6 Easy Steps To Create Training Videos Your Employees Will Actually Watch
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Training videos are essential tools for businesses to educate and engage employees. Whether you’re onboarding new hires or switching to new software, a training video can help break down complex topics and ensure your team stays on the same page.
Training videos contain important information for new and existing employees, but how can you take them from boring to brilliant? Find out how to use streamlined solutions from HeyGen. We’re here to help you create polished, accessible training videos while saving time and money.
Below, we’ll cover:
- How to create a training video with HeyGen in 6 steps
- 6 different types of training videos
- 8 benefits of training videos
- How Sibelco used HeyGen to streamline corporate safety training
- What makes a great training video?
What is a training video?
A training video is a digital resource created to teach a specific skill or piece of information to a particular audience.
As vital building blocks of the Learning and Development process, training videos are frequently used in corporate onboarding, employee development, compliance training, and more. They also allow a company to share its workflow and established processes with new hires or existing employees who may need a refresher.
A good training video ensures consistent messaging while accommodating diverse learning styles. HeyGen offers an easy solution with tools that let you easily create, customize, and translate high-quality training content.

6 steps for creating a training video with HeyGen
Creating an effective training video doesn’t have to be overwhelming. HeyGen makes the process simpler, faster, and cheaper — all without the need for a camera, crew, or script rehearsal. Follow these six simple steps to try it for yourself.
Step 1: Identify learning objectives
First, define the purpose of the video and what it will teach. Carefully consider your audience’s needs and skill levels.
To create a clear objective, ask yourself, “What problem will this training address? What skills or knowledge should viewers walk away with?” Be specific! Instead of “improve customer service,” consider adjusting to “teach viewers how to resolve customer complaints in 4 steps.”
This is also when you will decide what type of training video will work best. For example, is a “talking head” style presenter video enough, or do you need a screen recording with narration to show detailed steps?
Step 2: Pick a customizable template and avatar
Get started by choosing a template from the HeyGen training video template library to use as the foundation of your video. Next, create your own custom avatar or select one of our avatars to be the speaker in your training video. Choose from different ages, ethnicities, clothing styles, and video backgrounds to find the right fit for your content.
Step 3: Write the script
It’s time for the most important part: writing your training video script. Think about what information needs to be included, then break it down into simple, easy-to-follow sections. Consider your audience, keep the tone in line with your brand voice and values, and ensure every step is communicated clearly.
If applicable, align the video content with real-life scenarios and challenges employees will face. Avoid idioms and jargon, as they may get lost in translation. Summarize key takeaways at the end of the video script.
Next, paste your script into the HeyGen video generator. Select your avatar, desired voice, pitch, and talking speed. HeyGen will automatically have your avatar lip-sync and bring your script to life.
Step 4: Add visual aids
Once you write the script, generating a training video with HeyGen is a breeze. Slides, dynamic graphs, and other visual aids can help illustrate key concepts. Add transition animations, branding, captions, and other elements to make your content more engaging. Then, click “Submit” and your video will be ready in just a few minutes!
Step 5: Translate video to other languages
HeyGen’s easy translation capabilities allow you to broaden your audience and increase accessibility. Translate with just one click! Closed captioning and hyper-realistic lip-syncing for over 170 different languages are also available.
Remember: Localization goes beyond translation. In the scripting phase, adjust any real-life scenarios and cultural references to reflect your audiences in different regions.
Step 6: Download and share
Once your video is complete, download it and share it through appropriate employee channels (the learning management system, intranet, etc.). Test and refine your training resource by collecting feedback from your employees.
Company processes grow and change over time, and a good training video is regularly updated with the latest information. Luckily, HeyGen makes it easy to revise and edit your AI training video so it stays relevant through the years.

Different types of training videos
Training videos come in a variety of formats. The best type of training video for your needs will depend on your specific learning objectives.
Presenter videos
Also known as “talking head” videos, presenter videos feature an instructor addressing the viewer directly and sharing knowledge. These are ideal for adding a personal touch and keeping the audience’s attention.
When to use: Presenter videos are suitable for introducing and explaining educational content or sharing company updates.
Screen recordings with voiceover narration
Some training videos feature a recording of someone’s computer screen as they show viewers how to use a program or complete a certain task online. These often include a picture-in-picture inset view of the speaker.
When to use: Screen recording training videos are ideal for software tutorials and other process walkthroughs, especially in a remote working environment.
Tutorials and how-to videos
This format includes step-by-step guides for specific tasks. How-to videos should be easy to follow along with, and they are especially important for employee onboarding and upskilling. They may also include troubleshooting recommendations.
When to use: Tutorials and how-to videos work best for delivering detailed instructions about equipment usage, assembly, or operational procedures.
Safety videos
Safety training videos for employees address common workplace hazards, emergency protocols, evacuation paths, and compliance issues. While these videos are critical for high-risk environments and industries like manufacturing and healthcare, every business can benefit from them.
When to use: Some examples of safety video topics include teaching employees how to wear PPE, operate heavy machinery, find a fire extinguisher, evacuate their building, or safely use a ladder.
Whiteboard explainer videos
Whiteboard explainer videos show key points and steps being drawn out on a whiteboard. This format is great for representing abstract concepts visually.
When to use: Whiteboard videos can be used to illustrate sales funnels, workflow hierarchy, and new business strategies.
Live-action videos
Live-action videos feature real actors and locations. These videos are often filmed on-site at the company, in the settings employees will find themselves in every day.
When to use: Live-action videos are commonly used for workplace harassment prevention training, customer service training, or other role-playing exercises.

8 benefits of training videos
There are numerous benefits to using video training for employees instead of (or in addition to) hands-on employee-led training. Here are eight to consider:
- Improved retention: With visual examples, employees retain more information. According to Forbes, viewers retain 95% of a message from watching a video versus only 10% when reading the same information in a text. Additionally, a recent TechSmith report found that 83% of people surveyed preferred watching training videos over reading or listening to instructions.
- Boost efficiency: Improve workplace efficiency and save resources by reducing or eliminating the need for a live trainer. With training videos, senior employees won’t have to take time away from their usual duties to train new hires.
- Lower cost: Creating a training video that can be shared over and over is more cost-effective than having a peer trainer repeat the same instructions every time someone new is hired.
- Flexible self-led learning: Asynchronous instruction via online training videos can be personalized and completed independently. This allows employees to easily fit training into their schedules and learn at their own pace.
- Accessibility: Training videos are accessible anytime, anywhere, so employees can rewatch them whenever they want to review or revisit what they’ve learned.
- Consistency in brand messaging: By customizing your avatar, script, and visual elements, you can create a training video that best represents your brand identity and video strategy.
- Broader audience: HeyGen’s easy-to-use training video maker lets you translate, caption, and localize training videos for multilingual audiences.
- Scalability: Once they’ve been created, HeyGen allows you to easily edit and revise your training videos to ensure they stay up-to-date with your changing business needs and processes.
What makes a great training video?
Once you’re ready to make a training video, there are a few things to keep in mind. Here are some training video tips for creating engaging programs your employees will actually pay attention to.
Digestible length
The ideal training video length is under ten minutes. Four to six minutes is a good range to aim for. Short training videos are best, so break longer topics into multiple videos to avoid overwhelming viewers.
Is your training video too long? Break it up into smaller sections spread across different modules. This allows employees to revisit specific topics as needed.
Clear communication and learning objectives
Use straightforward language. Clearly outline learning objectives at the start of the video. Include storytelling and relatable scenarios to draw the viewer in and make lessons stick. Add animations, graphics, and other visual elements to illustrate complex concepts. End with a summary of key takeaways to reinforce your message.
Customized for your audience/employees
Your training video’s format and style should fit your brand and goals. Find ways to incorporate examples that your employees will commonly encounter. Regularly update content to maintain relevance.
Your video should also be professional and polished. With HeyGen AI Video Generator, you never have to worry about low-resolution video, poor lighting, flubbed lines, or muddy sound quality.

Training video FAQ
How long should a training video be?
Four to six minutes is the best length for a training video, depending on what type of information you cover. If you exceed the ten-minute mark, you could overload the viewer with too much information at once. For more complex topics, spread the information across multiple videos categorized into different learning modules.
Are training videos effective?
Yes, training videos are highly effective for information retention as they cater to both visual and auditory learning styles. The convenient ability to pause, rewind, and rewatch allows viewers to go at their own pace.
Additionally, training videos provide scalability, making it easier to train large teams and remote employees without the need for in-person sessions.
How much does it cost to make a training video?
Training video production costs can be expensive, often reaching thousands of dollars. Once you have a script ready, you still have to worry about hiring talent, finding a location, setting up lights and cameras, and so much more.
Fortunately, HeyGen does all the work for you in one simple platform. When it comes to training videos, AI can be a major help. Best of all? With a free account, you can create up to three three-minute videos a month. Higher tiers allow you to generate unlimited videos at a much lower price than traditional live-action video production.
How do I measure the effectiveness of a training video?
To measure the effectiveness of a training video, you can add an interactive element at the end. Examples include a multiple-choice quiz or an open-ended question about a hypothetical scenario covered in the training.
HeyGen case study: Sibelco training videos
Sibelco, a global material solutions company headquartered in Belgium, wanted a faster way to create internal training videos. Historically, video production was a major challenge for them.
Finding actors, scouting multiple locations, and editing drained their time and resources. Plus, with operations all over the world, there was a pressing need for multilingual translation.
Sibelco Digital Learning Manager Jean-Marie Petit and his team began exploring AI as a way to streamline their workflow. They discovered a perfect fit with HeyGen’s AI avatars and text-to-speech capability, eliminating the need for actors and studio time.
By partnering with HeyGen, Sibelco reduced the need for external vendors and began creating its own in-house library of safe, informative, and relevant training materials. The team could easily apply updates to past videos without reshoots.
In less than six months, Sibelco drastically increased the number of videos they could produce and release while reducing production costs by €1,000 per minute.
“With HeyGen, things become less complex and more intuitive. While using AI can be intimidating, the flow with HeyGen makes it easy to navigate, and allows our team to save time and money all while keeping Sibelco employees safe.”
- Jean-Marie Petit, Digital Learning Manager at Sibelco
To harness the power of AI and create a multimedia learning solution for your team, try HeyGen today.
Create personalized training videos with HeyGen
To make engaging personalized training videos fast, use HeyGen. With text-to-video creation in our easy-to-use platform and translation into more than 170 languages, we've helped over 45,000 companies create, localize, and personalize videos at scale.
Ready to reduce production time and cost of training videos? Explore our diverse library of 250+ customizable avatars and 300+ voices to find the perfect fit for your brand.
Get started with HeyGen today and discover how we’ve simplified the training video creation process.
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