How to send a weekly client update video (script included)

A weekly update replaces the status call that eats 30 minutes of two calendars. The client watches when it suits them, sees the actual work on screen, and replies with a decision instead of "let's sync". This post is part of our sharing and presence guides; below is the script, the recording checklist, and the written note that goes with the link.

How long should a client update video be?

Two to five minutes covers a normal week. Under two minutes usually means there was nothing to show, and a written note would do. Past five minutes, attention drops and the one question you need answered gets buried in the middle. If you have more to say, split it: "Week 12 update" and "Homepage options to choose from" are two videos, and the second one gets watched more carefully because its title says a decision is needed.

The three-part script

OPEN (10 seconds)
Hi [client name], this is your update for the week of [date]. Three parts: what's done, what's next, and one thing I need from you.

1. DONE (about 1 minute)
Show the screen, not slides.
- [Deliverable 1]: finished. Here it is. [Show it for 10 to 20 seconds.]
- [Deliverable 2]: [percent or status]. [Show where it stands.]
- Hours or budget so far: [X of Y hours] / [amount of total].

2. NEXT (about 1 minute)
- This week I'm working on [task], due [day].
- After that: [task], due [day].
- Any risk to the timeline: [none / what it is and what you're doing about it].

3. NEEDED FROM YOU (30 to 60 seconds)
- I need [specific thing: approval of X / the logo files / a yes or no on Y] by [day] so [deliverable] stays on schedule.
- If I don't hear back by then, I'll [default action].

CLOSE (10 seconds)
The summary is under this video. Reply there or comment on the video at the exact moment you have a question.

The default action in part 3 is what makes the script work. "If I don't hear back by Thursday, I'll go with option B" turns silence into progress. Write it down in the summary too, so there's a record of what you said you'd do.

Checklist before you hit record

• Open only the tabs and files you'll show, in the order of the script. Close email, chat and other clients' work.
• Turn on Do Not Disturb or Focus so notifications don't pop up over the work. Our screen recording privacy checklist covers the rest.
• Share one browser tab or one window instead of the whole screen when the work lives in one place.
• Write the one thing you need from the client on a sticky note. That sentence is the reason the video exists.
• Do a 10-second test with your microphone on and listen back once. Bad audio is the main reason people stop watching.
• Record in one take. Small stumbles are fine; a natural update beats a polished one that took 40 minutes.

Send a link, not a file

Screen video gets big fast. SoloWOS Screen Recording asks the browser for 2.5 Mbps of video plus 128 kbps of audio, which works out to up to about 20 MB per minute (static screens often compress smaller). Gmail's attachment limit for personal accounts is 25 MB, and Outlook's is 20 MB for the whole message, so anything past about a minute won't attach. A link also lets you see whether the client watched, which an attachment never tells you. To estimate a file before you record, try the video file size calculator.

The written summary that goes under the link

Subject: [Project] update, week of [date]: need [thing] by [day]

Hi [name],

Your weekly update (4 min): [link]

Done: [one line]
Next: [one line, with due date]
Need from you: [the specific thing] by [day]. If I don't hear back, I'll [default action].

[Your name]

Put the ask in the subject line. Many clients decide from the inbox preview whether a message needs them today, and "need homepage approval by Thursday" gets opened when "Weekly update" doesn't.

Worked example

In SoloWOS

In SoloWOS you record your screen and share a link from the browser, with your voice and an optional webcam bubble. Nothing uploads until you preview and save. The watch page shows each view and how far it got; turn on "Ask who's watching" or send a contact their personal link and views show under their name, and you can get an email when a named viewer watches. Viewers can comment at a moment in the video, and you can add a button under it that opens your booking page. Recordings run up to 5 minutes on Solo ($15/month, 25 stored) and 15 minutes on Team ($35/month); Basic ($2/month) allows 5 recordings of up to 3 minutes. If you're weighing tools, see SoloWOS vs Loom, and for presenting design options specifically, read how to present design work by video.