When comparing text and video, there really is no competition in sight. In terms of engagement, the chances of capturing your viewer’s attention are much higher when a video is used, as opposed to plain text. People at work are regular humans like you and me. If you want them to pay more attention and remember more, you should be using videos for your work instructions.
Videos allow us to learn faster
If made right, videos can take information and make it easy to interpret in a short amount of time. It’s been said that a one-minute video is worth 1.8 million words. Your brain can also process visuals much quicker than it can text. About 90% of the total information transmitted to your brain is visual. On top of that, your brain can process these visuals 60,000 times faster than text. The human brain is not only more used to seeing visuals but is also better at interpreting them.
Using video also plays into the strengths of the majority of the population. Most people need visual aids to learn, and 65% of people consider themselves to be visual learners. Videos accommodate this learning style and help people retain information better than they would a large wall of text.
Video is more engaging
Not only do videos grab people’s attention, but they also keep it. Videos are one of the most engaging mediums you can use. They strike a deep connection and elicit strong emotional responses that make people want to share, comment, and like. Videos get 1,200% more shares than text and images combined. People love sharing content on social media and more importantly: people love sharing videos.
Retention of visual information is higher
Have you ever found yourself reading an entire page of a book and all of a sudden realizing that you have no idea what you just read? You then have to waste time going back to re-read something that you’ve already seen before. This phenomenon is called regression. Regression can be frustrating when reading the written text, but videos almost eliminate it entirely.
Studies show that viewers retain 95% of a video’s message compared to 10% when reading text. Also, according to Hubspot, 80% of customers remember a video they viewed in the past month. Videos allow you to package the information you’re trying to get across into a short narrative that will engage viewers in a way that text can’t. This makes them more memorable because people are far more likely to remember a story than a list of facts.
Conclusion on using video for work instructions
Video is a superior medium when it comes to explaining how things should be done. We process visual information faster and we retain them longer. By using video work instructions you will reduce the risk of errors, save time, and improve efficiency across the entire organization. If you are convinced, give REWO a try. REWO is an end-to-end platform for creating video-based work instructions. It’s easy to use and complies with all the major industry standards. Our customers love it and we are sure you will too!