Content is king, and videos are quickly becoming one of the hallmarks of a strong marketing plan. There are many types of videos for you to choose from, but some of the best tools in any corporate video arsenal are educational videos and training videos.
This article will give you some tips on producing amazing, high-quality instructional content so your videos can be effective in getting more eyes on your brand.
7 Tips for Producing Amazing Educational and Training Videos
Ready to jump in? The following tips can be applied to videos designed for YouTube, Facebook, online courses, or any platform you choose to use.
1. Get Right to the Point and Stay Focused
You want to create value for the viewer. Don’t waste time on irrelevant information or background, especially right at the beginning of the video. Dive right into the subject matter and start teaching.
It’s easy to get sidetracked and go onto tangents. Your audience might check out if the information isn’t pertinent to the title or topic of the video.
Start by storyboarding and writing a script. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but a road map will keep you focused and on topic. A script will also help you to see what info is and isn’t important so you can trim off anything that isn’t truly necessary.
2. Take Advantage of Subtitles
Everyone learns in different ways. To make effective educational videos, you need to be aware of the way that you present details. Some people absorb information through their eyes. Others do better when they listen.
Remember, the goal here is to teach! By taking advantage of subtitles, you can make sure all of your audience’s needs are met.
Pro tip: don’t rely solely on auto-generated captions, either. While AI technology works better now than it has in the past, you can’t beat having a human give the final say!
3. Show Everything and Use Examples
Visuals and examples are key components in making effective, amazing training content. For instance, if you’re shooting a video about changing printer ink, you’ll want to clearly show how to perform the task.
However, for the more abstract ideas, like teaching a marketing strategy, viewers will benefit from seeing how it all works rather than just listening to you describe it. There are plenty of ways to show examples, whether you use a whiteboard or add doodle animations to supplement your spoken content.
4. Get the Tone Right
You don’t want to come off like a boring, monotone professor. That’s a quick way to lose engagement! On the other end, you don’t want to be overly excited and loud, as that can also turn people off.
Lastly, keep in mind that you might be the expert, but you’ll need to be careful to avoid condescending language. Though the task might be “easy” and “simple” for you, that doesn’t mean the viewer will feel the same way.
5. Outsource When Needed
You don’t need to be responsible for the entire creation process. If you aren’t confident in your voiceover abilities, hire a professional to bring your vision to life in an engaging way.
Not so experienced at shooting videos and editing? You can outsource that job, too. The end goal is to produce amazing, high-quality content to keep your audience coming back for more. So don’t cut corners trying to take care of everything on your own.
6. Teach by Telling a Story
Audiences love a good narrative. If you’re creating an employee training video, you can tell the story of a fictional character going through the same process as your employees. Just make sure that your scenarios are believable, relatable, and not too cheesy.
By using stories, it’s easier for a viewer to follow along and remember the information. The human brain is wired to remember details told in the context of a story.
7. Figure Out the Right Length for Your Video
While shorter videos reign supreme on Facebook, YouTube, and other social platforms, long-form videos still have their place at the table. Educational and training videos are perfect for these.
In this format, you’re given the space to go as short or as in-depth on the subject as you would like. For example, if you’re giving a basic, general overview of something, then 10 to 20 minutes will be fine.
However, for more complicated topics, you might need a video that’s 45 minutes or more. Typically, these longer videos do well when people want to learn as much as they can and make sure they don’t miss anything.
Are you looking to design effective, engaging educational, instructional, or training videos for your brand? At The Corporate Film Guys, we’re pros when it comes to all things video. Just reach out to us!
