In 2007 when I found the right screen recording software, it changed OFSs for me.

See, with screen recording software, there are a couple small things which make all the difference on how much you’ll use it.

1. It needs to do both video captures and image captures
2. It needs to always be open on your computer so that capturing is one click (or…preferably just a keyboard shortcut)
3. It needs to have the ability to annotate images (add arrows, lines, and text to the image)
4. It needs to upload the images and videos automatically and give you the URL automatically. 

For me, none of these are negotiable at this point. 

Why? 

Because in 2006 and 2005 (the two years I had OFS’s working for me before finding the magic software) I was using Camtasia Studio to make video trainings for my OFS.  It always entailed recording the video, rendering the video, using FTP to upload it to a server, and figuring out the URL of the video. 

It took so much work I would only do it for really important things.  

Then, it all changed with Snagit.

Snagit meets all the criteria listed above…but it’s just easier to show you exactly how it works.
http://www.quickvideolearning.com/daily/snagit-demo.mp4

You can’t see the snagit controls in the video because the screen recording didn’t record the screen recording controls.  But…it just works.

And it’s amazing!

I create training, feedback, SOPs, corrections, …anything!  This is how I manage my VAs.  When I found the right software I went from being able to manage 5 VAs to being able to manage 20 VAs.  It saves that much time.

Snagit is the best.  It’s $49.
Free alternatives include
– Techsmith Capture
– Tinytake
– there are lots of others (a super popular one is Loom)…but I don’t bother with them.  Snagit is better.

I’m thankful for amazing pieces of software which increase my abilities and make my life so much easier.  Snagit is my #1.

John