Screen capture and screen recording have been around for quite a while. For Affiliate Marketers, it is an important tool used to explain your topics, provide training videos, and a whole myriad of other things.
As the Affiliate Marketing continues to evolve along with technological advances there is an increasing focus on the use of video and video marketing. Let’s face it, humans, like pictures and videos. It helps us relate better to the topic at hand.
With all the screen recording tools around what is the best video screen recorder for Affiliate Marketers? It comes down to two things really. Your budget and your needs.
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What Are Video Screen Recorders
Video screen recorders are applications that capture what’s on your screen. Usually, you are given options to record the whole screen or selected portions of your screen, and perhaps video from a webcam.
Screen recorders will also capture audio from the computer and/or an attached microphone. This is especially useful for narration, which is used quite a bit in the world of Affiliate Marketing.
Some screen recording applications come with video editors which allow you to edit the video you have recorded from your screen. Video editors are necessary for a variety of reasons because you’ll typically want to edit the raw video to add titles, on-screen narration, and video introductions for your brand. You get the picture, there’s a lot of possibilities for enhancing your raw video.
So video editors are a necessary component whether your screen recording application comes with one or not. More on that later.
Defining Your Needs
Understanding what you need and want in a video screen recorder will help you narrow down the list. So you’ll need to consider whether you need a full-featured screen recorder, video editor software, or a more advanced application that gives your technical control over your recording options.
Types of video screen recorders:
- Full-featured for the average user: This type of software is geared toward the average computer user, but gives you many features such as:
- Dual recording sources for both screen and webcam.
- Record audio from system and/or microphone
- Zoom features
- On-screen editing
- Ability to add music tracks to your video
- Take Screen Shots
- Full-featured for the professional: Geared toward the professional video creator with more advanced features. In addition to the features above you’ll be looking for features such as:
- Green screen technology
- Image swap
- Images as buttons
- VR capabilities
- Interactive videos
- Panning and zooming
- Keyboard capture
- And much more
- Full-featured and open source: Geared to the technically minded person looking for free open source platform with advanced features like:
- Multiple video capture sources
- Multiple audio capture sources
- Video streaming
- Video preview
- Output control
- Multiple scenes
- And more
Recommended Screen Recorders
Below you find out recommended video screen recorders for each category class listed above. We have compiled these results based on features, usability, and popularity.
Full-Featured Recorders For The Average User
Camtasia is by and large the most popular among full-featured applications for the average user, especially among long-time Affiliate Marketers. It also includes a video editor. It is compatible with both Windows and MacOS. Camtasia allows for two device installations, so you could install it on both your desktop and laptop computers.
Currently priced at $249. You can add Snagit Screen Capture software for just $25.
SCREENCAST-O-MATIC is my second recommendation. Unlike Camtasia, this software is subscription-based and runs web-based or PC based. It’s available for Chromebook, Windows, and MacOS. It also includes a video editor.
Solo Plan is $1.50 per month (yes, you read that right), billed yearly. Includes the screen recorder, video editor, and video hosting (Videos limited to 15 min for uploading) with 2GB Bandwidth
Premier Plan is $4.00 per month, billed yearly. Includes the screen recorder, video editor, and video hosting & sharing with 100GB Bandwidth. No upload time limit for premier.
Full-Featured Recorders For The Professional
Adobe Captivate is the only real professional video capture application that I would recommend. Nothing even comes close to what Captivate offers.
Currently $33.99 per month for subscription or $1,299 for a Perpetual License. There is also separate Student/Teacher and Upgrade pricing.
Full-Featured Open Source
GIMP is one of the best Open Source video screen recorders out there. It’s available for GNU/Linux, MacOS X, and Windows. GIMP is definitely for the more technical oriented person, but an average user could learn the basics without too much trouble.
Currently Open Source and Free for general use. It does not include a video editor, so you would need to use a free video editor such as Windows Movie Maker or Apple iMovie.
Best Screen Recorders For (Most) Affiliate Marketers
So which one is the best video screen recorder for Affiliate Marketers?
For the money and versatility, I’d have to say SCREENCAST-O-MATIC. For just $18 a year for Solo, or $48 a year for Premier (If you need video hosting) you really can’t beat it. I use it personally and it’s super easy to use and the video editor is pretty good. It even comes with some free music soundtracks as well.
Additional Tools For Video Creation
In addition to your screen recording and video editing applications, you’re going to need a quality microphone. You can buy inexpensive dynamic microphones, however, they don’t pick up as well as a condenser microphone. Below is a good USB condenser microphone that comes with a tabletop mount, pop filter, and more.
If you’re going to be doing narration, which most of us do, it helps to have a good condenser microphone with all the accessories. It will make it easier on you when you’re recording, and it will sound much more professional.
In Conclusion
With video quickly becoming the media of choice for many forms of marketing, having a full-featured video screen recording application and video editor is a must. Whether your a typical user, a professional, or technically adept person, there is a solution for you.
To Your Massive Success,
Michael
PS. Please scroll down and leave your comments and questions. I’d love to hear from you.
Hi Michael. I have to admit that I know very little about producing videos , but I suppose if one is going to start an affiliate blog and hope to make a living from affiliate marketing then it’s probably necessary to buy into a monthly plan to enable one to do this.The thought of producing videos frightens me a Little and I’m not sure where to start. Do you have an article available for people such as myself, that will help me to understand it better? Thanks Jim
Hi Jim,
I understand how you feel. It can be a little intimidating at first. It takes some practice to get comfortable with it. Actually I have plans for an article on doing video. Perhaps in a week or so. I’ll make a note to post something back here for you.
Best Wishes,
Michael
Hello Michael, this is a great article for me and it has come very handy just at the appropriate time of need for me. I just created a YouTube channel and it requires me to have a screen recording software and possibly a microphone alongside it. Besides, I run a vlog too so, my videos would come very handy too on my vlog. Thanks for the suggestions and I think based on my budget, I would be okay the the activities and the pricing of the Camtasia
Yes, video is now becoming the media of choice. We should all be pursuing and incorporating video into our strategies.
Best Wishes,
Michael
Hi,
Thanks a lot for this great article about the Best video screen recorder for the affiliate marketer. I’m in the online business sector for the last few years but I haven’t think about video marketing yet. Because I had no clear idea of how to do video recording. But after reading your post it makes me totally clear that it’s not very hard to make video And I know it’s very important for an affiliate marketer to start video marketing. you explain in this article very well how to use different types of tools to record and make videos and start video marketing. I hear before about screencast O Matic But I didn’t know about Camtasia.Thanks again for share with us these valuable tools to record and make a video screen.
You are very welcome. Video is fast becoming the preferred media.
Good luck to you and here’s to some great videos!
Michael