Online software demonstrations are a very effective way to show customers how to use a product's features and functionality. futureLab, a Swiss company, discovered the power of online software demos for purposes of getting new subscribers to its online photo management service, Snapmania.com. What tool did they turn to for the online demos? Camtasia Studio, by TechSmith.

This case study explains how Camtasia Studio has helped drive consumer adoption of Snapmania.com:

Over the course of a year, futureLAB conducted a beta test of snapmania.com with 500 users. It became clear that software demonstrations would be the most effective way to show customers how to use the product's features and functionality. Usability testing showed that consumers needed help immediately due largely to the fact that the products user interface is going far beyond anything one would expect to be possible within a browser window. The challenge presented by the product's unique look and feel was compounded by the fact that snapmania is an interactive web-application offering drag and drop support, double clicking, drop down menus etc. that allows users to be very effective and creative to obtain a desired result rather than forcing customers through a traditional, step-by-step approach usually seen in online applications.

futureLAB wanted the software demonstrations to be online and on-demand for maximum efficiency and convenience. Content on CDs can become outdated very quickly, and customers are more likely to click on a software demo than load a CD and search for the relevant content.

The demonstrations would serve as the first formal introduction consumers would have to snapmania, and would also be used as an online marketing and pre-sales tool. By watching the short software demonstration, customers could see, hear, and actually experience the product. Since snapmania is an online application, customers don't receive written documentation, which is costly to produce and typically goes unread. Therefore, the some of the many video demonstrations are designed to act as a user's manual and first-level tech support. These videos are accessible through the application's online help system.

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After testing nearly a dozen software programs, futureLAB chose Camtasia Studio by TechSmith. Camtasia Studio is the first screen-recording application that combines all the benefits of video and Flash. Camtasia Studio records screen activity in real time -- every mouse click, hue changes, fade-in and keystroke -- and the resulting video is crystal clear. The video includes the narrator's voice and even picture-in-picture, if the narrator wants to be seen on the screen. Users can edit the video, adding callouts, highlights, transitions, title clips, and much more. They can also record their narration after the screen recording or even add background music. Camtasia Studio is the only screen-recording software that allows users to publish their software demonstration in the most popular streaming media formats (AVI, WMV, RM and WOV) as well as Flash (SWF and FLV), providing maximum publishing options.

Go here to read the full case study. If you would like to see an example of the Snapmania.com online demo using Camtasia Studio (in German), go here.

This post is sponsored by TechSmith, makers of Camtasia Studio. Visit http://techsmith.com/camtasia.asp for more information.