Where a short video helps a web app
A ten-second loop of the app being used does something screenshots cannot: it proves the thing is real and fast. Three places it earns its keep:
- The install page. Above the fold, autoplaying, muted, looping. A GIF or WebM of the app opening from the home-screen icon answers "what will I get?" before the user reads a word.
- Social posts. Video gets more reach than a static graphic on every platform that matters, and Stories formats are video-first.
- The Google Play listing, if you publish a Trusted Web Activity. Play accepts a promo video as a public or unlisted YouTube URL; it must not be age-restricted and should not contain ads. Upload the exported video to YouTube (it accepts both MP4 and WebM), then paste the link into the listing.
Choosing format and size
| Use | Aspect | Export | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install page hero | 9:16 or 1:1 | MP4/WebM (smaller) or GIF (works everywhere, larger) | 6-10 s loop |
| Instagram/TikTok Stories | 9:16 | MP4 (convert WebM first) | Up to 15 s |
| X, LinkedIn | 16:9 or 1:1 | MP4 (convert WebM first) | 10-30 s |
| Play Store promo (YouTube) | 16:9 | MP4 or WebM, 1080p (Play preset) | up to 30 s |
GIFs are convenient but heavy - a 6-second 1080-wide GIF can exceed 10 MB, which is a lot for a page whose whole point is being fast. Prefer WebM/MP4 with the <video autoplay muted loop playsinline> attributes; use GIF where video embedding isn't available.
Making it look like an app, not a website
- Record screenshots from the installed web app (full-screen, no address bar), not from a browser tab.
- Show one flow, not every screen: open → do the main thing → result. Three or four screenshots is plenty.
- Captions should state benefits; the animation is decoration, not information.
- If you add music, keep the volume low and remember most placements autoplay muted anyway.
Browser requirements
Video export relies on MediaRecorder with canvas capture, which works in current Chrome, Edge and Firefox; Safari support is partial and export quality there varies. GIF export works in all of them. Rendering happens on your machine - long exports at 4K take a while and are limited by your device, not by us.