How-to film guides
15 practical guides to planning, making and publishing how-to and instruction videos. Each one starts with the short answer.
- How to make a how-to videoA practical 7-step method for making a how-to video: pick one task, plan the steps, script it, film or animate it, edit for pace, caption it and publish it.
- How to make an instruction videoHow companies make instruction videos for products and procedures: the source of truth, approvals, safety steps, languages and keeping versions in sync.
- How to film a tutorialHow to film a tutorial with the phone you already have: where to put it, how to light a table or workbench, how to get clean sound and how to record in short takes.
- Instruction video script templateA free two-column script template for instruction and how-to videos, with a filled-in example, word counts per step and rules for writing lines people can follow.
- How long should a how-to video be?How long a how-to video should be depends on the number of steps, not on a magic number. A simple way to estimate length, and when to split a video in two.
- Animated vs filmed instructionsWhen to film real hands and when to animate: a plain comparison of animated and filmed instruction videos on clarity, languages, updates, effort and trust.
- A product demo video from your websiteYour website already holds the script, the claims and the brand for a product demo video. How to pull them out, shape a 60-second demo and keep it on brand.
- Video for product pagesWhich videos belong on a product page (use, scale, setup, care), where to place them in the gallery, how long they should be and the technical details that matter.
- How to turn a PDF into a videoFour ways to turn a PDF into a video: narrated slideshow, presenter video, rebuilt animation, or a service built for manuals. What each suits, with steps.
- Tutorial video checklistA printable tutorial video checklist in four stages: planning, recording, editing and publishing, with the questions to ask at each stage and a final test.
- How-to video ideas for small businesses25 practical how-to video ideas for small businesses, grouped by goal: win customers, help them use what they bought, cut support questions and train staff.
- How to make a software tutorial videoHow to make a clear software tutorial with screen recording: a clean demo account, a readable size, zoom on clicks, separate narration and keeping it current.
- How to publish how-to videosWhere to host how-to videos, which formats and aspect ratios to export, how to name and describe them for search, and how to link them from products with QR codes.
- Captions for how-to videosWhy every how-to video needs captions, the difference between open and closed captions, how to create and check them, and style rules for instructions.
- How-to videos for customer supportHow to choose, make and use how-to videos in customer support: find the questions worth a video, keep each answer short, and send it at the right moment.