‘So it goes’, ‘How to’ or simply ‘Tutorial’: Learning through videos is booming! What has already been established in the private sector is increasingly making its way into corporate training. Recent studies show which aspects are important for good video tutorials. Exciting: The video quality is not decisive!
About the study: As a developer of video recording and editing software, TechSmith specializes in visual communication. For the video survey in 2019, 924 participants from six countries were interviewed, including Germany. The focus was on viewer behavior regarding video tutorials and informational videos. The full study “Current Video Trends, Statistics, and User Habits” is available for free.
A good tutorial guides your employees step by step through important processes. Condition: Your employees must watch the tutorial attentively and completely. The study shows three factors that contribute to video tutorials being watched until the end:
Factor 1: The right length for tutorials
More than half (52%) of viewers prefer video tutorials to be between three and six minutes long. In contrast, only 9% of all viewers prefer videos that are 20 minutes long or more.
The preferred length for video tutorials: More than half of viewers prefer videos of 3-6 minutes. Source: TechSmith. Own simplified representation.
The challenge for video creators is to fit all relevant information into the video—without dragging it out too much with too many details.
Tip: Use a cheat sheet for the video shoot to clearly organize your content before filming and to avoid stumbling during the shoot.
Factor 2: Information content takes precedence over quality
HR professionals and trainers often worry that the not-quite-perfect quality of their training videos could put off employees. The TechSmith study once again proves: Quality is not that important to viewers! Videos are much more often abandoned if they do not contain the expected information (35%) or are simply boring (23%).
Lack of information is a much more common reason for quitting a video than video quality. Source: TechSmith. Own representation.
So you shouldn't worry about quality: As long as your employees receive the expected information in the training video, even the quality of a smartphone would be sufficient for filming!
Tip: You can find all tips and guidelines for filming videos for online courses on our comprehensive information page.
Factor 3: Proven video elements - sound, realism, and CTAs
In the course of the survey, participants were asked to submit video tutorials that they personally consider to be “good tutorials.” Some elements were present in almost all videos. Here are the top 3 elements:
Place 1: Good sound/voiceover quality
Place 2: Camera video (real content)
Place 3: Hyperlinks or calls to action
This means for your videos: A good sound quality definitely has a positive effect! Therefore, we have tested 4 microphones for filming on smartphones for you. To be as realistic as possible, a real product/device or a person should also be visible, for example, the trainer. Lastly, at the end of your tutorial, you should include a call to action: Should the viewer watch another video, complete a task, or participate in a quiz?
Conclusion: How to create great video tutorials for your employees
Choose a length of between three and a maximum of six minutes.
Include exactly the information that your employees expect in the tutorial.
Make the content engaging so that boredom does not arise.
Ensure good sound quality—video quality is secondary.
Include a clear call to action at the end of the tutorial.
The findings of the study align with our experiences from practice. We have summarized our insights, tips, and examples on filming training videos in a comprehensive guide. Download our free guide for filming with a smartphone now and optimize your employees' learning process through great video tutorials!
