Video is exhausting. Honestly, the thought of jumping on another Zoom call just to explain a spreadsheet or a bug in the code makes most people want to throw their laptop out a window. This is exactly why Loom took off. It’s asynchronous. It’s fast. But there is a massive difference between a polished clip that gets your point across and a rambling, four-minute mess where you’re clearing your throat and clicking the wrong tabs. If you want to know how to make a Loom video that people actually watch, you have to stop treating it like a casual FaceTime call and start treating it like a mini-production.
Let's get the basics out of the way first. You need the app or the Chrome extension. If you're on a Mac or Windows, the desktop app is usually better because it handles system audio and high-resolution recording more reliably than a browser tab. Once it’s installed, you have a choice: screen only, camera only, or the classic "bubble" where your face sits in the corner while you narrate your screen.
Setting the stage before you hit record
Most people just click "Start Recording" and wing it. Don't do that. You'll stumble. Your dog will bark. You'll realize you have twenty tabs open titled "How to hide my browsing history."
Clean your desktop. It sounds like a small thing, but a cluttered background or a messy browser bar is incredibly distracting for the viewer. If you’re showing a website, zoom in a bit. Most people view these on smaller screens or within Slack, so that 10pt font on your 4K monitor is going to look like ants to them.
Sound matters way more than video. Seriously. People will forgive a grainy camera, but they won't forgive audio that sounds like you're underwater or trapped in a wind tunnel. If you have a dedicated microphone, use it. Even a pair of wired earbuds with a built-in mic is better than the tinny, echo-prone microphone built into your laptop chassis.
The technical checklist
- Check your lighting. Don't sit with a bright window behind you. You’ll look like a silhouette in a witness protection program. Put the light source in front of your face.
- Toggle the "Touch Up" feature. Loom has a subtle filter in the settings. It’s not going to turn you into a movie star, but it evens out skin tones so you look less like you’ve been up until 3 AM answering emails.
- Use "Canvas" if you don't have a screen to show. Sometimes you just want to talk. Loom’s Canvas feature lets you record your face next to a clean, colored background with text. It's great for announcements.
How to make a Loom video that actually gets watched
When you're ready to go, the "3-2-1" countdown starts. Take a breath. Look at the camera lens, not at your own face in the bubble. This is the hardest part of how to make a Loom video—eye contact. If you look at your own reflection, you look like you’re staring at the floor to the person watching.
Keep it short. The data from Loom’s own internal metrics suggests that engagement drops off a cliff after the two-minute mark. If your video is five minutes long, you’ve probably lost them. If you have a lot to cover, record three short videos instead of one giant one. It feels less daunting to the recipient.
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Use the drawing tools. If you’re using the desktop app, you can draw on the screen while you talk. This is huge for designers or developers. Circle the button that isn't working. Draw an arrow to the typo. It keeps the viewer's eyes where they need to be.
Dealing with mistakes
Stop restarting. Seriously. If you mess up a word, just pause for a second, say "Sorry, let me rephrase that," and keep going. It makes you human. People prefer authenticity over robotic perfection. If you have a catastrophic sneeze or the mailman rings the bell, you can always use the "Trim" feature later in the Loom web interface to cut that section out.
Editing and the "After-Action" report
Once you hit stop, the video is instantly uploaded. This is the magic of the platform. But you aren't done yet. The default title is usually something useless like "Loom Recording #42." Change it. Make it descriptive. Instead of "Feedback," try "3 quick changes for the homepage hero section."
The transcript is your secret weapon. Loom generates these automatically. You should scan it for "ums" and "ahs." The Pro version actually has a "Remove Filler Words" button that does this with one click. It’s like magic. It snips out the dead air and the stutters, making you sound way more confident than you actually felt while recording.
Engagement features you’re probably ignoring
- Call to Action (CTA): You can put a button right in the video. If you’re a salesperson, link to your Calendly. If you’re a manager, link to the Jira ticket.
- Custom Thumbnails: If the auto-generated thumbnail is a frame of you mid-blink with your mouth open, change it. You can upload a static image or pick a better frame.
- Comments and Emojis: Encourage people to react. It’s a lot faster for a client to drop a "thumbs up" emoji at the 1:12 mark than it is for them to write an email response.
Why context is king in async communication
There is a psychological component to how to make a Loom video that most people overlook. You are invading someone's "quiet time." When someone sees a video link in their inbox, there is a moment of friction—they have to find headphones or make sure they aren't in a loud place.
Mitigate this by writing a short summary in the text where you share the link. "Hey, here is a 90-second breakdown of the Q3 budget. Key takeaway: we're slightly over on cloud spend." Now, they know exactly what they're getting into. They might not even need to watch the whole thing if the summary is good enough, but they’ll appreciate that you didn't waste their time.
When NOT to use Loom
Don't use it for sensitive HR conversations. Don't use it for complicated negotiations where tone can be easily misinterpreted without real-time feedback. It’s a tool for explanation, not for confrontation. If the topic is "Why you're being fired," please, for the love of everything, stay off Loom.
Advanced tricks for the power users
If you’re doing this for sales or outreach, use the "Background" feature. You can blur your home office or put yourself in a professional-looking virtual room. It’s a bit cheesy, but it works if your actual background is a pile of laundry.
Also, check the "Insights" tab. You can see exactly who watched your video and how much of it they finished. If you sent a proposal to a client and they watched the first 10 seconds and stopped, you know you didn't grab them. If they watched it three times, they’re probably interested but confused—that’s your cue to follow up with a text explanation.
Actionable steps for your next recording
- Script the first 10 seconds. Know exactly how you’re going to start so you don’t wander.
- Kill your notifications. There is nothing more embarrassing than a "Mom" text popping up in the corner of your screen while you're presenting to the CEO.
- Check your "Bubble" size. If you're showing a detailed spreadsheet, make your face bubble small. If you're giving a pep talk, make it big so people can see your expressions.
- Verify the mic input. Every single time. Click the settings icon and make sure it’s pulling from your good mic, not your laptop's default.
Making a great Loom isn't about having a Hollywood studio. It's about being intentional. It's about respecting the viewer's time by being organized, clear, and concise. Once you get the hang of it, you'll find yourself sending fewer emails and having fewer meetings, which is the whole point anyway. Stop overthinking the "perfect" take. Just hit record, get to the point, and send it.