5 Reasons Why You Should Be Creating “How To” Videos

Who would have thought 5 or 10 years ago that we could go online, watch a video and become literate in a given area? Want to know how to fix a leaky pipe? Find a video teaching you how to repair it! Do you need to brush up on how to jump start your car without electrocuting yourself? Search for a video tutorial on how to jump start your car (without getting shocked)! It’s amazing that we can simply search for any given topic and learn how to do it. Your company may not have thought about creating “How To” videos for your products, services and FAQs, but it’s vitally important. Here are 5 reasons why you should be creating How To videos.

1.  30% of people searching on Youtube are for How To type videos:

Yes, that’s right, one third of people searching Youtube (the world’s second largest search engine, right behind Google, who owns YouTube) are searching for How To videos. And this number of people searching is growing dramatically every year. What tutorial can you put online that teaches potential customers about your products and services? This could be a simple explanation of how to assemble something, a training video on how to fix an issue, or demonstrate how your product is superior to your competition.

2. A How To video cuts down on support phone calls and emails:

A few years ago our production company was hired to go to Texas to work with another video company and produce a series of How To videos for a company who makes large equipment with complicated instructions. They were getting a lot of phone calls and support questions. Once we produced several How To training videos, the support call dramatically dropped and the company was able to shift those employees to help in other revenue generating parts of the company. What type of How To videos can you create to help reduce the amount of support calls?

3.  Videos show and tell:

Do you have lengthy instruction manuals, or documentation? There is probably a reason that no one reads your support documentation. Text heavy instructions, even with images, are rarely read thoroughly, if at all. It’s so much easier to watch a video that both visually shows a process and also walks a viewer through the steps. We are working with a manufacturing company to take their instruction manuals and create a video series for their main product line. These videos will then be placed on the company’s website, given to the sales reps, and distributed to the support team. This company will also be using these videos to market their company since their competition doesn’t have any videos at all and these and these videos will go viral within this type of manufacturing work (nothing like having your videos played by your competitor’s customers! That’s an easy way to build trust).

4. People prefer to watch, rather than read:

Sadly, people’s attention spans are getting shorter and we would much rather watch a video, then read text. People’s attention spans used to run around 7 minutes long before needing a mental break. That’s because tv shows run for 7 minutes before going to a commercial break (talk about Pavlov’s Dogs!). That’s why a short 2-4 minute How to video packs a powerful punch. How can you take your manuals, support materials and documentation and build a video series to help your customers?

5. Video builds trust, which leads to sales:

It’s commonly said that “people do business with those they know, like and trust”. Since video is the easiest way to showcase your products, services and company, making a How to video is an easy way to jumpstart the trust building process. A recent study found that 73% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase after watching How To videos explaining a product or service. If you want the fastest way to build trust with your potential customers, make How To videos.

What is keeping you from making How To videos? It will hep your customers, save you time and attract a new customer base. These videos can make your life easier, save you money from support and earn you money by gaining new customers. Talk about a power way to use How To videos!

If you have any questions on how to make How To videos (perhaps we should make a How To video on how to videos!), give us a call or contact us. We’d love to help.