In today’s competitive climate, businesses of all sizes are looking for a way to edge out the competition in both talent acquisition and consumer growth. Research has found that company productivity is more than just hiring the right people. Training and developing key professionals is a priority for productivity and retention, yet too often companies skimp on the training budget. With training videos, you can save resources and money but still engage people in learning and understanding specialized content.
Where To Start When Considering Training Videos
Video is considered one of the more popular ways of consuming content, and this is evident through the volume of streaming subscriptions and the number of active internet users engaging in video content across social media channels and other apps. Video content can be entertaining, informative, and, with the right strategy, highly effective at getting a message across. In training and development purposes, video content can increase information retention, is more easily accessible to a number of different employees and can more efficiently explain in detail the mission, roles and expectations of the company.
With many individuals already accessing video content for personal learning needs outside of work, using training videos taps into a medium that is already effective and understood by your employees. In fact, a TechSmith survey showed that people watch at least two or more instructional videos each week. However, for your video to efficiently and thoroughly train or instruct others, it needs to be done well. The goal of your training video is to show people how to do something or to share new knowledge. This show-and-tell method is highly engaging and yields positive results.
How To Develop Training Videos
To keep your training program or goal on track, it is important to break down the process of producing video content. Follow these steps through the creative process of releasing content that supports your organization’s goal or meets your training needs.
Step 1: Settle on a Topic
Though there is probably a lot you need to say or share, viewers are quick to disengage from content that isn’t obviously relevant or of use to them. While the specific content should vary according to what the training is hoping to accomplish, the topic needs to be of critical importance to the intended viewer. If you are using training videos for onboarding, you don’t want an employee just staring at a screen. You want active engagement with the material through genuine interest. Approaching traditional or boring topics from a fresh perspective can help prevent disengagement.
Your topic should be selected according to the viewing audience. Training videos used for onboarding new employees may have some overlap with general company information, but there should be specific videos created for each department that identify the unique situations within that department. On a broad scale, the entire audience may be employees, but on a microscale, the audience may be the accounting department, consumers or sales representatives. Research your audience by asking questions, checking out other training videos about similar topics and looking at what the competition is doing in that area.
Step 2: Decide on the Training Video Format
There are several options for shooting a great training resource, but you may not have the time, resources or support needed to achieve your vision. The nature of the topic also impacts which format will be the most effective for sharing knowledge. You won’t be able to cover an in-depth, technical topic in a short microvideo, and you won’t be able to give a product demonstration through a screencast unless you’re selling software. Here are some of the formats to select from:
- Screencast: This works well for training on a new computer or software system, as this format uses a recording of your computer screen.
- Presenter video: This often takes a live training session that has been recorded and edited to be shared as part of another learning program. Product demonstrations typically fall under this category.
- Microvideo: This is a short video, often less than fifteen seconds long, that relies heavily on on-screen text or videos rather than narration.
- Role play: In these videos, a scenario is acted out between individuals to present a visual picture of an expected interaction. These are good for demonstrating sales calls, customer service responses or technical support steps.
- Interactive training videos: In these videos, viewers are expected to respond and interact with the situations and see the consequences or results of choices.
- Animation: These are often fun and engaging, with text and graphics to help get a message across.
Step 3: Develop the Storyboard and Script
No matter how clear-cut your video may seem in your mind, always lay it out prior to recording it. Put down the visuals, words and scenes you plan to have in the video. Write a script explaining the processes or detailing all the information you want to convey. Follow up the script with a storyboard to demonstrate the visual aspect of the video. A simple sketch with stick figures can work if you aren’t artistic. The key is to have it all organized and laid out.
Step 4: Record and Edit the Training Video
You don’t have to be a technical genius to make a great video, thanks to all the technology that’s on the market. However, you will probably be more successful in your mission to train or educate by working with an expert videography company. MatchPoint Studio specializes in storytelling and creating visuals that capture your brand and your goals. From expert equipment and operators to a streamlined editing process, you can trust this step in creating engaging training videos to our team.
We deliver the media you need to support your content. We can help create more visually impactful content through:
- Images
- Animations
- Backgrounds
- Annotations
- Text overlays
When To Review and Release Your Training Videos
Once MatchPoint Studio has produced high-quality videos for your organization, you are ready to review the product and release it to your viewers. Whether the training videos are for your employees or your consumers, you can be confident in the results you’ll receive from working with MatchPoint Studio for your storytelling needs. Contact us today to find out more.
Sources
https://explain.ninja/blog/20-video-marketing-statistics-2020/
