How to Make Training Videos
Knowing how to record training videos is an invaluable skill in today’s digital world, where online learning and remote work are becoming increasingly prevalent.
Whether you are aiming to onboard new employees, educate clients on your product, or share your expertise with a wider audience, well-crafted video tutorials can enhance understanding, retention, and engagement.
This article will guide you through the process of creating professional training videos. We will cover everything from planning and scripting to screen recorders and video editors.
What is a training video?
A training video is a visual instructional tool designed to teach specific skills, concepts, or procedures to a target audience. It is a form of online education utilized to demonstrate step-by-step instructions.
Training videos can cover a wide range of topics, including software tutorials, safety procedures, product demonstrations, professional development skills, and more. They may incorporate elements such as narration, visuals, animations, and interactive components to engage learners and facilitate comprehension.
The primary goal of a training video is to impart knowledge and facilitate studying in a clear, concise, and effective manner.
Common types of training videos
Videos for training come in various forms, each tailored to meet specific needs.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Instructional. | Guidance on tasks or product usage, often with demonstrations and narration. |
| Tutorial. | Detailed instruction on specific skills or techniques, suitable for various skill levels. |
| Demonstration. | Real-time showcases of procedures, helpful for complex tasks. |
| Simulation. | Recreated scenarios for practicing problem-solving abilities, valuable in high-risk working environments. |
| Interactive. | Engaging content allowing active participation, with choices or questions for the viewer. |
| Compliance and Safety. | Education on workplace safety protocols, regulatory compliance, and best practices. |
| Soft Skills Training. | Development of interpersonal aptitudes like communication and leadership, often with role-playing scenarios. |
| Onboarding. | Introduction to an organization's policies, culture, and expectations for new employees. |
| Product Training. | Highlighting product features, benefits, and usage, useful for sales teams and customers. |
| E-learning Modules. | Comprehensive online courses combining multimedia elements like videos, text, and quizzes. |
| Whiteboard Animations. | Hand-drawn illustrations and animations to explain concepts or processes. |
How to make a training video
Screen recordings have become an essential tool for creating training videos. Screencasts allow you to capture your desktop and provide step-by-step instructions, making it easier for viewers to follow along.
Here's a general guide:
1. Define objectives and audience
To begin, clearly outline the purpose of your training video. Identify the specific learning objectives you want to achieve, whether it's teaching a new skill, explaining a process, or introducing a product.
Additionally, consider your audience—determine their knowledge level, studying preferences, and any specific needs or challenges they may have.
2. Plan your content
Take the time to carefully plot and structure your project. Start by outlining the main topics and key points you want to cover. Develop a script or storyboard to organize your ideas and ensure a logical flow of information from beginning to end.
Think about how to effectively engage your audience and keep them interested throughout the video. A well-thought-out plan will help you stay focused and deliver a cohesive and effective training experience.
3. Choose your equipment
Choosing the right equipment is critical to capturing high-quality video and audio. Depending on your budget and resources, select professional microphones, earphones, and tripods to improve the production quality of your film.
If your training involves demonstrating program or computer-based tasks, consider using screen recording software to capture your voice narration and desktop actions simultaneously.
There are many training video recording software available, ranging from free to premium options. Below we will review some of them.
4. Set up the recording space
Seek a quiet, well-lit location with minimal background noise and distractions. Arrange any props or visual aids you'll be using to support your content. Spend some time testing audio levels for optimal recording conditions.
5. Record the video
When filming your training video, refer to your scenario to guide your delivery. Speak clearly and at a steady pace so your audience can easily follow along.
When you demonstrate actions or processes, do them accurately and use cursor highlights to help the audience keep track of what you are saying. Monitor your audio and visual elements throughout the screen recording process and make adjustments as needed.
6. Edit training videos
After recording, use video editing software to refine and polish your footage. Trim any unnecessary segments, cut out mistakes or pauses, and arrange your clips to create a cohesive narrative.
Pay attention to audio quality, adjusting volume levels, and removing background noise as needed. Editing is where you can fine-tune your video to achieve the desired impact and clarity.
Special effects can significantly enhance the effectiveness and engagement of instructional videos.
Here are some options:
| Effect | Description |
|---|---|
| Transitions. | Smooth transitions between scenes or parts can maintain viewer interest and create a seamless flow. |
| Animations. | Animated elements such as graphics, icons, or characters can help visualize concepts and improve understanding. |
| Visuals. | Adding overlays, filters, or color grading can enhance the aesthetics of the video and draw attention to specific points. |
| Text Effects. | Dynamic text effects like subtitles or transitions can emphasize key information and improve comprehension. |
| Green Screen Effects. | Using a green screen allows for integrating backgrounds, providing context, or enhancing storytelling. |
| Split-Screen. | Displaying multiple video feeds or content simultaneously can compare information or demonstrate several concepts. |
| Interactive Elements. | Clickable buttons, quizzes, or annotations attract viewers and encourage active participation. |
| Sound Effects. | Adding sound effects creates a more immersive experience and reinforces key messages within the video. |
| Music. | Background music sets the tone, evokes emotions, and maintains pacing, enhancing overall satisfaction. |
| Slow Motion / Time-lapse. | Adjusting playback speed highlights specific actions, aiding understanding complex processes. |
7. Review and revise
Before finalizing your video, thoroughly check the footage to identify any errors or areas for improvement. Watch the video multiple times from the perspective of your audience, ensuring clarity and coherence.
Seek feedback from colleagues, and mentors, or test viewers to gain valuable insights and perspectives. Make any necessary revisions to improve the overall quality.
8. Finalize and distribute
Once you're satisfied with the final version of your video, export it in the appropriate format and resolution for your intended platform.
Consider adding closed captions or subtitles to improve accessibility for all viewers.
Upload the video to your chosen hosting network, whether it's YouTube, Vimeo, or an internal company server.
Promote the clip to your target audience through email newsletters, social media posts, or other marketing channels.
Best software to record training videos
In the realm of producing instructional videos and tutorials, having the appropriate tools can greatly impact the end result. Not only do you want to produce high-quality content, but you also want the recording process to be seamless and efficient. Check out these recommendations for capturing your educational videos.
Icecream Screen Recorder
Icecream Screen Recorder is a versatile and user-friendly application that allows users to capture any area of their desktop, along with audio, in high quality. It offers a range of features to facilitate the process and create professional-looking videos.
The free screen recorder includes annotation tools such as text, arrows, shapes, and highlights, allowing users to emphasize key points, draw attention to specific areas, or provide additional context during recordings.
It also features a built-in drawing panel that enables individuals to sketch or write directly on the screen, useful for illustrating concepts, outlining processes, or adding visual elements to presentations.
It is possible to schedule screen recordings to start and stop automatically at specified times, making it convenient for capturing live streams, webinars, or other virtual events without manual intervention.
The screen recording software supports various output formats, including MP4, AVI, and WebM. It also allows users to adjust video quality settings to achieve the desired balance between file size and resolution.
With customizable hotkeys for starting, pausing, and stopping recordings, as well as other common actions, Icecream Screen Recorder streamlines the training process and improves efficiency.
Details:
- Price: Free, PRO $29,95 per year
- Best for: Instructions, guides, gameplay, webcam, training and explanation videos
- OS: Windows
Camtasia
Camtasia is a powerful screen recording and video editing software designed for creating professional-quality content. It offers a comprehensive suite of features to capture, edit, and share images and training videos, making it a popular choice among educators, marketers, and bloggers.
The screen recorder offers an extensive array of advanced features tailored to elevate the video creation process. Integration with Camtasia Rev facilitates seamless transcription and translation of audio content, enhancing accessibility and extending reach.
Dynamic audio visualizers add depth and engagement, while variable shortcuts offer flexibility in adjusting playback speed as needed.
Advanced effects, including cursor replacement images and color enhancements, improve visibility and highlight mouse movements during screen recordings.
Details:
- Price: $202,50 per year
- Best for: Instructions, guidelines and training videos
- OS: Windows, mac
Screencastify
Screencastify is a user-friendly screen recording extension for Google Chrome, designed to facilitate the creation of instructional videos, tutorials, presentations, and demonstrations. With this program, users can track who has watched their videos and see detailed analytics, including viewer demographics and satisfaction metrics.
Additionally, the extension provides tools for annotating recordings in real time, letting users add text, drawings, and highlights to emphasize key points or clarify context.
Quizzes, surveys, and polls can be inserted directly into the video, allowing viewers to interact with the content and test their understanding. This feature not only increases audience engagement but also provides valuable feedback for assessing comprehension and retention.
Screencastify offers seamless integration with Google Drive and YouTube. Users can also export recordings as MP4 files or share them via email, social media, or other platforms.
Details:
- Price: Free screen recorder
- Best for: Screen demonstrations
- OS: Google Chrome extension
Loom
Loom is a diverse and intuitive media messaging platform that simplifies the process of capturing, editing, and sharing videos for training across devices and websites.
Educators can provide feedback, comments, and even emojis directly within the program, fostering collaboration and communication among team members and students. Drawing tools for annotations and emphasis allow users to highlight key points and provide additional context within their training recordings.
The video recorder's browser-based and mobile editing capabilities let users make quick adjustments to their recordings straight from the application. This includes trimming, cropping, and merging clips, as well as adding external links to share valuable outside resources.
Loom videos can be embedded anywhere on the internet, increasing reach and visibility across websites, blogs, and other online platforms.
Details:
- Price: Free, $12.50/mo
- Best for: Lectures, marketing recordings
- OS: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS
ScreenPal
ScreenPal is a full-featured screen recorder designed to streamline the process of creating, editing, and sharing multimedia content.
The platform allows users to capture both their desktop and webcam footage simultaneously in a window or full-screen modes, providing flexibility in recording presentations, tutorials, or guides.
Basic video editing tools are available for trimming, cutting, combining clips, and adding text, annotations, and transitions. Clips can be published directly to ScreenPal's hosting website, as well as to YouTube and cloud services for easy sharing.
The screen recorder provides access to an audio library with 30 tracks for background music. Users can customize video thumbnails and create content channels for branding consistency and organization.
Details:
- Price: Free, $1.65/mo
- Best for: Casual screen recording needs
- OS: Online
Bandicam
Bandicam is a robust screen-capturing option renowned for its advanced features tailored for gamers, professional editors, and content creators alike. The program allows for real-time drawing during recording sessions, enabling users to annotate, highlight, or emphasize specific elements on the screen as they record.
The screen recording software offers the option to add mouse click effects and animations while recording, making it easier to track cursor movements and interactions during gameplay, program demonstrations, or tutorial videos.
Bandicam's advanced recording capabilities extend to capturing various 2D and 3D games with 4K UHD video quality, allowing users to preserve every detail and nuance of their training experiences.
Additionally, the software supports high frame rates of up to 480 FPS, ensuring smooth and fluid motion capture even in fast-paced letsplay.
Details:
- Price: Free, $2.78/mo
- Best for: Gaming sessions
- OS: Windows
OBS Studio
Documenting educational videos is a necessary element of crafting successful and interesting material for your followers. OBS Studio stands out as a reliable tool for developing training videos. This free and open-source recording software allows you to capture and stream high-quality videos from your computer.
The free screen recording software offers a variety of recording options, including customizable video settings such as resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and encoder adjustments. Users can capture their entire desktop, specific windows, or custom regions of the screen, providing flexibility in choosing what content to record.
Advanced features such as scene composition and source layering enable users to create dynamic and visually engaging recordings. Overlaying images, text, graphics, webcam footage, and other media elements onto recordings enhances visual appeal and conveys information effectively.
After recording, OBS Studio provides options for saving and sharing videos in popular formats like MP4, MOV, and FLV. Also, it is possible to stream live to platforms such as Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Live.
Details:
- Price: Free screen recorder
- Best for: Gaming sessions, streams
- OS: Windows, Mac, Linux
Common recording mistakes
Are you planning to create a video tutorial? By understanding these pitfalls, you can proactively steer clear of them, recording high-quality guides.
Here are some instructional video mistakes to avoid:
- Lack of planning and a well-thought-out script can result in disjointed content and confusion.
- Using overly technical language or presenting too much information at once can overwhelm viewers.
- Ignoring audio quality can lead to distractions and reduce the overall effectiveness of the video.
- Poor lighting or unclear visuals during webcam recording can make it difficult for viewers to follow along.
- Failing to engage viewers through interactive elements or entertaining content can result in low retention.
- Lack of rehearsal can result in stumbling over words or being unprepared, which can diminish the quality of the video.
- Overuse of special effects can distract from the content while neglecting them can result in a lackluster presentation.
- By skipping editing, you can end up with unpolished videos that contain mistakes or inconsistencies.
- Failing to gather feedback or analyze viewer metrics can result in missed opportunities for improvement.
- Neglecting to optimize videos for different devices and screen sizes can create compatibility issues.
- Using copyrighted material without permission can trigger legal issues and damage credibility.
By avoiding these mistakes and focusing on delivering high-quality, useful content, training videos can effectively educate and empower viewers to succeed.
FAQ
- How long should training videos be?
- The ideal length of training footage depends on the complexity of the subject matter and the attention span of your audience. Aim for a duration that covers the necessary content without overwhelming viewers—typically between 5 to 20 minutes per video segment.
- How can I make my training videos more engaging?
- Break up content into shorter segments, include interactive elements like quizzes or polls, and maintain a conversational tone to keep viewers interested.
- What should I do if I make a mistake during recording?
- Pause and take a moment to collect your thoughts before continuing. You can edit out mistakes during post-production or use annotations to clarify any misunderstandings.
- How do I ensure accessibility and inclusivity in my videos?
- Provide closed captions or transcripts for your videos to accommodate viewers with hearing impairments. Use large fonts and high-contrast colors to aid the audience with visual impairments.
- How do I maintain consistency across multiple video tutorials?
- Establish a clear style guide or template for your videos, including consistent branding, formatting, and messaging. Use the same intro and outro sequences, music, and visual elements.
- How often should I update my instructional videos?
- The frequency of refreshing your videos depends on factors such as changes in policies, procedures, or technology, feedback from viewers, and the relevance of the content over time. Aim to update your videos periodically to ensure accuracy and effectiveness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, mastering screen recording for training videos can revolutionize educational content delivery. By selecting the right tools, adhering to best practices, and embracing interactive elements, you can create inclusive videos that resonate with your audience.
Continuously refine your approach based on feedback and analytics to verify ongoing improvement. With dedication and innovation, unleash the full potential of screen recording training videos to inspire learning and growth in your viewers.
Expert Tech Writer
