Recently, I stumbled upon an insightful LinkedIn post by Miquel Palet the founder of Late, where he broke down their approach to turning feature release videos into automated changelog updates. The concept struck me as both practical and creative, so I wanted to share my notes, and why this workflow could be a game-changer for product teams.
Why Product Updates Matter (and the Best Ways to Share Them)
Keeping your customers in the loop about product changes is essential for SaaS and digital products. Effective updates help users:
Stay informed and excited about improvements
Feel valued by the team
Trust that the product is continuously improving
Most Effective Channels for Product Updates Include:
Email newsletters for major announcements
In-app notifications for immediate awareness
Social media or blog posts for public reach
Public changelog pages for ongoing transparency and SEO
Benefits of Clear Product Updates:
Higher user engagement and retention
Increased trust and transparency
Greater SEO visibility through keyword-rich changelogs
Case Study: How Late Automates Changelog Updates With Video and AI
Late's Changelog
One company leading the way in product update automation is Late (as described by Miquel Palet).
Here’s how Late uses video and AI to keep their users up-to-date while saving time:
Video-First Releases:
For every new feature, a team member records a quick explainer video and uploads it to YouTube.Automatic Transcript Extraction:
The YouTube video link is pasted into Late’s internal tool, which pulls the full transcript using the YouTube transcript API. 💡 See Late’s YouTube Transcript Tool https://getlate.dev/tools/youtube-transcript-downloaderAI-Powered Summaries:
The transcript is sent to GPT-5-mini. With a custom prompt, the model generates a clear and concise changelog entry.Multi-language Support:
The system automatically translates the changelog into four languages: Spanish, German, French, and Italian.Rich Changelog Entries:
Each changelog post features the video thumbnail, release date, and a video link—creating an engaging, multi-media experience.Content Repurposing:
By keeping the video at the center, Late can easily repurpose the update for email newsletters, website updates, and social media posts.
Why This Approach Works
Efficiency: Changelog creation and translation are automated, saving valuable team hours.
SEO Benefits: Text summaries and transcripts make updates discoverable for search engines.
Personal Touch: Video keeps announcements friendly and relatable.
Key Takeaways
One video powers every update: Creating a feature video streamlines content across changelog, email, and social channels.
Transcripts boost both SEO and accessibility: Automatically generated transcripts make it easy to reach more users and improve search results.
AI saves time but still needs a quick manual check: Automated summaries speed things up, but human review ensures accuracy.
Built-in translations make updates global from day one: Auto-translation lets every user stay in the loop, regardless of language.
Iterate based on real feedback: Regular tweaks come from actual review and user input, not just assumptions.
Enjoying insights like this? Want more practical product ideas straight to your inbox?
Summary:
Showcasing Late’s workflow reveals how combining video, AI, and automation can make product updates more engaging—for users and for search engines. Whether you’re part of a product team or just looking for inspiration, there’s a lot to learn from their approach.
Recommended Reads
Inspired: How To Create Products Customers Love by Marty Cagan
Continuous Discovery Habits by Teresa Torres
Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
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