Hi there, Small Biz Tech Girl here, ready to help you put the power of the Internet and technology to work for your business.
Have you ever seen a video of someone's computer screen demonstrating a software product or giving a tour of a website and wondered “How did they do that?” There are several options for creating these short, helpful videos. But before we go on, here's a word from our sponsor: What do you do when you're not at your office computer but need to access files from it? Try GoToMyPC -- the best way to access your office PC from anywhere you happen to be. Log on to GoToMyPC dot com and your office desktop instantly appears. Access all your documents, even transfer files. Try Go To My PC free Today for 30 days! Just visit GoToMyPC.com/podcast. That's GoToMyPC.com/podcast for your free trial. Back to creating videos of your computer screen to use on your company website.
Videos that capture images on a computer screen or computer desktop are called screencasts. When you create a screencast, you are making a video of anything that is happening on your computer and usually accompanying it with narration explaining what is being shown. Screencasts are much more interesting and more impressive than plain, old screenshots.
Why a Screencast?
There are a lot of business uses for screencasts including Demos of software products or software product features. Instructional videos for teaching others how to do something on the computer. A guided tour of features on a company's web site or blog. Reviews of software or websites. You don't just have to explain something in a screencast. You can give your opinions or recommendations and use screencasts to capture what you're reviewing. There are even more creative uses of screencasts that are entertainment-oriented, but we're all about business in this podcast, right? How Do You Make a Screencast?
A popular way to make a screencast is to use a desktop software product such as Camtasia Studio from TechSmith, currently available for PCs only (sorry Mac folks). The software costs $299 US or you can buy it bundled with SnagIt Screen Capture software for $324. TechSmith offers a website to host and share your screencasts called Screencast.com. Camtasia Studio is a great product, but it may take you a while to learn how to use it.
A free software program you can download that is similar to Camtasia Studio is IgniteCast, but again it's only for the PC. Before you think I'm forgetting about my Mac peeps, check out Vara Software's ScreenFlow for $99 at Varasoftware.com. ScreenFlow is so good that it is the 2008 winner of Best Mac OS X Leopard Application.
There are also online screencast software products you can use such as Screencast-o-Matic, Jing at J-I-N-G-dot-com, and Flowgram.
A nice reason to use Flowgram is that if you are showing a website, the site within your presentation is live so a person watching a Flowgram can click on any link and navigate through the actual web site. That means if you've created a Flowgram giving a tour your company's online store, a visitor could see a product they want in the Flowgram and click to immediately purchase it from you. Flowgrams are platform independent and free.
Tips for Better Screencasts Even if you aren't a professional videographer, you can create a professional-looking screencast. Here are some things you may want to consider: Purchase a USB microphone, either with or without a headset. This will improve the sound of your audio instead of using the microphone built into your computer. Write out your script. While there are times when recording a narrative off the cuff makes sense, most screencasts sound better if you've scripted the video narration. Keep it focused. Don't try to explain everything at once. There's nothing wrong with doing several screencasts, each with a single focus, so they are easier to digest. Keep it short. Screencasts are not meant to be major motion pictures. The shorter they are, the more likely people will watch them from beginning to end and get the most out of them. Rehearse. Some screencast software makes it easier to edit your screencasts than others, so the more you rehearse, the smoother your screencast will sound.
Bottom Line: Screencasts can enhance your company's website by presenting visual information and instructions in a professional and engaging way. Contact Me That's all we have time for today. Visit the show's website at smallbiztechgirl.quickanddirtytips.com for links to all of the sites mentioned in the show and a few extras including a screencast by the famous Demo Girl. If you'd like to ask a question or request a topic for Small Biz Tech Girl, e-mail me at smallbiztechgirl@quickanddirtytips.com or leave a message by calling 206-339-6279. And remember to visit GoToMyPC.com/podcast for your free 30-day trial. That's GoToMyPC.com/podcast. Small Biz Tech Girl's Quick And Dirty Tips For Boosting Your Business With Digital Tools is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips network at quickanddirtytips.com. Tune in for another business boost from Small Biz Tech Girl, the host who's not afraid to go under the Internet's hood & get a little dirty!
