Updated May 24, 2023
Training videos have always been important, but they've never been more crucial than they are now.
With the widespread prevalence of remote work reducing the amount of time people spend in face-to-face offices or classrooms, training video productions have become one of the most important ways to convey information.
Training videos do more than teach employees how to interact with customers. Instead, they can be highly dynamic vessels for all types of instruction. Whether for school or work, training videos are an easy way to connect with an audience and present concepts in an easy-to-learn manner.
But precisely because of how important they have become, it's even more vital than ever before to do it right when you set out to create training videos.
To help you along, we're lending our expertise to guide you through the best way to make training videos. We'll cover the core principles of training videos before sharing a step-by-step guide to develop the best videos that meet your goals and needs.
Let's pull back the curtain on the magic of training videos. After breaking down the critical elements of an effective presentation, we'll dive into some of our favorite examples of great training videos to help you see all this potential in action.
It's all in the name: a training video is a video that shows the viewer how to do something.
That might sound like a highly vague description - and that's intentional. You can use a training video for just about any kind of purpose you might need. You can develop training videos to introduce new employees to your organization, instruct staff on performing their job duties, or even guiding general audiences through complex processes.
Training videos can be as complex or as simple as you need them to be. They can provide a surface-level introduction to your workplace safety policies or provide an incredibly nuanced deep dive into every aspect of your software platform: it's all up to you and your needs.
Training videos are an effective way to quickly and efficiently teach employees new skills or reinforce existing ones. Instead of traditional classroom-style learning, most people prefer to learn through online courses and workshops. They are more approachable, and the videos can be watched anytime from anywhere without the need for an instructor.
Below are four reasons why you should consider creating training videos in your organization:
One of the main benefits of using training videos is the improved learner engagement that they offer. Videos are a powerful visual medium that can capture attention and hold it longer than traditional learning formats, such as textbooks or PowerPoint presentations.
They allow trainers to create compelling content that informs and entertains, resulting in a more engaged and active learning experience. Additionally, training videos offer a wide range of learning styles, catering to the needs of auditory and visual learners.
Another benefit of creating training videos is the ability to get your message across clearly. Videos present information in a structured and organized manner that learners can easily follow. You can also use animations, graphics, and multimedia to explain complex topics that might otherwise be difficult to understand.
Moreover, trainers can use videos to effectively communicate their brand message, values, and culture to employees. Doing so ensures consistent messaging across an organization, reducing the possibility of information distortion.
With video-based learning, learners can access training materials anytime and anywhere. This feature is useful for professionals who are busy and unable to attend regular training sessions. Learners can learn at their own pace, access the training videos with any device, and revisit them as often as needed to reinforce their knowledge.
Additionally, on-demand training saves trainers time and resources by removing the need for physical training or organizing multiple sessions.
Training videos can also be an efficient way of marketing your business or products. Instead of spending money on traditional marketing methods, such as printed materials or online ads, you can produce videos and share them on various online platforms.
This helps promote your brand and expertise while educating customers about your products or services through effective training and product demo videos. Even better, it is an ongoing investment as videos can remain relevant for years, generating consistent returns on investment.
You might be thinking that training videos aren't important for your company unless you work in a highly technical or safety-focused industry. However, that misconception couldn't be further from the truth. Just about any type of business can benefit from well-made, engaging training videos.
Here are just a few ways these videos can help you:
You might think that all you need to do for a good training video is take a pre-written list of instructions, pair it with some Powerpoint slides, and call it a day. And while that is certainly a viable option, you can do so much more.
You can set yourself up for success with your training videos by keeping a few concepts in mind. Much like creating any other type of video, compelling training videos come down to essential elements like knowing your audience, leveraging your branding, having a memorable voice, and keeping a core mission in mind. Here are the basic principles that any great training video should follow.
These are just a few of the core principles of any helpful training video. If you're interested in seeing them in motion, then it's time for us to practice what we preach and showcase some of our favorite training videos.
The mythical "training video" isn't a concrete, set-in-stone category. Instead, it's a highly adaptable genre that can essentially change according to your needs.
Considering that, there are countless different kinds of training videos that you can explore using. Depending on your budget, level of commitment, and long-term goals, you'll have a massive list of options to choose from. Here are just a few of the most popular types of training videos you might consider:
The screencast is one of the simplest kinds of training videos, especially in this era of remote work. Like its name suggests, a screencast video is a direct recording of your computer screen usually accompanied by a voiceover. This is a great choice for helping your audience learn how to navigate a website or software app.
Do you want to demonstrate an extremely short process for your audience? Then a microvideo might be the ideal choice. This is a super brief clip, typically no more than five to fifteen seconds long, showing how to perform a quick task.
Think of microvideos like the Tiktoks or Vines (remember Vine?) of training videos. They're short, sweet, and to the point - and they work even better in series, allowing users to pick through a collection of clips to find the tutorial that they need.
The humble "how-to" is likely the most familiar type of training video. It walks the user through any sort of general or technical concept, whether that's rolling pizza dough or getting the most out of the latest app.
These videos may or may not use a narrator to explain every step of the process. Other videos might rely on texts or graphics instead. Regardless, how-to videos are a tried and true method for helping simplify more complex tasks.
Animation is one of the fastest-growing professional video styles, and training videos are no exception. Animations are uniquely suited to training videos: after all, some scenarios are more manageable to animate than act out using real humans. Additionally, animated videos are often more visually pleasing and captivating than standard live-action productions.
Although animations typically require more specialized expertise to produce than live-action productions, that extra effort can pay off in increased exposure and engagement. Thankfully, there are plenty of video production companies that now specialize in animation, so it shouldn't be challenging to get help where you need it.
Need to replace the experience of an in-person presentation in video form? Consider recording a presenter video, which has all the hallmarks of a typical live production - including a speaker and typically some slides and other visual elements - but in video form. Presenter videos are an excellent choice for product overview videos or DIY-style videos.
https://www.life-saver.org.uk/
If you've ever had fun with a "choose your own adventure" video on YouTube, then you've experienced an interactive video marketing campaign. It might be one of the newest kinds of training procedures, but interactive videos are quickly gaining popularity in the field. After all, they feature the same benefits as traditional how-to or presenter videos while allowing the user to take an active role in their learning.
https://www.life-saver.org.uk/
Many people are experiential learners who absorb the most information when used in a practical context. Role play videos are perfect for these kinds of viewers, as they involve actors playing out situations to illustrate the best responses. They're great for customer-facing roles, such as tech support or service jobs.
Training videos are a powerful and versatile tool for training that offers numerous benefits for both employees and the organization.
By providing engaging, on-demand learning experiences for employees, businesses can increase productivity, improve the accessibility of training and resources, and save on various expenses.
Using training videos is an effective approach for companies to improve productivity levels. Video content is engaging and easy to understand, which makes it an effective method for delivering training material.
By using videos, employees can learn at their own pace, instantly replay parts they need to review, and not be restricted by the availability of trainers or time constraints. Plus, video training can also be regularly updated and distributed to all employees to ensure that everyone is on the same page and all information is relevant and current.
Improves Accessibility for All Employees
Training videos allow businesses to have greater flexibility when it comes to delivering training material for their team. Instead of having employees attend workshops or classes at specific times, video training can be accessed anytime, anywhere.
Employees who work remotely or who are based in different locations can access the videos through a convenient online platform. Video training can also be closed captioned for the hearing-impaired, ensuring that all employees have equal access to the training material.
The reason why microlearning has become so popular is that individuals tend to learn better when information is presented to them in small, manageable pieces. Training videos are perfect for this type of learning, as they typically run for five to ten minutes in length.
Employees can learn a new skill or concept without feeling overwhelmed or overloaded with information. Microlearning with videos also makes it easier for busy employees to fit training into their day and motivates them to learn more often.
Traditional training methods like workshops, seminars, and conferences can be expensive, especially when travel and accommodation expenses are included. Video training reduces these expenses since all that’s required is a single production of the training video.
Organizations can also use video training to eliminate the need for hiring outside trainers or sending employees to off-site training programs. Companies can also save in indirect costs, such as lost productivity time due to travel or time spent away from work.
All this information is well and good, but now we need to face the most pressing question: just how do you create training videos, anyway?
It doesn't have to be a challenging process. In fact, we can break it down into five simple steps. Let's walk through each one of them.
Before you call out your camera crew and start recording, it's essential to have a firm plan in place.
The first thing you'll have to do is ask yourself a few simple questions. What do you want to achieve with this video? Who are you targeting? How much are you willing to spend? Your answers to these questions should guide you throughout the recording process.
It's always best to have measurable goals in mind for every video you work on. For example, you might want to create a screencast video for your audience to reduce the number of support tickets your IT team receives by 15% or a how-to video that shows your new chefs how to prepare a dish without supervision. Once you've set those goals, you'll be able to come back to your video later down the line and see whether it meets your objectives.
Additionally, once you've determined your goal, you should decide what kind of video will best position you to reach those benchmarks. Will a screencast video be the ideal way to convey the necessary information? Or will a roleplay presentation be the best way to help your audience absorb the content? Or will an animated video help you reach specialized and general audiences at once? Be sure to tailor your video according to your answers to these questions.
Visuals might be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about making a video, but you can't neglect your script. Once you've planned out your video's initial goals and outlines, you should get to work writing the script for your training video.
Your script should include more than just the words that your presenters say on video. Along with it, you should develop a clear storyboard that outlines the scenes and scenarios you want to be played out in your video.
Even if your video is a simple screencast or a minuscule microvideo, thorough storyboarding and scripting are essential to ensure that the finished product is clear and organized. You should outline the procedure and concepts that you want to present and how you want to showcase them. Do you want to use flashy graphics? Do you need an engaging roleplaying scenario?
Make sure you dedicate an appropriate amount of time to develop a clear, coherent script for your video. If you do that, you'll have a firm foundation to work with going forward.
Now we're getting to the good stuff! After you've made your preparations by planning ahead and developing an engaging script and video storyboard, you're ready to start filming.
The recording process will vary depending on what kind of corporate video you're shooting. If you're only working on a screencast video, you'll simply have to record the presenter's screen along with a separate voiceover. However, things get a bit more complex with more elaborate productions like roleplaying or presenter videos.
Here are a few tips you'll want to consider when the time comes to record.
Once you've finished your filming, now it's time to refine what you've done.
Like with any other creative project, one of the best things to do once you've completed your video is to get feedback on what you've made. Send your video around to other members of your organization and gather their thoughts. Gathering feedback early on can help you ensure that your project is on the right track before you've ended up moving too far in the wrong direction.
After adjusting your video according to initial reactions, you can get fancy with your editing. Your possibilities are endless: you can add stylistic elements like graphics and visual effects or accessibility adjustments such as subtitles. You have countless ways to improve your film through post-production editing, so don't be afraid to get creative!
Of course, after you've finished editing, don't forget to get another round of feedback on your video. If your initial audience responds favorably to the improvements, then you're ready to move on to the final step.
Now that you've expertly crafted the perfect training video, all you have to do is distribute it to your audience.
The best way to start is by exporting your video as an MP4, which is the most familiar and widely-used video format. After that, all you have to do is share it with your audience, either by directly sending it to your target viewers or hosting it on your preferred platform (more on hosting in a later section).
Don't let your training videos bore your audience. Instead, keep these trending tips in mind to develop consistently engaging, memorable, and productive videos.
Visual variety is one of the best ways to help you maintain your viewers' interest in your videos. Rather than focus on human subjects or speakers, you can make your videos that much more memorable by sprinkling a handful of graphics throughout your video.
Additionally, graphics make it easier for your audience to remember the key lessons of your video. Just like how you would structure a presentation with bullet points, graphics and on-screen text in your video can provide much-welcome organization.
It won't surprise you to say that audiences today are lacking in the attention span department. In this digital world of instant gratification, your viewers' attention will likely drift away if you don't get to your video's main point quickly.
Don't waste time on your video. Instead, trim the fat wherever you can ensure that every aspect of your script and overall production is focused on the video's central message. That way, you'll keep your audience hooked to the screen without compromising the information you need to share.
Your training video can be all the more helpful when it's not the only instructional content you provide. Along with your video, don't hesitate to offer other items such as written checklists and manuals that are easy for your audience to refer to after they've watched the video.
The primary purpose of any training video is to educate the audience, so you should do everything possible to ensure that the broadest audience will be able to understand and appreciate it. Be sure to make accessibility a priority when you're creating your video: always provide closed captions and avoid flashing bright lights.
One of the best ways to help your viewers absorb the information in your video is to enable them to participate in the instruction. If you have the capacity, try to make your videos interactive as much as possible to let your viewers take an active role in their learning.
For example, you might let your viewers make decisions in the video and determine the outcome of specific scenarios. Simple interactivity options like these aren't too difficult to create but can significantly impact how audiences react to your production.
All too often, corporate video production can feel manufactured and distant. You can challenge this perception by showing your speaker on the screen. Even if the presenter is visible only for a moment, this simple act can go a long way toward making your video feel more personal and intimate - making your audience feel more engaged in the process.
Now that you've crafted the perfect training video, you've arrived at the all-important question: where should you host it?
You have a few options to consider here. If you intend to keep your video private within your organization, you can host it on your internal learning or content management system. However, if you want a broader audience to discover your video, you should consider uploading it on a public platform like YouTube or Vimeo, including newer formats like YouTube Shorts. Doing so can help you grow your brand recognition and expand your audience.
Now that we've shown you how to assemble a quality training video, let's look at what your finished products might look like.
Pagliacci Pizza's training video about hand tossing pizza dough is a prime example of how a good training video can gain traffic outside your organization. This video keeps things short and to the point, using an engaging instructor and straightforward filming to make it easy to convey the information. It's clearly paid off, considering that the video has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube with plenty of appreciative comments.
Not all training videos have to be exclusively for your employees. Some can elegantly straddle the line to appeal to general and professional audiences alike. This quick tutorial about hand-tossing pizza dough by Seattle-based Pagliacci pizza is a brilliant example of how a training video can adequately instruct your employees while also attracting a wider viewership.
This short and sweet two-and-a-half-minute video walks the viewer through the process of hand tossing pizza dough. It keeps things engaging with a friendly yet expert narrator guiding the viewer across each step of the process, and it's filmed in such a way as to make the content easy to follow and understand.
The best part? This video has garnered attention far beyond Pagliacci's kitchen. It's racked up hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube, giving the business significant brand exposure while still providing vital training for its employees. It's an excellent example of a training video that serves the business in multiple ways at once.
Cute, bean-like people dying in increasingly brutal ways? An earworm-y theme song? Is Dumb Ways to Die really a training video? It might not seem like it at first glance, but the 2012 viral sensation is a textbook example of how a training video can effectively promote safe practices without being too on-the-nose.
Dumb Ways to Die initially attracts attention with its disarmingly charming aesthetic paired with grotesque violence. However, it keeps viewers hooked to the screen the whole way through its irresistibly catchy music and dark comedy. Then, in the closing moments of the song, it drives the message home by encouraging safety around train tracks - after all, train-related deaths are genuinely some of the dumbest ways to die.
The video and song became a cultural phenomenon, spawning multiple mobile games and earning over two hundred million views on YouTube since its debut in 2012. Most importantly, however, it achieved what it set out to do: accidents at train stations fell by more than 20% in the months following the video's release. Ultimately, Dumb Ways to Die shows that being creative with your training videos can yield incredible, long-lasting results.
Sometimes, all you need for a compelling training video is an engaging instructor and an easy-to-follow screencast. This long-form Photoshop tutorial shows this idea in action perfectly. It doesn't rely on fancy visuals or graphics: instead, it gets straight to the point by guiding the viewer through some essential Photoshop updates with easy-to-follow instructions.
It's also conveniently broken up into short chunks, so even though the whole video is nearly an hour-long, it's easy to click through the timestamps and access the most relevant content. With more than 200,000 views, it shows that you don't need to shy away from long-form videos. Often, more comprehensive videos can be a powerful way to attract a broad audience by addressing numerous needs and questions.
Some training videos deal with inherently tricky subjects. One of the best ways to deal with these challenging topics is to present them in an appealing, positive light. Everything from lighthearted animation to upbeat narration can make a video accessible, even on the trickiest subjects.
ReachOut, the primary online mental health organization in Australia, took this idea to heart when crafting its training video about dealing with workplace bullying. It starts by presenting a handful of real-world examples of workplace bullying, showing that this issue can be more prevalent than many people assume. It then points the viewer to the proper courses of action they should take to get help, making it easy to see how there should always be help available in these situations.
ReachOut makes an unpleasant topic appealing to watch thanks to its charming hand-drawn animation style and its light blue and yellow color scheme. Additionally, its use of narration and voice acting helps encourage audiences to do the right thing whenever they find themselves in such tense workplace scenarios. It's an excellent example of how charming animation can go a long way to encourage action on somewhat taboo topics.
https://www.life-saver.org.uk/
Not all training videos should require their audience to sit back and watch the video passively. Instead, the advent of interactive videos has changed the way we watch videos. It's allowed viewers to take an active role in their learning experience by allowing them to pick options and watch scenarios play out in real-time in their videos - making it perfect for training content.
One of the best examples is "Lifesaver," an intense interactive video from the UK's British Resuscitation Council. This video does a great job of making the issue at hand feel critical for viewers to understand. It's highly dramatic, using a severe narrative and graphic content to show the importance of learning life-saving techniques like CPR.
Not only does this video demand the viewer's unwavering attention thanks to its grim storyline, but its options for interactivity make it feel that much more intense. It exemplifies several vital lessons for developing good training videos. It shows that powerful storytelling can make a difference by making the audience feel invested in its messaging. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of interactive videos in engaging the audience.
Safety is one of the most familiar - and at the same time, least exciting - subjects for training videos. Dutch natural gas company Gasunie recognized this, leading them to produce this eight-minute animated film that hits all the main points about workplace safety with clean 3D visuals, a straightforward script, and a welcome sense of humor.
This video achieves an admirable balance of presenting the necessary information concisely while also leveraging the animated style to show scenes that would be difficult, if not impossible, to replicate in real life. (You probably shouldn't push employees off of worksites using a bulldozer or smack them with a crane). It's yet another example of how effective animation can be when creating amazing training videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lngP4H6w1o&t=32s
We've already looked at a few animated videos in this list, but CityCare took a unique approach to this educational training video style by using a hybrid live-action/animated approach. Narrated by a 2D instructor against real-world backgrounds, this innovative video makes its content that much more appealing by using quirky visuals to discuss serious problems like back pain.
Along with its visuals, this video also makes an impression thanks to its overall friendly tone. The narrator sounds positive and understanding when discussing the science behind back pain and the best ways to address it. When taken together, the video's presentation and script show how a few stylistic touches can make dry subjects feel engaging.
Long-form content might sound intimidating on the surface, but in the hands of the right presenter, an hour-long training video can be just as engaging as a three-minute clip.
That's precisely what you'll find in Sage Appliances's "Coffee for Beginners" video. It's a basic production, showing a barista in front of a whiteboard explaining concepts and techniques for making coffee for just under a half-hour.
Despite its length, the presenter's conversational style makes it flow quickly and cohesively. The video feels intimate, almost as if you're a patron at a coffee bar having a chat with the barista himself. This video has always gained significant traction online, with over a half-million views on YouTube, showing the power of a lengthy video that quickly answers common questions.
Instead, you can make even the longest videos feel engaging and helpful with the proper messaging and presentation. That's exactly what Sage Appliances demonstrates in its half-hour-long "Coffee for Beginners" video, which uses a friendly presenter and a conversational style to cover a wide range of topics in an easy-to-understand way.
Animated videos can be an excellent option for accessibly presenting difficult subjects. SpeakOut, Australia's leading mental health organization, shows this in action with its compelling animated video about workplace bullying. By using a cutesy cartoon style with an appealing light-blue color scheme, SpeakOut takes a tough topic and provides an encouraging reminder about how abused employees can get help in toxic work environments.
Does the thought of sitting down to watch a training video get your blood pumping? No? Then you're in good company. Your typical training video production is long, dry, and in some cases, painfully awkward, likely to bore even the most responsible audiences before long. You might think that that's only natural for a training video; after all, it's just supposed to teach the user how to do a job, and doesn't intent to sell a product like video marketing.
However, it doesn't have to be that way.
Training videos can be just as interesting as any other kind of video. They might be about instructing the user on rules and processes, but there's nothing stopping them from getting experimental or creative.
A well-made training video can have incredible potential.
Effectively leveraging training videos can help you engage your audiences and make it easier for your organization to reach your goals. You can save time and money for your whole organization when you use attention-grabbing videos that not only delight your audiences but make it easy for them to do their job well.
The best training videos do more than convey a list of bulleted instructions. They push the boundaries of the genre just like any other kind of film, and when done right, they can yield lasting benefits for your organization.
The right training can make a massive impact on your organization. Not only can it help you and your staff perform complex tasks efficiently, but with the right approach to design, narration, and storytelling, it can grow your audience and expand your brand's recognition.
That's why it's crucial to have a trustworthy partner when the time comes to craft your training video. At Sparkhouse, we've produced hundreds of training videos for countless clients over our 15 years in business. No matter what business you run or what information you want to convey, our team of expert creatives has a trustworthy track record of success.
Don't hesitate to contact us today and learn how we can help with your next training project.