Making Training Videos: Your Practical Guide to Onboarding That Works

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The secret to making training videos that people actually watch? Solve one problem, solve it fast, and get out of the way. It's a simple idea, but it's a huge shift from the old way of doing things. We have to stop creating long, generic broadcasts and start delivering on-demand, actionable guidance. This is about respecting your team's and customers' time and giving them exactly what they need, right when they need it.

Why Your Training Videos Aren't Working

Let's be honest. Most corporate training videos are a snooze-fest. If you've ever had to speed-scrub through a 20-minute tutorial just to find the one simple click you were missing, you know the pain. The old way of creating training content fails because it's fundamentally disrespectful of the viewer's time.

These outdated videos are almost always too long, try to cram in way too many topics at once, and are designed with a "one-size-fits-all" mentality that fits no one. They feel like they were made to check a box on an onboarding list, not to solve a real, pressing problem for the person stuck watching. The result? Disengaged viewers, frustrated users, and a ton of wasted effort.

The Shift to On-Demand Learning

Today's learners—whether they're new employees getting up to speed or customers trying to figure out your product—expect answers now. They don't have the patience to sit through a long lecture when all they need to know is how to reset a password or find a specific feature. They want quick, bite-sized videos they can find, watch, and immediately apply in just a few minutes.

This isn't a new concept; it's just mirroring how we learn everything else in our lives. We turn to quick YouTube tutorials and short explainers, not dusty old manuals. Your training content has to adopt that same mindset to have any real impact.

The data absolutely supports this. Video is no longer a "nice-to-have," with 93% of marketers now viewing it as a critical part of their strategy. It's the short-form videos that really shine, delivering the highest ROI at 21%. And with the corporate eLearning market for mobile devices expected to reach $77.4 billion by 2025, it’s clear that accessible, on-the-go learning is the new standard. You can find more video marketing insights on how businesses are adapting to this change.

From Passive Viewing to Active Engagement

The biggest flaw in traditional training videos is that they're passive. The viewer is expected to just sit there and absorb information. A modern approach, however, is all about active engagement, which is miles more effective for actually remembering and applying what you've learned.

Instead of just showing a process, the best training content helps the user do the process. This might mean breaking down a complex workflow into a series of single-task videos. Or, even better, using interactive walkthroughs that guide users step-by-step as they perform the task themselves. The goal is to evolve from a passive, production-heavy model to a nimble, learner-first strategy.

The difference between these two philosophies is stark. Here’s a quick breakdown of how the old way compares to a more effective, modern approach.

Old vs. New Training Video Philosophies

Attribute	The Old Way (Passive Information)	The New Way (Actionable Guidance)
Length	Long and comprehensive (10+ minutes)	Short and focused (Under 3 minutes)
Objective	Cover an entire topic or feature set	Solve one specific, immediate problem
Format	Linear video recording (start to finish)	Bite-sized clips or interactive guides
Focus	Broadcasting information to the user	Empowering the user to take action
Goal	Information transfer and compliance	Skill application and problem-solving

Thinking in terms of "Actionable Guidance" forces you to put yourself in your user's shoes. It’s not just about what you need to tell them, but what they need to do. This simple shift in perspective is what separates a video that gets ignored from one that becomes an indispensable resource.

Develop a Clear Plan Before You Record

Let’s be honest: jumping straight into recording without a plan is the fastest way to create a rambling, unfocused video that wastes everyone's time. I've learned this the hard way. A truly effective training video is 90% solid planning and maybe 10% actually hitting the record button. Taking the time to map things out first will save you hours of painful re-takes and editing headaches later.

The whole process boils down to one simple rule: one video, one learning objective. Seriously. Resist the temptation to cram every little detail about a feature into a single 15-minute epic. If you try to teach five things at once, your audience will walk away remembering none of them.

This focused approach is more critical than ever. Companies are pouring money into training—global spending hit a staggering 874 per learner. But here's the catch: total training time per employee actually dropped from 47 to 40 hours. The message is clear: businesses need concise, high-impact content that gets the job done fast.

Get Inside Your Audience's Head

Before you even think about writing a script, you have to know exactly who you're talking to. The way you explain a process to a brand-new hire is worlds apart from how you'd show it to a seasoned power user who lives and breathes your product.

Start by asking yourself a few key questions:

What's their current skill level? Are they true beginners who need you to explain every single click, or are they experts just looking for a quick update on a new feature?

What's their biggest pain point? A great video solves a real problem. What specific frustration are they trying to overcome right now?

What language do they speak? Avoid drowning them in internal jargon or advanced terms they won't recognize. Meet them where they are.

Think about it this way: a video on "How to Export a Report" for a new user would need to patiently walk through finding the reports dashboard, explaining the difference between PDF and CSV, and confirming the download. But for a power user? You'd probably just highlight a new advanced filtering option they’ve been asking for, skipping all the basics they already know.

Scripting with a Problem-Solution-Action Framework

A script is your best friend for keeping a video concise and on-message. It doesn't have to be a word-for-word manuscript, but you absolutely need a clear structure. My go-to method is the Problem-Solution-Action framework because it's simple and incredibly effective.

Problem: Hook them immediately by stating the pain point. (e.g., "Tired of manually adjusting your project timelines every single time a task gets delayed?")

Solution: Get straight to the point and show the feature that solves it. (e.g., "Let me show you how to use the 'dependency' feature to link tasks so they update automatically.")

Action: End with a single, clear call to action. (e.g., "Go ahead and try linking two tasks in your own project right now.")

This structure works because it delivers value instantly and encourages the viewer to immediately apply what they just learned. Once you have a solid plan, you can dig deeper into video production best practices to really make your final cut shine.

Simple Storyboarding for a Smoother Recording

"Storyboarding" can sound intimidating, but for a screen recording, it's not some big artistic production. All it really is is a simple sequence of screenshots or even rough notes that map out what will be on screen.

Its real purpose is to make sure your voiceover and on-screen actions are perfectly in sync. A storyboard helps you spot awkward pauses or confusing visual jumps before you record, not after. You can use a simple Google Doc or a few presentation slides to map out each key scene with a quick note for your script. Trust me, this step is an absolute lifesaver for creating videos that flow logically and feel professional.

Recording and Editing for Clarity and Impact

You don't need a Hollywood budget to make training videos that actually work. In fact, some of the most effective training content is made with a simple microphone and some clever screen recording. It’s not about expensive gear; it’s about making smart choices that respect your viewer's time and attention.

Let’s get one thing straight right away: your audio quality is far more important than your video quality. People will forgive a slightly fuzzy screen, but they will absolutely not tolerate crackly, muffled, or hard-to-hear audio. It’s an instant deal-breaker. Bad audio screams "unprofessional" and will have people clicking away in seconds.

The good news? Getting clean audio is easier than you might think. A decent USB microphone (you can find great ones for under $50) and a quiet room are your best friends. Just closing the door, shutting off a noisy fan, and moving away from the humming refrigerator can make a massive difference.

Nail Your Screen Recording

When you're recording your screen, your job is to be a tour guide. You want to direct your viewer's eye exactly where it needs to go, without any distractions. A messy desktop or a constant stream of pop-up notifications will completely derail their focus. Before you even think about hitting that record button, prep your digital workspace.

Tidy Up Your Desktop: Hide your icons. Close every application that isn't part of the tutorial. A clean slate keeps the focus squarely on the task.

Pick the Right Resolution: Stick with a standard like 1920x1080 (1080p). This gives you a crisp, clear picture on most screens without creating a monster file that takes forever to upload.

Zoom and Pan Like a Pro: Don't just show your entire screen the whole time. Use your software's zoom and pan tools to zero in on specific buttons, menus, or form fields. It's the digital equivalent of pointing and saying, "Pay attention to this."

Turn on Click Highlighting: Most screen recorders can add a visual effect—like a circle or a flash—every time you click your mouse. This is a small but powerful cue that confirms your actions for the viewer.

Edit with Purpose, Not for Perfection

Editing is where so many people get overwhelmed, thinking they need to be a video wizard. You don't. Your goal isn't to create a cinematic masterpiece; it's to create a clear, painless learning path.

Forget about fancy transitions and flashy effects. Your time is better spent on the fundamentals.

Cut Ruthlessly: This is the most important part of editing. Chop out the dead air, the long pauses, and every "um" and "ah." If you mess up a sentence, don't stop recording—just pause, say it again correctly, and snip out the mistake later. This single step will make you sound infinitely more confident and professional.

Use Simple Text Overlays: Add basic text callouts to reinforce critical steps. A simple label that says "Don't forget to hit 'Save'!" can prevent a mountain of support tickets later.

Add Captions. Always. This is non-negotiable. Not only does it make your content accessible for those with hearing impairments, but it also serves the massive 83% of people who watch videos with the sound off. For complex content, or if you're trying to reach a broad audience, it’s worth looking into dedicated tools for generating subtitles to make this process a breeze.

Ultimately, these recording and editing tips are about giving you the confidence to produce polished, effective training content without a steep learning curve or a big budget. Focus on clarity, and you'll be well on your way.

Choose Interactive Guides Over Passive Videos

Let's be honest, we've all been there. You watch a training video, nodding along, feeling confident. Then, the moment you try to do the task yourself, your mind goes blank. That's the classic pitfall of passive video—it creates a gap between learning and doing.

This is where the next evolution of training content comes in. Instead of just showing someone what to do, you can build an interactive walkthrough that lets them learn by actively participating. The difference in results is staggering.

A standard video forces your user into a frustrating loop of pausing, rewinding, and toggling between the video and their own screen. An interactive guide, on the other hand, embeds the training directly into their workflow, turning it into a hands-on, click-along experience inside the actual software.

When Interactive Guides Are the Smarter Choice

Look, not every piece of training content needs to be an interactive masterpiece. Videos are still fantastic for high-level concepts, quick announcements, or telling a brand story. But when it comes to teaching a process, interactive guides are the undisputed champion.

You should seriously consider an interactive guide for scenarios like these:

Complex Software Onboarding: Guiding a new user through those crucial first setup tasks is everything. Instead of just watching a demo, they're actively setting up their own account, ensuring they succeed from day one.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Think about internal processes like submitting an expense report or requesting time off. An interactive guide guarantees everyone follows the exact same steps, which drastically cuts down on errors.

Answering Common "How-To" Questions: Instead of a generic video showing how to create a new project, a guide lets them create their new project while learning the ropes.

This hands-on approach has a direct and powerful impact on knowledge retention. It's well-established that active participation cements memory and understanding far more effectively than just watching from the sidelines.

A Real-World Scenario: Onboarding a New User

Picture this: a new customer signs up for your SaaS product. Their first task is to set up their project dashboard, a process that involves about seven distinct steps.

The Passive Video Approach: You email them a beautifully produced three-minute video. The user watches it, then switches over to your app to try and follow along from memory. They immediately forget the second step, so they have to toggle back, find the right spot in the video, watch it again, and then return to the app. This back-and-forth isn't just inefficient; it's a recipe for frustration and abandonment.

The Interactive Guide Approach: The moment the user logs in, a small pop-up appears: "Let's set up your first dashboard!" The guide then highlights the first button they need to click, waits for their action, and then seamlessly moves to the next step. It's like having an expert sitting next to them, providing a personalized walkthrough right inside their own account.

The difference in the user experience is night and day. They complete the task successfully on their first try, feel a genuine sense of accomplishment, and immediately grasp your product's value. This practical, hands-on method is at the core of how you can stop explaining and start showing with interactive guides.

By choosing the right tool for the job, you can slash the number of support tickets tied to "how-to" questions and empower your users with the confidence to succeed on their own. It’s about making your training an active part of the solution, not just a passive explanation of the problem.

Get Your Training in Front of the Right Eyeballs

You’ve done the hard work. You’ve planned, scripted, recorded, and polished your video. But a masterpiece sitting on a hard drive doesn’t help anyone. The final, and arguably most important, step is getting that content to the right people at the moment they need it.

This isn't about just uploading your video and calling it a day. It’s about being thoughtful and strategic with your distribution. Your first big decision? Where your video is going to live.

Where Should You Host Your Videos?

The platform you choose impacts everything from who can see your content to the data you get back. There’s no single right answer here—it all comes down to who you're trying to reach and what you want to accomplish.

Let's walk through the usual suspects.

Common Video Hosting Options:

YouTube: We all know it. It’s free, everyone knows how to use it, and its reach is massive. This makes it a great choice for public-facing tutorials meant to attract new customers. The trade-off? You’re at the mercy of ads, distracting "watch next" suggestions, and you have almost no control over branding.

Vimeo: Think of Vimeo as YouTube’s more professional cousin. It offers an ad-free experience, much better privacy controls, and more detailed analytics. It's a fantastic middle ground for businesses that want a polished look without the cost and complexity of a full-blown internal system.

Learning Management System (LMS): For structured, internal training, an LMS is king. It’s built for creating formal courses, tracking employee progress, and handling compliance training. If you're doing a formal onboarding program or required certifications, this is your tool. For quick, one-off help videos? It's probably overkill.

While a good hosting platform is your library, the real impact comes from putting the books directly in people's hands.

Embed Training Where It Actually Helps

Think about it: the most effective help is the kind you don't have to go searching for. It just appears, right when you need it. Forcing a user to leave your app, open a new tab, and search a help center is adding friction right when they're already frustrated.

Instead, meet them where they are.

Imagine a new user fumbling with a key feature in your software. A small help icon or a subtle tooltip right next to that feature could launch an interactive guide, walking them through the process without ever leaving the page. That’s a game-changer.

Here are a few high-impact places to embed your content:

Inside Your App: Place short video tutorials or interactive walkthroughs right next to complex or confusing features.

In Your Knowledge Base: A well-organized help center is non-negotiable. Use clear, searchable titles for your videos so users can solve their own problems.

Onboarding Emails: Set new users up for success. Send them a welcome email with a link to a "Getting Started" video or a guide to their first critical actions.

Measure What Actually Matters (Hint: It's Not Views)

Let's be honest: views are a vanity metric. A video with 10,000 views that doesn’t actually solve a problem is a waste of everyone's time. To know if your training is working, you have to track metrics that connect directly to business outcomes.

Ditch the vanity metrics and focus on these instead:

Metric	What It Tells You	Why It Matters
Completion Rate	The percentage of people who watch the whole video.	A low completion rate is a huge red flag. It means your video is too long, boring, or just plain confusing.
User Drop-Off Points	The exact moments where viewers give up and leave.	This is pure gold. It pinpoints the weakest parts of your training, showing you exactly where you need to improve.
Support Ticket Reduction	A drop in support questions about the topic you covered.	This is the ultimate proof of ROI. It's a direct line between your training and a real business saving.

When you track these metrics, you can stop guessing. If you see a massive drop-off at the 45-second mark, you know precisely what part of the video isn't landing. This loop of measuring, learning, and iterating is what separates an okay training library from one that genuinely makes your users' lives easier.

Got Questions About Making Training Videos?

Even with the best game plan, diving into video creation can feel like you're missing a few key instructions. That's perfectly normal. When you're just getting started, questions are a good sign—it means you're thinking critically.

To save you some time, I’ve pulled together the most common questions that pop up and answered them based on years of experience creating training content.

How Long Should a Training Video Be?

There's an old saying that fits perfectly here: as short as possible, but as long as necessary. I know, it sounds vague, but it’s the honest-to-goodness truth.

For the vast majority of training videos, especially for software walkthroughs or single-task tutorials, you should aim for under three minutes. Anything longer and you're fighting a losing battle for your viewer's attention.

Put yourself in their shoes for a second. They aren't settling in for a movie night; they have a problem and they need a solution now. Research consistently shows that engagement plummets after just a few minutes. So keeping it brief isn't just a friendly suggestion—it’s crucial if you want the information to stick.

If you find a video creeping past that three-minute mark, that's your cue to stop. It's a clear sign that you’re trying to cram too much into one session. Don't make a single 10-minute epic. Instead, break it up into a series of bite-sized, two-minute videos that a user can work through at their own pace.

Your mission is to deliver a quick win. Solve one specific problem, do it efficiently, and let people get back to what they were doing.

What's the Easiest Software to Use?

When you're starting out, the best tool is almost always the simplest one. It's so tempting to get a powerful, complex video editor, but that's one of the fastest ways to get overwhelmed and give up.

You absolutely don't need all the bells and whistles. A few free and low-cost tools are more than capable of handling basic recording and editing.

Loom: Perfect for informal, off-the-cuff screen recordings with a voiceover. It’s incredibly simple to use and fantastic for answering quick questions for a teammate or customer.

Built-in Recorders: Don't overlook what your computer already has! The Xbox Game Bar on Windows and the Screenshot toolbar on macOS both have surprisingly solid screen recorders. They're no-frills, but they work perfectly for simple captures.

But let's be real. If your goal is to create truly effective software training, just recording your screen is only half the battle. This is where a tool built for the job, like Guidejar, changes everything. It captures your process and automatically turns it into a step-by-step interactive guide.

This approach completely sidesteps the most soul-crushing parts of video creation, like tedious editing, adding callouts, and trying to perfectly time your narration. You get something that’s clearer than a video and far more engaging for your user.

How Do I Make My Training Videos Less Boring?

Let's reframe this. "Boring" is usually just a symptom of a video that doesn't respect the viewer's time or fails to solve their problem efficiently. The key to engaging training isn't fancy animations or a slick soundtrack.

It’s all about empathy and focus.

Solve a Real-World Problem: Start with a genuine pain point. When your video offers an immediate fix for something that's been driving a user crazy, it's instantly compelling.

Get Straight to the Point: Seriously. No one needs a 30-second animated logo or a five-minute backstory. State the problem you're solving in the first five seconds, and then immediately jump into the solution.

Talk Like a Person: Ditch the corporate jargon. Imagine you're sitting next to a colleague, guiding them through the steps. A friendly, conversational tone goes a long way.

Make It Interactive: This is your secret weapon against the glazed-over look. When users have to do something—click a button, follow a prompt—they switch from being passive observers to active participants. That shift from "watching" to "doing" is what makes information stick.

How Do I Know if My Training Videos Are Effective?

This is, without a doubt, the most important question. And the answer has nothing to do with views. A high view count is a vanity metric; it feels nice, but it tells you zero about whether anyone actually learned anything.

To measure real effectiveness, you have to connect your training content to actual business outcomes.

You need to be asking questions like:

For Customer Training: Is there a drop in support tickets about this topic? Are new users hitting key activation milestones faster than before?

For Internal Training: Are teammates making fewer mistakes on this process? Has the time it takes to onboard a new hire gone down?

Those are the numbers that matter. To get them, you need analytics that go deeper than a simple view count. This is where platforms designed for training and guidance, like Guidejar, give you an unfair advantage. They can show you precisely where users are dropping off in a process or which specific step is causing the most confusion.

This type of insight is pure gold. It lets you stop guessing and start improving. You can find the weak links in your training, refine them, and directly measure how your changes are impacting user success and your own team's efficiency.

Ready to stop making passive videos and start creating interactive guides that actually reduce your support load? With Guidejar, you can turn any process into a step-by-step walkthrough in minutes. Empower your customers and teammates to learn by doing, not just watching.