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Getting Started Guide: Record a Video
Getting Started Guide: Record a Video

This is a self-guided walkthrough to help you with all you need to get started recording & sharing personalized videos at scale.

Bethany Stachenfeld avatar
Written by Bethany Stachenfeld
Updated over a week ago

Welcome to Sendspark! It's time to supercharge your sales and customer communication. Let's get started!


Install Sendspark

To start recording videos, please install our Chrome Extension. This is the easiest way to record yourself, your screen, or both at the same time.

If you plan to record yourself over non-Chrome applications (like PowerPoint, PDFs, or other applications on your computer) you will also need to download the Sendspark Desktop App.

Sendspark Desktop App

The Sendspark Desktop App offers several advantages over the Chrome Extension, such as the ability to record over any app on your computer, better audio/video sync, and higher quality videos.

However, the Chrome Extension can be faster to use, and comes with pre-built integrations with Gmail, LinkedIn, Outreach, Hubspot and more. So, if you don't mind having two applications, we recommend installing both!


Configure Settings (Optional)

At Sendspark, we aim to empower you to make a great impression with videos. We provide a lot of options to customize the look and feel of your videos.

All of these settings are optional, so feel free to skip ahead and get right to how to record a video if you'd like!

Brand your videos:

All of the following can be done from your Workspace Settings...

Sendspark Workspace Settings
  1. Set Logo & Brand Styles β€” Upload your logo and select your brand colors to make sure all videos created by you and your team members meet your brand guidelines.

  2. Turn Off Sendspark Branding β€” Remove the "video message by Sendspark" link on all of your video pages.

  3. Use a Custom Domain β€” Add your own subdomain (like "video.yoursite.com") to send videos from so no one can tell you're using a 3rd party platform to create and share videos.

  4. Use a Branded Toolbar β€” Add your logo icon and primary color to your toolbar so it looks perfect when it shows up on your videos.

Sendspark also integrates with your CRM and other platforms you may use to message prospects and customers.

Integrate Sendspark with other applications:

All of the following can be done from your integration settings...

Sendspark Integrations
  1. Connect your CRM β€” Connect your CRM or data tracking platform to Sendspark to ensure you can track video engagement in your reports.

  2. Set up Instant Integrations β€” By default, once you have the Sendspark Chrome Extension installed, you will have Instant Integration set up with Gmail, LinkedIn, Hubspot, Outreach, Salesforce, and other applications. These make it easy to record & insert videos directly into messages.

  3. Customize Share Shortcuts β€” Sendspark provides special share shortcuts to share videos on various email platforms. When you use these shortcuts, you are able to use Sendspark Merge Tags and get detailed analytics on who is watching your videos. Customize your share shortcuts to make sure that you are always seeing the email platforms you use, to make it faster & easier to share videos on these platforms.

Enhance your appearance:

All of the following can be done from the Camera Effects tab in the Chrome Extension...

Sendspark Camera Effects
  1. Select Virtual Background β€” Blur your background or select from a library of virtual backgrounds to give your video a more professional background.

  2. Touch Up Appearance β€” Use the slider to touch up your appearance so you always feel like your best self on camera.


Record & Share Videos

This tutorial will cover how to record and share videos using the Sendspark Chrome Extension. If you are using the Desktop app, please refer to this article: How to Use the Sendspark Desktop App

1. Launch the Recorder

You can launch Sendspark anytime from your Chrome browser. Simply click on the purple Sendspark icon on the top right of your browser to open the recorder.

Launch the Sendspark Recorder

If you don't see the Sendspark icon on the top of your Chrome browser, you might not have it pinned!

Pin the Sendspark extension by clicking on the Chrome puzzle piece icon on the top right of your browser, and then select the pin icon next to Sendspark. This will pin Sendspark so it's easy to launch in the future.

Pin Sendspark to Chrome

(If you don't see Sendspark there at all, you might not have the Chrome Extension installed. You can install the Sendspark Chrome Extension here).

2. Set Preferences

You can record three types of videos on Sendspark:

Sendspark Recording Types
  • Face β€” Records just your face (your webcam). When this recording option is selected, you will not capture anything on your screen.

  • Screen β€” Records just what is on your screen (not your webcam). When this option is selected, you will only record your screen, and not yourself.

  • Both β€” Records both yourself and your screen. When this option is selected, you will record yourself in a small bubble over your screen.

When you have "Both" selected, you will also see a small menu over your camera bubble that lets you customize more options:

Both recording preferences
  • Change Size β€” Lets you change the size of your camera bubble.

  • Change Shape β€” Lets you change the shape of your camera bubble. Circle, Square, and Rectangle are all supported.

  • Flip Camera β€” Lets you mirror your camera, so you can record either the regular or mirrored version of yourself.

  • Spotlight β€” Enlarges your camera so it takes center space. This can be useful when you want to start your video with you as the main focus, and then switch to the content of your screen.

You can also use the "Settings" gear to adjust more preferences.

Sendspark Chrome Extension Settings
  • Change Camera Source β€” Lets you change the webcam to capture the video.

  • Change Microphone Source β€” Lets you change the microphone to record your voice.

  • Countdown (on/off) β€” Lets you enable or disable a 3-second countdown before the recording starts.

  • Microphone (on/off) β€” Lets you enable/disable sound, so you can record a silent video.

  • Toolbar (on/off) β€” Lets you enable/disable the toolbar, so you can record a video without showing the toolbar on screen. (If you disable the toolbar, you can click on the Sendspark extension on the top right of your browser to stop recording).

  • Toolbar Visibility (50% / 100%) β€” Lets you decide to show the full toolbar, or keep it at 50% opacity so it doesn't stand out as much.

  • Camera Spotlight (circle / fullscreen) β€” Lets you decide if your camera spotlight will show up full screen (over your entire video) or simply in a circle over your screen.

  • Camera Effects (on/off) β€” Lets you enable / disable camera effects, to use virtual backgrounds or touch up your appearance.

  • Reload Extension β€” Lets you force a reload to fix a bug or get an updated version.

3. Start Recording

Once you are all set with your recording preferences, simply click "Record" to get started making your video!

If you are recording your screen, you will see a popup to choose what you want to record from your screen:

  • Chrome Tab β€” Captures just what is on a single tab. This can be the "cleanest" recording option, because you are recording just the content of your screen, and not anything else on your screen. The limit of this option is if you switch between multiple tabs or applications while recording, only the original Chrome tab will be recorded.

  • Window β€” Will let you record everything within your Chrome instance or another application. This is the best option if you plan to record multiple chrome tabs.

  • Entire Screen β€” Will record everything on your computer. This is the best option if you want to record multiple applications in one video.

Remember, the only way to record your camera bubble over non-Chrome applications (PowerPoint, PDFs, etc.) is to use the Sendspark Desktop App. Install the desktop app here.

4. Use the Recording Toolbar

Once you are recording, you will be able to use the Sendspark toolbar to control your video. You have several options.

Sendspark Recording Toolbar
  • Delete Video β€” Lets you trash your video if you don't like it

  • Restart Recording β€” Lets you restart from the beginning

  • Pause / Resume β€” Lets you pause your video until you're ready to resume recording

  • Stop Recording β€” Lets you complete recording so you can edit and share the video.

Note, if you're NOT using the recording toolbar, you can end the recording by clicking on the Sendspark icon in the top right of your browser.

5. Edit & Share Video

Once you've completed recording your video, you will see it pop up in a preview window over your screen. Here, you have several options to quickly edit and share your video.

  • Download β€” Will download your video to your desktop.

  • Delete β€” Will delete your video immediately.

  • Restart β€” Will delete this video and set you up to record a new one

  • Select a Template β€” Will let you select from your template library to instantly add page text and a call-to-action to your video

  • Add Video β€” Will let you append an existing video to the one you just recorded. This is a great option if you want to record a lot of similar videos quickly... You can make one "core video" first, and then record multiple custom intros. Then, just click "add video" to add your core video to the custom introduction.

  • Edit Page / Thumbnail β€” Will open your video in the edit page in Sendspark, where you can add more customization to the video before sharing.

  • Trim β€” Lets you trim the beginning or end of your video.

  • Copy Link β€” Copies the video share link to your clipboard so you can easily share it with anyone. This is the best way to share videos in LinkedIn messages, Slack, or pretty much anywhere except email

There are also more share options:

Share Sendspark Video
  • Linked GIF β€” Copies a link + a GIF thumbnail to your clipboard. Then, you can just paste it in an email draft. This is the best way to share your video via email.

  • Download Video β€” Will download the MP4 version of your video to your desktop

  • Insert (for Instant Integrations) β€” If you are recording over a page where we have an instant integration, you will see an option to insert your video directly into your email or LinkedIn message.


Manage Videos & View Analytics

After you record your videos, you can manage them in your Sendspark library.

Here, you have a private library, my library, for videos that you make. These are private to you until shared with others.

You also have a team library that you can use to share videos with other people in your workspace. Everyone in the workspace has access to all videos in the team library.

Feel free to organize both with folders so it's easy to find and re-use videos!

You can click on a video anytime to edit it or share it. You can also view analytics for each video.

Here, if the information is known, you will see who has watched your video, what percentage of the videos they've watched, and what other actions they've taken"

Sendspark analytics modal

Advanced Skills

These are some advanced tools that Sendspark has, to make it faster and easier for you to scale yourself with video.

1. Instant Integrations

As long as you have the Sendspark Chrome Extension installed, you will see shortcuts to record videos right from common messaging platforms: LinkedIn, Gmail, Outreach, Hubspot, and more. Learn more about Instant Integrations.

Sendspark Instant Integrations

2. Templates

Templates make it easy to add text and calls-to-action to videos after recording, without any typing. You can create and manage templates from the templates section of Sendspark. Learn more about Templates

Sendspark Templates

3. Combined Videos

Combined videos are a great way to personalize your outreach at scale. Record personalized introductions for each viewer, and combine the personalized video with an existing video to move fast. Learn more about combined videos.

Combined Videos

4. Personalized Variables

Use personalization variables to automatically add your viewer's name, company, or job title to your video page or video thumbnail. This way, you can just record one video, and auto-personalize it for each viewer. Learn more about personalization at scale.

5. Dynamic Videos

Dynamic videos let you do next-level personalization. In addition to using personalized variables, you can also use AI Intros to automatically add your viewer's first name to the video, and dynamic backgrounds to automatically put their website behind you, like you're recording over their website or LinkedIn profile.

This is the best way to make thousands of personalized videos in minutes for sales prospecting.

Sendspark Dynamic Videos

Additional Resources

This is just the beginning! We are excited to continue working with you to connect at scale.

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