Pick the launch video by the question your audience is asking. If they ask what the product does, make a demo. If they ask why it exists and why they should trust you, make a founder story. If they need to feel what category you are in before they care, make a brand film. Most launches need a demo first, a founder story second and a brand film only when the product is hard to show. This guide gives you a decision table, a script structure for each, a launch-week calendar and an asset list.
Decision table
| Situation | First video | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Product is live and can be shown on screen | Product demo | Visitors want to see it work |
| Pre-launch, collecting a waitlist | Founder story | Trust and a reason to sign up |
| Raising money or recruiting | Founder story plus a short demo | Investors and hires need a person and proof |
| Selling to a team or enterprise buyer | Demo plus a customer clip | Buyers need to see use and risk reduced |
| Hardware, a physical product or a hard-to-show service | Brand film | Feeling and context come first |
| Crowded category with many look-alikes | Founder story, then a demo | Distinct point of view first |
If you can afford only one video, make the demo. If it also needs a human voice, add a short founder introduction at the start.
Script structure: product demo (60 to 120 seconds)
- The problem (5 to 10 seconds). Show the moment of friction. One sentence, no jargon.
- The product in use (30 to 60 seconds). Real screens, one workflow, from start to result. Skip menus and settings unless they matter.
- The result (10 to 15 seconds). What the user has at the end: a finished report, a booked call, a saved hour.
- The next step (5 seconds). One action, such as start a trial or book a demo.
Keep the cursor visible and slow. Zoom into the part that matters. Use real, plausible data rather than "test test". Avoid showing real customer data.
Script structure: founder story (60 to 90 seconds)
- Where you were. The job or situation that exposed the problem.
- What was broken. Specific, lived, short.
- What you built. One sentence on the product.
- Who it is for. Name your audience plainly.
- The ask. Join the waitlist, try it, book a call.
Film the founder in a real workspace, looking at the lens, with a few bullet points and no script. People can tell when someone is reading. Cut for rhythm, not perfection.
Script structure: brand film (45 to 90 seconds)
- A tension. A short scene that shows the problem or the aspiration.
- A turn. The product or idea enters.
- A moment of use. The product in someone's hands or on their screen.
- A line to remember. A single sentence, not a slogan list.
Brand films ask for more production: location, talent, music and motion design. They are best when the product is hard to demonstrate. Our brand film versus explainer video guide shows how the two differ.
Shooting and recording the demo
- Resolution and speed. Record the screen at the highest resolution your screen allows and export at 1080p or higher. Run the product on a fast connection so nothing loads slowly on camera.
- Clean environment. Create a demo account with realistic data, close notifications and use a clean browser profile.
- Voice-over or on-camera. Record voice separately in a quiet room. A voice-over can be re-recorded when the interface changes. An on-camera founder takes longer to update.
- Motion graphics. Use callouts, zooms and short captions to guide attention. Design them so they can be edited when the interface changes.
- Plan for updates. Keep the project file and screen recordings so a later version takes hours, not weeks.
Claims need proof
Say only what the product can do today. The FTC expects advertising claims to be truthful and backed up, and it has said that claims about artificial intelligence are no exception. Do not show features that are not shipped without a clear label. Do not show customer logos or testimonials without written permission.
A launch week calendar
| When | Post |
|---|---|
| Two weeks before | Founder teaser clip, a screenshot teaser, waitlist push |
| One week before | Behind-the-scenes clip of the team, a poll or a question for the audience |
| Launch day | Main video on the site, YouTube and LinkedIn, with a pinned post and an email |
| Day after | Three 15 to 30 second cutdowns of single features |
| Day three | A customer or beta user clip, if you have permission |
| End of week | A founder recap and a link to the full demo |
Our LinkedIn video strategy guide covers how to format business video for that platform.
Asset checklist
- Final script and a list of claims with their sources
- Screen recordings in the highest resolution available
- Logo files, fonts and brand colors
- Cleared music or a sound design plan
- Captions in a text file
- Cutdowns in 16:9 and 9:16
- A thumbnail and a short description for each platform
- Written permission for anyone who appears and any customer name or logo
What affects the quote
The number of videos, the amount of product complexity to show, whether you need talent, locations or animation, how many versions, and how often the interface will change. We do not publish prices in articles.
Want a person to help?
If you are launching soon, we can help you choose the right video, write the script with you and produce the cuts you need. See our video production service, the page for tech startup marketing, or contact us and a real person will reply.
How to script a product demo video
State the problem
Open with the moment of friction in one plain sentence, in under ten seconds.
Pick one workflow
Choose one task and show it from start to result with real, clean data.
Show the result
End the workflow on what the user has: a finished report, a booked call or a saved hour.
Add one next step
Close with a single action such as start a trial or book a demo.
Record voice separately
Record voice-over in a quiet room so it can be redone when the interface changes.
Questions people ask
Should a startup make a demo or a brand film first?
Usually a demo, if the product can be shown on screen. It answers the first question visitors have. Add a founder introduction for trust, and make a brand film when the product is hard to show or the category is crowded.
How long should a product demo video be?
Sixty to 120 seconds is a workable range for a main demo. Cover the problem, one workflow and the result. Create shorter cutdowns of single features for social.
Do I need permission to show customer logos in a launch video?
Yes. Get written permission before showing customer names, logos or testimonials, and avoid showing real customer data in screen recordings.
How do I keep the demo up to date as the product changes?
Keep the project file and raw screen recordings, record voice-over separately and design callouts so they can be edited. Then updating the video takes hours rather than weeks.
Written by the team at Clouds Agency, a Los Angeles creative and production consulting agency.