7 Examples of Effective Training Videos That Inform and Engage
What makes effective Training Videos effective?
Using video as a medium to deliver training has a range of benefits. Most notably, video content has skyrocketed in popularity, due to how engaging, entertaining, and informative the medium can be. In fact, as many as 69% of people would choose video over other types of content, if given a choice. Due to this, video lends itself well to training employees, or otherwise providing people with educational content.
But, the benefits of video as a means to train employees don’t stop there. Creating effective training materials often requires sacrifice; either you cut the budget and provide bland, tedious content, or you dig deep into the company’s coffers. However, with training videos, you can have your cake and eat it too. Let’s take a look at what you could do with your employee training videos.
1. Third Wave Specialty Coffee: Sage Appliances
Our first example on this list showcases the point made above – effective training videos don’t have to be expensive to create. While this particular example might be considered long, clocking in at 26:28, it takes a casual conversational tone. Because of this, employees are much more likely to follow the train of thought, as opposed to dense videos packed with jargon.
Though almost half an hour, the video itself is clearly inexpensive to make. In keeping with the relaxed and casual theme, the video consists simply of a man writing on a whiteboard, providing a deeper insight into what is written. Rather than a lecture, it comes across as very conversational and easy to digest.
2. Blackjack Basic Strategy: Betsson
Going in the polar opposite direction is Betsson’s informational video on blackjack strategy. In this video, they explain blackjack strategies, namely mathematical strategies, to increase your odds of winning.
Betsson takes the live-action informative approach in their video. Rather than a mere explanation, Betsson shows the audience what the scenarios in question will look like, and how to handle them. This makes it easier to take something from the video, as visual media tends to stick in mind more than other forms. Plus, it’s much more entertaining than words on a page.
3. DIY Patio: Brett Landscaping
In keeping with show, don’t tell is the video by Brett Landscaping. Laying a patio, or at least one that looks good, can be a difficult task. Video works well with delivering instructions on the topic, given how much easier it is to follow said instructions as you can see what must be done being played out before you.
Each step of this complicated task is broken down in the video, from equipment preparations to cutting the flagstones. The video expertly guides the viewer through a task as though a professional was present, all in under seven minutes to boot. Moreover, the video is a recording of an ordinary job, taking nothing more than usual to produce, except for a camera and some light editing.
4. How to Hand Toss Pizza Dough: Pagliacci Pizza
Pagliacci Pizza created a short and sweet video, including everything you need to know to hand toss a pizza, without being dry or stuffed with needless details. Being under 2.5 minutes, it is incredibly easy to watch, and nobody would scoff at replaying such a short video. As such, employees can refer to the video at short notice, and the information is likely to be retained.
Quite like the last example, this video is straightforward to produce. Pizza bakeries, unsurprisingly, make pizza. To create a how-to video on pizza, all that’s needed is to film the process employees already go through, with very little additional cost. Moreover, by uploading the video to social media, it brings the added benefit of growing your online presence. The goodwill from people enjoying their freshly made pizzas is nice too. Three benefits in one isn’t bad.
5. British Resuscitation Council
While a much more intense example than the other employee training videos on this list, Lifesaver shows just how effective and immersive video can be in training. After a single watch, you’ll doubtlessly be able to remember a good chunk of the video. Contrast it to the written word, and this video will decisively underline the staying power of video as a format.
Another core aspect of this video is interactivity. Creating videos of this kind takes more time and resources, but again, the immersion it brings is more than worth it. By drawing your viewers into the experience, it is much more likely that they will retain the information. When teaching how to save lives, retention is of crucial importance.
6. The Golden Safety Rules: HSE Batna
Understandably, it can be a challenge to create effective safety training videos. Capturing incidents on video and using them in training, like a gas explosion or electric shock, is both incredibly difficult to do and frowned upon, to say the least. By using an animated video, as HSE Batna has, it can be done.
In the video, the importance of safety practices is underlined by showing what can happen if they aren’t followed. Naturally, this is something that loses its impact when confined to a book or a manual.
7. Excel for Beginners: Learn iT! Training
Our final example is courtesy of Learn iT! Training, showcasing the ins and outs of Microsoft Excel, tailored to beginners. It clocks in at a little under 2 hours, showing that there isn’t a cap on the length or depth of a training video. Where past examples have displayed their effectiveness in production quality or ease of access, this video focuses on the training itself. Because it is so long, it can afford to leave no stone unturned, enabling any that watch it to come away with a wealth of knowledge, more than enough to do the job. That said, it might be harder for your employees to stomach, and good luck getting them to sit through it multiple times.
Wrapping up I hope we demonstrated what it to make effective training videos
Of course, there are many more examples of what an effective training video could look like. The entries in this list should serve as a catalyst for your own creativity, sparking a few ideas as to what your videos could look like. But, if you haven’t found a format that suits you, there are plenty of others out there. Explainer videos are one such format, one that works for many businesses.