How to Create the Best Training Videos

Training videos are useful educational tools for the world of business and beyond. In this guide, we'll look at how to make a training video.

If you're looking for a useful tool to make training videos for employees easily and conveniently, try Movavi Screen Recorder. The app lets you capture screen, webcam, system audio, and microphone sound. During the recording, you can highlight the mouse cursor and clicks, draw on your video and add shapes, lines, and arrows. Perfect for creating employee training videos and other kinds of training video content, this screen recording tool is available for both Windows and Mac and is free to download and try.

A training video is a piece of video content that is designed to be used for training purposes. These videos are often used by businesses for video training of employees, for example, with new recruits being shown videos about how to adapt to the company's practices and how to communicate with customers.

Training videos can have many other uses, too. They can be used by businesses and entities to show customers or clients how to use a certain product, like a piece of software, for example. You can also find training videos aimed at the general public covering all sorts of subjects like “How to install a washing machine” or “How to do CPR”.

When it comes to producing training videos, there are actually multiple varieties of training videos you might like to create. They each have their own pros, cons, and best-use scenarios, and it's important to consider the different types and pick the right one when you create training videos for your own audience. Let's take a look at some of the most common varieties of training videos for employees.

Instructor-led video

An instructor-led video, as the name implies, is one in which the instructor or trainer is the focus of the video and leads the educational process with the audience. Usually, these kinds of videos show the instructor's face on the screen and involve the instructor talking directly to the audience to explain a topic or impart informational content. We can also refer to these videos as “talking head videos”.

Screencast

A screencast, also known as a screen recording or screen capture, is another kind of training video you might be interested in making. These videos are made by recording the user's screen and usually show how a piece of software is used, with voice-over narration or annotations added to explain the steps of the process.

How-to

A how-to video is one that visually demonstrates how something is done, usually in a step-by-step way, with individual clips edited together to form one long sequence. Also known as demonstration videos, these videos are ideal for showing people exactly how to do something and making it easy for them to replicate and learn the process on their own.

Animation

An animation or animated video is one that makes use of animated visuals, rather than a recording of a screen or real-life space. These videos incorporate dynamic graphic elements and animated icons to create a very visually-oriented learning experience for the audience. They're useful for conveying complex ideas in a way that is simple for a broad audience to understand.

Microvideo

A microvideo, as the name suggests, is one that is very short. Typically, these videos won't last any longer than half a minute and are most frequently just 10 seconds long. They're aimed to focus on one single idea or process and show how to do it in a very concise and direct way, which may involve the use of animations or annotations on the screen.

Interactive video

An interactive video is one that is designed to engage viewers on a deeper level than simply asking them to watch or take notes. These videos actually involve scenarios, questions and answers, role play, or other elements that demand some level of audience participation. Often, with an interactive video, there will be pauses during the content where audiences can answer questions or imagine what might happen next before the video goes on.

So, why should you be creating training videos for employees in the first place, and what are some of the benefits of video content for training as opposed to other methods? Here's a brief list of some of the biggest reasons to invest in employee training videos:

• Video is engaging: There are many different types of educational content, from training videos to text-based guides. However, studies show that many people respond more positively to video content and find videos much easier to engage with and learn from, as opposed to long passages of text or diagrams and documents.

• Better retention: The main aim of any piece of educational content is to teach people something and help them remember it for future use. Again, studies and surveys show that people tend to retain knowledge and information more easily and for longer when it is delivered in video format, with better retention rates of up to 65%.

• Connecting with a wider audience: Different people have different ways of learning. Some people are very visual and respond well to images, while others are more audio-oriented and remember things they hear very well. Video is a great educational tool because it combines different elements like text, video, and audio into one overall package.

• Accessible: Another big reason to invest in video training for employees is the accessibility of video. You can upload a video onto a site like YouTube and let your employees or other target audience members access it whenever and wherever they want, like on their phones during a working break or from the comfort of their own homes.

• Cost-effective: Many businesses spend a lot of money on educating and training employees. It can be very costly to hire instructors or cover the costs of big training events for your various teams. Video content is much cheaper to make in comparison and can be far more cost-effective in the long-term, as you can re-use videos again and again with new recruits.

• Dynamic: Another big benefit of training videos for employees is how dynamic they can be. With the power of modern video creation software, it's easy to add special effects, filters, audio, video enhancements, custom animations, and so much more to your videos to make them as engaging and interesting as possible for your audience members.

There are plenty of pros associated with employee training videos and video as a training tool in general. However, there are also some downsides that you need to take into account, too. Here's a quick run-down of some of the main pros and cons of video training.

Pros:

• Varied: One of the best things about video content is that there are lots of ways in which you can make it. You can do animations, instructor-led videos, screencasts, and much more to get your ideas and information across to your audience.

• Engaging: As explained above, video is one of the most engaging forms of media. Many people say that they learn best when watching videos and find it much easier to remember things after watching a video compared to reading a document or listening to a lecture.

• Accessible: Video content and video creation tools are also highly accessible. These days, you don't even need to have lots of technical experience to create great videos, as there are many easy-to-use and free video creation tools to download to your devices.

• Modern: There's also the fact that video content is a very modern and up-to-date medium for educational content. A lot of people are used to watching videos to learn things, nowadays, so using training videos is a great way to keep your business relevant to modern audiences.

Cons:

• Cost: Some video creation tools can be quite costly, and if you want to make the very best and most engaging videos, you may need to invest some initial funds in the right equipment and software. However, in the long-term, this may be cheaper than other training methods.

• Can be ignored: One issue with video content is that audience members can simply ignore it, if they choose. Asking a group of employees to watch a video isn't the same as getting them together in a classroom for role play and training exercises, so you have to rely on your audience members to watch and engage with your content for it to be effective.

• Tech issues: Video creation is reliant on technology, and even the best pieces of tech can fail from time to time. If Wi-Fi connections go down, for example, videos may become inaccessible, or video creation may be interrupted if files get corrupted or cameras stop working.

• Relevance: Another possible issue with training videos is that they can go out of date and become irrelevant quite quickly. A tutorial for a piece of software, for example, will become less useful if the software gets updated and changes its interface.

We've looked at the benefits of training videos, so now you may want to know more about how to make a training video on a computer yourself. Well, the creation of training videos can be quite complex or relatively simple, depending on the level and type of content you plan to make.

Basic videos won't require too much time or training to put together, for example, while complex interactive videos will need more work. In either case, no matter what kind of training videos you plan to create, you'll need certain pieces of equipment to get started, including:

• Camera: In the past, it was necessary to have relatively high-end or professional-level video cameras to record good quality training videos. However, these days, good-quality video recorders are available to almost everyone with webcams and smartphone cameras. You may not even need a camera at all if you're making a screencast.

• Microphone: You may also need something to record audio to go along with your video. Again, this used to be difficult and involved buying a fancy, expensive microphone, but you can get good quality microphones more cheaply nowadays or use a mic that is included with your laptop or cell phone.

• Screen capture software: If you need to record your screen at all, like for a screencast tutorial, you'll also need some kind of screen recording software. This will allow you to capture video of whatever appears on your computer's screen, and it's very helpful for creating guides and tutorial content.

• Video-editing software: Another piece of software you'll need is a video editor. This is the program you'll use to put your video together, making any necessary edits like trims, cuts, merges, and brightness adjustments, as well as adding filters and effects or playing around with animations and custom audio tracks.

Here are some simple steps to follow to create a great training video for your employees:

Finally, here are a few tips to make your training videos the best they can be:

• Know your audience: Your videos will be more engaging if you can connect with your audience on a deep and meaningful level. Make sure you know who you're creating content for and focus on their needs and wants.

• Keep it concise: Surveys and studies show that people tend to get bored with videos as they go on and become less engaged with videos that go over the 10-minute mark. Try to keep your videos as short and direct as possible for maximum engagement.

• Include some interaction: A bit of interaction is a useful element for getting people to pay closer attention to your video and engage with it on a deeper level, so consider using an interactive video maker to add some questions or ask for some feedback from your viewers.

• Avoid clutter: If you're filming yourself or another subject for your video, try to avoid using any backgrounds that are filled with clutter or distractions. Keep the background clear and simple so that the viewers' focus is entirely on the subject.

• Annotate: It's almost always a good idea to add some annotations to your videos to sum up the points you're making and connect with different types of learners. This will also help people who want to make notes while watching.

Best for: Creating high-quality training videos

OS: Windows, macOS

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5, 50 reviews

If you’re looking for a teaching video maker, try Movavi Screen Recorder. It allows you to capture anything on your screen and annotate your recordings, easily making video guides and tutorials in full HD or 4K resolution. Plus, you can even add audio to your recordings via your microphone or internal system sounds.

Key features:

• Create comprehensive training videos recording your screen, keystrokes, and mouse actions
• Write commentaries on your video while recording
• Highlight important elements with shapes and arrows
• Record noise-free audio from your mic

Pros:

• Customizable webcam overlay – change the preview size and shape
• Easy-to-use drawing tools to add notes and point to objects on the screen

Cons:

• Get access to all features in the full version of the program

Best for: Editing training videos on a Mac

OS: macOS, iOS

PCMag rating: 4.5 out of 5

iMovie is a one of the most popular editing options for Mac users. It has all basic tools that you may need to edit your training videos. If you also use an iOS device, you can install iMovie and edit your videos on the go. Overall, it’s a video editor that can be especially useful for beginners.

Key features:

• Lots of titles and transitions

• Cinematic mode available

• Many special effects

Pros:

• Offers all basic video-editing features

• Easy for beginners to use

Cons:

• Only available for Mac and iOS devices

Download iMovie

Best for: Professional video editing

OS: Windows, macOS

PCMag rating: 4.5 out of 5

Adobe^® Premiere^® Pro is a professional video editor that can help you create top-notch training videos. It offers lots of useful video templates. You can customize video effects, text, and many more. Additionally, the program has professional tools for editing audio.

Key features:

• Customizable video effects

• Lots of video templates

Pros:

• Offers a set of professional tools

• Can edit audio

Cons:

• Lack of screen recording

Download Adobe^® Premiere^® Pro

1. Instructor-led – best for situations in which you have an engaging and interesting host or instructor
2. Screencast – best for situations that involve a level of technical expertise, such as software tutorials
3. How-to – best for situations that involve teaching audiences about a process in a step-by-step way
4. Animation – suitable for situations where complex ideas and processes need to be explained and may be hard to visualize
5. Micro – best for situations in which small, singular elements need to be conveyed independently
6. Interactive – best for situations in which audiences can benefit from engaging with the content