Training videos are a great way to help educate your employees and staff on various subjects. But how do you make a great training video? It’s often best to hire a professional video production company to produce a high-quality training video for your company, but you can make your own training videos with the right equipment, software, and knowledge. Let’s talk about how to create a training video that helps learners understand what you’re trying to teach.
Creating training videos requires understanding your audience, attention to detail, and having the right tools. It’s not just about recording content. Effective training videos involve planning and implementation to make sure you provide a dynamic learning experience for your audience. In this guide, we will go over the things you will need to create training videos that engage and educate your viewers.
Ready? Let’s go!
Selecting the Right Training Video Software
First, it’s important to choose the right video recording and editing software. This will allow you to make screen recordings and presenter-style videos and add captions and visual effects that enhance the learning experience.
The best software depends on your specific needs. There are different software options for different training video needs.
Some popular options include Camtasia for screen recording and editing. There are also more professional tools like Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro X, which offer robust features that are tailored toward tutorial videos and professional-grade editing. There’s also Articulate Storyline for eLearning course creation.
Audacity offers free, open-source audio editing, while Adobe Audition provides more advanced features for professionals.
Many of these tools offer free trials so you can test out the software before you buy it. We recommend that you test out several before you make your final decision.
Recording A Voiceover For Training Videos
The audio quality in your training videos can make or break the learning experience. Voice clarity is key. When recording, speak clearly and at a moderate pace so listeners can easily follow along. Avoid jargon or complex language when you’re speaking. Remember, these are training videos, so they should be easy to understand.
So when should you use voiceovers in your videos? Here are some use cases:
- When you want viewers to focus on visuals rather than a speaker.
- When your video involves complicated processes that are better explained through narration.
- When you want to create a personalized touch by using familiar voices within your company or organization.
Remember, the goal of voiceovers is to enhance learners’ understanding and retention rates through clear and engaging narration.
Here are some tips to help you master the voice recording process.
Preparing Your Script
A well-prepared script is key in creating presenter-style training videos. Your script should provide step-by-step instructions that help learners understand the material better. The words you use should be clear and concise. It’s also important to try and make the videos short and easily consumable. The longer the videos, the more likely you are to lose your audience. It’s better to have a series of shorter videos than one long video.
The Importance of Good Audio Quality
To record audio effectively for your video content, ensure minimal background noise when recording. A good microphone is a must for high-quality training videos. Popular microphone options include USB microphones like the Audio Technica ATR2100 or XLR microphones like the Shure SM58. And consider using an audio interface or mixer if necessary.
Mastering Your Audio With Audio Editing Techniques
Using basic — but important — audio editing strategies will help make your audio quality much better. Here are some tips:
- Noise Reduction: Use the noise reduction feature in your editing tool (like Adobe Audition) to minimize background noises.
- Balancing Levels: Make sure you’re using consistent volume levels throughout your videos.
- Add Music & Sound Effects: Enhance viewer engagement by adding appropriate music or sound effects — without distracting from the content, of course. (NOTE: Ensure you have the right to use any music that you include in your training videos.)
Screen Capture Techniques in Training Videos
Depending on the type of training videos you’re creating, you may need to show a computer screen. Mastering screen capture software is key to creating awesome computer or software training videos. Screen capture software lets you capture your on-screen movements to make instructions clear and easy to follow. Here are some tips to make your screen capture videos top-notch!
Clean Up Your Desktop Before Recording
Before hitting the record button, be sure to tidy up your desktop. Also, close any unnecessary tabs and applications that might distract viewers. You should consider changing your wallpaper to something professional or related to the topic you’re discussing in the video, too.
Practice navigation sequences before you record. Familiarize yourself with every click and keystroke. The more you practice ahead of time, the more you will smoothly move through your recording without any awkward pauses or mistakes. (Practice does make perfect!)
Shooting Live Action Footage for Training Videos
Capturing live-action footage is great for creating engaging and informative training videos. Unlike animations or screen captures, live-action video provides a real-life representation and is highly effective at explaining complex information. And sometimes just having a real-life person on the screen explaining something is just more engaging!
To shoot quality live-action footage, you must plan ahead, understand your audience, set clear objectives, and develop a detailed script. A well-structured storyboard can also help visualize each scene before recording.
It’s also important to choose relevant locations that aren’t distracting. Natural light is ideal, but professional lights can be used if needed. Ensure all elements are clearly visible.
Your Background Matters
Make sure that the background is clear or professional looking. A cluttered background will distract your learner.
This is where hiring a professional video production company would come in handy. They have studios that are built for professional-quality backgrounds. And if you’re filming on location, they can help prep your location so it looks professional – and can even bring in all the professional lighting needed to make your video look movie star quality!
Framing Techniques Using the Rule of Thirds
In videography, framing is key. Use the rule of thirds to create balanced visuals. Place key elements along the lines or intersections. Experiment with different camera angles to get dynamic shots.
Also, consider using wide-angle shots for context and close-ups for details to improve viewer engagement.
However, remember that no matter how carefully you plan and shoot, editing will always be necessary.
Incorporating Animations into Your Training Video
Animation is a powerful tool that can improve the look and feel of your training videos. It allows you to visually represent complex processes, charts, and concepts in an engaging way. Let’s dive into how to storyboard your animated video.
The Storyboarding Process
The first step to creating effective animations for your training videos is storyboarding. Storyboarding is like creating a visual roadmap for each scene in the animation. This is a way of plotting out each scene in the animation, to anticipate any issues that could arise and ensure everyone involved in the project is on the same page.
Simple Animation Creation Tools
There’s no need for fancy software or technical skills to create animations. Check out user-friendly platforms like PowToon and Biteable. They offer pre-designed templates, making it easy for beginners to start animating right away.
Ensuring Animations Adhere to Brand Guidelines
Keep your brand identity consistent in your training video animations. Use the right colors, fonts, and logos. If you’re unsure, refer to your company’s official brand guidelines provided by the marketing department.
Editing Like a Pro
The process of editing is crucial for creating training videos. Editing is key to finalizing the look and feel of your professional corporate video.
We cannot stress enough how important your software choice is. Choose editing software based on your project’s complexity and budget. Get familiar with the interface and features beforehand for a smooth editing workflow. Gaining proficiency in the appropriate software and utilizing suitable video editing methods can help you to quickly finish your video editing with great results.
From a learner’s perspective, it’s important to maintain consistency in transition effects to create a seamless viewing experience. So avoid abrupt shifts that will distract learners from the main content.
Here are some other tips to help keep your learners engaged:
- Consistency is Key: Use consistent transition effects throughout your videos. Sudden changes can disrupt your viewers’ concentration. Stick to one or two types of transitions for a smooth viewing experience. Too many different transitions can be distracting for your audience. Keep things simple and aligned with your video’s tone and style.
- Show Off Your Brand: Reflect your company’s branding in your video. Incorporate color schemes, fonts, and logos that align with your branding. Visual clarity and aesthetics are important.
- Text Graphics and Annotations: Use them sparingly to aid understanding, but don’t distract learners. Remember, less is more in instructional design.
- Annotated screenshots: Include visual aids that explain processes step-by-step, especially for technical topics.
- Captioned dialogue: Identify speakers to enhance clarity in communication.
- Bullet points: Summarize important points for better memory retention.
- Annotate wisely: Use annotations to emphasize key points, but don’t overdo it. Keep the focus on the learning content itself.
- Avoid clutter: Don’t overwhelm viewers with too much information at once. Keep it concise to maintain their interest.
Remember: The goal is to create visually appealing videos that effectively teach viewers what they need to know.
Also, keep in mind that your video editor isn’t just about editing out mistakes – use it creatively! For example, you could break up longer sections with graphics or text overlays to emphasize important points during the editing process.
Don’t forget to add captions to your videos. Captions help with comprehension and improve accessibility for people with hearing issues. (Plus, there are many people that simply watch videos with the sound off – so having captions is crucial.)
A great training video doesn’t have to be long. Keeping your videos shorter makes them more digestible, especially if they’re being uploaded onto platforms like YouTube, where shorter formats thrive!
Saving Your Videos In The Correct Format
Be sure to save your work correctly! MP4 format is generally recommended due to its compatibility across various devices. Plus, if you plan on using an online course platform to distribute your training videos, most online course tools accept this file type, too.
Get Started Today
Follow these tips and techniques and you’ll be off to a great start creating engaging and informative content for your audience.
But remember, if you need help creating your corporate training videos, we are here to help. Just contact our corporate video team and we’ll walk you through our process and talk with you about your project. We look forward to helping you help your learners!