Looking for a way to reach more followers and grow your online presence authentically? Product demo videos are a powerful, mutually-beneficial marketing tool for influencers.
When you show your followers how to use the latest goodies or gadgets, you increase awareness for your product, brand, and social media channel.
Getting noticed by other brands also increases the chance of scoring paid partnerships.
Check out our tips to create an effective product demo and learn about some handy video-making tools you can use too.
1. Structure your video
A well-planned, polished demo video has four parts: the introduction, solution, demo, and a call to action.
Introduction: State your name and the purpose of the video.
- Solution: What problem does the product solve? Quickly explain it in the video.
- Demo: Show how the product works.
- Call to action: Tell viewers what you want them to do after watching.
In this demo, an influencer introduces herself, explains how eye cream solves a problem (it makes you look less tired), shows viewers how to apply it in four specific steps, and encourages the audience to buy the cream at the end. The video meets all four components.
2. Know the CTA before you shoot
What is the point of your video?
Identify what action you want the viewer to take after watching the video–whether it’s subscribing to a service, making a purchase, educating the consumer, or raising brand awareness.
Sarah McAllister, better known on TikTok as GoCleanCo, is a housecleaning expert who shows followers how to make the bed. In the end, she invites viewers to purchase using her unique coupon code.
Sarah knew her CTA before she started shooting. It’s a pre-planned element you need to consider.
3. Use graphics to improve organization
If you take a look at a handful of product demos online, you’ll notice the most professional ones use graphics to offer step-by-step instructions. Take a look at the eye cream demo again. The influencer uses four full screens, one for each step. The graphics improve the video’s flow and offer clear, organized suggestions for the audience.
Don’t have design skills? There are many design tools that you can use to create stunning graphics in seconds. (More on that later).
4. Be mindful of TRT (total running time)
Be mindful of the video’s length. There’s no official time limit. Some demos will be less than a minute while others might be north of five minutes.
The length depends on the product you’re covering and the channel you plan to post to. TikTok videos are usually shorter than YouTube videos, for example.
Here are suggested run times based on social media channels. Keep in mind these are average times for any video. Demos will likely be a bit longer since you’re explaining how to use something. Still, these times can help you gauge how long your video should be.
- TikTok: 7-15 seconds
- Twitter: 44 seconds
- YouTube: 2 minutes
- LinkedIn: 30 seconds
- Snapchat: 7 seconds
- Pinterest: 6-15 seconds
Ready to make a product demo video? No matter what your experience level, these tools can help:
1. Canva
With Canva, you can create stunning graphics with no design knowledge at all. The platform has templates you can use and a library of design elements, all in one easy-to-use dashboard. Export your pre-sized designs to your computer and add them to your demo in a snap.
2. Powtoon
On Powtoon, add a little extra “oomph” to product demo videos with an array of features. Create your own content with the video maker, stocked with millions of images, footage, and trendy music choices.
Powtoon also offers screen recording to instantly capture your face, screen, and camera to get started quickly.
3. Filmora
Filmora is a standout video editing tool due to its screen recording capabilities, high-quality templates, and helpful tutorials designed to deliver the best content.
Built-in tools like Keyframing, Split Screen, Motion Tracking, and Auto Beat Sync provide extra pizazz for your filmed content. Motion tracking, for example, allows you to add special effects to any object in motion in your video.
4. Lumen5
Storyboard your ideas and add music and visuals with Lumen5, which offers free and paid versions. Lumen5 lets you build your video just as you would a presentation or slide deck and could be handy for more service-oriented demos, like accounting software.
5. Headliner
Whether you’re new to making product demo videos or want to try out a great app with a low learning curve, Headliner is an excellent solution. Add animations, captions, gifs, and more to your videos, which you can then export directly to your social media channel of choice.
If you’re looking to connect with your community of followers and get noticed by brands and businesses, product demo videos are easy to digest and quick to distribute. With these tips, you can make a polished demo video in no time.