Ultimate Guide to Making Online Tutorial Videos - Part 1
Making an instructional video doesn’t have to be a herculean task.
However seamless this is, tutors make silly mistakes because they’re not fully equipped with the right knowledge. Tutorial videos come in various forms. It could be explaining a concept, debunking a misconception, teaching an academic subject, or showing people how to do something. Whatever genre it is, its main purpose is to educate your listeners.
YouTube is the most familiar source of video content, and millions of users trust the application to give them a solution. Instructors also use this medium to share their expertise. Before you stand before a camera and press the record button, there are crucial things you should know, and this article outlines them.
Creating instructional videos isn’t for professionals alone. Anyone with basic skills can do it. These tips I’ll share would go a long way to help newbies start. Here we go:
- Know your audience:
Before you press the record button, you should know your audience and how you can help them. You shouldn’t be an instructor that spends minutes talking to people who would not listen because they find your information worthless.
If you’re going to teach a subject, find the areas students find difficult and present it in the simplest form possible. A how-to video should teach people how to do things without a struggle. Understand the age, educational qualification, interests, and goals because it helps to shape your content for better productivity.
Pick only one topic per video to stay focused and captivate your audience’s attention. In all that you do, ask yourself how your content benefits your audience. If they’ll spend minutes of their time watching you, they expect to get something out of it.
- Write a script
After planning a topic, the next stop is a script. A script is a guide that helps you stay on track in your delivery. It contains every word you would say in the video to save time. Watching a video where the instructor stutters or makes undue pauses pisses you off.
Your script should be written in simple and straightforward language, considering your audience’s educational qualification. Your script shouldn’t be all about how to do it; you should show your audience practical ways to achieve all you have shared. While I have said that writing a script helps you save time, it gives you an avenue to prepare beforehand.
Read your script aloud to yourself and see how it flows. If you’re uncomfortable with how it sounds, read it before a friend and see their reaction. Adjust the content if a reliable friend tells you to do it.
- Record a voice over
The importance of a good voice cannot be overemphasized. Before you officially record, use a phone recorder or any recording app to test run your voice. Even if you have great content, your voice should be confident and move with the flow. After you have tested, get your hands on a working microphone to enhance the listening experience.
Quality microphones offer better sound quality than the one in your computer system, so you may want to purchase them. This microphone functions better in a serene environment. If you do not have a recording studio (which isn’t compulsory anyway,) choose a quiet venue to avoid distraction and interference.
While getting a quiet venue is challenging for people who live in densely populated areas, there are several options available. Who says you must stay at home to record? If you find a friend’s house convenient, why not?
- Record your screen
To record your screen, start by cleaning your computer screen and clearing unnecessary applications. Turn off pop up notifications because they are distracting. Even if you have great content, a blurry video is a turn-off.
Before recording the main video, take the time to rehearse with the application by delivering part of your script and watching the outcome. Make adjustments were necessary so that when you start the main job, editing becomes breezier.
When you are ready to kickstart, record the screen bearing in mind the mistakes you made earlier. When you make a mistake, pause it and continue from the point the mistake was made. After recording, it is time to edit. If you have practiced well before recording, editing becomes a walk in the park.
- Edit the video
There are several editing apps to help you cut out mistakes and unnecessary parts of your video. I would not be recommending any app, but you can use the one that’s best for you.
If you can operate a computer, you don’t need a professional video editor to work on your video.
You also do not need to purchase expensive editing tools to work magic. Cut out mistakes by selecting and deleting them. Also, trim parts of the video that contains vocal fillers and makes it unnecessarily long. After editing, add audio narration and sync it in your project.
- Add video intro
A video intro leads your viewers to your content. It should obey the KISS (keep it short and simple) rule. It should hit on the content of your video that your audience becomes itchy to watch. It also explains the learning outcomes.
Several apps come with customized video intro templates to help you create custom intros. After you have put the video together, you can add music to create positive vibes and make learners feel at ease.
- Produce and Share
Video hosting apps like YouTube, Screencast, or Vimeo are readily available for you to share your content. If you would not be publishing on those platforms, you can share it on your favorite social media site. Before publishing, send the finished product to a few friends to get feedback before sending it to a larger audience.
Making an online tutorial video is not rocket science. Technology has made it possible to make videos from the comfort of your home. If you can speak to your friends confidently and convincingly, then you can make a tutorial video. The practice remains the best way to get things right. Today, the best YouTubers put in several hours to practice before they hit the record button – you can do the same.