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In today's digital world, where online learning and remote work are becoming more common, knowing how to record training videos is a very useful skill.

Well-made tutorials can help people understand, remember, and get involved more, whether you're trying to hire new employees, teach clients about your product, or share your knowledge with a larger audience.

This article will show you how to make professional training videos. We'll talk about everything from planning and writing to screen recorders and editors.

What is a video for training?

A training video is a visual tool that educates a specific group of people certain skills, ideas, or steps. It is a type of online learning that shows how to do something step by step.

There are many different things that these can teach, such as how to utilize software, stay safe, demonstrate a product, or improve your professional skills. They might use things like narration, pictures, animations, and interactive parts to get students interested and help them understand.

The main purpose is to make the process easier in a clear and short way.

Common types of training videos

Videos for training come in various forms, each tailored to meet specific needs.

How to make a training video

Screen recordings have become an essential tool for training videos. They allow you to capture your desktop and provide step-by-step instructions, so it is easier to follow along.

Here's a general guide:

1. Define objectives and audience

To begin, clearly **outline the purpose*. Identify the specific learning objectives you want to achieve, whether it's teaching a new skill, explaining a process, or introducing a product.

Additionally, consider your audience—determine their knowledge level, studying preferences, and any specific needs or challenges they may have.

2. Plan your content

Take the time to carefully plot and structure your project.

How to plan your training video?

1. Clearly outline what you want to achieve. Is it to teach a specific skill, explain a process, or introduce a new concept?
2. Consider the knowledge level, needs, and preferences of your audience. Understanding your viewers will help you choose the right tone, complexity, and style for the clip.
3. Create a detailed outline of what you want to cover. Break down the topic into smaller, digestible chunks. This could involve listing key points, subtopics, or steps that need to be explained.
4. Choose the format that best suits your content. Will you use screencasting to demonstrate software? A talking head for explaining concepts?
5. Plan the visual aids that will support your message, such as slides, diagrams, on-screen text, or animations.
6. Include strategies to keep your audience engaged. You might want to add questions, quizzes, or calls-to-action.

3. Choose your equipment

Picking the right equipment is critical to capturing high-quality video and audio. Depending on your budget and resources, select professional microphones, earphones, and tripods to improve the production quality of your film.

If your training involves demonstrating program or computer-based tasks, consider trying screen recording software to present your voice narration and desktop actions simultaneously.

There are many options available, ranging from free to premium. Below we will review some of them.

4. Set up the recording space

Seek a quiet, well-lit location with minimal background noise and distractions. Arrange any props or visual aids you'll be using to support your content. Spend some time testing audio levels for optimal conditions.

5. Record the video

When filming your training video, refer to your scenario to guide your delivery. Speak clearly and at a steady pace so your audience can easily follow along.

When you demonstrate actions or processes, do them accurately and employ cursor highlights to help keep track of what you are saying. Monitor your audio and visual elements throughout the screen recording process and make adjustments as needed.

6. Edit training videos

After recording, opt for video editing software to refine and polish your footage. Trim any unnecessary segments, cut out mistakes or pauses, and arrange your clips to create a cohesive narrative.

Pay attention to audio quality, adjusting volume levels, and removing background noise as needed. Editing is where you can fine-tune details to achieve the desired impact and clarity.

Special effects can significantly enhance the effectiveness and engagement of instructional videos.

Here are some options:

7. Review and revise

Before finalizing, thoroughly check the footage to identify any errors or areas for improvement. Watch the video multiple times from the perspective of your audience, ensuring clarity and coherence.

Seek feedback from colleagues, and mentors, or test viewers to gain valuable insights and perspectives. Make any necessary revisions to improve the overall quality.

8. Finalize and distribute

Once you're satisfied with the final version, export it in the best format and resolution for your intended platform.

Consider adding closed captions or subtitles to improve accessibility for everyone.

Upload the video to your chosen hosting network, whether it's YouTube, Vimeo, or an internal company server.

Promote the clip to your target audience through email newsletters, social media posts, or other marketing channels.

Best software to record training videos

In the realm of producing instructional videos and tutorials, having the appropriate tools can greatly impact the end result. Not only do you want to generate high-quality content, but you also want the recording process to be seamless and efficient. Check out these recommendations.

Icecream Screen Recorder

Icecream Screen Recorder is a versatile and user-friendly application that allows you to capture any area of their desktop, along with audio, in high quality. It offers a range of features to create professional-looking videos.

The free screen recorder includes annotation tools such as text, arrows, shapes, and highlights, allowing users to emphasize key points, draw attention to specific areas, or provide additional context during recordings.

It also features a built-in drawing panel that enables individuals to sketch or write directly on the display, great for illustrating concepts, outlining processes, or adding visual elements to presentations.

It is possible to schedule screen recordings to start and stop automatically at specified times, making it convenient for live streams, webinars, or other events without manual intervention.

The software supports various output formats, including MP4, AVI, and WebM. It also allows users to adjust quality settings to achieve the desired balance between size and resolution.

With customizable hotkeys for starting, pausing, and stopping, as well as other common actions, Icecream Screen Recorder streamlines the training process and improves efficiency.

Screen Recorder

Easy to use free screen recorder for PC. Record desktop, take screenshots, upload the created content to the cloud for easy and fast sharing.

Free Download

Camtasia

Camtasia is a powerful screen recording and editing software designed for creating professional-quality content. It offers a comprehensive suite of features to capture, edit, and share images and training videos, making it a popular choice among educators, marketers, and bloggers.

It offers an extensive array of advanced features tailored to elevate the creation process. Integration with Camtasia Rev facilitates seamless transcription and translation of audio content, enhancing accessibility and extending reach.

Dynamic audio visualizers add depth and engagement, while variable shortcuts offer flexibility in adjusting playback speed as needed.

Advanced effects, including cursor replacement images and color enhancements, improve visibility and highlight mouse movements during screen recordings.

Screencastify

Screencastify is a simple extension for Google Chrome, designed to facilitate the creation of instructional videos, tutorials, presentations, and demonstrations. With this program, users can track who has watched the content and see detailed analytics, including demographics and satisfaction metrics.

Additionally, the extension provides tools for annotating recordings in real time, letting you add text, drawings, and highlights to emphasize key points or clarify context.

Quizzes, surveys, and polls can be inserted directly into the video, allowing viewers to interact with the content and test their understanding. This feature not only increases audience engagement but also provides valuable feedback for assessing comprehension and retention.

Screencastify offers seamless integration with Google Drive and YouTube. You can also export recordings as MP4 files or share them via email, social media, or other platforms.

Loom

Loom is a diverse and intuitive media messaging platform that simplifies the process of capturing, editing, and sharing videos for training across devices and websites.

Educators can provide feedback, comments, and even emojis directly within the program, fostering collaboration and communication among team members and students. Drawing tools for annotations and emphasis allow users to highlight key points and provide additional context within their training recordings.

Browser-based and mobile capabilities let you make quick adjustments straight from the application. This includes trimming, cropping, and merging clips, as well as adding external links to share valuable outside resources.

Loom videos can be embedded anywhere on the internet, increasing reach and visibility across websites, blogs, and other online platforms.

ScreenPal

ScreenPal is a full-featured screen recorder designed to streamline the process of creating, editing, and sharing multimedia content.

The platform allows users to capture both their desktop and webcam footage simultaneously in a window or full-screen modes, providing flexibility in presentations, tutorials, or guides.

Basic editing tools are available for trimming, cutting, combining, and adding text, annotations, and transitions. Clips can be published directly to the website, as well as to YouTube and cloud services for quick sharing.

The app provides access to an audio library with 30 tracks for background music. You can customize thumbnails and create content channels for branding consistency and organization.

Bandicam

Bandicam is a robust capturing option renowned for its advanced features tailored for gamers, professional editors, and content creators alike. The program allows for real-time drawing during recording sessions, enabling annotation, highlights, or emphasizing specific elements.

The screen recording software offers the option to add mouse click effects and animations, making it easier to track cursor movements and interactions during gameplay, program demonstrations, or tutorials.

Bandicam's advanced capabilities extend to various 2D and 3D games with 4K UHD quality, allowing you to preserve every detail and nuance of their training experiences.

Additionally, it supports high frame rates of up to 480 FPS, ensuring smooth and fluid motion capture even in fast-paced letsplay.

OBS Studio

Documenting educational videos is a necessary element of crafting successful and interesting material for your followers. OBS Studio stands out as a reliable tool. This free and open-source screen recording software allows you to preserve and stream high-quality content from your computer.

It offers a variety of options, including customizable settings such as resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and encoder adjustments. You can capture entire desktop, specific windows, or custom regions, providing flexibility.

Advanced features such as scene composition and source layering enable users to create dynamic and visually engaging recordings. Overlaying images, text, graphics, webcam footage, and other media elements enhances visual appeal and conveys information effectively.

OBS Studio provides options for saving and sharing in popular formats like MP4, MOV, and FLV. Also, it is possible to stream live to platforms such as Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Live.

Common mistakes

Are you planning to create a video tutorial? By understanding these pitfalls, you can proactively steer clear of them, recording high-quality lectures.

By avoiding these mistakes and focusing on delivering high-quality content, training videos can effectively educate and empower to succeed.

FAQ

How long should training videos be?

The ideal length of training footage depends on the complexity of the subject matter and the attention span of your audience. Aim for a duration that covers the necessary content without overwhelming—typically between 5 to 20 minutes per segment.

How can I make my training videos more engaging?

Break up clips into shorter segments, include interactive elements like quizzes or polls, and maintain a conversational tone to keep viewers interested.

What should I do if I make a mistake during recording?

Pause and take a moment to collect your thoughts before continuing. You can edit out mistakes during post-production or use annotations to clarify any misunderstandings.

How do I ensure accessibility and inclusivity?

Provide closed captions or transcripts to accommodate those with hearing impairments. Employ large fonts and high-contrast colors to aid the audience with visual impairments.

How do I maintain consistency across multiple video tutorials?

Establish a clear style guide or template, including consistent branding, formatting, and messaging. Opt for the same intro and outro sequences, music, and other elements.

How often should I update my instructional videos?

The frequency of refreshing depends on factors such as changes in policies, procedures, or technology, feedback from viewers, and the relevance of the content over time. Aim to update periodically for accuracy and effectiveness.

What encoding settings should I use?

For online platforms like YouTube or LMS systems, exporting in H.264 with a bitrate of 10-15 Mbps (1080p) or 35-45 Mbps (4K) ensures good quality while maintaining manageable file sizes. AAC audio at 192 kbps provides clear sound without excessive compression artifacts.

Screen Recorder

Easy to use free screen recorder for PC. Record desktop, take screenshots, upload the created content to the cloud for easy and fast sharing.

Free Download

Conclusion

In conclusion, learning how to capture your display for video tutorials can change the way content is delivered. You can make clips that everyone can enjoy by using the right tools, following best practices, and including interactive elements.

To ensure you're always getting better, keep improving your approach based on feedback and analytics. With hard work and creativity, you can get the most out of screen recording training videos to motivate people to learn and grow.

Tamal Das

Expert Tech Writer

Tamal is a tech writer at Icecream Apps. After completing his MS in Science, he joined reputed IT consultancy companies to acquire hands-on knowledge of IT technologies. Now, he’s a professional content writer of B2B and B2C software products and also a meticulous software reviewer whose reviews on applications and web apps have been published in reputed technology websites. He has already been published on such reputable sites like MakeUseOf, Geekflare, AddictiveTips. When he’s not writing, he researches the internet and technology journals to stay updated about the latest happenings in the SaaS industry.