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Using video annotation software can help with highlighting important points of a video to provide additional information about the topic.

You can even add annotations by simply writing on your screen using a drawing tool – which is great especially when you’re giving instructions to your viewers for a tutorial video.

With that in mind, let’s talk about what a video annotation is and discuss which software is best for adding annotations to your videos.

What is a video annotation?

Have you ever found yourself watching a YouTube video and thinking, “How can I know what they are talking about?” or “Where can I get this product?“?

Whether you’re adding a quote, explanation, or hyperlink to clarify your point, video annotations provide an easy way to understand what’s happening in the video and engage your audience at the same time.

Video annotation is a process in which an individual provides an annotation to the content of a video.

This can be done by adding text, writing or even drawing on your screen.

They’re a little similar to a caption that you add to a picture but are only visible to the people who are watching since annotations are placed in a specific part of the video.

Educators are also using them in their videos since they’re very effective in helping students learn.

Content creators also use this method to tell their audience to perform an action such as clicking the link on the upper right corner of the video (to visit their channel etc).

Adding annotations can be done either during or after viewing the video, and it is often accompanied by text to highlight different parts.

Why do we annotate videos?

There are many reasons why we annotate videos and sometimes they differ from person to person. 

Some do it to drive more traffic to their website by adding a link, or simply put additional information to their video.

Here are the common reasons why people annotate videos:

Highlight important parts

One of the most common reasons people use annotations is to highlight something in the video such as an object, area, etc.

Increase website traffic

Since annotations sometimes include links to a website, this can also help increase website traffic that may possibly lead to an increase in conversions.

Provide feedback

We annotate videos to provide feedback and apply the necessary changes. This is also the reason why it can be used as a collaboration tool for teams working remotely.

Create tutorials

By adding annotations to your video tutorials, this can help viewers learn faster and effectively since it makes the information clearer and easier for them to understand.

Provide information

Annotations can provide supplementary information about anything that’s being talked about in the video. For example, a word definition.

Increase views

Annotations can also help increase the viewership or encourage viewers to watch the next video by clicking on them.

Perform an action

Annotations can get your audience to perform an action such as clicking the link at any part of your video, for example.

What is video annotation software?

Video annotation software allows users to attach notes, comments, questions, and even draw on videos. 

This type of software simply makes adding annotations to videos a lot easier

It is widely used by businesses for training and promotional purposes, and educational institutions for teaching students.

Which software can be used for annotation?

Berrycast Logo

With so many benefits of using annotations, it is no wonder why everyone’s using video annotation software.

Berrycast is screen recording software that allows you to add annotations to your videos by using the drawing feature.

This powerful software comes with a user-friendly interface that allows you to record your screen with audio, video, and so much more. 

Who can use Berrycast?

Everyone who wants to record what’s on their screen without compromising video quality can use Berrycast.

It’s the ideal tool for: video editors, content creators, educators, organizations, students, and more.

With Berrycast, you can:

  • Add annotations to your videos
  • Record a part of your screen
  • Record your entire screen
  • Add custom branding
  • Organize your screen recordings in 1 place
  • Integrate with Microsoft Teams and Outlook
  • Create how-to videos
  • Share screen recordings instantly
  • Protect videos with a password

These features are just a few of the things that you can do on the platform since it is more than just a video annotation software.

How do you draw on videos?

It’s very easy to add annotations on your videos with Berrycast since it has a drawing tool that you can use to write or draw while recording your screen.

Screen recording tools
Berrycast Upload or Record

Here are three easy steps to start drawing on videos:

  1. Click the record button to start recording what’s on your screen.
  2. Click the pen icon on the panel and choose the color and size.
  3. Start drawing on your screen! 

It’s that simple.

How much is Berrycast?

Berrycast currently has a free version and a paid version that you might want to try:

Starter – Free

  • Up to 10 videos monthly
  • Annotation
  • Trimming

Pro – $9.99 a month

  • Unlimited video recordings
  • Custom branding
  • Annotation
  • Trimming
  • Password protection
  • Upload videos
  • Video analytics

However, if you need to use Berrycast for your business, you can contact their sales team to request a quotation.

By the way, if you want 20% off on your subscription, use our exclusive code, MSF20 when you upgrade.

Questions

Since you already have an idea on how video annotation software works, let’s discuss and answer the most common questions related to the topic.

How is video annotation used in machine learning?

video annotation machine learning

Video annotations have also evolved into more than just links or labels since they can also be used to help machines learn.

They help machines understand and classify information in videos to save time and improve accuracy.

The process often requires the help of annotators to manually label each frame with the type of event that is being detected.

The machine then learns from these labels and can identify similar events in other videos without an annotation.

The use of video annotation software helps machines by reducing the amount of time and money it takes to collect and process necessary information.

Even though the concepts are still the same with how we usually annotate videos, the process can be a little complicated.

Is there a website that annotates for you?

Adding annotations can be a manual process because you need to ensure that you’re adding them to the essential parts of your video.

Other than Berrycast, there are online tools that you can use to annotate your videos such as:

  • ReClipped
  • TurboNote
  • Veed.io
  • VideoAnt
  • Annotate.tv
  • Timelinely

Can you annotate YouTube videos?

YouTube has a built-in annotation editor that allows you to annotate your YouTube video to encourage viewers to take action.

There are different types of annotations that you can add to your video specifically:

  1. Label annotations
  2. Spotlight annotataions
  3. Speech bubble annotations
  4. Note annotations
  5. Title annotations
  6. Pause annotations

Unfortunately, YouTube doesn’t have a drawing feature that makes it possible to draw on your videos.

What are digital annotation tools?

Digital annotation tools have been around since the early days of the internet.

These are virtual tools for highlighting text in a PDF or adding notes on a PDF document on a tablet. 

You can also add links to texts, while still being able to keep the original text intact.

They are most often used by teachers to help students analyze texts and highlight key ideas or passages. 

Additioanlyl, these tools can also be used to provide feedback on how they would have presented the material, as well as give additional information about someone’s work.

Conclusion

Video annotations are just one of the many ways you can share your knowledge with others online!

By using video annotation software, you can easily place annotations to give viewers an interactive and engaging experience. 

Since this method is effective in getting people interested on what you’re talking about while recording your screen, Berrycast is definitely worth giving a try.

Get 20% off on your subscription by using our exclusive code, MSF20 when you upgrade.

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