Video Editing

Best ways to use a screen recorder for instructional content

Updated August 21, 2022
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An image of a user using the screen recorder feature to record their presentation.

Clipchamp’s screen recording feature is an essential tool for video makers. Whether you’re creating a training video, tutorial video, product demo, or turning a lengthy meeting and presentation into a summary video, capture your explanation in minutes with our online screen and webcam recorder.

Read on to explore how to create effective instructional videos with Clipchamp’s online video editor.

What is an instructional video?

An instructional video is a short video that explains to viewers how to do a particular task. By sharing important information through videos, viewers can see and hear the message simultaneously across devices wherever they are. So it’s no surprise that many genres of instructional videos gaining popularity online, including:

  • Training videos: Ideal for remote work spanning across different time zones. 

  • Video tutorials: The most popular genre on YouTube for creators engaging audiences small and large, with 87% of users going to YouTube to help them figure out how to do things they haven’t done before.

  • Presentation videos: Asynchronous learning is becoming a preferred method of communication. Presentation videos are a perfect instructional video format for viewers to reply in their own time and think about their answers. 

  • Product demos: Offer great visual support for new site launches, software updates, and more.

Tips for planning your video tutorials or trainings

Storyboard your training videos

Just like any other video, your training session needs a start, middle, and end. Creating a storyboard for your instructional videos is the perfect way to keep the structure clear and help your viewers follow along. Your plan can be as simple as a dot point list or sketches. Be sure to include the topic, highlight key points, and any video editing styles you would like to use.

Keep your visuals simple

  • Avoid crowded backgrounds

One of the easiest ways to hold your viewer's attention is to ensure your video background isn’t distracting. Find a quiet, minimalistic background, or use our green screen feature to record the webcam recording. If you’re just using the screen recorder feature without a camera, you won’t need to worry about finding a background.

  • Highlight key visuals only 

Avoid confusing your audience by ensuring your screen recording only includes relevant visuals to the point you want to get across. 

  • Don’t transition too fast or too slow

Make sure your tutorial video spends an appropriate amount of time on each topic or training. If you skip through learnings too quickly or too slowly, your viewers can become confused and unengaged.

Check sound quality before and after recording

If your sound quality isn’t great, your viewers will likely tune out or click off your video as they cannot hear or understand you. Our online screen recorder makes capturing audio easy and clear. Just remember to record your video in a quiet location with minimal distractions. If your background noise is too loud, just use our text to speech feature instead.

How to screen record online for free

To use our online screen recorder, log in or sign up for free to Clipchamp's online video editor.

Note: This tutorial will explore how to use the screen recording feature, not the screen and camera recording feature. Users can screen record training videos with webcam as well.

Step 1. Click on the screen recording tool

In a new or existing video, click on the Record & create tab on the left sidebar. Click on the screen recording feature. 

Step 2. Screen record instructional your video

A popup record button will appear at the bottom left of your screen. You can check your mic settings here if you are using sound. To start recording your screen, click on the big red button.

A popup window will appear with screen recording options. Either record your entire screen, window, or Chrome tab.

We have selected to screen record a Chrome tab for this tutorial. Click on the tab of your choice, then click Share.

You will be brought to the Chrome tab you have selected to screen record. Your screen is now actively recording. To stop recording your screen, click Stop sharing.

Step 3. Save your screen recording

Once you have clicked Stop sharing, you will be brought back to the editor. You can now preview your screen recording. If you’re unhappy with the screen-recorded video, click Retake recording. If you want to use your video, click Save and edit.

Your video will download automatically to your computer. Click on the Your media tab to find your screen recording media. Your video will automatically be added to your timeline.

Keep training videos consistent with editing features

Edit training videos with trim, resize, crop, and special effects

Edit awkward silences and technical difficulties without restrictions using the free hand crop, zoom to fit, trim, and resize tools. Easily trim the beginning and end of your clip by selecting it, then dragging in and out the green sidebars. Add special effects like filters, transitions, edit the speed, or adjust the layout of your video.

Add text, titles, and captions to training videos

Boost the clarity and accessibility of your training videos by adding titles and captions. Choose from a range of font styles, colors, sizes, and positions that best suits your video. Drag and drop your desired title onto the timeline and trim the length to suit your video.

Personalize training videos with your brand kit

If you’re sharing screen and webcam recordings with your colleagues, clients, students, or followers, make your videos consistent and recognizable by adding your brand kit. Just upload your brand's fonts, colors, and logos, then add them to your video. You can even turn your logo into a watermark by decreasing the opacity.

Increase video accessibility with AI voiceovers

Simply add a voiceover to your video instead of using your personal voice or webcam recording. Our AI voice generator has over 170 unique voices, accents, and languages to suit your authentic sound.

Save and share your training video in HD

Export your screen and webcam recording video for free in 1080p video resolution. Share your videos directly across social media platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn, or download your video to send in an email.

Frequently asked questions

How long should my instructional video be?

Your instructional video should be between 5 and 19-minutes long to hold your viewer's attention. There is currently a 30-minute time limit on all screen recordings. If you need to record longer, you can always create multiple recordings and edit them together.

How do you make a training video interactive?

An interactive training video is a video-based learning session that interacts with your audience. You can make your training videos interactive on YouTube by adding buttons, polls, comments, likes, and surveys.

How do you record your screen for training videos?

Screen recording training videos is easy. All you have to do is use the screen recording feature and then edit your recording into a training video with Clipchamp’s online video editor. Select to record your entire screen, a window, or a Chrome tab.

Where can I share my screen recordings training videos?

You can share your screen recording training videos from Clipchamp to YouTube, LinkedIn, Google Drive, OneDrive, Pinterest, Box, and TikTok. You can also send a shareable link, embed the video, or send it via email, Messenger, Facebook, Reddit, or Whatsapp.

Record and share training videos in a few clicks

Communicate with your audience faster and more effectively with a screen record training video. If you would like to learn more about screen recording with audio, head over to our help blog

Ready to get started? Sign up for Clipchamp’s free online video editor.

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