Camtasia: How to Make Interactive Videos Using Hotspots

Apr 20

If you want to make interactive videos but don’t have the budget for an Articulate Storyline subscription, there are other options. One of the most affordable tools is Camtasia, which was previously known as Camtasia Studio.

What is Camtasia?

Camtasia is a powerful screen recorder and video editing tool that runs on both Windows and Mac. In this quick video tutorial, I’ll show you how to use Camtasia Hotspots to create interactive videos.

Watch the tutorial HERE

This post is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something I'll receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Camtasia vs Articulate Storyline

If you’re an eLearning developer, instructional designer, or interactive video creator, you sometimes need to do more with less. This tutorial will introduce you to a few relatively inexpensive tools to add to your toolbox.

For complex eLearning projects and interactive videos it’s usually best to stick with a robust development tool like Articulate Storyline. This software platform lets you use variables, track scoring, and create SCORM files for an LMS. It also includes a library of stock photos and illustrated characters as part of the subscription price.

Articulate Storyline is powerful, but it’s also relatively expensive - so you may want to consider other options.

If you need to make a relatively simple interactive video, you could use Camtasia to add interactivity instead.

How to Use Camtasia Hotspots for Interactive Video

In this video tutorial, I’ve recreated one scene from Workplace War Zone, an interactive video I originally created in Articulate Storyline. In this shorter version, I used stock photos from the website called eLearningArt.com.

Then I built out the scenes in PowerPoint, and imported the graphics into Camtasia to add interactivity with hotspots. Finally, I exported the file to Screencast.com so the interactivity will work.

Sample screenshots are below.

To watch the full scenario and Camtasia tutorial, click HERE.

Budget-Friendly Tools

Camtasia has a FREE trial so you can try out the tool and see if it fits your needs. It’s relatively inexpensive compared to Articulate Storyline, and Camtasia is a one-time purchase, not a recurring subscription price.

If you need characters for your interactive videos, take a look at eLearningArt.com. This website has cutout stock photos like the ones shown in this tutorial. It also has a huge library of illustrated characters with different clothing, expressions, and poses that you can customize in PowerPoint.