How to Create the Perfect "How it Works" Video

Video content can enhance your website in several ways. Video content is usually great for SEO, it draws more traffic to your pages, and it can drive sales when potential customers can get a close look at the way a product works before they make a purchase.

If you’ve decided to create “how it works” videos to supplement your products or services, you’re making a smart choice. For the best results, however, you’ll need to take steps to ensure that you’re creating a high-quality video that your audience will appreciate.

The Video Creation Process

Watching an interesting video can sometimes make the video creation process look quick and easy, but much of the time, it’s not. There’s a lot that goes into video creation to produce a high-quality piece of content.

While you shouldn’t overwhelm yourself with every tiny detail involved in making a perfect video, you should put care into each step of the creation process.

Let’s take it one step at a time.

Video Script

The best place to start when creating the perfect explainer video is writing a video script. This step allows you to brainstorm and organize your thoughts before jumping into the more technical parts of video creation.

When writing a video script, keep the following thoughts in mind so that you’re using the right voice, tone, and grammar level.

• Your Unique Audience
• Key Informational Pieces
• Simplifying Your Instructions
• Keeping a Consistent Tone
• The Problem You’re Solving
• Your Call-to-Action

Write a basic script for your video. You don’t have to adhere to it word-for-word, in fact, you shouldn’t to avoid sounding robotic. The script should serve as a guide to help you make sure you’ve included the points you need.

Camera

The camera you use to record your video doesn’t have to be the most expensive, high-tech device on the market. There are plenty of camera options available today that record crisp, high-quality video without requiring a sizeable financial investment. Even the cameras on most newer phones are of sufficient quality for producing a great video.

Audio

When you start filming, do so in an area where you’re not likely to have your voice distorted by sound pollution. Find a quiet area without a massive echo, speak clearly, and avoid moving or jostling the camera once you start recording. This way, your sound will be crisp and easy to understand.

Editing

Most videos are going to need some amount of editing done to enhance their quality. If you don’t currently have editing software, worry not. There are several free or inexpensive video editing programs to choose from. Look through online reviews and tutorials to find a program that’s easy to use and meets your editorial needs.

Hosting

Finally, when you’ve created a compelling “how it works” video, you’ll need to host it online so that your audience can view it whenever they need. To avoid causing your website to lag or your video to play too slowly, try hosting your video through a professional video hosting service like Swarmify.

Tools to Use

A simple video can be an excellent one if you use the right tools. On top of writing a compelling script for your video, you’ll need to make sure the “set” of your video is clean and well-lit. If your office or filming area is a little dark, try letting some natural light in through the windows or use white overhead lights to brighten the room.

You’ll also need the product you’re going to cover in the video, or if the product is too big and/or noisy to include live, at least have a few clear images or video clips that supplement the various sections of your explainer video.

Take your time when you’re recording. If you make a mistake when reciting pieces of the script, don’t worry about having to start over. Think of the first few takes as a warm-up, but make sure that you title these clips as such so that you don’t use these takes in your final video by mistake.

When editing, if you find that the sound quality of your video leaves a bit to be desired despite your best efforts, don’t fret. There are several audio-specific editing tools online, like Audacity, that make sound editing quite easy. Experiment with the different features to enhance the way your video sounds.

Things to Keep in Mind

If you’re making a “how it works” video, then clearly showcasing the way a product works is essential. When you’re recording your video, make sure that the camera captures the different features of your product and how it operates. If possible, try a few different camera angles and use the one that focuses most on how your product works.

If the product you’re displaying is an online tool or program, use a screen recording application instead of aiming a camera at your computer screen. Before you record, though, perform a quick checklist to make sure your video will look great and convey the right instructions.

• Clean up your desktop
• Close unnecessary applications
• Turn off device notifications
• Practice the steps a couple of times before you record

When it comes to the video’s audio elements, plan out how you want the video to sound. If you’re going to narrate the “how it works” video, the goal is to provide helpful information. Be sure that your speaking voice supplements the information rather than distracting the viewer from it.

It might be tempting to use an “influencer tone” when recording your video, but if this tone doesn’t fit your target audience, avoid it. Plenty of people find the influencer tone annoying, so if you want to keep your audience’s attention, speak in a way that appeals to them.

It’s also worth noting that if your product or service comes with safety considerations, be sure to include them in the video. You want to inform your audience but you also want to keep them safe when using your product.

For example, if you’re writing a video about how welding works and you’re giving a demonstration, it might seem obvious that a welding mask and gloves are needed. It might not be obvious to someone new to the task, though. Thoroughly cover safety measures when filming your video.

Tips & Tricks

Whether you’re recording or editing your video, there are a few things you can try to make the process easier and more well-received.

Time Constraint

For one, avoid making your video longer than it has to be. Cover the information you need to explain your topic but try not to bore your audience with unnecessary details. A good example of what not to do when creating the perfect “how it works” video can be found on online recipe pages from most food blogger sites.

Nobody wants to spend over 50% of their viewing time hearing about how some random person’s grandmother discovered her love of baking spaghetti squash during her time spent on the farm during some obscure historical event. People just want the recipe.

Respect your audience’s time. Provide them with the information they need, and try to keep the topic centered around a single product to avoid any confusion. If you have several products, you can create a how-to series.

Combining Media Forms

The majority of people prefer learning how something works by watching video content on the topic over reading about it. However, if you supplement a written instructional post with a video or vice versa, you’re likely going to attract audience members that like receiving information through both mediums.

It might also be a good idea to take the information covered in your video or written instructions and create other pieces of content from them. Your content can be repurposed for infographics, press releases, tutorials, and much more at a later time.

Quality Control

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, watch your video at least twice before you post it to a video hosting site. During the first viewing, watch the video all the way through and try to put yourself in the shoes of your audience.

Don’t pause or get distracted. Simply watch the video. During the second viewing, you can pause, note any mistakes, pieces you’d like to edit a little more, or missing elements you want to add.

If you edit the video at all before posting it, perform the same initial viewings each time. This way, you can make sure your video is truly as perfect as you can get it before you make it available to your audience.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, we implore you to jump into video creation. Once you have content you’re proud of, we’re here to help you ensure your audience sees it the same way you do. Visit Swarmify to learn about our video hosting services. Our team will make certain that your videos play clean and crisp without any distractions or buffering issues.