Video titles should clearly indicate the content of the video.

Keep videos short. Shorter than two minutes is a good target. For a more complex subject that requires a longer time to cover, consider creating several short segments or chapters that can be combined in a playlist. This gives the customer an opportunity to watch the segments over time or select only the ones in which they are most interested.

Make your key points clear and memorable and foreground them the way you would written content. (See Organize your text.) Don’t say or show more than the audience can easily take in.

Videos should tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Simple narratives are best. A plot keeps viewers interested and attentive and wanting to see what happens next. For example, a good beginning to a video that teaches a task includes a brief statement of what the viewer should expect to learn by watching the video. A good ending leaves viewers wanting to try the new task or feature. A video about learning to use the mouse could conclude with, “Remember: point and click. That’s all you need to master the mouse. Give it a try.”

Use the same voice that you use in your other content. The tone will likely be less formal and more conversational, but that will depend on the message that you’re delivering.

For more information, see Chapter 1.

The pace of the audio and video should be consistent, as should the ratio of audio to video. Don’t read too fast or too slowly. Practice reading at a clear pace and enunciating all the words. At first, it might feel odd to speak that way, but it will help viewers who are watching your video for the first time (think especially of viewers who have trouble hearing or who are non-native English speakers). Rushing through seemingly simple procedures can frustrate viewers. So, too, can long, audio-only preambles to any video action. Practice timing the actions with your words.

Timing is difficult, but can make a big difference in the quality of the videos. A pause in the audio while actions are happening on screen is better than reading ahead of the action. The audio doesn’t need to explain every action that appears on screen. For example, let the visual images communicate common actions, such as clicking OK.

Avoid references to earlier parts of the video, unless references are essential. Viewers should be following along, not trying to remember what they saw or heard before. They can always replay the video. If you must refer to earlier parts of the video, do so generally. For example, “Earlier, you saw how to add X to Z. Here’s something else you can do with X….”

To improve accessibility, include captions. If possible, break closed captions into one-sentence chunks so that they’re easier to read.

Because creating and localizing video can be expensive and time-consuming, try to take an “evergreen” approach to the content. If you can, avoid mentioning specific dates and product version names or showing images that will quickly date your content.

Consider a branding element to open and close your videos, and a URL where the user can get more information at the end. These elements give your video credibility by clearly identifying the source of the content.