Considering that video is the most popular form of content to create and consume, it’s no shock that video courses are everywhere now. If sharing knowledge or subject matter expertise is your goal then video is the best medium to do that. Define the promise and the pain your course will solve.
Why Video Courses
People utilize video to teach them new things. It is a great medium to demonstrate directly how to do something. A study by the Pew Research Center found that 87% of users said that YouTube is important for helping them figure out how to do things they have never done before. And that same research shows that video instruction is only increasing. Anyone tasked with training customers or employees with instructional videos should create effective training videos as part of a course. Here are our 5 expert tips to create your first video course.
5 Tips to Create Your First Video Course
1. Define the promise and the pain your course will solve.
Whoever is watching your video is very likely doing so because they want or need to learn how to do something. They need to solve a problem or learn a new skill. It is important that right away you define the problem your video course will solve. You don’t want there to be any confusion about your upcoming video content. Remember not to just name the problem, but the solution as well! Give a summary of what your content will cover and how it will answer the problem you’ve just described.
2. Describe each step to go from point A to point B
Now that you’ve explained to your audience both the problem at hand and what the solution looks like, you’ll want to break down that solution into actionable steps. This may be the most important tip to consider. Your video course must create content that is in bite-sized “chunks” or sections. Name those steps and sections to both make them more easy to navigate and provide a summary of the steps for viewers. Don’t record one long video. Instead, record several, shorter videos. This way viewers can navigate to exactly the information they need, right when they need it. You will save your audience so much time and help them to learn more effectively and efficiently!
3. Use your own style. Be authentic. Your personality as an instructor will make a difference.
Viewers turn to video for instruction because it’s easier to understand steps and directions with video as compared to text alone. Your delivery of this content can make a world of a difference. We all remember the teacher from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off… “Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?” Don’t be that person. Leverage your natural personality, quirks, and mannerisms. Be careful not to let nervous ticks like saying “umm” or fidgeting be mistaken for showing your personality. You want to avoid these common public speaking mistakes. Crack jokes, show your enthusiasm, and have fun with it. Your audience will notice!
4. Start simple. You don't need fancy equipment or a camera. You can start with your webcam and a computer.
Don’t think you need a special microphone or camera or background. You don’t! You very likely already have the necessary equipment to get started: a laptop or phone with a camera. See? We told you you could do it! Navigate to speach.me to get started creating your own online course now.
5. Share the first draft of your course with a small audience, get feedback, and improve your course.
Don’t publish your first course right away without testing it. Get some colleagues or friends to run through the material checking for spelling, consistency, continuity. Ask for specific feedback regarding these items. Next, most importantly, make changes according to the feedback you received! Is there a better order for the videos that makes more sense? Is there something you can add that can be helpful? Is the material too long? Does it cover all of the material necessary? These are the questions you can ask your audience.
Conclusion
With video’s popularity already off the charts and showing no signs of slowing down, you want to master the art of the video tutorial and video course. With these 5 tips you can have confidence when you create your first video course!
Want to create your own effective video course? Get started today at speach.me!
