How to Create Effective Training Videos

Effective Training Videos

If properly executed, training videos can become a potent weapon in your company’s human resources arsenal, representing a significant cost savings.

Like all specialized videos, those employed for training purposes have unique requirements.  Training videos should engage your employees to a degree that they can fully understand and embrace the material.  The content should be clear and well thought out, streamlining the training process as much as possible.

Effective training videos follow some simple steps. Here are a few worth considering:

1.  A Great Training Video Begins with a Great Script

Never underestimate the importance of smart planning and a well-crafted script. The script for your training video ensures you don’t miss important points, processes and information.  If you’re creating a training video series, be sure to keep the format consistent.  And take the time to read your script out loud to be sure it doesn’t just look right, but also sounds right.

2.  Two Angles Are Better Than One

Its a good idea to shoot your training video with multiple cameras or multiple times to allow for different angles.  This will keep the content visually interesting and easier to understand.  You will most likely also want some close ups and cutaways, whether it’s to demonstrate processes or to zoom in on key documents or charts.  Be sure to indicate in your script where close ups and cutaways will occur and how they’ll be achieved to keep the execution tight.

3.  Can You Hear Me Now?

Visuals are only half the story.  Make sure the audio for your training video is also good quality.  Most onboard camera mics won’t provide good enough audio quality for training videos, so you’ll want to record the audio on a separate external device.

4.  Putting It Together

Now that you have multiple angles and separate audio, bring it all into an editing suite for post production.  This is where you’ll choose the best “takes” and package it into a finished video.  You might want to add narration or music to keep it engaging. Add graphics.  Graphics are to training videos what road signs are to a long trip.  They give your audience a clear sense of direction and let them know what’s coming next.  Keep them simple and make sure everyone from the front of the room to the back can read them.

5.  Brevity is the Soul of…

…any effective video.  A good training video shouldn’t be more than 30 minutes in length. Break the 30 minutes into shorter segments of 5 minutes or so to keep the audience focused.  If what you need to convey takes more than 30 minutes, consider creating a series of videos related to the topic.

Following these steps will increase the odds you’ll end up with the training video you need to motivate and inform your employees.  If no one on your team has the appropriate experience, you can enlist the help of a professional video production company.  If you haven’t worked with a professional video team before, this guide outlines “5 Things You Must Know Before Spending Money On Your Corporate Video“.

Increasingly corporate communications are embracing the use of video for a wide range of applications, from product demos to executive interviews to corporate image reels.  To discover how Bayside Entertainment can enhance your corporate communications, contact us today.

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