After building and finalizing an app, you need to attract users, but how do you get people to download your app without testing it? As the digital market expands, there’s more competition than ever. In 2021, Google Play offered almost 3.5 million apps for users to choose from, while the Apple App store had 2.2 million apps available. With so many options to choose from, it’s not easy to attract users to your apps.
App demonstration videos allow businesses to market their app to potential customers through short, convenient bites with the movement and excitement of video. But how do you make a mobile app walkthrough video? This article will help guide you through understanding, planning and carrying out your app demo to reach your audience and market your product successfully.

What Is an App Demonstration Video?

Mobile app demos are visual walkthroughs that show users the features and basic navigation of an app. Use demos as ads to interest viewers in downloading the app or guide new users through the technology and help them better understand the app.
Demo videos engage directly with users, allowing them the freedom to interact with your product without downloading the whole app at once. This makes demos convenient and enticing for users, letting you send your message out quickly and effectively.

How to Make an App Demonstration Video

Creating an engaging, successful app demo — like all good marketing techniques — starts with planning and strategy. Understanding how to create a powerful marketing strategy sets you up for success — plotting step-by-step what you want from your video, how you want to accomplish it and what ideas will help you build a brilliant demo. Use these tips to plan and design a quality and eye-catching demo video.

1. Create a Plan

Before starting anything, you need an excellent foundation to build on. This will save you time and money down the line and help you strategize your goals and end product for the best results. Work out the details of your game plan before developing anything concrete. When outlining a strategy for an app demo, decide how you will:
Market your product: How will you describe your product to users? Introduce your app to audiences quickly and interestingly. They’re watching the video because they’re already a little interested, so let them know early on what they’re learning about. Where will you market the demo? What social media and app stores will you use?
Show your product: How does the product work? What are its unique features, and how is the app navigated? Showing users how easy it is to get around an app or accomplish a task with it drives them to download and use your app. Highlight cool aspects and unique features they can only get from you.
Create a need for your product: How does your app solve a problem the audience has? What will it make more accessible or better for them? People want apps that increase their convenience and give them better access to the things they enjoy. How is your app meeting those needs?
Encourage using your product: How does this app matter to audiences? Create a clear call-to-action (CTA) that you will use to get users to download and use your app. Figure out if a hard or soft CTA would appeal best to your audience. “Download now,” “check out here” and “try a free trial today” are just some of the many jumping-off points for CTAs. A good CTA leaves audiences wanting to act, so you can’t leave it out.

2. Develop a Framework

In the development stage of app demos, you need to sketch out what your demo video will look like. Pre-planning gives you room to edit without costly reshoots or cuts. Crafting a framework for a demo video includes working out:
Style: What style will your video be in? Live actors, animation and GIFs are all forms you can use to attract attention. Animations in particular can be a cost-effective, creative app demo style that lets you market outside of the limitations of live-action ads. You can use 2D, 3D, graphic and whiteboard animations to develop a unique, memorable demo for users to enjoy.
Script: You’ve already worked out your CTA, but what else will you say? Scripts need to be short and tight to deliver your message with maximum effect. Determine what tone the script will be, what emotions you’ll bring out in the audience and how you’ll say everything you need to in a small video. Some companies use casual language, others even rhyme. The idea is to create a script that users will remember.
Storyboard: Planning each “scene” or step of the demo video will help you work out any kinks in advance and let you establish a clear vision and message for the product. Visualizing the walkthrough assists developers, designers and directors in understanding the video’s goals.
Specs: How long will your demo be? What platform is it going on? Different social media platforms have different video layouts and lengths. Thirty seconds to one minute is a good time frame for a demo, but you also need to consider what orientation and other specs the video will have. Consider layout, platform, audio and links when designing the demo.

3. Film a Demo

Once you’ve worked out your planning, style, CTA, actors and everything in between, it’s time to get down to business. Develop an app demo with a video creating platform or service and start filming. With your plan already laid out ahead of time, all that’s left to do is complete the product. Play around with editing, sound and text to stand out from the crowd. Use creative, visual styles and graphics to build an imaginative demo and encourage your audience to download your app.

Making an Effective App Demo

To make a solid mobile walkthrough, you can use different styles and techniques to build a better, more interesting product. Here are some tips for maximizing your demo’s effectiveness:
Add subtitles so users can watch videos with or without sound.
Include your main message in the first 30 seconds.
Use bold, eye-catching graphics and text.
Incorporate animations for interesting visuals and messaging.
Build to the platform you’ll be advertising on.
When designing a demo, you want to engage and motivate your audience. With 85% of U.S. users watching online videos, your app video needs to be short, sweet and successful. Appeal to your targeted users through interesting design and enjoyable content they want to see.

FAQs about App Demonstrations

App demonstrations are one way to better reach your audience and market your app’s abilities. These are some of the most frequently asked questions we get about using mobile walkthroughs:

Should I Use a Camera to Record My Demo?

Typically, you’ll want to use a screen recorder for any demos. Cameras can involve playing with lighting, angles and intrusive grains or sounds. Screen recordings provide the best video quality and the most professional end result.

Why Should I Make a Mobile Walkthrough?

One of the most effective ways to learn how to use something is by watching. With video, users avoid the confusion of text-only explanations and see exactly how the app works in real-time.

What Are the Most Important Aspects to Consider for App Demos?

Your marketing strategy, video length, style and script are all crucial for your content. Planning your demo with precision will help your videos remain tight and effective without sacrificing engagement.

What Is the Best Way to Make an App Demo Video?

While there are platforms out there for designing and recording a demo video, the best method is to hire a professional video agency to create your demo. Marketing walkthroughs involve lots of design and graphic strategies that can quickly become overwhelming for first-time users. Letting an agency handle your video ensures you get the best product possible.

Create an App Demonstration Video With WizMotions

WizMotions’ experienced in-house artists will dive fully into your product and company, developing a unique, creative demo to appeal to your audience. Our app-demo service will build an animated demonstration of your app that communicates your message without sacrificing style. We offer almost unlimited storyboard revisions to give you the highest quality products, so your demo is the best version of your idea possible.
Call us at 732-943-3337 or contact us online for a consultation and start converting audiences today.