So, you just completed a live training video… remotely (need I say that?). But the question is: What should I do after delivering a live training?
You feel pretty good about how it went. You got all of your points across. You shared all of the handouts. You are handling this remote training thing like a champ.
Should you follow up with an email? Should you upload the recording to your website? Or is it a better idea to just move on to the next live training video?
In this post, I’m going to show you the ten most important steps to take after you finished a live training video (step-by-step).
10 Important Steps After You Finish A Live Training Video
Now that you have completed the live training via Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams it’s time to take action! Follow these 10 important steps to get the most out of your efforts. These best practices will also help you evolve your training and development strategy within your organization.
Subtitle Your Video
Most people will watch videos without sound. By adding subtitles to your video you increase engagement and comprehension. Kapwing is the single best subtitling tool I’ve ever used. Once your video is uploaded, it will auto-generate the subtitles. Simply edit the words in each segment and then re-export a subtitled video.
Write a Detailed Description
Think of this as an outline of what’s in the video. Use your PowerPoint or Google Slides deck to lift the main ideas. If the live video featured Q & A, list the questions that are answered in the video. How awesome would it be to read a description of a training video that said: “This video answers the following questions.” If it’s appropriate, provide a transcript for the video. If the content is detail-heavy like product knowledge or operational step-by-step processes, then a transcript will be valuable to your audience. However, I usually suggest offering the valuable content as a quick reference guide instead.
Upload
If you are making live training content then I’m sure you are already hosting your videos for your learning audience somewhere. You can put your content on YouTube or Vimeo. I recommend Vimeo to most people so that you can avoid ad content invading your learning. If you want your content to be discovered by the world, then YouTube is still best. If you are sharing internally, then uploading it to the cloud via Google Drive or SharePoint is also a solid distribution method.
Share with Care
A good communication plan is an essential part of any learning strategy. Start by writing an email that communicates the following information:
- Location and link to the recorded live video
- Reasons it is important to view
- Where this training video fits into the overall learning in the organization
- A list of topics/questions covered in the video
- An upcoming date that the next video will be released
If social media is a part of your communication plan, repurpose the email for sharing on each channel.
Provide the Slides
Most live video training is driven by a deck (PowerPoint, Google Slides, OneNote). By making a PDF of the presentation, you are providing another way for people to interact with the content. Make the content available either as a download in your email communication or provide a location on your shared drives.
Repurpose on Purpose
If you have completed the previous five steps then you are ready to take advantage of your efforts by repurposing the content. Try the following:
- Blog – turn your live video into a beginner’s guide, things to do, or a list post.
- eBook – if the content is dynamic you may assign someone to take the deck and the transcription and create a PDF ebook.
- Infographic – perhaps there is a process flow map or a hierarchy presented in your video. Try using
- Canva to whip up a quick visual to support the learning.
Measure with KPIs
Most people who are new to learning video tend to measure success by clicks or views. This is a bad idea. We are not making entertainment, we are making learning. Your measures of success should be your KPI’s in your business.
You certainly can use the video-specific KPIs such as rate of play, view count, click-through, comments/feedback, bounce rate, social shares, and conversion rate. BUT, I urge you to think about the business case for your video.
For example, you may have a goal like this: As a result of watching the video, my company was able to increase job satisfaction as measured by our weekly check-ins.
Plan for Obsolescence
A video is like dried basil. When you first get it, the flavor is amazing. Three years later, that basil could be as bland as oatmeal. A video (especially a live video) ages quickly. The content may stay relevant for a year, but don’t assume people will want to watch it after a year. Three years later, I’m guessing no one is watching that pre-recorded live video–at least not by choice.
Here’s a simple video obsolescence plan:
- Set a date to review the video (usually 1 – 3 years after sharing)
- Create a reminder in your training calendar to review engagement data
Answer the following questions:
- Is the topic of the video trendy or specific to a time of year?
- If yes, then make a note when it may need updating for that time period.
- If no, consider it good for a year minimum.
- Is the video made up of sections?
- If yes, make a plan to edit the video into smaller chunks for microlearning.
- If no, consider it good for a year minimum.
- Do new hires need the content?
- If yes, review it every year to improve the instruction.
- If no, consider it good for a year minimum.
- Is the video only relevant to a small group of people?
- If yes, consider it good to share for less than a year.
- If no, review it every year to improve the instruction.
Archive
Now that you have reviewed your obsolescence plan and you’ve determined when you will update your video, don’t rest yet. Clean up your internal folders on your local and cloud drives. When I edit any video project I start with a folder structure. It’s the same folder structure for every project. The uniformity makes it easy to find what you need later, like much later (think 1-3 years from now).
After you have shared the video, return to the Exports folder and create an archive folder. Drag all of your old versions into the archive folder. From now on, when you return to the folder you will easily be able to locate the export you need to update. I suggest doing this with every project file: sequences from your editing software, scripts, powerpoints, and graphics.
Next Video Please
A properly motivated learner will immediately look for what’s next. Don’t make them wait! Show them what comes after the one they just watched.
Every video you make will be better than the last. Take stock of what worked, what didn’t work, and what needs to be removed altogether.
Review the stats you gathered during the live event. Did people stay on for the whole video? Were people engaged with questions and comments? What kind of feedback did you get? How will you modify future videos based on that feedback?
Helpful Links
The Best Video for Learning Guide to Make Training Videos
How to Edit Learning Video: The Ultimate Checklist
Video Editing Workflow: How to Do it Properly
Conclusion
We all know that live training videos are a lot of work. However, your hard work will bear fruit to new learning experiences if you use these 10 important steps after a live training video. Now I want to hear from you. What are you going to do after you finish a live video? What steps have you taken in the past?
Join my learning pals
Join my learning pals. Please subscribe to my newsletter to receive free learning resources delivered to your inbox every two weeks.
THE END
