Instead of sending a long and boring email, there are tools on your computer that allow you to record a video of yourself while showing what you are doing on the screen. These programs help you easily explain something that might have gotten lost in translation in an email or taken way too long to describe.
These four tools, Loom, Wistia Soapbox, Vidyard, and Bomb Bomb, all come with their advantages and disadvantages. Below, I will talk about each one in-depth and all the features they offer. Some are easier to use than others, but others have features that may appeal to you as a user.
Being online more than ever right now, it is important to learn how to efficiently communicate and locate the tools that will make this easiest for you. Between the four programs below, you should be able to decide on which of them will work the best for you and the business you are working on.
Why Are These Tools Important?
It is no mystery that the business world is using technology more than ever before. With the time we spend on the internet and trying to communicate with our colleagues, it is important to discover the best tools for this. Instead of sending a long, confusing email, try using Loom or Vidyard to make a short, easy-to-understand video.
These tools are not only easy, but most of them are free. They portray professionalism and save you the hassle of miscommunication through email or text. Read below to discover which one is best for you.
Top Webcam and Screen Recorder Tools to Consider
Loom
Loom is a video messaging tool that allows you to record yourself, screen, and microphone. To easily access Loom you can download it as a Chrome extension, desktop app, IOS app, or Android app.
If you don’t want to record yourself and your screen at the same time, the user has the option to only screen record or vice versa. There is a feature where you can choose if you want to record your whole screen or just the current tab you are on. The tool even has an advanced option for you to decide if you want to show/hide your camera controls.
Once you have chosen the features you want for your video, you hit record and start.
Once satisfied with your recorded video, go to your personal library and click on the dropdown menu for downloading. After you download, it is in an MP4 format and you’re able to transport it into an email, a document, or wherever else you need it.
It is also important to mention that this is a completely free tool. However, if you want unlimited videos, unlimited creators, unlimited recording length, and other additional features, it starts at $8 a month.
Wistia Soapbox
This tool is similar to Loom in that it also records you while recording your screen to show what you are explaining. This can also be added as an extension on Chrome or downloaded as an app.
Prior to recording, you can select which screen on your computer you want to share. If you have ever shared your screen on Zoom, it is very similar to this process. You choose what tab or program you want to be shown on the screen. Unlike Loom, although it is recording your image, you cannot see yourself while recording.
This tool is free but if you want extra features such as subtitles, you must pay for a subscription. Did you mess up while recording? Don’t worry, you don’t have to start over. Wistia Soapbox gives you the option post-recording to edit your video and cut out any parts you messed up or just do not want anymore.
Vidyard
Vidyard is a tool created specifically for marketing and sales, making it easier for people in these fields to communicate virtually and drive their revenue. Like the others, we can add it as a Chrome extension or download it as an app, making it easily accessible.
With this tool, you can either upload an existing video or record your own new one. When you are finished and satisfied with your Vidyard recording, you can share it via email, LinkedIn, or embed it on your company’s website. This is an easy way to advertise a new product or convey a message that might not be as heartfelt or clear over text.
One cool feature on Vidyard is once your video is uploaded or sent to someone, you will be notified when it is viewed, along with how many times. This way you can track how well it is doing on your site or get an idea of when whoever is viewing it will get back to you.
Just like Loom and Wisitia Soapbox, you can use this tool for free, but for extra features such as custom branding and password protection, you can pay up to $15, $300, or $1,250 a month. It all depends on what features you want).
BombBomb
BombBomb allows you to record your face and screen simultaneously, but unlike the other tools, your face appears very large on the screen, taking up most of the room.
It also notifies you when the video has been viewed, along with how many times, while giving you the option to share on many platforms such as social media, email, text, and more.
BombBomb allows the user a free 14-day trial, but after it has ended, you are required to pay $29 a month to use the tool. Because of this, it is my least favorite of the four tools.
BombBomb is a reliable and easy-to-use tool for sending business videos from just about anywhere. Unfortunately, it is more costly than others, but if you are more comfortable with it during the free trial, I wouldn’t advise against it.
On their website, they emphasize the humanizing touch their videos have on others and how important that is in business. So, if that is something important to you, I would recommend looking into this program.
Do Your Research
Instead of piling all your information into an email, I would suggest looking into the above tools to create a more laid-back and clarifying atmosphere. Go onto each of these websites and dive more into what each offers.
If you have the time, I would also recommend making a trial video on each site to see which is the easiest to use and most desirable for you.
So what are you waiting for? Aren’t you tired of sending paragraph-long emails and still confusing the recipient? With these four tools, you can convey your desired message in a shorter and more understandable way.