How to Make Effective Training Videos in 7 Easy Steps (with Examples)

Hey there, visual enthusiast! Ready to get people using your product and sticking around for years, not days with compelling training videos? Whether you’re naturally inclined to make visual content or not, this article has everything you need to achieve effective training videos in no time. Let's dive deep and uncover why you should be jumping onto this cinematic bandwagon.

What is a Training Video?

Dive into the basics first. Imagine a training video as your team's interactive compass - guiding, educating, and ensuring everyone's on the right path. Training videos are visual tutorials designed specifically to impart knowledge or instruct. 

Whether it's a detailed procedure on using machinery or a light-hearted software tutorial, these videos are the beacon lights in the vast labyrinth of information. 

Why Invest in Training Videos?

"Show, don't tell." There’s a reason you’ve heard this a million times. And Forrester Research confirms this by pointing out that employees are 75% more likely to watch rather than read. But let's break it down a tad further:

Videos have higher engagement

Video is the espresso shot of content – potent and memorable. A staggering 95% of a video message sticks, as opposed to a mere 10% when read.

It’s easier to learn visually

Our brains can be drowsy when trying to engage in something boring to look at (like text). So whether you’re a visual learner or not, your brain turns into a rocket when it watches videos, processing information 60,000 times faster than text. 

Studies show that even complex concepts become digestible morsels when shown visually.

It’s cheaper in the long run

While video production might seem pricey initially, consider the longevity and recyclability of videos. They often outweigh the cost of consistently updating and reprinting training materials, leading to savings of up to 50-70% in the long run.

Nobody wants to read your slide deck

More like snooze decks, am I right? Slide decks are the dinosaurs of the content world - outdated and easily forgotten. In fact, only 20% of people remember text without visuals.

While a slide deck might pretend to be new age and “cool”, it’s not. And now using tools like Claap, creating training videos is the easiest option. We’ll talk more about this later…

Different Types of Training Videos

Just as one size doesn't fit all, one type of video doesn't cater to every need. Here's a deep dive into the diverse world of training videos:

Presenter videos

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It’s like having a virtual lecturer or trainer. A presenter video primarily features a person speaking about a particular topic. The authenticity and human connection that this format offers make it a favorite for company introductions or product launches.

Illustrated/Animated videos

Bringing illustrations to life, these videos often use animations or drawn content to elucidate concepts. Their whimsical and creative nature can simplify even the most intricate ideas.

Screencast videos

Essentially, these are screen recordings. If you want to guide someone through a software process, website walkthrough, or any on-screen activity, screencasts are your go-to.

Creating this kind of on-demand video is easy using Claap. Asynchronous communication is booming right now and the power to record quick videos that look great, are easy to digest, and promote engagement can transform how fast people onboard onto your product.

Meeting recordings

Meetings can be goldmines of information. And thanks to tools like Claap, you can transform them into rich resources. Instead of penning down minutes or relying on your memory, you can have a detailed video recording, complete with transcripts and customizable summaries.

This is a great way to reduce your number of training meetings and replace them with async options.

Interactive videos

These aren’t your typical sit-back-and-watch videos. They require viewer interaction, be it through clicks, drags, or other actions. It's a dynamic way to learn by doing. 

One great way to achieve this is by offering a comments section on your training videos. This turns them into a powerful forum where everyone’s questions boost the learning power.

Micro-learning videos

In today’s fast-paced world, not everyone has the luxury of time. Enter micro-learning videos: short, crisp, and to the point. They deliver concise information, making them perfect for today’s short attention spans.

For your users with short attention spans, this option can engage even the most uninterested people.

Best Practices for Training Videos

Creating a successful training video is a blend of art and science, and diving into it without a playbook is like trying to . You might catch a wind, but there's a good chance you'll be drifting aimlessly. Let's look at some proven practices that ensure your video sails smoothly:

1. Clear and Concise Content:

• Why it's vital: Remember, people have a limited attention span. In fact, a study by Microsoft found that the human attention span is only around 8 seconds (and yes, that's shorter than a goldfish!). Your training videos need to grab attention fast.
• How to nail it: Begin with a compelling hook. Avoid fluff, and get straight to the point. Segregate information in clear, digestible segments, ensuring each segment flows seamlessly into the next.

2. Prioritize High-Quality Production:

• Why it's vital: High-quality doesn't always mean Hollywood level production, but your video should be clear, audible, and free from distractions. According to a study by Animoto, 56% of consumers believe that if a company has a poor-quality video, it could damage the brand image.
• How to nail it: Ensure good lighting, use a decent microphone, and stabilize your camera. Invest in simple editing tools or platforms like Claap to refine the raw footage.

3. Engage with Interactive Elements:

• Why it's vital: Forbes points out that interactive video content significantly increases viewer engagement. Interactive elements turn passive watching into an active learning experience.
• How to nail it: Utilize platforms that allow annotations, clickable links, quizzes, or even branching scenarios where the viewer chooses their learning path.

4. Resonate with Real-life Scenarios:

• Why it's vital: Authenticity breeds trust. By reflecting real-life situations in training videos, you ensure the content is relatable and applicable.
• How to nail it: Engage in audience research. Understand their daily challenges and design scenarios around them. The closer it is to their real-life, the more effective the training.

5. Incorporate Feedback Loops:

• Why it's vital: Continuous improvement is the name of the game. Feedback ensures your training videos evolve and remain relevant. As per FeedbackFruits, videos with feedback mechanisms can increase completion rates by up to 90%.
• How to nail it: Use platforms like Claap that offer insightful analytics. Solicit feedback post-viewing, adjust based on it, and iterate for continuous improvement.

6. Make it Accessible:

• Why it's vital: In an age of diversity and inclusivity, ensuring your training material caters to everyone is paramount. W3C guidelines highlight the importance of accessibility in digital content.
• How to nail it: Include closed captions for those with hearing impairments. Ensure your content is viewable without sound, and consider providing transcripts.

Incorporate these best practices, and your training videos won't just be videos; they'll be cinematic masterclasses of information.

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How to Create Effective Training Videos with Claap

Claap isn't just a tool; it's an all-in-one video workspace. If it sounds like marketing spiel, that’s because it is. Harnessing its potential can redefine the way you produce training videos. Here's a comprehensive guide to create something powerful, pretty, and simple with Claap:

1. Strategically Choose Your Topic

Every effective video begins with a relevant topic. Begin by tapping into common challenges or FAQs within your organization or industry. A topic that addresses a genuine need or curiosity will always enjoy higher viewership.

If you’re making a training video for your business, design a list of features you need to show, how to show them, and what you want viewers to do immediately after watching it.

2. Format & Video Type - Align with Intent

Every topic has an ideal format. A product walkthrough? Go with a screencast. Sharing company values? A presenter video is the best option. The right alignment ensures maximum engagement.

Now in the world of social media there’s other aspects to think about too. Do you want it on Instagram? Youtube? Twitter? All of these require slightly different formats, subtitling, and more. 

3. Storyboard & Script - Craft with Care

Every film director knows the importance of a good script and storyboard. Outline your content, visualize the flow, and ensure there’s a clear beginning, middle, and end. A robust script is the pillar of a compelling video.

This is a great moment to get your team involved. Not many people have lots of experience writing scripts and if you’re reading this I think that might be true for yourself. Bounce ideas off colleagues to make your training videos perfect.

4. Recording - The Claap Magic

Claap isn't just about hitting the 'record' button. It offers a suite of features that ensure clarity. Be it automated transcripts or AI-generated summaries, Claap ensures your content is captured with finesse. 

You can choose to record anything on your screen whether it’s just a window or the entire screen. You can record yourself simultaneously to make the training video much more interactive, or remove that to focus on the product. 

Also, with Claap's meeting recording feature, you can seamlessly transform elaborate discussions into digestible video chunks, ensuring no knowledge is lost in translation.

We also recommend you consider other important parts of the recording process such as lighting, sound, background, and camera quality. If you’re looking for a new device to record your audio, we have some recommendations.

5. Editing - Where Art Meets Tech

Claap doesn’t stop at just recording. Dive into its intuitive editing suite to trim, tweak, and tune your content. A well-edited video not only looks professional but also retains viewer attention. You can even use the AI copilot to autofill the name and description, or add chapters with timestamps to create a more Youtube-like experience.

6. Sharing - Spread the Knowledge

Once your masterpiece is ready, it’s time for the world (or at least your intended audience) to see it. With Claap's intelligent video wiki, sharing becomes a cakewalk.

Share it into the right folders inside Claap and have them automatically generate in the right Slack channels, invite people manually, or turn your claap into a Notion page that includes the AI summary and transcript.

7. Feedback Loop - Continuous Improvement

It’s not just about creating a video; it's about creating an ever-evolving knowledge resource. Updating training videos is time consuming, but with Claap’s interactive annotation feature you can keep adding information to your content.

The comments section also means you can answer questions to minimize that feedback loop.

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3 Examples of Effective Training Videos

Learn from the best to be the best:

Webflow University - The Perfect Blend of Funny and Effective

Webflow’s University 2.0 series is an industry leading education series. It’s clear, concise, and engaging. The art of presenting is hard to master, and not all of us find it easy, but this guy does. Also five stars for editing.

Shopify - Use Case Driven Freemium Gold

Shopify is massive and prides itself on its usability. Tutorial videos are the engine behind this marketing campaign. Showing people not only using Shopify, but succeeding with it is a winning recipe to promote activation.

Notion AI - Visually Stunning Screenshot Stardom

Notion’s UI is very black and white, literally. It wants to be simple, and it is. Yet somehow, the editing magic here brings the pages to life. 

Claap AI Summaries - DIY, Engaging, and Effective

Without talking ourselves up too much, this is what having fun with it looks like. Information always comes first, but don’t forget to make your videos as memorable as possible.

In Conclusion, training videos are not a mere trend; they are the vanguard of modern-day corporate learning. And with Claap by your side, you're not just creating videos; you're curating experiences. So, reel in the future, one frame at a time!

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