Getting Started with SearchByVideo - Quick Start Guide

apr 19, 2025

Getting Started with SearchByVideo

Welcome to SearchByVideo! Whether you're a content creator, editor, or producer, this guide will have you searching for moments in your videos within minutes.

Step 1: Sign Up for Your Free Trial

  1. Visit searchbyvideo.net
  2. Click "Start Free Trial" button
  3. Create an account with email or Google login
  4. No credit card required — you get full feature access for 7 days

Your trial gives you access to all features:

  • Unlimited video uploads (up to 60 minutes per video)
  • Full AI analysis
  • Deep search
  • Export in any format

Step 2: Upload Your First Video

Via Web Browser

  1. Click the "Upload Video" button on your dashboard
  2. Select a video file from your computer (MP4, MOV, WebM, etc.)
  3. The system immediately begins analyzing your video
  4. You'll see a progress indicator showing analysis status

Supported Formats

  • MP4 (recommended)
  • MOV (QuickTime)
  • WebM
  • MKV
  • AVI
  • FLV

File Size Limits (by plan):

  • Free Trial: Up to 60 minutes
  • Pro: Up to 240 minutes
  • Enterprise: Unlimited

Analysis Time

The AI analysis begins automatically:

  • Short videos (<1 min): 15-30 seconds
  • Medium videos (1-10 min): 30 seconds - 2 minutes
  • Long videos (>10 min): 2-5 minutes

You don't need to wait — you can start searching immediately while analysis completes.

Step 3: Search for Your First Moment

Method 1: Use Preset Filters

Once your video is uploaded, you'll see 7 preset search filters:

  • 🎯 Key Moments — Find the most important segments
  • 😊 Emotional Peak — Capture intense emotional moments
  • 🎬 Scene Change — Identify transitions
  • 💬 Dialogue — Extract spoken content
  • ✨ Visual Highlight — Find aesthetically striking moments
  • ⚡ Action — Find high-energy sequences
  • 🔄 Turning Point — Identify pivotal moments

Click any preset button and results appear instantly.

Use the search box to describe exactly what you're looking for:

Good examples:

  • "person laughing"
  • "sunset over water"
  • "action sequence with jumping"
  • "interview guest looking emotional"
  • "product being unboxed"

Tips for better results:

  • Be specific (avoid just "person")
  • Include 3-5 descriptive words
  • Describe colors, emotions, actions
  • Mention settings if relevant

Method 3: Get Smart Suggestions

If your search returns no results:

  1. SearchByVideo analyzes the video content
  2. Suggests the closest matching keyword from your video
  3. Click to auto-search the suggestion

This helps you discover what's actually in your video.

Step 4: Preview Your Results

Search results show:

  • Timestamp — Exact location in the video
  • Preview — Click to watch the moment
  • Confidence score — How well it matches your query

Click any result to:

  • Watch the full context
  • See the exact moment highlighted
  • Adjust trim points (start/end times)

Step 5: Export Your Clip

Once you find the perfect moment:

  1. Click the "Export" button
  2. Choose your format:
    • MP4 (H.264 or H.265)
    • WebM
    • MOV
    • Custom resolution
  3. Set quality level (1080p, 720p, etc.)
  4. Click "Download"

Your clip is ready to use immediately in editing software, social media, or presentations.

Step 6: Organize Your Work

Save Searches

Create templates for searches you use frequently:

  1. Perform a search
  2. Click "Save this search" (Pro+ feature)
  3. Name your template
  4. Reuse it on future videos

Create Collections

Organize videos by project:

  1. Go to Dashboard → Collections
  2. Click "New Collection"
  3. Name your project (e.g., "Q2 Marketing Campaign")
  4. Drag videos into the collection
  5. Search across all videos in the collection

Batch Operations

Pro+ Feature: Process multiple videos:

  1. Select videos from your library
  2. Choose a preset search
  3. Export results to folder

Common Workflows

For Content Creators

  1. Upload long-form content (YouTube, Twitch)
  2. Search for 15-30 second highlight moments
  3. Export short clips for TikTok/Instagram Reels
  4. Use within 5 minutes of recording

For Video Editors

  1. Ingest interview/documentary footage
  2. Use Deep Search to find specific moments
  3. Trim and organize by topic
  4. Export sequences for timeline assembly

For Educators

  1. Upload lecture recordings
  2. Search for specific explanations ("person pointing at board")
  3. Extract key teaching moments
  4. Compile into course modules

For Marketers

  1. Upload product demos and testimonials
  2. Find compelling customer quotes ("person smiling while speaking")
  3. Extract action shots
  4. Build promotional reels

Keyboard Shortcuts

Search Page:

  • Enter — Execute search
  • Esc — Clear search box
  • J/K — Next/previous result
  • Space — Preview current result

Export:

  • Ctrl/Cmd + S — Save settings

Tips for Success

1. Prepare Your Video

  • Good lighting helps AI analysis accuracy
  • Clear audio improves dialogue detection
  • Stable camera is better for visual analysis
  • 30-60 minute segments work best

2. Write Better Queries

Instead of:

  • ❌ "good moment"
  • ✅ "person looking directly at camera while smiling"

Instead of:

  • ❌ "action"
  • ✅ "person jumping or running fast"

3. Use Multiple Searches

One search won't find everything. Try:

  • Different descriptive terms
  • Specific emotions or actions
  • Settings and contexts
  • Visual descriptions

4. Combine Preset + Custom

Use presets as starting point, then refine with custom searches for specific moments.

5. Review Your Results

Check the preview and confidence score:

  • High confidence (90%+) = Reliable match
  • Medium (60-90%) = Good match with context
  • Low (<60%) = Borderline match

Troubleshooting

"Analysis taking too long"

  • Long videos (>30 min) take 2-5 minutes
  • Complex footage needs more processing time
  • You can search while it's still analyzing

"No results found"

  • Try simpler descriptions
  • Use the smart suggestion feature
  • Search for related concepts
  • Check video quality (low light = harder analysis)

"Export is slow"

  • Larger files and high resolution take longer
  • Try exporting at 720p first
  • Close other browser tabs
  • Check internet connection

"Video won't upload"

  • Check file isn't corrupted (try opening in player)
  • Verify it's under size limit for your plan
  • Try different format (MP4 usually most reliable)
  • Clear browser cache

Next Steps

Unlock Advanced Features

Get Pro to access:

  • Longer videos (up to 240 min)
  • Batch search across videos
  • API access
  • Priority support
  • Saved search templates

Join the Community

Share your workflows and learn from other creators.

Learn Advanced Techniques

Check out our Advanced Search Guide for:

  • Search optimization techniques
  • Content-specific search strategies
  • Performance tips
  • Real-world examples

Ready to find your moments? Start your free trial now →

Have questions? Check our FAQ or reach out to support@searchbyvideo.net.