7 Tips on How to Create the Perfect How-to Videos

How-to videos are the guides of the 21st century. Nobody wants to read a boring manual when the same information can be presented on screen in an interesting way. You have probably seen a how-to video. It is also known as a tutorial video, instruction video, or “how-to” video. These videos always show people how to fold a swan out of a napkin, clear a clogged drain, complete a task. How-to videos are perfect for people who find it easier to study visually or for people who don’t like reading. A study by TechSmith shows that two-thirds (67%) of people understand information better when it is conveyed visually. 61% of consumers say they watch informative videos on the Internet. But watch out: while good tutorial videos create a bond with the company, bad tutorials are more of a deterrent. If you want to create a perfect how-to video, you should consider a few things.

How to Create the Perfect How-to Video

Here I will introduce 7 tips for you.

1. Choose an interesting topic.

Your content should appeal to as many people as possible. It’s even better if there aren’t many videos on this topic yet. There are basically two types of how-to video:

• Tutorials for internal purposes. These videos are usually very short (2-10 minutes) and are often used to answer a specific question or for employee training.

• Tutorials for the public. These videos deal with topics that the public is interested in and are often published on Social platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo.

No matter what type of video is, it is crucial that the content help target groups solve their problems effectively and offer them added value.

2 . Give clear instructions

A good how-to video is clear and easy to understand. Explain step by step what to do without deviating from the topic, and make your video instructions as short as necessary to get to the heart of your content. What’s more, concentrate on one to three learning objectives – too much information in the same video tends to be confusing and can quickly overwhelm your comprehension. What information should your viewers take with them at the end of the tutorial? If you want to cover a larger topic, it may be better to create several tutorial videos, each one focusing on a narrow learning objective.

3. Organize your video logically

In a good how-to video, the individual sections merge logically. It is best to present your instructions in the order in which you want the user to perform them. So the viewer can easily understand your instructions and, if necessary, even let them run alongside. Even if it is difficult, try to hide your own knowledge. Put yourself in the shoes of someone who is first confronted with your topic. Take the viewer by the hand and guide them step by step through your process. If the topic is out of order, focus on contexts.

4. Make sure the presentation is comfortable

Even the most exciting topic can put your audience to sleep if it’s presented too slowly. However, you shouldn’t jump from step to step too quickly or leave out important explanations. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes: What prior knowledge does your audience have? What do you have to explain in more detail and what do you only need to mention briefly? With a little preparation, you can better control your presentation pace.

• Write a script to guide your spoken commentary. It prevents you from stalling while recording or dealing with things too quickly. Record exactly what you want to say when and how. Is a step complicated? Go into detail. Is something easy? Then don’t waste your time on unnecessary explanations. A script is also ideal for getting feedback on a planned video at an early stage.

• Record your voice separately. Speak naturally and neither too quickly nor too slowly. Many people automatically get faster when reading. Deliberately hold back, even if it sounds unnatural to you. Remember that it often takes longer to show than explain it. Take a short pause in speaking after each sentence. This makes it easier to synchronize audio and video later during editing. The movements of your mouse on the screen should be smooth and not too fast. This helps the viewer to follow your cursor.

5. Don’t put too much information in one video

Our brain is only able to take to a limited extent. You mustn’t overwhelm your audience! Too much information at once makes it difficult to process what you have learned. If you want to avoid smoking your audience’s minds, you need to determine beforehand how familiar your audience is with the topic being discussed. In case of doubt, you should rather opt for the motto “less is more”- if necessary, you can go back to important details in a follow-up video. So you have new material for your learning library right away!

6. Use the right tone

A good how-to video is engaging and informative. Exaggeratedly enthusiastic or too monotonous language distracts from the learning content and has a turn-off effect on many viewers.

• Your choice of words affects the tone of your video and should therefore be recorded in the script.

• Describe things factually and neutrally.

• Avoid superlatives and judgmental statements.

• Stick to facts and don’t unnecessarily adorn your stories.

• Your voice also affects the sound of the video. Read your script calmly and clearly – just as if you were explaining the topic to a friend. Try to sound optimistic.

• Smile while reading! That makes for a friendly tone.

Don’t forget to get feedback – preferably from someone who is not familiar with the subject. This is the best way to determine if your video is resonating with viewers and if you’ve successfully conveyed your learning goals.

7. Produce a professional video

A good how-to video is characterized by its content and professional sound quality, an interesting visual language, and an appealing presentation. If you want to add a screen capture to your tutorial video, make sure it is sharp and not blurry. With video editing software like FlexClip, you can do recording and editing in one app. If you have recorded your voice memo separately, you can use FlexClip to adjust the volume. Use transitions and other effects carefully. Remember that you want to underline the content, not to distract viewers from it. FlexClip offers intuitive functions such as zoom and animations to highlight important aspects. What’s next, choose the right platform to post your video. Where is your target group most likely to find it? In many cases, the answer is YouTube. For company videos, your own website, the intranet or an internal learning library are also possible. You can also use your social media channels. Of course, you can also upload your video to multiple platforms at the same time.

Conclusion

Whether you want to revise your existing tutorial videos, or feel encouraged to create your first tutorial video, these tips guarantee that your how-to video will hit the bull’s eye. Now let’s get started. You see, it’s not that difficult at all.