We aren’t buying the propaganda that every training has to be boring.
In fact, video tutorials are powerful tools for education that also engages. And here at Next Day Animations, we know from award-winning experience that animation is an adaptable, entertaining format for explaining complex ideas in a memorable way.
Our team has spent nearly fifteen years developing tutorials for HR professionals, educators, and thought leaders across a range of industries. We are committed to helping our clients create video tutorials that work, and can be used again and again by using compelling narration and captivating visuals.
Throw in a commitment to cohesive branding and the impact of mirror neurons on retention, and explainer animations are able to be as entertaining and engaging as they are educational and informative!
In this blog, we’ll guide you through best practices for how to create tutorial videos using animation, highlighting some compelling instructional video examples from our studio. Read on for all this and more – we even offer bonus tips from our experience to ensure your content is engaging, accessible, and optimized for viewers.
Let’s dive in by examining why tutorial videos created with animation are so effective:
Why Choose Animation for Video Tutorials?
Superior Engagement and Retention
If you thought the mirror neurons thing was cool, get ready for more impressive stats about animation and it’s impact when used for education. Improved retention, relative to static formats, is one of the most distinct benefits of animated training.
Take some proof to your next pitch meeting: Broadcast2World shares that people are 39% more likely to remember information from whiteboard animations a month after viewing them! Most studies find that increased retention from visual communication stems from the engagement of multiple senses simultaneously. This unique marriage is one of the main reasons why you should use video learning.
There have been additional studies that have discovered this phenomenon in different contexts, including educational settings. Regardless of the industry, the headline is that visual communication improves retention –Â and you can use this knowledge to reach your training and education goals.
Watkins Wellness needed to interrupt duplicate processes occurring within their multi-level company; this succinct, informative animation quickly conveys the complex request in an easy to understand way.
Simplifying Complexity
With hand-drawn visuals and concise narration, whiteboard animation breaks down complicated topics into digestible pieces that are ideal for easy tutorials and step-by-step demonstrations .
The clarity provided by custom illustrations is complemented by the pacing a thoughtfully produced video is able to provide. In this article, a digital marketer discusses in detail how animation stands in contrast to text-heavy training mediums, which can overwhelm audiences and leave them unsure where to start. Video surmounts this by sequentially introducing concepts, allowing viewers to grasp components one at a time through both visual and auditory cues.
Cost-Effective & Flexible
Digital files are not only easy to distribute, but they’re a convenient medium for employees to save, share with each other, and return to later. And the return on investment doesn’t stop there
The ROI of animation scales with the growing size of your organization, because translations, subtitles, closed captions, audio descriptions, and mobile-friendly formats are all extremely affordable to incorporate. Animated video tutorials offer equitable messaging to workers all over the world, and reaches them where it’s most convenient.
Along with custom reformatting for our clients unique websites or learning management systems, Next Day Animations proudly offers translation packages for our clients, for common and rare languages. We partner with professional voice-over artists across the globe, furthering our ability to match your custom script with a narration that audiences can hear themselves reflected in.
Next Day Animations: Our Video Tutorial Creation Process
Before we dive into some general tips for planning your animated tutorial video, review this short breakdown of how it gets done at our studio. The benefit of partnering with professionals means shifting all of the tricky details of crafting the perfect training video off your plate, so you can focus on really making an impact.
If you’re ready to get started already, our client advisors are happy to jump on a call to hear about your soon-to-be groundbreaking training.
Check out the power of a video tutorial in action! This video walks potential clients through the process of creating an animation with our studio.
Planning Your Animated Tutorial Video
We’ve broken down they “why” and “how (Next Day Animations-style)” of creating video tutorials. Now it’s time to share some behind-the-scenes advice from our award-winning studio.
If you’re setting out to create your own fantastic video tutorial, here are some steps to getting started:
Start with Learning Objectives
Your first planning step should be to clarify what viewers should achieve. Frame your narrative around your learning objectives, and build scenes that illustrate each step clearly.
Once you know exactly what you want your audience to take away from the training, you must work backwards to build up to that goal. Utilize your mission to engage with thoughtful storytelling, and think about a fun setting that moves your message forward.
Check out this example from Grady Health, in which a relatable main character navigates through common challenges in her career.
With this animated storytelling format customized for the Grady Health work environment, trainees at Grady can identify with the main character and what she learns throughout these scenarios. When viewed together, this series is a solid and reliable training module that covers a lot, without overwhelming the viewer.
This Learning & Development video training series was created for Grady Health. Click here to see the full project, and how we increased engagement with interactive elements like check-points, quizzes, and discussion questions.
Chose the Right Length
We don’t have to explain the shortening attention span to you, communications expert: it’s crucial to find a balance between all of the important messaging you need to include, and the limited attention span.
A well-paced video guides viewers through complex ideas at a comfortable speed, making the content more accessible and enjoyable. To achieve this, it’s essential to segment your script into clear sections, presenting one idea at a time.
Another effective strategy is breaking topics down into a series of videos, offering viewers a moment to process the information they’ve just received. Our studio is proud to offer a discount on video series of three or more, because we don’t want you to have to choose between affordability and clarity.
Thoughtful Scriptwriting
When your content hits the mark, it doesn’t just grab attention—it motivates action. And the reverse is also true: Forbes states that users will actively search for alternative options when they don’t see themselves reflected in marketing, their inability to see themselves signalling that they are in the wrong place.
This blog article takes a closer look at considering your audience make up for maximum impact.
We’ve learned that inviting the viewer to be a part of the context of the story, rather than the victim or the savior, improves how well-connected audiences feel.
Consider how you could customize your training script to call in your community at work, and help your team feel represented and understood. When we feel understood, our minds are more open to the understanding that comes along with a powerful, interesting training video.
Making Your Tutorials Work Everywhere
Creating an effective animated tutorial is only half the battle: don’t forget that cohesive implementation is nearly as important as the content itself.
Here’s how to create tutorial videos that work everywhere:
If you’ve ever tried to watch a horizontal video on your phone and found yourself rotating your device or squinting at tiny details, you know what it means to experience a formatting fail.
Vertical video – or 9:16 aspect ratio – fits the way we naturally hold our phones, and may be worth considering for your video. You can learn more about our custom reformatting options here when considering the best environment for your video training. If you may be reaching your audience on their phone, a vertical aspect ratio might be in order!
We also discussed the application of subtitles, translation packages, and more in terms of supercharging the ROI of your investment in an animated tutorial. These add-ons provide better access points for your team, whether they are globally spread or a tight-knit crew.
Bonus: Tips for Better Animated Tutorials
If you’re still with us, you’ve got everything you need in your animated video tutorial toolbox: your journey begins now!
Let us arm you with a few bonus tips to make the most of your video training:
Whiteboard animation is an engaging, effective, and cost-efficient way to deliver tutorials. By combining clear scripting, interactive visuals, and strategic refinement, you’ll create video content that educates, inspires, and leaves trainees feeling clear.
Ready to create tutorial videos with impact? Our team at Next Day Animations specializes in transforming complex topics into easy tutorials, memorable instructional videos, and engaging learning experiences across platforms.
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