How to Make a Video Presentation: The Complete Guide

Capturing and holding your audience’s attention can feel like a daunting task—especially when teaching them how to use your software or onboarding them with essential company information. Real-time sessions often compete with short attention spans, making it easy for your message to get lost. That’s where video presentations shine. They let you educate asynchronously while keeping your audience engaged.

What makes a video presentation truly effective?  It’s not just about recording your screen or talking into a camera. To deliver impact, you need a strategy—crafting clear, compelling messaging, designing professional visuals, and delivering with confidence.

Learn how to produce video content that informs, inspires, and engages your audience with actionable tips to create winning presentations.

Before you create video presentations, your first step is to decide which format works best for your use case. Here are a few popular formats to consider:

• Live video presentations: Give your video presentations in real time via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, YouTube Live, or in person. These are ideal for sessions meant to increase engagement and interactivity, like webinars, product launches, or Q&A sessions.

• Prerecorded video presentations: Use screen recording tools like Loom to record videos in advance. These are great for creating polished, high-quality videos to use in sales pitches, onboarding decks, or training videos.

• Slide-based videos: With tools like Microsoft PowerPoint, Canva, Prezi, and Keynote, you can create dynamic, visually rich slideshow presentations and then convert them into video format. This is ideal for presenting structured information requiring lots of visuals and transitions.

• Interactive video presentations: Use presentation software like Walnut.io to enable interactive elements in your product tour videos. This actively engages viewers by requiring their input and keeping their attention.

• Vlog-style presentations: Consumers love and trust influencer marketing. In fact, 69% of people trust influencers, friends, and family more than brand-generated information. In a culture where word of mouth and humanization are everything, trying out a more casual medium, like a quick recording on a smartphone, can help establish a more personal connection. With the Loom app, you can easily record conversational videos on the go.

Unsure of where to start? By following this seven-step guide, you’ll be well on your way to making your next video presentation a smashing success.

Step 1: Evaluate your audience and use case 

You can’t create a winning presentation if you don’t know who you’re presenting to and why you’re presenting to them, and you’d talk to a new employee differently than you’d talk to a prospective customer. Even as a sales team member, you’ll want to curate the content and tone of your presentations per buyer persona.

Once you’ve landed on your audience, think about the use case. Is this a sales pitch, training video, or webinar? This will determine the level of detail, visuals, and pacing you include in the presentation.

Step 2: Choose the right video format 

Next, think about the format. Using the right format can increase engagement with your audience, but choosing the wrong format could cause you to come across as impersonal or lacking information.

Choosing to send a screen recording via Loom is great for a product walkthrough or tutorial, whereas a data-heavy presentation might require a corresponding slide deck. If you’re looking to connect with a new hire or prospect more personally, you might even opt for a more interactive or live presentation.

Pro tip: Try combining formats for best results. Why not create a slide-based presentation that you share via a Loom video for personalized context in a convenient, asynchronous format?

Step 3: Write a script and storyboard 

Now that you know who you’re talking to, what you’re talking about, and the best way to present the information, it’s time to figure out exactly what you’re going to say. This is the place to flex your messaging muscles with a conversational script that gets to the point. If you’re presenting on complex topics, try breaking the information into digestible chunks.

For example, rather than jamming product imagery, benefits, and target users into a single slide about your app, have each slide focus on one concept at a time.

Use a storyboard to sketch out any slides, animations, or transitions you’ll use alongside the script to map out your presentation’s visual journey. This is where you’ll really start to see it come to life, and tools like Canva are great for storyboarding.

Step 4: Choose a template, if applicable, and gather assets 

If you’re working with slides, you’ll likely rely on a template to build your deck. Use PowerPoint, Prezi, and Canva to access free built-in and third-party template libraries you can adapt to your exact use case and branding, including fonts, colors, and relevant stock videos.

Once you’ve found the right template for your PowerPoint presentation, collect visuals, charts, video clips, GIFs, animated videos, and audio to streamline production, then work on putting it all together.

While templates are most often associated with slide decks, other video presentation tools have templates, too. Loom Canvas, for instance, allows you to set your presentation to templated, designed backdrops like meetings, announcements, and celebrations.

Pro tip: think about your audience first. What assets will resonate most with them? Include those in your presentation without cluttering it.

Step 5: Record your video 

It’s time to start recording! Make sure you have a good camera setup with flattering lighting, good sound, and a professional, non-distracting background. After you press record, keep your tone engaging, conversational, and friendly. Stick to your script, but allow yourself to ad-lib as needed to make the presentation as natural as possible. If you use an external webcam, make sure it’s steady and at eye level.

Pro tip: A screen recording tool like Loom makes it easy to record both your webcam and your screen in real time. You can even annotate on the screen during your recording with the drawing tool, emphasizing certain features of your presentation.

Step 6: Edit, add transitions, and enhance 

To make your video as polished as possible, use video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro or iMovie to do some final edits, including adding subtitles and omitting awkward pauses from your recording. Don’t overdo transitions, background music, and additional visual effects, as they can distract from the key points of your presentation.

Try experimenting with AI video editors that can fine-tune your audio and automate minor edits, like removing pauses from your videos. Loom AI identifies and removes filler words, removes long pauses, and even creates timestamped chapters in your video recording that designate when you talk about important topics.

Some tools have built-in editors, too. Loom Instant Editor allows you to trim out unwanted pieces of your videos and add a call-to-action (CTA) button without needing to leave the tool.

Step 7: Preview, save, and share

Ensure your hard work pays off by watching your video from beginning to end. Check for glitches, mismatched audio, or typos in any materials shown on screen. Then, export your presentation into a high-resolution video file format like MP4 and make sure it’s compatible with your distribution platform.

If you’re using a platform like Loom, you’ll have the option to share the video via a public link, social media, embed code, or through your CRM. 

Pro tip: Embed Loom videos into your emails to give your audience a preview of your content. A sneak peek at your video presentation will be much more enticing than just a link.

With these steps in mind, you’re all set for successful video presentations. Keep these common pitfalls in mind to ensure you’re recording high-quality content:

• Skipping audience research: Crafting a video without considering your audience’s needs or preferences can result in a disengaged viewer. Always tailor your tone, format, and content to resonate with your target audience.

• Overloading with text: Packing too much information on-screen overwhelms viewers. Keep slides minimal and let your narration or visuals do the heavy lifting.

• Ignoring storytelling: A presentation without a clear narrative or flow can feel disjointed. Structure your content with a beginning, middle, and end to guide the audience naturally.

• Neglecting sound quality: Poor audio is a quick way to lose credibility. Use a quality microphone and reduce background noise for clear sound.

• Overusing transitions and effects: Flashy transitions can distract from your message. Stick to subtle, professional animations that enhance, rather than overpower, your presentation.

• Skipping a rehearsal: Not practicing your script can lead to awkward pauses or rushed delivery. Rehearse multiple times to refine your pacing and tone.

• Forgetting accessibility: Omitting subtitles or captions excludes viewers with hearing impairments and those watching without sound. Include these elements to widen your reach.

• Not testing before sharing: Failing to preview your video can lead to embarrassing mistakes. Always review the final version to catch glitches, typos, or syncing errors.

Avoiding these pitfalls will help you create polished, professional, and impactful video presentations.

Making video presentations doesn’t have to be complicated. By combining the right strategy, video creation tools, and techniques, you can captivate your audience and convey your message with clarity. Platforms like Loom make video creation accessible for everyone, offering intuitive features such as its screen recorder and editing tools to help you craft polished presentations.

Whether you’re engaging prospects, onboarding employees, or sharing updates with your team, choosing a robust video platform ensures the presentation content in your video marketing strategy is visually dynamic and professionally executed.

Ready to take your presentations to the next level? Start creating powerful video presentations with Loom’s screen recorder today!