How to Make an Instructional Video

If you’ve ever looked up a how-to video, you know how valuable this content is. These videos are also known as tutorial videos, instructional videos or lecture videos, and they’re useful ways to improve engagement, promote a service or teach viewers how to use a product. Instructional videos can widen your brand’s reach and expand its audience by creating informative content that is shareable over the web. Users on social media often share high-quality content among friends, which can increase brand awareness. Ready to implement this content for your brand? Check out our top tips to create a tutorial video below.

What Is an Instructional Video?

An instructional video is a tutorial-style video meant to teach or explain a topic to a user. While the subject, tone and style of tutorial videos vary from brand to brand, these videos can provide unique information and help a viewer learn how to perform a task or complete a project. Creating an instructional video can help you reflect that you are an expert in your field and specific niche.

Why Should I Use an Instructional Video?

There are three main stages to the buyer’s journey — a process many potential customers take when considering buying a product. The buyer’s journey describes the purchase path that potential customers often follow, including the:

• Awareness stage: During the awareness stage, the buyer becomes aware that they may have a problem or realize they’re missing something that may make a specific task or aspect of their life easier.
• Consideration stage: When a potential customer enters the consideration stage, they further define their problem and consider possible ways to solve or improve this issue.
• Decision stage: As the customer enters the decision stage, they evaluate and compare products, services and brands to determine the right fit for their unique needs.

Videos let you engage with potential customers at various stages of the buyer’s journey, depending on the content you create. Your instructional video might address how your product or service can help a future customer solve their problem, encouraging them to go with you at the decision stage, for instance.

Benefits of Educational Videos

The way you structure an educational video can create a variety of benefits. One of the most significant advantages of creating an educational video is that videos continue to be an increasingly popular form of content delivery. On average, 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool. Tutorial and educational videos continue to be a popular option among both brands and consumers for the following advantages they offer.

Increases Engagement

Video is a popular content marketing format that can increase overall engagement with a brand. On average, 55% of people watch videos online every day. When considering how to reach this audience better, many markets are moving toward tutorial or educational videos. Videos are more engaging than traditional posts without a graphic or even those that use a static image. Instructional videos can intrigue viewers and increase brand awareness.

Improves Accessibility

Video content can improve accessibility overall for your brand or product. As video is an engaging format, it can help users understand essential aspects of your brand or service. Additionally, closed captioning and video transcription can increase the accessibility of a video for those who may be hard of hearing or who can’t watch a video with sound.

Promotes Comprehension

Video content allows you to display difficult or complex ideas more effectively, promoting a user’s overall comprehension or understanding of a topic. Video is an ideal format to help users visualize complex or abstract topics more effectively. Many users who are looking for video content are searching for how to do something or understand a topic further.

Builds a Relationship

When a brand provides useful, relevant information, it can foster a positive relationship with users. Becoming a reliable source of information and engaging video content can also build the trust a user has for your brand. They’ll see your informational videos and become more likely to use your services or purchase a product from you in the future.

Increases Conversions

Customers often perform a certain amount of research before making a purchase. Video content plays an important role in the purchasing journey of most buyers. For instance, 80% of people purchased a piece of software or app after watching a brand’s video. Providing relevant information and answering questions a potential customer may have can increase conversions and generate more sales.

How Do I Make a Video Lecture?

Creating an instructional video is a process that takes various steps from start to finish. Determining your topic and how you structure an educational video are both essential aspects to consider when creating a tutorial video. The production process will vary from video to video and depend on several factors, including product type, tutorial complexity and more. In general, you can follow these steps as tips to make a how-to video:

1. Define Your Topic

One of the most crucial steps in creating an instructional video is to define your topic. While this may seem like an obvious step, it’s essential to consider your topic before moving on. You will need to determine the exact information you are looking to convey with your video. Conciseness and clarity are two elements of educational video making that are vital to the project’s success. You don’t want to omit important information that users may need, but you also don’t want to overwhelm readers with too much information that may not be relevant.

2. Determine Your Audience

By getting into the mindset of your audience, you can answer potential questions they may have and understand the most relevant information they’re looking for in your video. By getting into your audience’s mindset, you can answer potential questions they may have and understand the most relevant information they’re looking for in your video. With any aspect of marketing, determining your audience is an essential step to creating a compelling instructional video. Understanding various aspects of your audience, including age, gender, income and other demographic details, helps you create an instructional video tailored to meet your audience’s specific needs. By getting into your audience’s mindset, you can answer potential questions they may have and understand the most relevant information they want.

3. Select Your Style

Choosing the appropriate video style can enhance your content and match your branding. Video styles help develop your brand’s overall messaging and improve the delivery of this information. Animation is a popular video style many brands use as it’s a versatile format. Animated videos can take complex or abstract issues and help make them easily digestible information for viewers. Compared to live-action videos, animated videos are not restrained by reality and can be as whimsical or creative as you like.

4. Create a Storyboard

A storyboard is similar to an outline for the overall format of the video. Creating a storyboard can hone your vision and add structure to the process of making an instructional video. Storyboards don’t have to be overly complex, detailed or even drawn well. An effective storyboard for a tutorial video creates a structure and progression path for the video to ensure you touch on all key aspects of your product or service.

5. Write a Script

A script for your tutorial video is essential as it fills in the details and relevant information created during the storyboarding process. Writing a script can help ensure you present all relevant information in a structured and logical order. A proper script helps you pace your voice-over and create engaging audio for users to follow as they watch along. When writing a script, be sure to use concise and easily understandable information.

6. Select a Filming Location

Consider potential filming locations when making a live-action instructional video. Think about how much space you’ll need to walk viewers through your instructions along with any tools or supplies you’d need. Will an indoor or outdoor space best suit your needs? You’ll also want to keep in mind lighting and sound when choosing a location to film a live-action video.

7. Film Content

If you’re filming a live-action educational video, this is the time to get the cameras rolling. Filming a few takes is generally a best practice so you have several to choose from when entering the editing phase. Additionally, you may want to record b-roll footage that you can use to edit with the main content of your video. This extra footage can help enrich your final product. If you have animated segments or an entirely animated video, this stage will involve the creation of the animation. You might work with a professional animator or video production team to achieve this.

8. Record Voice-Over

With your video script written and shots filmed, it’s time to record your voice-over. You can then pair the voice-over with an animated or live-action video to create an immersive experience. While you can edit many aspects of the voice-over, you should consider your tone and pace when recording. Your tone should be informative and inviting for the user and suit your brand. Additionally, you want to achieve an ideal pace that’s not too fast or too slow for the viewer.

9. Edit the Video

Editing your video is one of the final but most important aspects when creating an instructional video. At this stage, you combine all the elements you have made into one cohesive video. Editing your educational video can help you achieve a more polished product and determine if any areas of the video need improvement.

10. Use Your Instructional Video

Once you finish editing, your instructional video should be ready to use. Your tutorial video is a versatile tool you can use on your website, YouTube profile or even social media posts. One of the best aspects of an instructional video is that they’re reusable and can be a practical addition to several marketing campaigns or objectives.

What Is the Best Software for Making Video Tutorials?

There is a variety of software available for making video tutorials. The specific software you may need will depend on various factors and your overall goals when creating an instructional video. In addition to software, professional explainer video services are available to create high-quality videos for your brand. Content creators and editors, like those at WizMotions, provide engaging, customized animated art for videos to best fit your brand and audience.

Top Tips to Create a Tutorial Video

Tutorial and educational videos are an engaging and informative marketing tool to help users learn more about a product, service or brand. On average, users are three times more likely to watch a tutorial video than read a product’s written instructions. Follow the tips to make a how-to video that provides an immersive experience for users and addresses their potential questions.

Reduce Information Overload

One of the best ways to make how-to videos is to reduce the chance of information overload for viewers. While a product or brand may feature detailed information, ensure the video is formatted to display the most relevant details clearly and concisely. If there’s too much information too quickly in a tutorial video, users may be likely to abandon it and seek out resources from another brand.

Prioritize Video Length

One of the best tips to create a tutorial video would be to consider video length when creating a storyboard. In general, tutorial videos should be concise and only as long as they need to be to convey pertinent information. Try to have your video around a few minutes long to keep viewers watching.

Rehearse Before Recording

Rehearsing before recording is an essential tip to make a how-to video. Rehearsing a script can improve voice-over recordings, ensuring you maintain an informative yet engaging tone that isn’t too fast or slow, and save you time. Your tone should be informational yet engaging. You should also rehearse anything you’ll be doing in a live-action video, especially for something instructional. Know all the steps you need to take and practice them so you don’t fumble on camera.

Think of Your Viewers

Thinking of your viewers is among the top tips to create a tutorial video. When creating an instructional video, determine what your viewers may think or feel as they watch. Thinking about your viewers can help you choose the most essential information to include in a video and think about what problems you may be able to offer a solution to. A positive viewer experience is vital to developing proper relationships and optimizing for conversions.

Consider Professional Video Editors

While there is do-it-yourself (DIY) software available to create instructional videos, professional whiteboard video animators and editors create custom-made animations and user-friendly educational videos. Professional instructional videos are personalized for each client to resonate with their unique audience and create a lasting impression on viewers. Additionally, professional video editors may also provide copywriting or scriptwriting services. Custom artwork and animations offer a unique experience for viewers and improve overall comprehension.

Use Informative Thumbnails

A video thumbnail is a picture or still from the video that will provide viewers with a glimpse into its topic. Many videos use a pre-generated and generic video thumbnail that pulls a random still from the video. A pre-generated video thumbnail is often not informative and may even be disorganized or awkward. A customized video thumbnail provides relevant information to capture a viewer’s interest and make them more likely to click on the video.

Implement Closed Captioning and Transcripts

Implementing closed captioning and transcripts are some of the best tips when creating a tutorial video. Using closed captioning and transcripts can improve accessibility for potential viewers who may be hard of hearing. Additionally, 69% of consumers watch videos with the sound off. Closed captioning ensures viewers can still understand key aspects of the video even if the sound isn’t on. Video transcripts are also ideal for users who may want to skim through and pinpoint specific information they may be looking for.

Let WizMotions Help You Create a Tutorial Video

At WizMotions, we offer custom whiteboard animation and instructional videos to provide relevant and on-point information and deliver your brand’s message. Our instructional videos can help generate leads, boost sales, engage users and simplify complicated information into an informative video. We offer custom artwork for your video at an affordable price and provide a dedicated project manager to each client. With world-class customer service, WizMotions offers professional copywriting and voice-over services and strives to help you create the most appealing and educational videos possible. We’re committed to providing the highest level of service and are eager to help our clients deliver their messages in an engaging and informative way. Contact us online today to learn more about our instructional video services or start your project with us.