How To Make a Tutorial Video With No Equipment

WRITTEN BY
Kevin Alster
PUBLISHED ON
October 30, 2023
Table of contents

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On average, 1 minute of live-action video shot with equipment costs between $1,500 and $10,000.  

With this in mind, we understand why you're looking for a way to create tutorial videos for a more - shall we say - reasonable price. 💸

But fear not; there are ways to create professional tutorial videos without equipment regardless of your budget, and luckily you've stumbled upon the right article to show you how. 

Please stick with us as we walk you through what a video tutorial is and what steps you need to take to create this type of training video without equipment or a big budget. 

6 steps to making a tutorial video
  1. Pick your video tutorial style.
  2. Set your goals and be clear about your objectives.
  3. Write down your video tutorial script.
  4. Choose your video template.
  5. Create your own human-like AI avatar and voiceover.
  6. Review your video tutorial and publish.

Why are tutorial videos the best way to learn something new?

According to several studies, an instructional or tutorial video is the best way to acquire new knowledge. Why?

Let's point out some facts:

  • Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it on video versus 10% when they read it in a text.
  • Humans respond to and process visual data better than any other data type. The human brain processes visual content 60,000 times faster than text. 
  • Videos engage learners with more complex topics and facilitate greater interaction with other content.

But wait, there is more.

  • 94% of marketers agree that videos have helped increase user understanding of their product or service.
  • Everyone can learn at their own pace. In fact, according to a study, "private tutoring is 4 times more effective than classroom teaching."
  • You get to keep the best professional because making a tutorial video to teach a new skill is easy and faster. 61% of workers say upskilling opportunities are an important reason to stay at their job

How to make a tutorial video?

To start with, remember that this is not a Netflix production; therefore, it's okay if you don't have a million-dollar budget, the fanciest equipment, or Neil deGrasse Tyson to narrate your tutorial video.

Secondly, while we understand that having a fancy Hollywood-style production with professional cameras and equipment for your video tutorials sounds promising, the reality is that you don't need any of this to make a good tutorial video. 

To create video tutorials, you need two things: 

a) A computer 🖥️

b) A good online tutorial video maker ✅

Do you know what makes an excellent online video maker?

Well, there are many options, but if you want the cream of the crop of video makers, the choice will be:

Spoiler alert in 1...2...3.

We are talking about Synthesia

Why Synthesia?

We already mention that you don't need more than a computer and video maker software to create video tutorials, but why do we recommend Synthesia and not another video generator?

Well, this is because with this software:

➡️ You can create videos in minutes and not weeks.

➡️ You can save money since you don't need to rent/buy equipment or hire a video production team.

➡️ You can create videos faster because there are fewer intermediaries, and the production and editing time is shorter.

➡️ You do not need previous editing experience. The software is beginner-friendly.

➡️ You have complete control of the creative process.

➡️ You can translate content into over 130 accents and languages with a single click. 

➡️ You can easily edit and adjust video on demand

Once you have started your computer and login into the #1 AI video maker platform, you are ready to start the next part: making the video.

Synthesia Product Demo | AI Talking Head Avatars (New!)

Here are the six steps to follow when creating your tutorial video. 👇

Step 1: Pick your video tutorial style

Lacking traditional recording equipment is not an obstacle to creating creative and unique video tutorials, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise. On the contrary, think of video creation platforms as endless boxes for creativity, which you can use to create different styles of videos.

Some of the different styles of tutorials you can make with video makers are:

Presenter Style

According to some studies, the most engaging videos feature other people or "peers," which is why presenter-style tutorial videos are so popular. Traditionally the presenter was an actor, an instructor, or an employee who was recorded giving the tutorial in a studio setup. 

So how do you make a presenter-style video, also known as a talking head video, without camera equipment? The answer is AI technology.

With video generators such as Synthesia, you can choose a human-looking avatar, give it a natural voice and add it to your video in one click.

image
presenter-style video

Screencast or screen recorder video

This type of video recording style is perfect if you need your customers or employees to understand how to use a platform, software, or app. Doing so can significantly impact your business and make your customers very happy. 

 "65% of customers say video is their favorite way to learn how to use a product or service."

Synthesia offers a screen recording functionality that allows you to:

  • Record your entire computer screen, a specific window, or a Chrome tab.
  • Trim your video to suit your needs.
  • Manage the timing of your screen recording.
  • Sync your screen recording with your audio.
  • Save the screen recording in your Synthesia library for future use.

Interactive tutorial videos

Interactive instructional videos are most known for reinforcing learning since you can interact with the video you watch in real-time.

What do we mean by this? The viewer must click, respond, or perform specific steps while watching the video. 

Animation

Animation is another style you can choose if it suits your brand identity better. This type of video is ideal for illustrating complicated concepts. The only thing you should keep in mind is that if you don't have experience in animation, you may have to resort to a specific platform or hire the services of a specialist. 

Step 2: Set your goals and be clear about your objectives

When creating a video, getting lost in the process can quickly happen to anyone. That's why we recommend setting some goals and objectives before designing your tutorial.

Your goals and objectives will differ from someone else's depending on what you want and need. However, everyone should keep one universal goal: ensure your how-to video is easy to understand. 

To keep you on track, it would help if you could answer:

What do you want to achieve with this video?

👉 Think about the purpose of this video and what you want to teach.

Who is the target audience?

👉 Identify your viewers; this will help you tailor the language and other elements to your audience's needs. 

Why is your video important?

👉 Reflect on why this video is important to your viewers, and share it with them.

How can you help your audience better understand your idea?

👉 Use methods, teaching techniques, and graphics that you think will help your audience better understand the topic.

Step 3: Write down your video tutorial script

In this life, it's not always about what you say but how you say it. Remembering this will keep you away from scripts that could bore your viewers to death and, more importantly, help your audience understand your tutorial.

Because yes, a good script is just as important as good visuals in creating an engaging and easy-to-understand video tutorial. 

So now the question is: how do you write a good script? 📝

  1. Make a draft of the points you want to make or address in your video. And plan what you want to say at the video's beginning, middle, and end. 
  2. Use simple language. There's no need to show your audience how much you know with pompous words. This will only make them more confused.
  3. Be sure to start with the basics and progress to the more complex.
  4. Start with phrases like "In this video, we will discuss..." "Today you will learn..." 
  5. Introduce yourself and explain why the content of your video tutorial is important.
  6. Use examples, real scenarios, and anything else to keep your script fresh, natural, and engaging.
  7. Demonstrate how to perform the task or action step-by-step.
  8. Give a recap of what you have learned. 
  9. Conclude with a call to action that directs workers to the next step.

Step 4: Choose your video template

Making sure your video looks good can be difficult when all your design skills are reduced to knowing how to modify the font and change the background of your PowerPoint slides [any resemblance to the real thing is just a coincidence].

Luckily, for all the non-designers of the world, video creation platforms like Synthesia offer professional-looking templates to make your video look like a designer created it. 

Synthesia has over 60 templates you can duplicate or fully customize.

image

Step 5: Create your own human-like AI avatar and voice over

As we told you at the beginning of this video, you don't need any equipment to create a great tutorial; you have to wait for AI technology to work its magic. 

Thanks to the creation of avatars and voiceovers, you won't need to hire actors, cameras, lights, sets, microphones, or separate video and voice editing software.

Synthesia will generate a human-sounding narration of your text with an AI avatar of your choice using text-to-video technology.

Furthermore, you can create a custom avatar of yourself or a team member (with the person's explicit consent).

Once your custom avatar is created, it will appear among your built-in avatars in Synthesia. 

How are Synthesia AI Avatars created?
Did you know? 🤔

With AI technology is easier to get to various markets. Cyber Inc., for example, expanded into new markets much earlier than planned in its roadmap. You can check the case study here.

Step 6: Review your video tutorial and publish it if everything looks good  

The final step in this journey is to review the video you made without equipment. 

For that reason, we recommend double-checking grammar, graphics, transitions, voiceover, templates, and any other errors. 

It is also important that your video fits the brand and identity of your business or company, so before you publish it, make sure it looks the way you want it to. 

Once you've reviewed your video and are happy with the result, share it with the world. 

The good news is that if you notice any mistakes in the future or simply want to update the script, it is possible to make these changes with Synthesia at the click of a button.

EDIT Button - Change Your Finished Videos in Seconds (Literally!)

Check out the benefits of making video tutorials with no equipment

Companies like The Screenloop, Teleperformance, and CEMEX decided to create instructional videos via an AI online video maker, and this is what happened. 

  • The Screenloop team saved 500% of its video budget by reducing the cost per video by +£1.700 compared to traditional video creation. (Yes, 500%!)
  • CEMEX was able to reduce the time-to-market of training videos by up to 50%
  • By using video, Teleperformance saves an average of $5,000 per video when training a global workforce.

Make your own how-to videos with no equipment

Now you know it's possible to create fantastic video tutorials with just your computer and the help of an online video editing and creation platform like Synthesia. 

Try Synthesia's free AI video creator, and see how AI technology can simplify video production for you.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

What is a tutorial video?

A video tutorial is an instructional video designed to guide or teach how to do something.

For example, a tutorial might be the Youtube video you watched this week to learn how to apply makeup, use new software or train your dog.

In the business context, a tutorial video is a how-to video your employees watch to learn a skill or acquire specific knowledge related to your company or their job.

Synthesia is the #1 AI Video Creation Platform. Our AI Video Generator enables everyone to create professional videos without mics, cameras, actors or studios.

Using AI, we’re radically changing the process of video content creation, making it scalable and affordable while maintaining high quality.

Synthesia is SOC2 compliant

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