eLearning is witnessing never-before-seen growth. In a post-pandemic world, as many as 60% of us reported learning a new skill through a digital video. At current growth rates, it's expected that eLearning will become the primary learning method for adults and children alike within 15 years.
Better still, eLearning videos are much cheaper to implement than in-person training and printed learning materials, making them an excellent solution for both learners and those delivering eLearning materials.
That said, as incredible as this new way of learning is, it is very possible to get things wrong. I've seen many examples of eLearning platforms and companies delivering in-house training videos missing the mark due to a few easily-resolved issues.
So, with that in mind, let's run through my top tips to ensure that you create the best possible eLearning video every time.
1. Keep Your eLearning Video Content Bite-Sized
Research conducted by the Columbia University School of Continuing Education revealed that the average viewing time for eLearning videos was 4 minutes.
People simply can't maintain their concentration for long periods these days. That problem is exacerbated when trying to explain complex materials to your audience. It's no good creating an hour-long video on the fundamentals of quantum physics. Your audience will have switched off long before the halfway point.
So, while it may seem like common sense, make sure your eLearning video is concise and straight to the point. This will keep your audience interested and engage with each video and help them retain more of what they learn.
2. Be Clear with Your Language and Narration
Next, make sure that your videos are as clear as possible. This will help your audience comprehend what you're trying to say as quickly as possible. Don't beat around the bush and have your video script going off on tangents. It doesn't matter whether you are educating PhD students or entry-level workers at your company, avoid using fluff and remain on the subject.
While this may seem obvious, it is surprisingly easy to overlook the importance of clarity. As learners are watching your video, their objective will be to learn the subject material as quickly as possible so they can put it into practice in a real-world setting. So keep that in mind when drafting your video script.
3. Make Your eLearning Video as Interactive as Possible
Interactivity is one of the significant benefits of eLearning videos. It's possible to embed quizzes, games, and other elements into videos that help reinforce the learning process. While good content delivery is crucial, you need to ensure comprehension. Otherwise, everyone is wasting their time.
Interactivity is also the key to maintaining engagement. Videos that are viewed in a non-interactive manner are quickly forgotten after the course is over. That's not good for information retention rates or viewer satisfaction.
4. Ensure the Tone of Voice for the Video is Appropriate for Your Audience
When creating eLearning videos, consider your audience and how you can personalize the experience. For instance, is English the first language for your viewers? Are they based in the UK?
If so, you may want to hire a native English-speaking voice-over artist with a British accent for your video instead of international talent. Hiring an American voice for a European audience may seem impersonal and possibly irrelevant, so give plenty of thought to the tone of voice for your video.
When it comes to eLearning videos, your voice-over artist’s language and speaking skills can make all the difference in comprehension and engagement.
5. Use the Right Music for Your eLearning Video
Music is a powerful tool when it comes to controlling how your audience feels about your video. It can set the pace of a video, highlight specific points or even induce relaxation. Plenty of scientific studies have also demonstrated that selecting the right music can help improve concentration.
However, remember that music that is simplistic, overly jovial, or just generally irritating (I tend to think of high-pitched pop music, but each to their own!) will only alienate your audience. So, it's essential to find a piece of music that fits your video well and doesn't detract or distract in any way from the narration.
6. Use High-Quality Voice Over Talent
While it might sound cliché coming from a voice over artist, it's still true that the delivery of your eLearning content rests heavily on the quality of the individual narrating it. It's always tempting to use a cheap company or even an auto-text reader, but that's a very short-sighted approach that will likely end up costing you more in the long run.
eLearning videos done in this manner can be like reading a textbook: boring and frustratingly dry, completely defeating the objective. If you want to retain people's attention and make them less likely to switch off, using an experienced voice over artist will make all the difference. I guess you’ll just have to trust me on that one ;-)
7. Don't Forget To Invest in Editing
eLearning videos can be great pieces of content, but the final product without editing can be a bit of a letdown. I've seen some really amazing videos that could have been better with a little polishing if only the company or eLearning platform had bothered to edit them after recording.
Just as any video can be ruined by poor editing, so can your eLearning videos. Avoid jumps between slides or scenes that jump, distract, or lose the audience, and ensure your audio narration matches the visual cues. It really is worth investing in an editor to make sure these problems are ironed out before publishing your video.
Ensure Your eLearning Videos are Up to Scratch with Professional Voice Over Services
By following my tips laid out above, you will be more than on your way to creating engaging eLearning content that your audience will love. As we've covered already, if you want to take your video to another level, then it's worth considering hiring a voice over artist for your next eLearning project.
I have already delivered professional voice over services to dozens of eLearning providers and appeared on in-house training videos for many leading companies. I can adapt my voice to meet your specific audience, or content requirements.
So if you need an experienced and highly-skilled female British voice over artist to narrate your eLearning course content, why not head over to my website to learn more about my eLearning video narration services?
Alternatively, you can send me an email me on nickygriffithsvo@gmail.com or book a discovery call to discuss your next eLearning project in more detail.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Nicky Griffiths