CodeCanyon: How do I Upload a Video Preview to the CSS Category?

As items within the CSS category are highly susceptible to theft, we do not host live previews. Instead, authors are encouraged to upload 10-30 second video clips, which illustrate the effect of their items. This article will detail how to go about doing so.

Submit an .FLV Video

When submitting a new item to the CSS category on CodeCanyon, there will be an option to upload a short video, in the FLV format. However, most screencasting software do not offer FLV as an export option. In these cases, a free online service (no sign-ups), called Media Convert, will allow you to convert most video formats to FLV with the click of a button.

---

Screenr.com

It’s likely that you don’t own any screencasting software. If this is true, don’t worry; a free Twitter-based online service, called Screenr, allows you to easily record your screen, and upload the file to their servers for hosting. Once the files has been uploaded, there will be an option within the sidebar of the video page, which will allow you to download the MP4 file.

At this point, you can use the Media Convert service, listed above, to convert the file to FLV, accordingly. If you use this service, make sure that you set the “Video Quality” option to “1000.” Otherwise, the video will be a bit too blurry. Finally, when you upload your new awesome item to the CSS category, there will be an option to upload a short video clip, illustrating the effect of your item.

Alternatively: If you’re having trouble converting your file to the FLV format, your second option is to simply link to the Screenr.com hosted video from within the description section of the item page.

---

Tips on Recording Video Previews

1. Keep them short; otherwise, the potential buyer will lose interest. Try to limit your preview to 10-30 seconds in length.
2. You are not required to speak in your video. It’s encouraged; however, if you do not have a microphone available, your voice isn’t required.
3. Many authors record multiple videos for their items, including for the purposes of documentation. While only one video may be used for your featured preview, you can link to more from within your item’s description section, as well as your help file.
4. If you absolutely can’t figure out how to convert to an FLV video, you may upload an MP4, where the reviewer will then convert the video for you.