General Recording Tips

Thanks for sharing your story with us! You don't need any special equipment or video experience — just follow the tips below and you'll get a great result. Your video only needs to be 1–3 minutes long, and it doesn't need to be perfect. Authentic beats polished every time. 

• Record in landscape (horizontal) orientation. Turn your phone sideways before you start recording. Vertical video (also known as portrait mode) won't work for where we'll be sharing these. If you're recording on a computer with Zoom or Loom, you're already set — webcams record in landscape by default.

• Find a quiet spot. Close the door, silence notifications, and turn off anything making noise in the background (music, TV, fans if they're loud). If you can hear it, the microphone can too.

• Light yourself well. Face a window or a lamp — don't sit with one behind you, or you'll turn into a silhouette. Natural light from a window is ideal. Avoid overhead-only lighting, which can cast harsh shadows on your face.

• Check what's behind you. Take a look at your background before recording. Avoid anything with sensitive information (whiteboards with notes, screens with data, documents) or anything visually distracting. A simple wall, bookshelf, or tidy office works great.

• Position the camera at eye level. Prop your phone or laptop up so the camera is roughly level with your eyes — not looking up your nose or down at the top of your head. A stack of books works fine.

• Look at the camera lens, not the screen. It may feel a little unnatural, but it makes it look like you're talking directly to the viewer.

• Do a short test first. Record 5–10 seconds, play it back, and check: Can you hear yourself clearly? Are you well lit? Is the framing good? Then record for real.

• Don't read from a script. Glance at the questions, then talk in your own words.
  
  
• Speak naturally, like you're telling a colleague about your experience with your Relationship Management team.

How to Record

Use whichever option is easiest for you:

Option 1: Your phone (easiest)

Just use your phone's built-in camera app — held sideways in landscape mode. Prop it up against something stable or have someone hold it for you.

• iPhone: How to record a video with your iPhone camera (Apple Support)
• Android: How to record a video on your phone (Google Support — steps are similar on most Android phones)

Option 2: Zoom

Start a Zoom meeting with just yourself, hit Record, and talk to your webcam. When you end the meeting, Zoom saves an MP4 video file to your computer. Watch how to record a Zoom meeting and save it to your computer.

Option 3: Loom (free)

Loom is a free browser-based recorder — choose "Camera only" mode and it records you through your webcam. When you're done, you get a shareable link (no file downloads needed). Watch how to record your first video in Loom.

How to Submit Your Video

All submissions are due by September 18th, 2026. Once your video is ready, email it to feedback@govspend.com.

Subject line: Video Testimonial - [Your Name] - [Company Name]
Example: Video Testimonial - Jane Smith - City of Tampa

In the body of the email, please include:

• Your full name and job title
• Your company or agency name
• Anything you'd like us to know about the video (optional)

A note on file size: If your video is too large to attach directly, no problem. Gmail will automatically convert it to a Google Drive link when you hit send, and that works just as well for us. If you're using Outlook or another email client and hit a size limit, you can upload the file to any file-sharing service (Google Drive, Dropbox, WeTransfer) and email us the link instead.

That's it! We'll reply to confirm we received your video. In the meantime, please ensure you've read our Video Submission Release.

Video Submission Release

By submitting your video, you confirm that:

• You voluntarily grant GovSpend a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual license to use, reproduce, edit, publish, distribute, and display your submitted video, in whole or in part.
• You grant GovSpend permission to use your name, job title, company name, voice, image, and likeness in connection with your submission.
• Your video may be edited for length, clarity, formatting, captions, branding, or promotional purposes. GovSpend may create shorter clips or excerpts from your submission.
• GovSpend may use your submission across its marketing channels, including but not limited to:
  • Website
  • Social media
  • Email campaigns
  • Sales presentations
  • Conferences and events
  • Product demonstrations
  • Advertising
  • Printed marketing materials
• You understand that you will not receive compensation for these uses.
• You represent that your submission is your own original work and does not infringe upon the rights of any third party.
• If your employer requires approval before participating, you confirm that you have obtained any necessary internal permissions prior to submitting your video.
• You understand that GovSpend may choose whether or not to publish your submission and is under no obligation to do so.