In a world driven by curiosity, where questions abound, and knowledge is just a click away, we’ve all been there, right? You, me, and countless others staring at our screens, wondering, “How to take a screenshot on my mac?” or “How to create the perfect resume?” In this age of digital wonder, Google and YouTube have become our trusty companions on the quest for answers.
The scenarios are endless, and hardly anyone among us wouldn’t raise their hand in agreement. Thanks to how-to videos, we’ve become a generation of learners, seekers, and doers. These videos, scattered across the internet, hold the key to unlocking solutions to almost anything you can imagine.
So, to make your quest for answers a tad smoother, we present a curated collection of the top 20 how-to video examples to offer some inspiration. These gems aren’t just solutions; they embody effective video marketing strategies waiting to inspire your company’s content journey.
What are How-to Videos?
Before we dive into our list of inspiring examples, let’s start with the basics. As the name suggests, how-to videos are instructional content that guides viewers through a step-by-step process, typically accompanied by on-screen demonstrations.
These videos, also known as tutorial videos or help videos, aim to educate, inform, and engage viewers interested in learning about a specific topic, making them valuable to your company’s marketing strategy.
These how-to videos can take various forms, from step-by-step tutorials to quick tips and tricks, and are commonly found on multiple online platforms, including YouTube, social media, and company websites. Their primary purpose is to make overly complex ideas understandable and provide valuable tips in an easily digestible format.
How to Create How-to Videos: Step-by-Step Guide
Creating great how-to videos involves a well-thought-out process. We’ll take you through the step-by-step process of using Zight’s screen recorder to craft engaging and informative how-to video content.
Step 1: Install Zight
Installing Zight is the first crucial step in creating how-to videos. Here’s a more detailed breakdown for each platform:
a). For Windows:
- Visit the Zight website and download the Windows version from their official website to ensure you get a safe and up-to-date copy of the software.
- Follow the installation wizard that will guide you through setting up Zight on your Windows computer.
- Once installed, launch Zight, where you’ll be prompted to sign in to your existing account or create a new one if you’re new to the platform.
- After signing in, you’ll be ready to start creating your how-to videos using Zight on Windows.
b). For Mac:
- On the Zight website, locate the Mac version and download it.
- Run the installation process, which is designed for Mac compatibility.
- Sign in with your Zight account or create one if you’re a first-time user.
- You can now start using Zight on your Mac to create how-to videos.
c). For Chrome:
If you prefer to use Google Chrome, open your browser.
- Visit the Chrome Web Store and search “Zight” in the search bar.
- Once you find the Zight extension, click “Add to Chrome” to install it.
- Sign in with your Zight account or create one if you don’t have one yet.
- You can easily create videos directly from your Chrome browser using the Zight extension.
Step 2: Choose Your Video Idea
Next is choosing the right video idea to ensure you engage your target audience. Consider what kind of content would be most valuable to your viewers. Whether it’s a software video tutorial, a product review, or a step-by-step guide, your video idea should align with the interests and needs of your audience.
Consider the following when choosing your idea:
- Audience Relevance: Ensure your chosen topic aligns with the interests and needs of your target audience.
- Value Proposition: Think about what value your how-to video will provide. Will it solve a problem, teach a skill, or offer valuable insights?
- Industry Alignment: Ensure your video idea relates to your industry or niche.
For instance, if your company specializes in software, you might want to create a how-to video demonstrating a unique feature of your software that can solve a common problem for your users.
Step 3: Plan Your Video Script
A well-structured video script is the backbone of a successful how-to video with a clear and engaging message. Here’s a breakdown of what to include:
- Introduction: Start with a brief introduction that sets the stage for what viewers can expect from your video.
- Main Content: Organize your script into clear sections or steps your viewers need to follow, explaining each step concisely and logically.
- Conclusion: Summarize the key takeaways and provide a call to action, such as asking viewers to subscribe to your YouTube channel or visit your website for more information.
If you’re creating a software tutorial video, your video script should include an introduction to the software, a breakdown of the step-by-step instructions, and a conclusion summarizing the main points.
Step 4: Prepare Your Content
Gather all the necessary materials and visuals to enhance your how-to video. Ensure your content is visually appealing and supports the information you convey. Depending on your video idea, this could include screenshots, images, physical products, or on-screen demonstrations.
For example, if creating a product demonstration video, have the product ready and consider using close-up shots to highlight important details.
Step 5: Record Your How-To Video
Now it’s time to start recording your how-to video using Zight. Here are the steps:
- Launch Zight and Click on ‘New Recording’: Open Zight and select the ‘New Recording’ option to initiate the recording process.
- Select Your Recording Area: Choose the area you want to capture on your screen. This allows you to focus on the specific content you’re explaining. You can select the entire screen or a particular application window.
- Configure Audio Settings: Ensure that your microphone is selected and properly configured. This step is crucial if you add voice commentary or narration to your video.
- Enable Webcam Recording (If needed): If you want to include a personal touch or show yourself during the video, ensure your webcam is connected and working correctly. Activate your webcam in Zight’s settings.
- Start Recording: Once everything is set up, hit the ‘Record’ button to capture your how-to video ideas.
Step 6: Add Instructions and Commentary
While video recording, provide clear step-by-step instructions and commentary to guide your viewers through the process. Make sure to:
- Explain each action thoroughly.
- Offer tips and insights to make the process smoother for your audience.
For example, if you’re demonstrating a cooking technique, describe each step, share cooking tips, and provide additional information to help your viewers replicate the process successfully.
Step 7: Edit and Enhance Your Video
After you’ve finished recording, you may want to edit and enhance your how-to video to make it more engaging and professional. Consider the following:
- Video Editing: Use the best video editing software to trim unnecessary portions, add transitions between scenes, and enhance the overall visual appeal of your video.
- Text Overlays: Add text overlays to highlight critical points or provide additional information.
- Subtitles/Captions: Include subtitles or captions to make your video accessible to a broader audience.
Step 8: Optimize Your Video Title
Creating an enticing and relevant video title is crucial for attracting viewers. Your title should convey what your how-to video is about while piquing viewers’ interest.
If your video is a tutorial on creating graphics with design software, an engaging title like “Creating Eye-Catching Graphics with [Software Name]” would be effective.
Step 9: Publish and Share
Once your how-to video is polished and ready, upload it to your YouTube channel or preferred video-sharing platform. Here’s how to share your video:
- Social Media: Share your video on various social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Craft engaging posts that entice your followers to watch.
- Embed on Website: If you have a company website, embed the video in relevant blog posts or pages. This allows visitors to access the tutorial directly from your site.
- Email Marketing: If you have an email list, consider sending a newsletter to your subscribers with a link to your new how-to video. Email marketing can be a powerful way to reach your existing audience.
- Engage with Your Audience: Encourage viewers to leave comments and questions on your video. Respond promptly and provide additional insights to foster engagement and build community around your content.
Benefits of Using How-to Videos for Companies
How-to videos showcase interactions with your products and services and offer significant value for your marketing and branding initiatives. Let’s quickly explore a few benefits:
1. Enhanced Understanding and Engagement
How-to videos simplify complex concepts, making it easier for viewers to understand and engage with your content. They provide a visual and step-by-step guide, often more effective than text alone.
A tech company creates a how-to video demonstrating a new software feature. They enhance user understanding and engagement by visually showing users how to use it. Additionally, how-to videos make a valuable storage for a self-service knowledge base. This saves customers and support teams time and fosters a sense of self-sufficiency among users.
According to Cisco, by 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic. This demonstrates the increasing preference for video content in understanding and engaging with information.
2. Building Brand Awareness
How-to videos can showcase your product or service while providing valuable information. This helps build brand awareness and positions your company as an authority in your industry.
For instance, a cosmetics company can create how-to makeup video tutorials using their products. This not only educates viewers but also promotes their brand.
HubSpot reports that 54% of consumers want to see videos from brands they support. Producing how-to videos aligns with consumer preferences and boosts the company’s brand recognition.
3. Effective Tutorial Content
How-to videos are perfect for delivering great tutorial videos. They guide users through a step-by-step process, making it easier to follow instructions and achieve desired outcomes.
For example, a DIY hardware store creates how-to videos on home improvement projects. These instructional videos serve as practical tutorials for customers.
According to Wyzowl, 91% of consumers have watched an explainer video to learn about a product or service. This underscores the effectiveness of explainer videos in educating consumers.
4. Attracting Potential Customers
Effective how-to videos can be designed to address common problems or questions your potential customers may have. When these individuals find answers in your videos, they will be more likely to explore your products or services.
A perfect example is a software company that produces a series of how-to videos addressing common software issues. This attracts potential customers who are searching for solutions online.
Research by Animoto indicates that 93% of businesses gained a new customer due to a video posted on social media. This demonstrates the ability of videos, including effective how-to videos, to attract potential customers.
5. Demonstrating Best Practices
How-to videos can showcase best practices in using your products or services. This educates your audience and helps them get the most value from your video.
A study by Wistia found that viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10% when reading it in text. This highlights the effectiveness of video in conveying best practices.
A great example is an electronics manufacturer who creates how-to videos demonstrating optimal product settings and maintenance.
6. Highlighting Key Points and Engaging Titles
A great video tutorial often features engaging titles that grab viewers’ attention. They also use visual elements to highlight key points, making the content more memorable.
According to YouTube, mobile video consumption rises by 100% annually. Engaging titles and visually appealing content play a vital role in retaining viewers’ interest.
For instance, an online cooking class creates a how-to video titled “Master the Art of Sushi Making at Home!” They use visual cues to emphasize crucial steps.
7. Expanding to New Marketing Channels
How-to videos can be repurposed and shared on various marketing channels, such as social media, email newsletters, and company websites. This extends your reach and attracts a diverse audience.
A fitness equipment manufacturer can repurpose their how-to workout videos for social media platforms, attracting a wider audience interested in fitness.
Facebook reports that videos on their platform receive an average of 8 billion daily views, demonstrating the potential of sharing videos on social media.
How-To Video Ideas for Your Business
While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all list of how-to video ideas for businesses, you can start brainstorming by categorizing them into five distinct types:
- How to Use: These explainer videos guide viewers on properly using your products or services. By offering step-by-step guidance on using your product, you empower your customers and build trust and loyalty. For instance, if you sell software, create step-by-step tutorials showing how customers can maximize its benefits.
- How to Make: This category focuses on the creation process and is valuable for businesses crafting physical products. You can demonstrate the manufacturing process, materials, and quality control measures. For example, a furniture company can create videos showcasing the craftsmanship behind their products.
- How to Create: These instructional videos are excellent for showcasing your expertise and demonstrating your capabilities. Creative industries can benefit from these types of videos. They provide insights into the creative process, inspiring and educating your audience. If you’re a graphic design agency, consider creating video tutorials on designing logos, brochures, websites, or marketing materials.
- How to Get: These videos can educate your audience on obtaining specific results or achieving goals. This category is ideal for offering valuable advice or tips related to your industry. An excellent example is a digital marketing agency that can produce videos on how to get more leads through effective SEO strategies.
- How to Take: These videos can guide your audience through a process or journey, from planning a trip to building a successful business. For instance, if you run a travel agency, create videos on planning the perfect vacation, emphasizing your company’s offerings and covering everything from booking flights to finding affordable accommodations.
20 Best How-to Videos Examples to Inspire You To Create More Videos for Your Business
Finally, to the best how-to video examples to boost your inspiration. When creating how-to videos, sometimes, the best option is to learn from others! Here are some excellent how-to videos samples and what you can learn from them to help inspire your project.
1. How to Use Google Sheets to Increase Productivity
Nowadays, Google Sheets is preferred over traditional Excel thanks to its convenience and ease of use. Within a few minutes, this is one of the best how-to video examples showing how to increase productivity. This how-to-use Google Sheets video gives you a full overlook of Google Sheets and helps you get started with the same.
2. Plann 101: How to Use Plann – A Complete Walk-through
This is a practical tutorial video for creating an informative tutorial for a specific software application. The video excels in critical areas, including a well-defined brand presence, engaging narration, and effective screencast demonstrations. It thoroughly introduces the Plann app, covering its settings and features clearly and understandably. It also leverages Plann’s social media tools, making it a valuable asset for marketing purposes.
3. How Do I Create a GIF in Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop presents an effective tutorial video to empower its audience to master a skill. The how-to video is thoughtfully crafted to provide viewers with a precise roadmap for achieving outstanding results in digital art. It takes the complexity out of creating a Photoshop GIF for educational purposes, offering skills that can be easily applied in various creative contexts.
4. How to Use Slack
Slack’s how-to-use video sets a stellar example of a compelling how-to video. It perfectly aligns with the criteria for a successful demonstration, concentrating solely on the brand’s software, demonstrating its problem-solving capabilities, and providing a concise yet comprehensive overview of its functionality.
5. How to Use Grammarly – Beginner’s Guide
This instructional video thoroughly explores Grammarly’s capabilities and functionalities, leveraging screen recordings to offer visual aids that enhance viewer comprehension. It communicates intricate details about the Grammarly system within a concise runtime through a clear voice narration and a step-by-step approach. This approach ensures that it maintains audience interest and engagement throughout.
6. How to Find Someone’s Email Address in Seconds (Ahrefs)
This informative live-action tutorial video takes a straightforward approach, with the host speaking directly to the camera. The great explainer video starts by highlighting the limitations of using social media for communication and makes a compelling case for email being the preferred method for outreach. This sets the stage for quickly learning to find anyone’s email address.
7. How to Use Dash, Rev’s Captioning Editor
This how-to use Dash video is a prime example of an efficient training resource, delivering precise information tailored to professional needs. Geared towards communication within the Rev team, it imparts specific software insights to empower employees in mastering crucial skills necessary for their upcoming work assignments.
8. How To Build A Digital Customer Success Program That’s Right For You
This video is an outstanding example of an educational how-to video, presenting a thorough guide on driving digital transformation within customer success. What sets this whole video apart is the combined wisdom of the speakers, who share invaluable insights to provide you with the essential building blocks for creating a digital customer success program customized to your business and team’s specific needs.
9. How to Save Stuff in Dropbox (Dropbox)
This tutorial video for Dropbox falls on the practical side and gets straight to the point in just a minute and a half. There’s some on-screen text at the start, and then the narrator jumps into action. Dropbox recognized that users wanted a quick explanation of a key feature, so they kept it straightforward without adding unnecessary complexity.
10. How to Record Your Computer Screen in Windows 10
The video is an excellent example of a how-to video that provides step-by-step instructions on using Zight’s screen recording software. It is easy to follow and offers valuable information on creating and sharing screen recordings using the software. The video is presented clearly and concisely, making it easy for viewers to understand and follow along.
11. How to Use CloudApp Templates
This video is a perfect resource for anyone using Zight and unsure how to use their templates. It shows you the incredible power of templates to ensure you achieve a revolution in sharing sales, product, and customer support content, encompassing videos, images, and GIFs. Also, the explainer video will guide you through the entire process and demonstrate how templates seamlessly integrate with your videos.
12. How to Achieve Financial Well-Being
This video exemplifies how impactful content can be delivered in just a few minutes. Despite its briefness, it empowers viewers seeking financial well-being with a sense of confidence. From its video design to the content itself, it embraces simplicity, aligning with the principles of excellent explainer videos.
13. How To Record Webex Meetings
This Webex meeting tutorial video offers a perfect guide on recording Webex meetings, covering both video and audio aspects clearly and concisely.
14. How to Write a Resume Summary or Profile
This resume summary tutorial video demonstrates that adding a personal touch to your content can engage viewers effectively. Throughout the video, stock graphics are used to illustrate resume-writing tips. However, it’s essential to remember that sometimes, simple on-screen text can effectively convey key information during live-action videos.
15. How to Use Asynchronous Communication to Become a Rockstar Customer Support Specialist
This is a how-to-navigate asynchronous communication of a blog post. The presenter gives a walk-through on achieving this from the start to the end.
16. How to Troubleshoot your Internet Connection
Out of the 5.16 billion internet users, not everyone can handle a problematic internet connection. This straightforward how-to video provides a clear, jargon-free guide to troubleshooting the issue. The narration is complemented by supplementary video footage shown in slow motion, greatly enhancing the viewer’s ability to follow and understand the real-world steps.
17. How to Use Zoom
This is one of the how-to video examples in which the presenter goes into detail and explains how to use Zoom for virtual meetings and video conferencing.
18. How to Prepare for an Offsite Work Retreat
This is an instructional video that portrays business communication with pleasure. It starts with excitement, moves to the preparation steps, and addresses potential concerns. Then, the video script returns to stimulating information retention and ensuring the how-to video is memorable.
19. How to Read Stock Charts
This instructional video for beginners talks about stock charts only instead of covering the whole domain of stocks. The presenter has broken down the information into small pieces and presents them as sections within the video.
20. How to Make an App for Beginners
Developing an app is commonly perceived as challenging, but this ‘How to Make an App’ series provides beginner-friendly lessons.
Conclusion
As you embark on your company’s how-to video adventure, remember the endless possibilities. Every element creates captivating content that tells your brand’s story, from screen recordings to engaging titles. Zight’s tools are your gateway to success in this new marketing channel.
So, why wait? Start creating content that resonates, educates, and inspires. Harness the potential of how-to videos, and watch your company’s brand awareness soar to new heights. It’s time to unlock the magic of how-to videos and move your company to greater customer success in the digital age.