The best video recording software for my design business: Loom

How are you using video in your business? I’m guessing you’re taking advantage of video in some way—whether that means creating reels, leveraging TikTok, or incorporating b-roll videos into your website. Personally, I’m loving a subtle aesthetic background video for website or Pinterest content… or animated gifs for logos or website design. But my most used video platform is Loom.

Loom is the best video recording software for recording your screen, face-to-camera, or both. It has been a life-saver in terms of personable communication and quick messaging (rather than scheduling a meeting or spending forever drafting up an email).

All you have to do is hit record, share your message, and then send your video link!

I often send one-time video links via email, but you can also embed the links for long-lasting content on your website (example here) or client management software. They’re more personal than an email, save communication time, and they’re saved into your Loom library so you can grab the video link again anytime.

You can also quickly trim videos and generate a transcript. It’s so simple and so effective in my everyday workflow.

These are some of the top ways I use Loom for my design studio:

– Design Presentations
– File Release Tutorials
– Website Tutorials
– Website Mockups
– Personal Introductions
– Team Communication
– Online Speaking Engagements

Is the upgrade to Loom Business worth it?

I do invest in the paid “Business” version of Loom—and I think it’s 100% worth it. The free version is still an amazing tool, but the paid version is only $8 per month for a huge upgrade on features, including unlimited videos with unlimited recording time, plus automatic transcription and call-to-action buttons embedded directly within the video. You can also trim and edit clips directly within the Loom interface.

Design Presentations

Design Presentations are my number one favorite place to use Loom. A recorded video allows me to walk the client through all of the design strategy and research behind their initial brand concepts. During this presentation, I usually cover:

– Market Research
– SWOT Analysis
– Ideal Client Definition
– Differentiating Offerings
– Brand Voice Direction
– Brand Imagery Direction
– Brand Keywords
– Color Palette
– Moodboard

… and that’s all before I present their three logo design concepts! The background research and design strategy is crucial to my design process: it’s always the foundation to my work.

For a long time, I was putting in the research to develop strategic design concepts—but I wasn’t sharing any of that behind-the-scenes research with my client. Now, Loom allows me to walk through the Design Presentation one page at a time, sharing the intention behind every element of their design.

Design is subjective, but there are also certain associations and universal connotations that lend a particular feel to typography, graphics, and color. I like being able to point out different aspects of the design, and the decisions I’ve made for those particular elements to appeal to the client’s target audience.

Loom lets me share those insights with the client, rather than sending a design proof without any context. I believe every design decision should be made with intention and purpose; Loom lets me share those intentions with the client.

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File Release Tutorials

After we wrap up a client project, I send over a large folder holding all of their new brand files along with a Brand Style Guide. We like to make sure our clients walk away with a comprehensive brand toolkit… which means there are a lot of files to deliver!

For that reason, I like to record a personalized Loom video to show clients how to navigate their new files without getting overwhelmed. I review their Brand Style Guide page by page, and then click through a few of their folders to help them get familiar with their new brand files.

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Website Tutorials

I also provide a personalized website tutorial for every client: a full-length video walking them through every page of their new website design. My goal is always for clients to feel confident updating their new site, so the tutorial serves as an opportunity for them to get comfortable with their new design.

I can comment with timestamps to point out particular pages or features of the design, making it easy for clients to jump to relevant parts of the tutorial when needed.

For both file release videos and website tutorials, I always tell clients: these videos are great resources to share with any new team members. Instead of scheduling a meeting to personally train new team members about these items, they can just send over the video links to familiarize new hires with the brand and website.

Since I’m on the Loom Business plan, I can host unlimited videos—ensuring that video link will always be available for them to revisit. They can also choose to download the video to their desktop!

I can also embed more general tutorials on my website for anyone to watch. Here’s a quick tutorial on how that’s done.

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Website Mockups

Ever wonder how website designers create those moving videos within mockup images of computer screens? There are several ways to do this… but Loom is one of the easiest!

Just record your screen while clicking around a new website design, then save the video to your desktop. You can use the .mp4 file inside a Photoshop mockup, or upload it to Canva and place it inside a screen frame. (Angela from Saffron Avenue has a great Photoshop tutorial here).

Personal Introductions

I also use Loom for occasional quick videos where I want to connect with someone on a more personal level than just an email. For example, I often embed a short video into initial inquiry emails or right after a client books—just a quick, 30-second, face-to-camera clip to say hello and welcome. The embedded Loom video plays directly within the email.

A video feels more personal than an email, and it helps them get a feel for my personality so we can see if we are a good fit for working together!

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Team Communication

In addition, I often use Loom for team communication. If one of my designers has a question for me, I can respond with a quick Loom video that they can watch any time (without having to hop on a call). Since we all work in different time zones, this is a helpful way to communicate on our own time—while still maintaining a personal touch that helps us feel connected.

I also use it to share my feedback and creative direction on their design work: it helps give clear direction in a personable way, eliminating confusion and avoiding any miscommunication via text.

Delivering and receiving constructive feedback is one of the skills I value most from my formal education in design. One important component of constructive feedback is tone of voice: it can be the key difference between feedback that feels helpful and feedback that feels too harsh. Sometimes our intentions don’t come across well over text or email; a video allows me to convey a warm tone of voice, so my constructive critique doesn’t come across as too harsh. I feel strongly about delivering constructive feedback with honesty and kindness; Loom is a key tool that helps me deliver feedback in a way that feels right for me.

As I mentioned above, I can also save any relevant videos to my Loom library for any future team members. I might record a tutorial on organizing our team files, or instructions for saving / naming files correctly. I can then save those videos in a folder for anyone to revisit when needed, or for future team members to review.

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Online Speaking Engagements

After the past year or two, online conferences and summits have been on the rise in the creative industry. While I’m feeling optimistic that we can all return to in-person events, I think online education is here to stay for awhile. As much as I value in-person connections, it’s also pretty amazing that we can connect with creatives all over the world and learn from each other through online events.

I’m honored to have been a speaker for several online programs and events over the past few years, and I’ve found Loom to be a great option for any pre-recorded education I plan to share. Out of all the platforms I’ve tried, Loom is the best video recording software because it offers a balance between screen recording and face-to-camera video (including a live thumbnail of the speaker over any screen-recorded content).

It’s easy to switch back and forth between my slide deck, live views of my screen, and my face-to-camera messaging. The multiple viewing options help keep my presentation engaging for students.

Whenever possible, I always try to use Loom for online speaking engagements that are easy to create and look professional for any students who may be tuning in!

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Why I think Loom is the best video recording software for small businesses and designers:

Loom is a beneficial tool for any small business—and this is just the tip of the iceberg. I’ve already recorded over 300 Loom videos, and I know there are many more to come. I’m always thinking of new ways to leverage Loom’s functionality for my workflows, and it’s hard to imagine my day-to-day business without it.

Whether you’re running a design studio, or a small business in any other industry, I’d love to hear your experience: what are you using Loom for? How does it help your business run smoothly?

I hope this helps give you some ideas for increasing efficiency in your business—and I hope you love utilizing Loom as much as I do!

*If you’re interested in trying Loom’s Business plan, feel free to use my link! I do receive a small commission from your participation, but I always do my best to share honest and helpful reviews about the products I know and love. Let me know if you have any questions!