Think about all the times you’ve watched a tutorial video on your phone. Maybe to learn the perfect golf swing or install a baby car seat. Perhaps you’ve even downloaded or shared a makeup or cooking video tutorial with a friend.

Irrespective of the niche, people watch instructional videos to learn new things, self-development and even grow their brands.

So, if you’re a creator or a business on a mission to help your target audience, it’s important to guide visitors through every stage of the customer journey. And strategic video tutorials can help you do that.

In this guide, we’re spilling all the beans. We share an easy 3-step guide to create excellent video tutorials, along with some tips and examples to get the show on the road.

But before diving in, let’s understand what video tutorials are.

What are Video Tutorials? And, Do You Really Need Them?

A video tutorial or how-to video is basically an instructional video that displays a process or concept in action. Examples include “how to make vanilla cupcakes,” “how to make a fish braid,” “how to drive a stick shift car,” etc.

With online users more inclined towards watching YouTube tutorial videos than reading a product’s instructions, making video tutorials a part of your video marketing strategy makes sense.

A video tutorial can help your brand in more than one way. First, it can help you explain a process in a better, more engaging way than written instructions. It also assists in delivering the message faster and triggers emotions that other forms of content may not be able to do.

All in all, an instructional video is an exciting way to drive various actions while grabbing the viewers’ attention.

How to Make a Video Tutorial in 3 Easy Steps

Wave.video’s online video recorder is a brilliant tool for video creators. From recording a video tutorial using your webcam or capturing screen, a lot can be done using our free online screen and video recorder.

What’s more?

You can even invite guests, edit your recorded videos, add custom layouts and do more to create high-quality video tutorials.

Here’s how to make video tutorials in 3 simple steps using Wave.video:

Step 1 – Log in and create a new video recording

Log in to your Wave.video account, go to “My projects,” and click “+ Create.” Now, select “Video recording” from the drop-down.

While setting up your recording, you can take advantage of features like adding media, and captions, inviting guests via a link, choosing a background, layout, etc.

Step 2 – Record your video tutorial

Once you have set up the video recording, click “Start recording” on the top right to begin your instructional video’s recording. You can pause and resume the recording as and when you want.

To stop recording your tutorial video, hit “End recording.” The video recording will then be saved in your projects folder.

Step 3 – Edit and share the video tutorial

Finally, edit your recorded video and weave your magic using Wave.video’s online video editor. You can host, download, share the video, and even stream it live from the platform itself.

Go to “My projects,” hover over the three dots icon on your video tutorial’s preview and choose what you want to do from the menu.

That’s how easy it is to make video tutorials with Wave.video and keep your brand top-of-mind.

8 Tips to Make Great Tutorial Videos

1. Create a plan

To make instructional videos that break through all of the noise, create a solid plan. Give your thoughts a structure and figure out all the elements you’d want in your video and where. For example, where would the narration or the background music be? Or where will you add B-roll footage, etc.?

Having a plan would help maintain momentum as you record your video. That means you can save time editing those awkward uhms and ahhs. Plus, it will ensure you cover every important aspect of your video.

2. Prepare a script & practice it

Once you’ve chalked out a plan with all the scenes for your tutorial video, come up with a script for every scene. Begin with an intriguing hook and include relevant, impressive words in the script to make it understandable for every viewer.

Also, keep it short and don’t spend too much time explaining things, thinking that your audience “might not get it”. Finally, summarize the video and thank the viewers for investing their time in your video.

Tweak the script if needed and finalize it once it sounds natural, concise, and engaging. And remember to rehearse your video script a couple of times before you kick-start your recording.

3. Speak to your audience with relevant visuals

When making a video tutorial, always choose backgrounds that aren’t too busy or distracting. Remember, your goal is to help your viewers learn something – make it easier by selecting a simple backdrop and focusing on other on-screen elements. For example, keep the background white or beige to avoid distractions while recording a makeup tutorial.

Don’t transition too fast or slow if you’re using screen recordings or videos/graphics, etc. Instead, give enough time to each scene or slide to help your audience grasp the message without confusion.

4. Invest in a good microphone

Your tutorial videos’ success depends on a handful of equipment, including the microphone. Investing in a decent mic is crucial unless you’re creating fully animated video tutorials.

Apart from making the narrations sound clear, a good mic can also elevate the overall production quality of the video, making viewers stick around for a longer time. Here are some of our top recommendations for mics that can make your videos sound great.

5. Control the environment

 Choose a distraction-free space: While choosing a location for recording your tutorial video, pick a quiet room that doesn’t have too many background noises. Of course, you can always edit the sounds and noises post-production, but choosing a distraction-free place will help you save a lot of time and effort later. So, why not do it right the first time?

Take care of the lighting: Whether you’re new to video tutorials or a pro, understand the role lighting plays in making your videos successful. You don’t really need to invest in fancy, expensive lights for outstanding results. When used wisely, even natural light can create studio-quality videos. Just be mindful of where the light source is. The light should always fall on the subject from the front and sides, not behind, as that can cause shadows or silhouettes.

Position the webcam right: If you’re using a webcam to record your video tutorial, make sure that it’s positioned right and enhances your on-camera presence. Try different angles to find the best one, and keep the webcam at eye level for that perfect positioning.

6. Add background music

There’s a good chance your video will get more engagement by adding background music. It fills in the dead air and gives a nice rhythm to the video. You can use Wave.video to add your own soundtrack or choose from a vast library of royalty-free sounds, tunes, and audio clips.

7. Add captions to tutorials

 Make your videos more accessible by adding subtitles or captions to them. You can easily add auto-generated captions and custom subtitles to your instructional videos using Wave.video’s automatic video captioning feature.

8. Show your brand

While sharing video tutorials is an excellent way to build an audience, you can take it further by adding your brand kit into the mix. Use your brand’s fonts, colors, and logo in your tutorials to keep your branding consistent and expand your brand reach and awareness.

Pro tip: Use a customized thumbnail for your tutorials with your brand’s elements to stand out.

Top Examples of Brands Using Video Tutorials

How To Paint A Room

Home RenoVision DIY is making the most of tutorial videos, and their content is simply awesome. For example, check out this tutorial on painting a room which even a beginner can easily follow, thanks to the simple instructions, clear sound, and terrific recording.

Resin Bookmark Tutorial

Take a cue from this video by DIY Craft Tutorials as you embark on your video tutorial creation journey. With a minimalistic background, a clear voiceover recording, easy-to-read text on screen, interesting background music, and channel branding, this one deserves entry to the list.

4 Cardboard Box Night Stand Bedside Table Ideas

Doesn’t everyone fantasize about learning different ways to do something in one video? Well, you can help your audience by giving them several ideas in one tutorial video, just like this example from MissDebbieDIY.

EXTRA GLAM Makeup Tutorial

This video tutorial by Denitslava Makeup features a blurred background, clever channel branding, and subtle background scores that are not overriding the creator’s voice. The speed is right and there’s humor, learning with loads of makeup. And we can’t miss the editing – it’s incredible too.

How to Repair and Remove Dents from your Car

With custom subtitles, precise narration, and some invaluable tips and tricks, this video tutorial by ChrisFix is one of the best examples that video tutorial creators can learn from. No wonder why it garnered millions of views pretty soon.

Chicken Spinach and Cheese Tutorial

Okay, so something for the chefs and culinary experts out there. This ASMR, no-talking video by Recipe30 is a superb example of a tutorial done right. The choice of music is top-notch, the instructions are straightforward with subtitles for better comprehension, and there’s a pooch to liven up the video. That’s too much awesomeness rolled up into one clip, don’t you think?

Perfume Making Tutorial

While making video tutorials, stay authentic to your brand voice. So, if you are more of a teaching person and want to ditch the elaborate add-ons like background music, text, etc., do that. You can always stick to the basics like those done in this tutorial from Sunshine Soap and Candle Company. It’s all about simple instructions, narration, and branding – which is often all the viewers need.

Spanish Guitar Song Tutorial

With the influx of content on the web, viewers are always looking for videos that inspire them to take action. This video tutorial from Tomas Michaud is one such example. The bright blue background is gripping, and the editing is fabulous. And, of course, the sophisticated branding adds a certain charm to the video.

Easy Drawing Tutorial

It’s safe to say that 5-Minute Crafts has become a household name for learning tricks and hacks on almost anything in the world. Their video tutorials are short, compelling, and visually organized – no busy backgrounds or cluttered screens. This video tutorial on drawing tricks is an example that brands can take inspiration from and make content that attracts viewers and retains them.

Video Tutorial Creation at your Fingertips

Listen: making video tutorials doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s more straightforward with Wave.video, and you can always try different templates and elements to find out what would work best for your brand.

Hopefully, the tips and video tutorial examples mentioned in this guide can help you provide a great learning experience to your audience. If you want to discover how to research your audience to create engaging video content, here’s a must-read.