The Storyboard Media Group Blog
The Power of How-to Product Videos
Want to really connect with your customers? How-to videos are your secret weapon! They're not just helpful guides; they build trust and show you're the expert. By highlighting the best features, benefits, and ways to use your products, you'll boost engagement, build a loyal audience, and see those conversion rates climb. Let's make your brand the go-to resource!
We all know the power of a well-done, straight-up product video. They’re great for explaining why someone needs something. But for some products, people don’t just need to know about them, they need to know how to use them. That's where how-to videos come in - from fancy skincare products to key-less entry systems that would have been stuff of sci-fi movies 10 years ago. Let’s not forget air fryers! Who knew you could make so much in an air fryer?
Basically, if a product exists with buttons, dials, knobs, software, hidden applications, multiple screens or an owner’s manual that weighs as much as an encyclopedia you might just need a video to explain it.
A 1-minute demonstration video was made for e-commerce channels to accompany the client’s newest product launch.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD HOW-TO VIDEO?
We’ve broken the process down into what we think are the 6 best practices for making a great how-to product video.
Keep it simple - Clear, easy-to-follow instructions are key. Make sure your script is concise and easy to follow. Take some time to read it out loud to fellow team members to see how it sounds and feels. When it comes to the video itself don’t just settle for one angle. Close-ups are your friend! Use the video content to complement what the script is saying. Zoom in on that dial or detail so the audience can see it clearly. Basically, don't leave people guessing.
Make sure it looks good - Nobody wants to watch a poorly-made or boring video. Use high-resolution, clear shots. Make sure the lighting is good so people can see what is happening in the video. Throw in some animations, graphics, and on-screen text keep things interesting. But whatever you do, make sure it actually adds to the video.
Know beforehand where your video content will live - Is your video going to be used on social channels? Maybe it needs to be recorded in vertical resolution for Instagram. Will it be used on an e-commerce site? You should know what kind of specs your video needs to be so that it works well with the platform you load it to. Are you going to use it in multiple ways? Then you need to make sure when you film it that you film it in a way that allows horizontal and vertical delivery for multiple platforms.
Break it down - Sometimes step-by-step is the way to go. Remember that if your audience is watching your video for the first time they may not know anything about your product. It’s better to bet that they need more information than less information. But always remember best practice number one. Keep it simple, and don’t give them more information than they really need.
Go 360 - For bigger things, like cars or locations where your clients find you, 360 videos are amazing. We've used them to show off car interiors and to give virtual tours of medical facilities. Even smaller things can benefit from a 360-degree video. Jewelry like watches and diamond rings, sunglasses and products with interesting packaging come to mind immediately as things that benefit from this technique.
POV can be your friend - Sometimes, showing things from the user's perspective is the best way to go. It's like saying, "Here's what you'll see when you do this."
This POV video put the viewer in the so-called driver’s seat to understand how easily and quickly the could use this app
DO YOU NEED A HOW-TO DEMONSTRATION VIDEO?
If you have a product that takes a little explaining, and you want happy clients, the answer is probably ‘yes.’ Here’s why.
People actually get it - A good video will help people understand how to use your product, which means they'll love it more, which means they’ll use it more. They may even discover new uses for it that they didn’t realize were possible because they see something in your video. This also means they’ll use it more because it has more uses for them.
You look professional - Having a good looking video means people use your content to understand the product, and people know you’re the go-to expert. It also shows that you care about your customers. The alternative is that they go looking on the Internet for other people showing them how to use it. You own the product or service, and you should own the ecosystem - video, print, website, photos - that supports it. This also helps you create connections with your customers and clients.
More sales and repeat customers - If people know how to use your product, they're more likely to buy it. Simple as that. And more than likely they’ll be back.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TYPES OF VIDEOS WE’RE TALKING ABOUT?
Product tutorials (see gallery below): This one is obvious, but essential. Product tutorials show people how to set up, use, and get the most out of your product. They can be animated, live-action or talking-head style. They can use actors or people from your team. They can be simple looking, or more involved depending on the message and feeling you want to convey.
Live-action videos: These videos use actors or people from your team and can include a story to be acted out that shows your product in use, or a talking head where a person is simply conveying information or showing how to use something. They can be lifestyle videos (for example, a day-in-the-life of someone using your product), demonstration videos, explainer videos and more.
Animated explainer videos: Sometimes the easiest way to demonstrate or explain a product is with really good animated graphics. The great thing about this option is that the graphics, colors and text can all be custom-created to match your brand.
USE CASE SCENARIOS FOR HOW-TO VIDEOS
This entire article has centered on explaining how customers and clients can use your product. But how-to product videos can accomplish some other things too.
Troubleshooting: Fix common problems and answer FAQs in an easy manner.
Onboarding: Train new employees or customers quickly and easily by showing them how to use a machine, do a process or a work through a procedure.
Show off features: This is where it gets fun. Highlight the cool things your product can do, and include things customers might not even know about your product. Apple is very good at this when they point out hidden features, shortcuts and tips and tricks that aren’t immediately noticeable by users of their products.
Don’t wait for customers to call you with question after question about your product. Make it easy for them to learn everything they need to do with a how-to product video and make them a customer for life. Contact us for more information about how to get started. We help with concepts, creative ideas, scripts, filming, editing, and more. It’s everything you need to get your video content project up and running.
Mastering Learning & Training Videos: A Guide to Engaging and Effective L&T Content
If you’ve been tasked with creating Learning and Training Videos for your company but you’re not sure where to start, this article will help you get started on the right foot. There’s so much you can do to create effective training videos and we know that it can be a little overwhelming. In this article we’ll look at some of the options available to you and some example videos.
THE LEARNING AND TRAINING VIDEO CHALLENGE
If you’ve been tasked with creating Learning and Training Videos for your company but you’re not sure where to start, we hope this article helps you get started on the right foot. We’ve created a ton of L&T content for our clients (some of it award-winning) with videos ranging from expert interviews to demonstration videos, and from animated explainers to live-action videos with actors, props and locations. There’s so much you can do to create effective training videos and we know that it can be a little overwhelming. Let’s look at some of the options and some examples below. You can also see more about our L&T services here.
TYPES OF LEARNING AND TRAINING VIDEOS
Animated Videos use animation, graphics, voice overs, music, on-screen text and typography, and visual storytelling to explain concepts, processes, or skills in an engaging and easy-to-understand way. Instead of relying on live-action footage, these videos use characters, icons, and motion graphics to simplify complex ideas, making them more digestible and entertaining for the viewer. Animated training videos are great for breaking down tricky topics, adding a fun element to learning, and helping to keep viewers' attention. They’re also highly versatile, as you can create animations for a wide range of subjects, from technical training to soft skills development.
With custom graphics your video(s) can match the branding of your company completely. We use colors, fonts, icons and anything else we can identify to make sure the content fits your brand’s identity.
Something to think about: If your team or audience is diverse, or if you have locations in multiple countries, you should consider adding closed captioning to your videos. This way you can use the same exact video content for multiple languages.
Expert Interviews/Talking Head Interviews are on-camera conversations with someone who has specialized knowledge, information or experience in a particular topic area. The goal with these interviews is to deliver insights, advice, or unique perspectives from the expert that can be valuable to the audience. Whether the focus of your content is new hires or current employees, this type of video is personal and speaks directly to your team. They’re very useful to deliver information about policies, compliance measures, procedures and customer service.
Demonstration Videos are perfect for explaining how to use a product, how to access a service, and how to complete processes found in the workplace. You can be as simple or as creative as you want to be with these videos. Simplicity may mean that you have one of your team members on-camera showing how to use your product. A creative demonstration video can have multiple team members, a built-in storyline, and even actors brought to play parts of customers, buyers or users.
Interactive Videos are a little like role-playing. While your audience watches your video they are given questions or options to choose from resulting in a correct, or incorrect, answer. The video jumps to a new scene based on their answers. These videos are sort of “gamified” and are similar to the “choose your next step” books you might have read. It’s a great way to keep people interested, and it’s a great way to train your workforce. Not only do viewers learn what the right answers are, they learn which answer are wrong and that’s really helpful.
New Hire Orientation/Recruitment Videos typically feature people from your team speaking on camera. The motive here is to introduce your new hires to the culture, policies and processes of your company. You can also include shots of your location (office, shop floor, warehouse, customer service areas, etc.) to give viewers a flavor of where they’ll be working and what’s it like to work at your brand. Orientation videos can be as creative as you want. For example, if you consider your company to be a fun place to work, have fun with your video and use humor and quirky music. To use a very specific example of being creative, if you’re a book publisher make your orientation video a story about a new person coming to work for you and the amazing things that happen to them along the way. There’s no limit on what you can do.
These videos can be used for both an internal-facing audience (employees, new hires), but they can also be used to show off your company and culture to the general public. If you want to create video content that speaks to both audiences, make sure there isn’t any proprietary information included that you don’t want the public to know.
Workplace Compliance Videos are usually very straight-forward. They involve a person, most often in some type of management role, speaking on camera to inform your employees about things like policies, procedures, emergency management, data protection and more. We help out by providing teleprompters during filming to make it very easy for the people who are on camera.
Compliance videos are almost always internal-facing because they contain proprietary and/or company-specific information.
HOW TO GET STARTED?
One of the first things you need to do (any maybe the easiest one) is to ask “is your video content is going to be internal- or external-facing, or both?” A video can be both internal- and external-facing. For example, New Hire Videos are great to show new employees. But if they’re done right, they can also be used to introduce the public to your brand’s culture. Creating video content that works for both your team and the public is a great way to get the most bang out of your buck.
What is your budget? Each type of Learning and Training video requires its own budget size. An animated video using custom graphics that match your brand style will be more expensive than an animated video using stock assets. And a demonstration video using one team member is going to be more cost-effective than a demonstration video that used actors and locations. And while the type of video you create may be more costly, it pays off with branded elements, engaging content, creativity and sets your brand apart as unique, professional and trust-worthy.
How many videos do you need to create? If you want to show viewers how to use your product, one video usually suffices. But what if you have a long list of policies you need to discuss? A module of videos may be the way you need to go. Modules separate videos by topic and each module can build upon the previous one. They’re also a great way to make your content more engaging as your employees can watch videos one at a time and take their time watching each one. With a module system you can also track views, time on site and more. If you do go the route of video modules, you’ll need a back-end system to host your videos. This isn’t a big deal and the costs are pretty low considering that this is where you’ll host such important content.
Once you’ve answered the above items, the script is the very first step in the actual pre-production process and is the foundation of all videos. Nothing can happen without it. It’s so important that you may need to make it a group effort on the part of your company, or hire copy writers or your video production company to create it. The important thing is to make sure you are writing the script to be engaging but also informative. The information in your video is very important and you want to make sure viewers stay engaged.
At this point, you’re ready to take-off. But before the cameras roll or the animations get created it’s time to:
Choose the team members who are going to be on camera, or find and hire actors to take part in your videos.
Find locations for your videos (your office, a conference room, an outdoor space, etc.) that match the dialogue that viewers will be listening to.
If you’re doing live-action videos (not animation) it’s time to schedule dates for filming.
WHY STORYBOARD MEDIA GROUP IS YOUR PERFECT L&T VIDEO PARTNER
We’ve worked with clients in all types of industries to create L&T content: tech, healthcare, education, lifestyle. We’ve created L&T content for include Raymour & Flanigan, Chelsea Piers, Port Authority of NY/NJ, Mercedes, United Technical Institute and The State Bar of California in Los Angeles and San Francisco. We’ve created content that has helped our clients win Brandon Hall Awards for Excellence in learning and training programs. And we’ve partnered with one of the largest L&T development brands in the world to produce live-action training videos for their clients.
We provide full-service including script writing, concept creation, finding and hiring actors, finding locations, production teams, storyboarding, editing and more. If you want to be sure your video production company can tick all the boxes on your list and create the content you need, look no further than Storyboard Media Group.
Repurposing Video Content: A Case Study
Repurposing video content allows companies to maximize the potential of their video content while expanding its reach and engagement. By transforming existing videos into different formats to use across different platforms, brands can target a wider audience and increase their visibility. In this case study, we look at one of our clients who did this and by using video content in 5 different ways.
4 Important Reasons Why You Should Repurpose Your Video Content
Repurposing video content is a great way to make the most of the digital assets that you’ve put time, energy and money into creating.
Repurposing video content saves time and resources by avoiding the need to create new content completely from scratch. Creative projects can require a lot of time and budget to get off the ground, so the less often you need to do it the better.
By adapting video content for different platforms, you can reach a much broader audience and engage them in various ways. This includes sharing short clips on social media, creating GIFs for e-commerce sites and using screenshots as photos you can use in different marketing pushes.
Reusing your video content in different ways provides opportunities to optimize it for search engines which can improve visibility and SEO rankings. Each new content piece can include different (but relevant) keywords and meta descriptions.
Repurposing video content helps you maintain a consistent brand message across multiple platforms, reinforcing your brand’s identity and building trust with your audience.
A Case Study in Repurposing Video Content
Storyboard Media Group works with all its clients to get them the most value for their budget. That’s why we’re big believers in repurposing video content. At the start of every project we ask our clients how they plan to use their video, and we provide suggestions for how to reuse it. That leads us to the case study of Strato Footwear.
This screenshot taken from video footage acts as a “photo” in digital marketing materials.
Strato Footwear has one mission: to keep your feet happy and stylish while keeping up with your fast-paced lifestyle. How do they do it? Strato Footwear has a secret weapon: Layered Comfort Design. They’ve carefully crafted their shoes with multiple layers of cushioning and support, giving your feet a cloud-like experience. They design their footwear lines with purpose and functionality, so you can strut confidently knowing you've got the best of both worlds.
According to Strato’s CEO, “we needed lifestyle content from Storyboard Media Group for our footwear launch. And we needed content to add to our website to make it look attractive and engaging to customers, as well as for social media use.”
To accomplish this, Storyboard Media Group spent a day filming the shoes on an actor that we hired just for the shoot. We filmed in six unique locations to show off the footwear in different settings. We even dressed the actor differently from one location to another. From this one day of filming, the final deliverables were (6) 15-second videos, (1) 30 second video, and a number of screenshots that we took from the video footage. This gave our client a lot of options for how and where to use the content.
“We used the 30-second video as our flagship video to showcase what our brand and shoes were about and how to wear them in multiple settings with ease.” This flagship video is on the client’s website as an introduction to the brand and product.
This “photo” is a screenshot from the filming we did.
The 15-second videos were used on social media to showcase the brand to wider audience, and in quicker bites. Digestible videos like these can be used as a way to quickly grab attention and drive customers to a brand’s website where they’ll find more information.
One of the ways Storyboard Media Group helps clients expand their content library is by offering screenshots of the video footage. This gives clients “photos” they can use on their site, in digital marketing material, and in a number of other ways. This isn’t possible with every project, but when a project allows it’s a great way to generate more content.
According to our client, “we used the screenshots & short 15-second videos in a remix way, where we (cut and combined footage) to develop even more entertaining short video clips combining all the content given to us by Storyboard Media Group. This allowed us to have even more content to utilize for posting on social platforms.”
In addition to using the content and screenshots on their website and social channels, Strato Footwear was even able to utilize some of the screenshots in marketing materials like their sales PDF.
“Storyboard was very easy to work with. They made the whole process seamless. I guided the team on what I was looking to get done regarding the look, feel, vibe, angles, and setting. They easily grasped the information I provided and took it up a notch with their creativity. They made sure I received enough content to get the ball rolling for my business.”
Storyboard Media Group can offer ideas and suggestions for how to get the most from your video project. During our initial consultation calls and meetings we learn about your project, your specific needs and how to create the content you need. Whether you’re a startup or an established brand we work with you to identify how to best get you the deliverables you need.
How to Create A Video Production Budget
In today’s world of marketing, having video content is no longer an option. Videos help you build your brand, capture leads, and gain customers. But how do you budget for it? In this post we help you understand the things you need to think about in order to understand how much your video content will cost.
The Big Question
One of the first questions our clients ask about video production is “how much will it cost?” This is often an extremely difficult question to answer because every video is different. Here’s an example we often use to help explain this.
Imagine you want to build a house. So you go to a contractor and ask how much it will cost. They won’t be able to tell you at your first meeting because there are a lot of things they don’t know. For example, how many floors do you want? What kind of materials does it need and what kind of quality? How many square feet will it be? How many windows are there and how big are they? Will the house be built on flat ground or on the side of a hill? All these things factor into the cost of a new house.
It’s the same with video production. Though in this case the questions are different. We ask if your video needs a voice over. Does it require actors? Do you need help with your script? Do we need to find a location to film your video? How many hours will be needed to film it? How many graphics do you need? What style of animation would you like? The list can go on and on.
Now That That’s Out of the Way
We know you’re reading this article to get an answer to your question so let’s get started. You’ll need to identify the who, what, why, and where of your video content. The more information you know, the easier it is to know what your budget needs to be.
The Strategy
Determine your goals. Are you looking to raise awareness with commercial production, improve engagement with animation, raise investment capital with a personalized message, or earn more conversions with a demonstration? Knowing your goal will help you decide which type of video you need.
The type of video you need determines the assets, equipment and skill set required to make the video. Animation and special effects can be simple, or they can require designers, artists and animators. A demonstration video may need an actor or actors, a voice over artist and a lot of planning. Commercial productions may need actors, locations, vehicle rentals and more.
The quality of your video content will have an impact on your budget as well. Do you want the least expensice actor available, or someone with more experience? Do you need a beautiful location, or a simple room in your office? If you’re creating an animated explainer video do you want to use readily available template graphics or custom, personalized graphics?
Where you’ll use the video determines the format(s) and, to some extent, the length it will be. You should know beforehand if your video will be seen on YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, television, social media, etc. Different video platforms have different requirements for video. In addition, if you plan to use your video on multiple platforms, the multiple formats and various cuts required may require additional work that will increase the cost. And generally speaking, longer videos cost more.
Once you have the strategy, move on to the creative assets by determining what you already have on-hand to give the production team (images, previous video content, style guide, branding elements, etc.), what assets the production team will need to create themselves, and how soon you need your video.
The Script
The script for your video can be a good indicator of how involved your video production will be. Generally speaking, the more complex the script is (one interview with a team member vs. having multiple actors, filming in your office vs. needing a location) the more the video will cost to produce. The same goes for the length of the script. If your video is going to be 5 minutes long, that will be more expensive than a 1 minute video.
The Final Step
Talk to your video production partner and give them all the information you can. Use the steps above to round out the scope of the video. They know the costs for all aspects of video production - talent, location, time needed for filming, animation, etc. - and will be able to put together a quote based on what you tell them because once you have an idea of everything you need, the price will start to become apparent.
We always tell clients that the scope and budget is a little fluid until all the final decisions are made. For example, clients may want us to hire actors to portray certain roles in their project. But they may decide to use team members instead of actors to cut down on costs. And because there are so many things that go into video production, there are a lot of things that can be tweaked. Don’t be afraid to work with your creative partner agency to arrive at a number, and a scope, you feel comfortable with.
2025 Video Trends: What Your Brand Needs to Know
No matter the industry or size of the company, brands need to keep up with an ever-changing landscape when it comes to marketing tools, digital content strategies, technology innovations and more. One of our jobs as a video production agency to help guide our clients in best practices when it comes to video content. Our 2025 annual look at trends in digital content production is here covering e-commerce, user-generated content and more.
Why We Share Video Production Trends With You
Every year Storyboard Media Group compiles a list of the trends we see in video production and digital content strategy. This is important for us to know as a video production agency. But when we work with our clients we do more than just create content. We help guide them through the content creation process so that they get the best return on the time and investment. That’s why we think it’s important for our clients to see these trends. With this knowledge they can inform their video marketing and stay as relevant as possible in an ever-accelerating marketplace.
In today’s post we are merely putting all the trends here for you to see. But keep an eye on our blog because we’ll be diving deeper into each of these trends with dedicated blog posts for each. In fact, we’ve already started. You can read about short-form videos (trend #2) here.
