Elearning video production–a complete guide

Thanks to video’s accessibility, ability to engage learners, and cost-effectiveness, the format is becoming an increasingly valuable teaching aid for L&D teams when onboarding and training employees.

But if you’re new to creating elearning videos for your workforce you may be wondering where to start. You might be asking yourself, what is an elearning video creator ? Which tools can enhance video quality? Or, how do I write a script?

In this article, we’ve got everything you need to know about elearning video production. You will learn how to create elearning videos that engage employees to the best tools for the job. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to create compelling elearning videos that capture your employees' attention. As a result, your videos will be drivers in boosting learning outcomes and cost savings.

Training and explainer videos are crucial for supporting learning and development across different teams within an organization. Videos work well as a learning asset. Thanks to visual and auditory stimuli, they ensure engaging instruction. They also create a uniform learning experience tailored to meet diverse employee groups.

Training videos are also a cost-effective solution for L&D teams when communicating important messages and information. They significantly reduce the need for in-person courses or training. Learners can access them as many times as needed.

As businesses increasingly offer remote work, L&D teams can use translated and localized training videos to educate global staff.

There are numerous advantages to using educational videos in elearning.

One of the main advantages to using learning videos is that they increase engagement and effectively capture learners’ attention. This is thanks to the format’s range of visual, auditory, and interactive components. This mixture of elements makes the learning experience more varied and dynamic compared to traditional learning methods, such as text books or slideshares.

The ability of students to retain and understand information also improves when L&D teams include video in their elearning strategy. Learners typically process more complicated ideas when there is a combination of visuals and verbal instruction or explanation.

Another recognized benefit of using video for employee training is its flexibility. Learners can watch and learn from videos when and where it’s convenient for them to do so anywhere in the world. L&D teams can therefore recreate for their remote employees the in-person teaching experience that in-house employees enjoy.

Finally, videos are a highly cost-effective teaching method:

1. They reduce the need for live training sessions.

2. Learners can access them as many times as needed.

3. L&D teams can easily update them to align with company developments.

Interactive videos typically involve elements such as clickable icons and reactive quizzes which learners can engage with while they learn. These dynamic features create a more immersive learning experience, which immediately prompts participation from students.

When implemented successfully, interactive components such as these help learners to:

1. cement their knowledge

2. apply what they have learned

3. receive instant feedback

4. maintain students’ interest throughout the learning journey

5. assess how well they are onboarding information

6. identify areas where they need to improve

Let’s dive into the steps you need to take to create training videos for your business that engage users and enhance learning outcomes.

Your first step in the process of creating an elearning video is to figure out the precise information and key messages you’d like your employees to take away. When preparing the content, it can be helpful to write a list of the main points you want them to know and structure the content of the video around these points.

This list should be concise–you should avoid your video exceeding seven minutes in length– so stick to the essentials to ensure that the audience doesn’t become overwhelmed. If you find you have more than seven minutes’ worth of content, consider producing multiple videos or a series. Breaking down the information into smaller chunks will make it easier to digest.

When creating any kind of L&D content, knowing your audience is critical. It's important to present the information in a way that employees can connect and remember it. Localization requires understanding your audience, their educational background, culture, and learning style. It also means matching with a student’s preferred language and terminology.

You’ll need to find out:

1. Which language is appropriate

2. Which terminology is familiar

3. Which cultural references you should or should not use

4. Which topics or words you should avoid

5. Which images, icons, and colors resonate best with the audience

To uncover the answers to these questions, extensive research is required. You can make use of surveys, interviews, and focus groups with employees to gauge how best to connect with them.

Elearning videos come in all shapes and sizes. After pinning down your messaging and audience’s learning and language preferences, you’ll need to choose a video style. Find one that that both aligns with your brand and connects with learners. Some popular video styles include:

1. How-to videos

2. Lectures

3. Interactive videos

4. Animations

5. Presentations

6. Talking head videos

7. Interview videos

You’ll need to craft a compelling script that engages audiences and communicates information effectively.

While you may choose to write the script alone, it’s common practice to work with a script writer, marketer, or instructional design expert. These professionals ensure the correct use of tone, messaging, and style in line with company’s branding. You can try elearning video production software to create the script and the video.

Instead of spending a lofty part of your budget on video creation services, you can use Smartcat AI for Learning Content. Smartcat is an effective way to create any learning content, including videos. Videos come with AI dubbing and AI avatars. You can provide prompts for your script and then Smartcat AI will generate the script in seconds. You can then edit it and then create the AI video.

Here is a preview of Smartcat AI for learning content:

If you’re presenting the content yourself, be sure to rehearse the script until you are confident with your performance. Depending on the type of content you are presenting, you’ll need to consider your tone and energy level. Consider whether the content calls for a serious, somber tone, upbeat, energetic, or natural tone.

Translating and localizing your content is crucial to ensure the video’s messaging resonates with all audiences. It also enhances comprehension, boosts retention, increases feelings of loyalty towards the company, and supports staff retention.

Translation and localization of video content involves:

1. Converting text from one language to another

2. Adapting cultural references

3. Using idioms which fit the local context of the audience

When it comes to video script translation and localization, Smartcat AI is your go-to platform. Smartcat’s translation management system translates video scripts in any language from a range of file types and enables progress tracking and task assignment to support seamless workflows and transparency across projects.

The tool can also translate an existing video in seconds or add AI dubbing, if required.

For consistency of terminology on all segments or projects, Smartcat’s translation memory stores previously translated phrases or words. This helps to maintain accuracy across all scripts and mitigates the repetition of tasks for the L&D team.

Smartcat’s terminology management tools are particularly useful during video script localization. This is because the technology ensures the correct use of the terms and phrases used in specified regions or industries.

After Smartcat AI translates your script, you can either work with your in-house team within Smartcat to double-check AI translations.

If you need to scale your editing resources, you can do so by AI-sourcing experts from Smartcat Marketplace. These translators and editors are familiar with the target culture. They help to ensure that the video script is culturally relevant and resonates with its intended audience.

With your video script good to go, it’s now time to start filming. Remember, your video should aim to reflect the values and branding of the company. It should also communicate the key messages you identified at the outset.

When filming it yourself, invest in high-quality, professional filming equipment such as the camera, microphone, and editing software.

Many companies find it advantageous to employ professional corporate video makers to ensure the quality of the end product.

Smartcat can support digital video production and elearning here too. Smartcat AI for learning content uses advanced algorithms to generate elearning course content based on the user’s input, supporting multiple languages.

With these generative AI-powered tools, L&D teams can quickly design and generate videos, quizzes, AI dubbing, and more, facilitating the creation of course content that is engaging, dynamic, and professional.

It's recommended to test out your video with target employees to ensure it is an effective learning resource.

You can do so by:

1. assessing how easily employees can follow the instructions given to them in the video

2. asking them directly for feedback on its content and presentation.

3. Running a trial during which selected employees follow the instructions given to them in the video

4. Asking employees to complete a quick survey regarding the effectiveness of the video

This data lets you create more effective videos each time. You will learn the improvements to make on future videos to further enhance engagement and learning outcomes.

Here’s a run-through of our elearning video production process tips and advice. They will help you to ensure a successful outcome:

1. Set clear learning goals at the start

2. Keep the script as concise as you can

3. Employ engaging, high-resolution visuals

4. Make it interactive where possible with quizzes and clickable elements

5. Be the tone conversational, not formal

6. Ensure high-quality audio with no background noise and clear narration

7. Use subtitles where necessary

8. Translate and localize for different audiences

9. Align with the organization’s visual branding

10. Design for different devices and screen sizes

In this article, we’ve run through the steps you need to take to make high-quality, engaging, and interactive elearning videos that resonate with diverse workforces across the globe.

By following our guide, you’re well-placed to write compelling scripts, produce high-quality videos, translate and localize your content for multiple audiences, and streamline your workflow with the latest tools and software.

With localized, interactive, and engaging video content, your employees will be:

1. More engaged with their learning materials

2. More likely to understand and retain information

3. Feel more committed to the company

4. Stay longer with the organization

5. Experience boosted learning outcomes

6. Learn, develop, and progress faster

If these are the sorts of results you’d like to see among your workforce, take a look at Smartcat’s elearning authoring tools and see how you can transform your elearning and corporate video production.