How to Make Screenshots and Screencasts Work for You

This is a guest post by Peta Andersen, a young adult writer & work-at-Starbucks mom juggling life with a toddler and loving it. You can read more of her work at her blog, *Insert Literary Blog Name Here*.

Screenshots--also known as screen captures--have become a fairly regular fixture in the advertising world. On television, on Hulu, and in print, companies routinely use these images of their website, software, etc. to demonstrate how easy it is to connect with their company.

Taking a screenshot is easy:

Mac:

• Whole screen - command-shift-3, which then saves the shot to the desktop
• Partial screen - command-shift-4, which allows you to select a particular area of your screen
• Window - command-shift-4-space, then click the window you want to capture, which allows you to take a shot of just that window

Windows:

1. Hit the “Prt Scrn”--or print screen--key on your keyboard. This copies your screenshot to the clipboard.
2. Open Paint, Photoshop, or any image-editing program.
3. Go to the Edit menu and select “Paste.” (Ctrl-V may also work.)
4. Save your image.

Confused? Check out this detailed video explanation of how to get a screenshot with Windows at About.com.

Although it’s simple to take a screenshot, screenshots are most effectively used as screencasts--i.e., in video animations (see below for examples). Although creating a screencast isn’t quite as simple as snapping a screenshot, there are many free and easy to use applications available. (Check out this list over at Mashable to get started.)

4 Reasons to Use Screenshots/Screencasts
Screenshots are popular around the web because they’re quick-to-read visual how-tos. They can be used in a variety of ways, for several reasons:

• to walk the user through step-by-step instructions or demonstrate how a feature can be used (see the Google Chrome commercial below)
• to show a potential user what to expect
• to seed a call to action (see the Sprint commercial below)
• to develop brand recognition

But the key to using screenshots is to go beyond the standard “here is a picture of our website” route and tell a story. The story can be simple--if you visit our website, our product/service will make you happy. Or it can be a little more complex and emotional, like these three ads from giants Google, Sprint, and Microsoft.

Google - Dear Sophie

Sprint - Birthday

Microsoft - Make it Great

 

Each of the above commercials uses screenshots to tell a story, and in the case of Sprint, to create a call to action (one which has paid off with 182,207 calls, 200,047 texts, and 66,111 emails sent to Veatrice so far). But the story isn’t the only thing--Google successfully demonstrates Chrome’s capabilities, only showing Sophie’s story within Chrome’s story. Likewise, Microsoft uses a human element to show the functionality of their new Office Live in a familiar setting--kids proud of their pet. Although the camera does show the kids in their home, with their rabbit Sniffs, their story is linked not just to their poem--but to their success with using Microsoft Office 2010.

As excellent as screenshots are, though, there are cases where they may not work. Here are just a few scenarios to be aware of.

Screenshots may not be right for you if:

• Your product doesn’t suit the medium. If you’re selling high end wigs, screenshots may not be the way to go--the product doesn’t depend on user capability, and you can more effectively tell a story with testimonials or slice-of-life advertising.
• You’re working with a high concept video. Cutting a movie-style video with screenshots, even before or after the main action, could detract from the emotional connection the video is setting up in the viewer. This isn’t black and white though; ending with a Google search box and your company name, or your URL typed into a browser window, can be effective.
• There are other effects in play. If you’re already using a ticker, or a cross fade, or several animations, adding in a screenshot or two could overload--or clutter up--your message. An example of over-cluttering? Pop up windows, or more than one interstitial ad between content.
• Navigating your site is complex. Web design--good web design--is about simplicity. But sometimes, it’s hard to show everything a customer needs to do with just one or two clicks. If you need more than 3 screenshots/animated screenshots to get a message across, it’s probably worth re-evaluating your video plan.

Of course, if you’re using screenshots in your video marketing, there are two things you should definitely avoid:

• Over-the-top effects. Although this is also kinda-sorta listed above, it can’t be stressed enough: too many effects will kill a video. Screenshots can be used with certain animations and the like (auto-typing, scrolling, etc.), but they lose their effectiveness if paired with too much else. In the Google video above, the ad is tight--the effects are mostly just auto-typing, scrolling, and clicking.
• Slowing the action down. The twin sister of “don’t overload your message,” this is exactly what it sounds like: don’t let your artistic sensibilities or love of screenshots get in the way of your action/message. If you take too long to make your point, your viewers will most likely head somewhere else.

Screenshots are an effective marketing tool, with a lot of potential--and the big players know it. Not sure where to start? Try studying other ads using screenshots for ideas, or working out a storyboard for your message. Need help? Check out Pixability University for more ideas.

Posted by Rachel Blumenthal
Tuesday, 17 May 2011