How to make a product demo video with automatic zoom

Plan it first

• Pick one goal for the video, such as “create your first project”. Leave everything else out.
• Write the steps you will click, in order, and do a practice run.
• Keep it under two minutes. Most viewers stop watching long demos.
• Use clean sample data, close notifications, and hide unrelated browser tabs and bookmarks.

Record with BaseShot

1. Download and open BaseShot. It runs from the system tray on Windows and the menu bar on Mac.
2. Click the BaseShot icon and choose Record Screen. Select the window or area of your product.
3. Open Recording options (the … button) and turn on Auto zoom. Turn on Show keystrokes too if you use keyboard shortcuts in the demo.
4. Choose your microphone, and your camera if you want to appear in a corner of the video.
5. Click Start Recording and walk through your steps at a calm pace. Pause your mouse for a moment after each click.
6. Click Done. The recording opens in the editor.

Polish it in the editor

• Zoom: click a zoom on the zoom track to change its Zoom Level, or switch Zoom Mode between Follow cursor and Manual. Click or drag on the track to add a zoom where you need one.
• Cursor: change Cursor size, turn on Hide cursor when not moving, and add a click effect under Clicks.
• Background: add Padding, Rounded corners, and a Shadow on a color, gradient, wallpaper, or image background so the video looks finished.
• Audio: turn on Improve microphone audio to reduce background noise.
• Captions: click Generate captions. They are created on your computer, and you can edit the words.
• Trim the start and end so the video begins with the first useful step.

Export or share it

1. Click Export recording.
2. Choose MP4, 1080p or 4K, and 30 or 60 fps. For a website or README, GIF also works.
3. Under Destination, choose File to save it, or Shareable link to upload it and copy a link.

Shareable links are part of BaseShot Cloud ($6 per person a month). Viewers watch in their browser and can leave comments.