Train Quickly and Easily with How-to Videos
Matt Archer
December 9, 2021
What are How-to Videos?
How to Videos are a quick, easy way to convey information to learners, especially people with shorter attention spans.
Well-designed How-to videos can be used to teach people how to follow a process or how to do a task. These types of videos are very popular on websites such as YouTube and Vimeo, and people often search for them because they want to learn how to do something quickly and easily.
Why are How-to Videos so Popular?
How-to Videos contain a simple premise: You (the learner) want to know how to do something, and the video will show (and tell) you how to do it.
They are usually simple to create and present the idea that anyone can do what is being taught, even if they’re describing complex or difficult tasks. They’re also entertaining, and keep people engaged so they’ll watch until the very end.
Benefits of How-to Videos
How-to Videos as a training method have a lot of upsides for both the company designing it, and the learners. Below are 4 benefits to consider when deciding whether you want to present your training content as a How-to Video.
Quick and Simple to Create
How-to Videos in essence are films that explain and/or demonstrate how to do something. Modern How-to Videos can be shot (and even sometimes edited) completely on your phone. While this isn’t always easy or realistic, it shows that the barrier to entry is low.
Almost anyone can make a How-To video, which adds to its appeal because the turnaround time to teach something can be comparatively low.
Short and Easy to Watch
Some of the best How-to Videos are only a few minutes long. You introduce your concept, you teach it, and you end the video. There’s no need to artificially extend the length of the video for no reason. This keeps people interested because it’s a quick hit of information to help them solve their problem and move on with their day.
Viral Potential
If you search sites like YouTube, you’ll find many How-to Videos that have millions of views, even if the subject-matter is niche. This is often because the video has become viral due to people liking or sharing it on social media.
If you get lucky and score a viral hit, this can help increase the popularity of your videos and training platform, which may be important to some trainers.
Cost Effective
How-to Videos are a training delivery method that can vary greatly in cost, but on the low end, they can be very inexpensive, which is great for trainers and companies on a budget.
If you only need to pass along certain important facts to learners without all the bells and whistles of a professional production, you can do that, which makes it a great vessel for conveying information compared to more complex delivery methods like Classroom Training or eLearning.
5 Tips for How-to Video Success
There are many ways to increase the likelihood that your How-to Video will be successful. While there is something to be said for the technology used to capture and edit the videos, our list below focuses on things that are easier for you to change during the filming process.
Be Genuine
If you’re trying to promote your product in your How-to Video, be genuine about it and don’t try to disguise it through salesy language or fake excitement, as people can generally see through that.
However, people can equally detect genuine excitement and desire to help others, which can make your video stand out for people interested in the subject-matter.
Keep it Simple
The purpose of a How-to Video is to teach someone how to do something. Because of the format they’re contained in, it’s important to keep the instructions simple and easy to understand.
The more straightforward your content is, the more likely your video is to help people.
Make it Short and Sweet
Humans are better able to focus their attention on shorter content, so it generally works better for a How-to Video to be short, but filled with only the most important facts and information necessary to teach your process or skill.
Be Interesting and Recognizable
People also want to be entertained by the content they watch, so it’s recommended to find ways for your videos to stand out.
Cleverly connecting your brand image to your videos through catch phrases, graphical assets, or using an entertaining narrator, can all help your videos stand out and keep learners engaged with the content.
Minimize Confusion
Not every task can be taught equally. Some How-To Videos may contain more complex or complicated information by necessity, but there are still ways to minimize the confusion a learner may experience when encountering this information.
Consider whether the information can be broken down into small, easier to digest segments, or if the explanation can be simplified without diluting your message.
Final Thoughts
Positive Results™ is a training development and cloud solutions company that works with organizations to identify gaps in their business process, then develop solutions to resolve them.
We find value in How-to Videos as a training delivery method because of how quickly they can be created and shared with learners using a variety of delivery platforms. Additionally, due to their short, and simple nature, they are easily accessible and understandable by learners, which is a desirable outcome in training development.
If you have additional questions or need support, contact us at:
Positive Results™ Custom Business Solutions
440.499.4944
