Create Captivating Demo Videos with these 6 Must-Have Tools

Product demo videos have become an essential marketing tool for businesses looking to engage customers and drive conversions in the digital age. But with the plethora of video creation platforms out there, how do you know which one is right for your business?

As a marketing analytics professional with over 5 years of experience helping brands develop data-driven video strategies, I‘ve tested my fair share of video makers. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share my insider knowledge on how to create stunning demo videos that wow your audience using 6 of my favorite tools.

Why Invest in Demo Videos? The Data Behind Their Effectiveness

Let‘s start by digging into why demo videos are so powerful for businesses in the first place. The data clearly shows that utilizing video pays off:

64% of customers are more likely to buy a product online after watching a video about it [1]
Including video on landing pages can increase conversions by 80% [2]
Pages with videos rank 53 times higher on Google searches versus pages without [3]

Video simplifies selling. With a compelling demo video, you can clearly explain how your product works and entice viewers in under 2 minutes.

Now that you‘re convinced demo videos are worth your time, let‘s explore what elements you need for success.

Crafting a Winning Demo Video: Key Ingredients

Based on my experience running hundreds of A/B video tests, I‘ve found these to be the most important ingredients for a demo video that converts:

Lead with the Problem

Hook viewers in the first 5 seconds by introducing the specific customer problem your product solves. Marketers underestimate the power of quickly establishing relevance.

Showcase Key Features

Use tight shot sequences demonstrating your product‘s core features and functionalities in action. Allow time and space for features to shine.

Prove the Solution

Solidify how your product uniquely solves the established problem for customers better than alternatives. Provide specific value examples.

Insert Graphics

Reinforce your claims by blending in screens, data, animations and text overlays. This builds credibility through visual evidence.

Close with a Clear CTA

End the video with a specific call-to-action based on your conversion goal, such as "Start Your Free Trial" or "Buy Now."

Now let‘s explore the top tools to produce demo videos that check all these boxes.

The 6 Best Demo Video Makers on the Market

1. VEED – Best for Total Beginners

VEED is my top choice for those new to video creation. Their intuitive drag-and-drop editor makes producing polished videos easy without any learning curve.

Some stellar features include:

Templates – Professionally designed video templates to customize
Media Library – 1M+ stock videos, images and icons
Screen Recorder – Easily capture product demos right from your screen
Interactive Elements – Insert clickable shapes, links and annotations

I‘d recommend VEED to bootstrapped startups looking for an affordable, user-friendly video builder.

2. Clipchamp – Best for Cross-Device Creation

Clipchamp impresses with seamless video creation across Windows, Mac, iOS and Android devices. Their universal editor allows you to shoot product demos directly on your smartphone, laptop or tablet.

Standout features:

Stock Media – Search 210,000+ video, images and audio clips
Animation – Animate text and graphics for explainer-style videos
Collaboration – Invite team members to comment and edit videos
Automatic Subtitles – Machine transcription in 12 languages

Clipchamp is ideal for technical product companies who need to capture specialized device footage.

Promo.com caters to the needs of marketing and creative agencies producing videos at scale. Their enterprise-level features simplify collaborating across teams and managing multiple brand clients.

Notable features:

Brand Guidelines – Ensure videos align to brand style guides
Unlimited Team Members – Add all client stakeholders for feedback
Video Approvals – Streamline video review and approval workflows
Team Management – Admin controls to manage team permissions

For agencies juggling multiple video projects, Promo.com is a must-have.

4. Renderforest – Best for Animation

Renderforest truly excels at creating engaging animated demo videos. Their platform is ripe with pre-made animations, illustrated characters, logo reveals and kinetic text.

Key animation features:

3D Animation – Drop animated 3D objects into scenes
Character Animator – Customize illustrated characters
Animation Library – Choose from hundreds of animated icons
Path Animation – Animate element movements

If you envision an animated video style, Renderforest has the tools to make it happen.

5. InVideo – Best for Quick Videos

InVideo allows you to produce demo videos in a matter of minutes with their templates and intelligent editing. It‘s my top pick for rapid video creation.

Speedy features:

Video Templates – Professionally designed templates to customize
Flexible Editor – Rearrange, trim, split clips quickly
Text-to-Speech – Add automated voiceovers
Smart Suggestions – AI editing assistance

When you need a polished video ASAP, InVideo delivers the goods.

6. WeVideo – Best for Media Imports

WeVideo makes it effortless to import all your existing media into customizable video projects. No need to recreate assets from scratch.

Helpful importing capabilities:

Google Drive Importing – Pull videos, images and audio from Drive
Media Gallery – Upload existing files to access in editor
Photos to Video – Turn photo collections into video slideshows
Royalty-Free Music – Thousands of licensed music tracks to use

If you have visual assets you want to repurpose for video, WeVideo is the tool for you.

Start Crafting Demo Videos That Drive Results

After reviewing hundreds of product videos over my career, it‘s clear strong results stem from the right mix of educational content, polished design and strategic distribution.

The 6 video creation platforms discussed give you the tools needed to check each of those boxes, while fitting different experience levels, content needs and budgets.

I suggest trying out a couple options – many have free versions – to determine which best matches your team‘s preferences and capabilities. With the founder-friendly options available today, any startup or small business can start showcasing their product story through video.

Now that you‘re armed with expert knowledge on demo video best practices and top-rated creation tools, you have everything you need to connect with customers and boost conversions using the power of sight, sound and motion. It‘s time to press play on bringing your product to life through video.