Welcome video for a new client: record it in Chrome
Record a welcome video for a new client in Chrome: five lines to say, a quick setup, a 30 second test and how to send the MP4 with its transcript.
A good welcome video takes ten minutes and sets the tone for the whole engagement. If you want to record a welcome video for a new client in Chrome, you do not need editing software or a studio. You need a quiet room, a short script and a recorder that runs in your browser. This post walks through the content, the setup and the exact steps, so the finished file lands on your own computer with a transcript you can send along.
Why a welcome video makes a strong first impression with new clients
A new client has just signed. They are unsure what happens next, who to contact and what you need from them. A written email answers some of that. A short video answers the part that email handles badly: who you are and how it will feel to work with you.
Your face and voice build trust faster than a paragraph. You can also show things instead of describing them: the project board, the shared folder, the page where they send files. That saves a round of questions in the first week.
It also scales. You record it once for a type of client, and you can record a fresh version in minutes whenever your process changes.
What to include in a client welcome video
Keep it to two or three minutes. Cover these points and stop:
- A greeting by name. Say the client's name and thank them for choosing you.
- What happens next. The first three steps, in order, with dates if you have them.
- What you need from them. Logins, files, a brief, a signed form. Be specific.
- How to reach you. One channel and a normal reply time.
- A quick look at your tools. Show the place they will actually use, for example the shared folder or the project page.
If you also show a product, a similar approach works in a product walkthrough for a new teammate. The structure carries over: say what you will show, show it, then say what to do next.
Write a quick script before you record
You do not need to read word for word. You do need a skeleton so you do not wander. Write five short lines, one per point above. Here is an example:
Hi Dana, welcome aboard. I am glad we are working together. Here is what happens this week. Today you get the shared folder. By Wednesday I need your brand files and the signed form. On Friday we have a 30 minute kickoff call. Let me show you where to upload things. If you have a question, email me and I will reply within one working day.
Read it aloud once. Cut any sentence that makes you stumble. Short sentences are easier to say and easier for the transcript to catch cleanly.
Set up Chrome, your mic, and your screen
Cheap Recorder runs in Google Chrome on macOS, Windows and Linux, so there is nothing to install. A few minutes of setup saves a retake.
- Choose a folder. Under Where to save, press Choose folder... and pick a place on your computer. Chrome asks whether the page may edit files in that folder. Allow it. Until you do, Start recording stays greyed out and the note beside it says choose a folder first.
- Name the recording. Type something like Welcome Dana in Name this recording. That name is used for the file and its folder, along with the date and time.
- Pick your microphone. Open Change or add microphones, tick the one you speak into, and watch its level bar move when you talk. A headset or desk microphone close to your mouth beats a laptop microphone in a noisy room, and the transcript is made from what Chrome hears on it.
- Decide on your camera. Keep Record my webcam on if you want your face in the video. Your face is a big part of why a welcome video works.
- Share a window, not your whole screen. Under What to capture, choose A window or A browser tab. Anything on a shared screen ends up in the file, so this keeps other tabs, apps and private things out. Close what you do not need and silence notifications.
If you want a deeper check of your sound first, see how to test your microphone before a long screen recording.
How to record a welcome video for a new client in Chrome step by step
- Open the recorder in Chrome at cheaprecorder.com/app and allow the microphone and camera when Chrome asks.
- Choose your folder and name the recording as above.
- Pick what to capture. Choose A window or A browser tab, then pick the one you want in Chrome's own sharing box and press Share. The preview appears at the bottom of the page.
- Set the layout. In the Layout menu in the Preview heading, Picture in picture, bottom right is the default. Drag the camera where you want it, and use the Size slider if it covers something. If you want only your face for the greeting, Webcam only records just your camera and microphone.
- Check Live transcript. It is ticked by default under Options. Look at the language menu beside it, because it goes back to its default each time the page opens.
- Record a 30 second test. Say your greeting, stop, and play it back. This catches a wrong microphone or a muted tab.
- Press Start recording. If it is greyed out, read the words beside it. They give the reason, such as choose a folder first.
- Press M at the start of each new section if you want markers. They are written to files only when Also save every source separately is ticked.
- Press Stop and finish. Do not use Chrome's own Stop sharing bar, because that also ends the recording. The video appears on the page with a player, and it is already saved in your folder as an MP4.
A tip for walking through your tools: show the real page the client will use, and say what to click. The same habit helps in a code review walkthrough, where the viewer follows your cursor.
Personalize the video and share it with a transcript
Personal touches matter more than polish. Use the client's name, mention something from your sales conversation, and name the person who will be their main contact. If you are following up after a call, the follow-up video for a prospect uses the same approach.
For sharing, you have a few options:
- Send the MP4. It uses H.264 video and AAC sound and plays almost anywhere. Use Download MP4 on the card, or find it in the recording's folder.
- Send the transcript. If the transcript caught speech, a plain text file such as Welcome Dana - transcript.txt sits beside the video, with the time of each line. It is easy to paste into an email, so the client can skim the steps. Captions .srt is also a download on the card.
- Send a publish page. On Creator and up, tick Also save every source separately before recording. The recording's folder then holds a publish.html with the title, a player, chapters from your markers and the transcript with times. It opens from the folder with nothing to host. Send the whole recording folder, zipped, not just the page. You can read more in the guide on client demo publish pages.
The same pattern in a product update video with a transcript if you send these on a schedule.
Common mistakes to avoid in a welcome video
- Going too long. Past three minutes, people stop watching. Split extra material into a second video.
- Sharing the whole screen. A stray notification or open tab ends up in the file. Share one window or tab.
- Skipping the test. A muted tab or the wrong microphone is only found on playback. Record 30 seconds first.
- Forgetting the transcript setting. If Live transcript was off, a transcript cannot be added to that recording afterwards.
- Sending only the page file. If you use a publish page, send the whole recording folder, zipped.
- Using a Bluetooth headset as the microphone. It can drop to a low-quality mode and make your voice sound thin. Use a wired or USB microphone for your voice.
- Skipping the next step. End with one clear action, such as upload the brand files by Wednesday.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a welcome video for a new client be?
Aim for two to three minutes. Cover who you are, what happens next, what you need from them and how to reach you.
Do I need to install anything to record it?
No. Cheap Recorder runs in Google Chrome on macOS, Windows and Linux. You choose a folder and the recording is saved there as an MP4.
Does the free plan work for this?
Yes. The Free plan includes recording, live transcript and captions, with 12 hours of recording a month and no card needed. The publish page needs Creator or higher.
Is my recording uploaded anywhere?
No. Recordings are written to the folder you pick. The exceptions are Convert and Download MP3, which send the file to the server to be converted and then delete it. While the live transcript is on, Chrome sends your microphone audio to Google to turn it into text.
Can I add a transcript after I record?
No. If Live transcript was off, a transcript cannot be added to that recording afterwards. Check that it is ticked under Options before you press Start recording.
Get started
Write your five lines, pick a folder and record a 30 second test. Then record the real thing and send it with the transcript. You can start on the free plan with no card, and your recordings stay on your own disk. If you are weighing tools first, see the comparison with Loom, Camtasia, Descript and Riverside.