How do I send a video message?

Sending a video message is a great way to communicate more personally and visually with friends, family, colleagues, customers, or anyone else you want to connect with. Video messages allow you to show your facial expressions and body language, making your message come across as warmer and more engaging than a text-only message. Fortunately, sending video messages is easy thanks to modern smartphones, messaging apps, and social media platforms.

Requirements for sending video messages

To send a video message, you need:

• A smartphone, tablet, or computer with a camera
• An app or platform that supports video messaging
• A stable internet connection

As long as you meet these requirements, you can start recording and sending dynamic video messages in no time. Let’s look at some of the most popular options for sending video messages from your devices.

Sending video messages on smartphones

Thanks to front and rear-facing cameras, smartphones make excellent video messaging devices. Most modern smartphones, whether iPhone or Android, allow you to record and send quick video messages through messaging/social apps and SMS.

Messaging and social apps

Apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok have in-app cameras that let you capture and share casual videos with friends or groups. The process is generally:

1. Open a conversation in the app
2. Tap the video camera icon
3. Record a short video (often under a minute)
4. Preview your video, then hit send

The video may have features like filters, text overlay, effects, and more depending on the app. Messaging apps are great for quick, informal video greetings, reactions, or sharing what you’re up to on-the-go.

SMS/MMS

You can also send a video via your smartphone’s regular messaging (SMS) app to anyone by MMS. The process is:

1. Open a new message thread
2. Tap the camera or video icon
3. Record a video up to the MMS size limit
4. Review and send the video as you would a text SMS

Note that MMS video messages may be lower quality and have file size limits. Confirm if the recipient has MMS enabled on their phone – otherwise they won’t receive the video message. SMS is better for quick everyday video greetings.

Sending video messages from tablets

Tablets like iPads and Android tablets also make great devices for video messaging thanks to their large, high-quality screens and cameras. You can use the same apps as smartphones to send tablet video messages, with some minor differences:

• Tablet apps may have optimized interfaces and features to highlight the larger screen
• Tablet cameras tend to capture higher resolution/ fidelity videos
• Tablet video editing tools allow greater customization

Follow the same processes in your favorite messaging/social apps to send a video message from your tablet. The recipient will be impressed by the bump in production value.

Sending video messages from computers

With built-in or external webcams, you can also use your laptop, desktop computer, or all-in-one computer to record and send video messages. Some options include:

Messaging apps

Apps like WhatsApp and Messenger have desktop apps/browser interfaces that allow you to use your computer webcam to video chat and send video messages to contacts.

Email

You can attach and embed a video file to an email just as you would a photo or other files. This allows sending a video message via your regular email provider.

Social media

Websites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others allow users to upload video clips directly from a computer webcam or saved files. Great for easily sharing video messages publicly or with your social connections.

SMS

There are browser-based services and apps that allow you to sync your phone to send and receive SMS/MMS from your computer. Very handy for video messaging on a bigger screen.

Tips for recording great video messages

Once you’ve chosen the right device and platform, follow these tips to create effective video messages people will love watching and responding to:

• Find good lighting so your face is visible
• Choose a quiet background without distractions
• Hold the camera at eye level for best angle
• Speak clearly and loudly enough to be heard
• Keep videos concise at 1-2 minutes max
• Be authentic and add some appropriate humor
• Customize videos for the recipient’s preferences
• Re-record if you make a mistake or aren’t satisfied
• Preview before sending to confirm quality

Common video messaging uses

Once familiar with the process, you’ll find all kinds of great uses for video messaging, including:

• Personal video greetings to faraway friends and family
• Workplace video announcements from managers
• Short social media clips to followers/fans
• FAQ or tutorial videos for customers
• behind-the-scenes look for brand followers
• Video invitations or RSVPs for events
• Following up sales calls with video summaries
• And much more!

Advantages of video messages

Why choose video messaging over simple text, audio, or picture-based communication? Some key advantages include:

• More personal connection – See each other’s facial expressions, emotions, surroundings, etc.
• Reduced miscommunication – Visual and vocal cues prevent confusion or ambiguity
• Faster emotional impact – Convey the right tone easily through video
• Enhanced meaning – Demonstrate processes, reactions, context that text alone can’t capture
• Virality – Videos tend to be shared more on social media for entertainment
• Higher recall – Viewers remember video messages better than text

For the most engaging and dynamic communication possible remotely, video messaging is the way to go.

Conclusion

Sending video messages is accessible to anyone with a smartphone, messaging apps, and internet connection. Follow the best practices for recording quality video, then have fun staying in visual touch with the people who matter most via video messaging from anywhere. The highly personal and viral nature of video messages can help strengthen your important relationships.