.
Step 2: Next, create your new showcase.
Step 3: On the dashboard, click on ‘Capture New’ to start the screen recording.
Step 4: Record your screen and perform the walkthrough steps. As you click on each step, the tool will record it as a different step.
You can edit each element of your recording, such as the overlay text, add descriptions or change the styling of text to personalize the demo. Here are a few examples of brands using SmartCue to showcase their product and workflows.
Above all, SmartCue is easier to set up and requires minimal steps to record your product tour. You can easily trim the recording, remove all awkward pauses, add text and graphics, apply transitions, and add captions to make your videos accessible. Sign up for SmartCue’s 14-day trial to get hands-on experience and explore the products’ features in depth.
Conclusion
Demonstrating your product in a demo video requires planning, scripting, capturing, editing, and marketing. Beyond these technical aspects, the core goal is to engage your audience, addressing their key needs and persuasively highlighting how your product can bridge those gaps.
Whether you go for a short how-to explainer video, a comprehensive marketing demo, or a detailed step-by-step slideshow, the demo video you create will be a testament to your product's capabilities and its solutions-oriented features.
Product demo creator software helps businesses record their demo videos and embed guides on their landing pages, saving time and avoiding the need to use different editing and recording software.
One such interactive demo creator software is SmartCue, which helps you create engaging demos with a click. Users can record the product walkthrough, highlighting the features and benefits of the workflows, hand-hold buyers during product tours via interactive features, etc., The platform also offers easy screen recording and video editing features after the demo.
Want to give it a try? Try SmartCue for free for 14 days and experience the platform in action.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a demo video be?
Although it depends largely on the type of product you're demonstrating, a good demo video should generally be 2-5 minutes long. Keeping your video short and focused ensures that you effectively hold your viewers' attention throughout without overwhelming them with information.
Can I use my phone to record my demo video?
Absolutely! With the advancement in smartphone technology, creating good quality demo videos via your mobile phone is quite possible, especially for demonstrating physical products. However, for software demonstrations, using demo recording software would provide a more professional look and feel.
Should I use background music for my demo video?
Yes. Adding background music to your demo video can enhance the viewers' overall experience, setting the tone and creating an emotional connection. However, it should be unobtrusive and not distract from the voiceover or the key features being demonstrated in your video.
What demo recording software should I use to create demo videos?
For software or app demonstration videos, using professional demo screen recording software provides high-quality screen capture, plenty of editing tools, and seamless integration capabilities. This has great potential to boost your demo video's efficiency and effectiveness.
Is there any good product demo creator software?
SmartCue is an intelligent demo creator for software that uses features like screen capture, screen recording, editing, and blurring, all in real time. The platform lets you create product workflows or user journeys while recording custom demos.
