What is the first thing you do when you want to learn new things, you probably look for an instructional video, right? Well, you are not alone. According to a recent study, approximately 83% of people prefer “how-to videos” to overwritten text or instructions. So regardless of the industry, you belong to, creating instructional videos describing how to use your product or services is a sure-shot way to reach out to more and more online users and expand your business.
What Is a “How-To” Video?
A “how-to video,” also known as an instructional video, refers to online video content explaining a method, transferring knowledge, describing a concept, or illustrating how to do something step by step. Creating these “how-to videos” never remains restricted to professionals, and any person can quickly make excellent instructional videos. However, before moving on to the tips for creating “how-to videos” to showcase your products online, let us first understand some different types of “how-to videos.”
- Micro videos: This is a quick instructional video content that describes a single, short topic.
- Tutorial videos: Tutorial videos refers to the go-to instructional procedure for familiarizing a process or giving step-by-step directions.
- Training videos: Training videos help improve a person’s skills and usually use videos of real people to help a person better connect with such instructional videos.
- Explainer videos: These videos demonstrate a business idea, services, or products engagingly. Such videos are short and simplify complicated topics.
What Are Some Tips for Creating “How-To” Videos to Showcase Your Products?
Here are some tips you can follow to create excellent “How-to videos“ that will help you showcase your products.
Determine and Get To Know Your Target Audience
Before recording a video, it is essential to understand the audience you want to target and the assistance they need. For instance, if you have some products or services, you must initially try to create videos that explain to your audience how to use those services or products to help them better use your products or services.
Also, even when you feel like you know your target like the back of your hand, it is imperative to know your target audience to create better “how-to” videos that will assist you in helping your customers better. In addition, before recording your video, you must ensure to answer these questions:
- What is your video topic? Choose only one topic to cover every video, and your ‘how-to” video will be more attentive and effortless to create.
- Who is your target audience? Begin by identifying demographic details, like age, education, professional organizations, etc., and then assess their interests, problems, and objectives.
- What is the purpose of your video? An explicit goal assists you in providing more detailed instruction with a more attainable outcome.
- How will your “how-to” video benefit your target audience? What significance will your audience take away if a person watches your instructional videos?
Create a Storyboard and Video Script
Once you choose a topic and understand the needs of your target audience, it is time to create a story for your “how-to” videos and write a video script. Creating a video script will help you better record your videos step-by-step to keep your audience engaged. Apart from this, you can also use some visually appealing graphics in your videos.
Employ a Catchy Title to Attract Viewers
As your target audience will likely decide to watch your instructional video in the initial few seconds, you must keep the users engaged in those first few minutes. It lets your online audience understand your products or services better and convince them to keep watching.
Give Easy Direction
Use brief sentences with an uncomplicated layout. It will make it more likely that your audience will comprehend your instruction and watch your instructional video to the end. Here are some tips to keep in mind when giving directions to your online audience.
- Avoid heavy jargon: Using easy vocabulary as if you’re describing the procedure to a friend will make your video script more effortless to follow.
- Guide and tell: Rather than merely providing onscreen play-by-play actions, take time to describe your products or services.
- Practice your script: Read your video script aloud before recording your video. Also, if you stumble in giving live instructions, it is better to record voiceovers in natural language.
- Get user feedback: It might seem frightening at first, but getting user feedback during the video scripting procedure will enhance your “how-to” video to save your time.
Host Your “How-To” Videos on YouTube
There are generally two ways to host your “how-to” video content online, i.e., YouTube and your website. However, to make your videos visible to more and more users, you must post the videos on YouTube before including them in your blog posts. It is because YouTube is one such interactive online platform that extends a comprehensive range of analytics and SEO tools that assists you in tracking user engagement.
In addition, online platforms such as WordPress make it incredibly effortless to include YouTube videos in your articles or blog posts. To embed these videos, you must open the backend settings of your website and attach your video URL, and it will appear in your articles, blog posts, or other forms of online content.
Also, if executed right, YouTube carries the power to bring in millions and billions of new clients to your business and purchase your products or services. In addition, embedding YouTube videos into your articles or blog posts can assist you in strengthening your SEO efforts and assist your business in ranking higher when users are looking for instructional videos online.
Include a Compelling CTA (Call-To-Action)
Even when you have given ample reasons to your online audience to love your services or products, it is essential to include a compelling CTA (Call-to-action) for better conversions. Also, adding a CTA will make it effortless for your target customers to get redirected to your landing page or persuaded to use your products or services.
Edit Your Video
Once you create your “how-to” videos, you must not move towards posting them straightaway on YouTube or your website. Rather, you must take some time to make them more engaging by editing them using a high-quality online video editor.
Editing your video ensures that you make the video look more professional and delete any mistakes that you make. Also, while editing your video, it is better to add narration to the instructional video you make, as it can help you better educate your online audience on what your product or services are all about.
The Bottom Line
In a nutshell, when making “how-to” videos to showcase your products or services, you must follow the tips above. In addition, these tips help you create instructional videos that are more engaging that will better help your audience in understanding what they were looking for online. This, in turn, will boost your online visibility and conversions.
