Why Training Videos for SaaS Businesses are Crucial and How to Make One

In the fiercely competitive SaaS landscape, providing excellent user training is essential for success. Well-crafted training videos help onboard and educate users effectively, increasing product adoption and customer retention rates.

Companies that invest in high-quality training resources not only empower their customers but also gain a significant advantage over their rivals. Let's dive into the world of training videos and explore how this powerful tool can level up your SaaS user experience!

Why Training Videos Are Crucial For SaaS Businesses

1. Efficient Knowledge Transfer

Training videos are an incredibly efficient way to transfer knowledge about your product to users. By demonstrating features, use cases, and best practices through clear visuals and narration, videos facilitate faster onboarding and adoption. 85 -95% of businesses believe videos have helped them increase their understanding of a product or service. Furthermore, the same study found that 81% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, indicating the widespread recognition of its effectiveness in communication.

By providing this essential knowledge upfront through training videos, you reduce roadblocks and frustrations, keeping users engaged and satisfied. 40-60% of users who sign up for a product will use it once and never come back, often due to struggling with onboarding. Comprehensive training resources can significantly mitigate this issue, boosting user retention rates.

2. Competitive Advantage in the Market

In today's crowded SaaS market, exceptional user training can be a key differentiator. Companies that prioritize user enablement through thoughtful training resources signal their commitment to customer success. Thriveagency says, 96% of marketers believe videos have helped increase user understanding of their product or service. By providing comprehensive video training, you set your company apart, empowering users with the tools and resources to maximize the value they derive from your product.

3. Reduced Customer Queries and Increased Customer Satisfaction

Effective training videos can significantly reduce the number of customer support inquiries by proactively addressing common questions and use cases. Research by Zendesk indicates that providing self-service resources, such as training videos, can deflect up to 67% of support tickets, resulting in substantial cost savings for businesses. With their queries resolved through self-service training, users experience greater satisfaction and confidence in using your product.

This boost in customer satisfaction leads to increased loyalty and advocacy. Companies that earn $1 billion annually can expect to earn an additional $700 million within three years of investing in customer experience. By providing exceptional training resources, you create a positive customer experience that fosters loyalty and turns customers into advocates for your brand.

4. Differentiate Offerings and Showcase Value

In a sea of similar SaaS products, training videos offer a powerful way to differentiate your offerings and showcase the unique value of your solution. By highlighting specific use cases, advanced features, and best practices, you demonstrate the depth and versatility of your product, positioning it as a superior choice in the market.

Furthermore, training videos allow you to highlight the problem-solving capabilities of your software, reinforcing its value proposition. By illustrating how your product addresses common pain points and challenges faced by your target audience, you solidify its position as an indispensable tool in your customer’s tech stack.

The Psychology of Effective Training Videos

1. Understanding the Cognitive Load Theory and its Impact on Learning

The Cognitive Load Theory suggests that the human brain has a limited capacity for processing new information. Effective training videos should minimize extraneous cognitive load and present content in a structured, intuitive way. Focusing on one concept at a time and using visuals to support explanations can greatly enhance learning and retention. By adhering to principles of cognitive load management, you ensure that users can efficiently process and retain the knowledge you provide.

Here are the key principles of cognitive load management:

• Break down complex topics into smaller, digestible chunks
• Use clear language and avoid unnecessary jargon
• Leverage visuals (diagrams, animations, examples) to support explanations
• Remove any distracting or irrelevant elements
• Guide the learner's attention to the most important information
• Present information in a logical, organized sequence
• Allow time for processing and reflection between concepts
• Use existing knowledge as a foundation for new information
• Provide opportunities for practice and application

By following these principles, you can create training videos that align with the natural limitations of the human cognitive system, ultimately facilitating more effective learning and retention.

2. Leveraging Multimedia Learning Principles for Better Retention

Research on multimedia learning principles demonstrates that people learn better from words and pictures than from words alone. By combining on-screen text, narration, and visuals, you create a multi-sensory learning experience that reinforces key concepts and improves knowledge retention. According to a study by Richard Mayer, individuals retain information better when it is presented through multiple channels, as it allows them to build more robust mental models.

3. Emotional Design: Creating a Memorable and Engaging Experience

Emotional design is the practice of creating products that elicit positive emotions in users. By crafting training videos that are not only informative but also visually appealing and enjoyable to watch, you create a memorable and engaging learning experience that motivates users to continue exploring your product. Research shows that positive emotional experiences can increase customer loyalty.

How to Make Training Videos For Your SaaS Product [7-step process]

1. Planning, Scripting, and Storyboarding

Effective training videos start with thorough planning. Begin by identifying the key topics and concepts to cover, then create a detailed script and storyboard. This process ensures a logical flow of information and helps you visualize the video before production begins. By investing time in planning, you can avoid common pitfalls and create a cohesive, well-structured training resource.

2. Choose the Right Tools and Software

Select the appropriate tools and software for creating high-quality training videos. Screen capture and video editing software, as well as tools for adding visual elements like annotations and callouts, can significantly enhance the quality and clarity of your videos. Popular options include Trainn, Camtasia, ScreenFlow, and Snagit, among others. Choosing the right tools ensures a professional-grade production that captivates your audience.

3. Utilizing Screen Capture and Demonstration

Screen capture is a powerful technique for creating training videos that demonstrate features and workflows within your product. Combine screen capture with clear narration, annotations, and zooming to guide the viewer's attention and ensure they follow along effortlessly. By showing users exactly how to navigate and interact with your product, you eliminate guesswork and provide a seamless learning experience.

4. Hosting and Distributing the Training Videos

Hosting your training videos on a reliable platform ensures they are easily accessible to your users. Platforms like Trainn provide an ideal solution for not only creating videos but also hosting, organizing, and distributing your video content, making it simple for users to find and consume the training resources they need. Additionally, these platforms often offer analytics and tracking capabilities, allowing you to monitor user engagement and gather valuable insights.

5. Mobile Optimization

With a significant portion of internet traffic coming from mobile devices, optimizing your training videos for mobile viewing is crucial. Ensure your videos are responsive, with clear visuals and captions so that users can engage with your content seamlessly across devices. Consider vertical video formats and design choices that enhance the mobile viewing experience, ensuring your training resources are accessible and effective for users on the go.

Posist, an all-in-one cloud restaurant management software, wanted to create training content that is accessible at any time, anywhere. When they launched Posist Academy on mobile, it was an instant hit among its 12,000 global customers. Read the full customer story here.

6. Measuring the Success of Your Training Videos

Regularly analyze user engagement metrics, such as video views, completion rates, and user feedback, to understand the effectiveness of your training resources. This data will inform future improvements and help you create training content that consistently resonates with your audience. Additionally, track the impact of your training videos on customer support inquiries and user retention rates to quantify their contribution to your business goals.

7. Familiarity and Trust Through Localization Strategies

In today's global market, providing training resources in multiple languages is essential for reaching a wider audience. Localization not only ensures your content is accessible to diverse customers but also demonstrates your commitment to inclusivity and customer success. Report by Common Sense Advisory, 75% of global consumers prefer to buy products in their native language, even if they speak English well. By offering training videos in multiple languages, you cater to these preferences and remove language barriers, fostering a sense of familiarity and trust with your brand.

Smart video creation tools like Trainn can simplify the process of localization, allowing you to create training videos in various languages with ease. This streamlined approach to localization saves you time and resources, enabling you to focus on creating high-quality training content while the platform handles the intricacies of multilingual distribution.

Trainn offers a comprehensive solution for creating, hosting, and distributing localized training videos, ensuring your content reaches and resonates with customers worldwide.

Key Takeaways

• Training videos are an essential resource for SaaS businesses, driving user onboarding, adoption, satisfaction, and retention.
• By following best practices in psychology and multimedia learning, you can create effective, engaging, and memorable training content that empowers your users.
• Prioritizing training resources provides a competitive advantage, reduces support queries, and increases customer loyalty, ultimately contributing to the long-term success of your SaaS business.
• Invest in high-quality training videos to unlock the full potential of your product, differentiate your offerings, and solidify your position in the competitive SaaS landscape.
  

Get started with Trainn, the comprehensive solution for creating, hosting, and distributing exceptional video training resources. Empower your users, drive adoption, and achieve success in the competitive SaaS landscape.

Join the ranks of industry leaders who prioritize user enablement and leverage the power of training videos to gain a significant advantage in the market. Contact us to learn more and take the first step towards revolutionizing your customer experience.

FAQs

Why should I invest in training videos for my SaaS product?

Training videos enhance user onboarding, increase product adoption, reduce support queries, and boost customer satisfaction and retention, providing a significant competitive advantage in the market. By prioritizing user enablement through high-quality training resources, you empower your customers, differentiate your offerings, and drive long-term success for your SaaS business.

What makes a training video effective?

Effective training videos follow best practices for cognitive load management, multimedia learning principles, and emotional design. They are well-planned, visually engaging, and provide a memorable learning experience. By adhering to these guidelines, you create training content that resonates with users and facilitates efficient knowledge transfer.

How can I ensure my training videos are accessible to a global audience?

Utilize tools like Trainn to create training videos in multiple languages, ensuring your content reaches and resonates with customers worldwide. Additionally, optimize your videos for mobile viewing and consider design choices that enhance accessibility for users across devices and locations.