What is an in-app video tutorial?

As the name suggests, in-app video tutorials are a type of video created with the goal of educating new users on how to use a SaaS product. This generally consists of a screencast animation and step-by-step directions on how to perform certain functions through the user interface or UI.

It can serve as a virtual tour so new users are able to seamlessly use your product’s key features and get the most value out of it right from the get-go.

At the most basic level, in-app video tutorials are all about helping new users see the value in your SaaS solution by walking them through the various ways to use it.

In-app video tutorials — onboarding benefits

From the brief definition above, you know that in-app video tutorials are effective at demonstrating the value of your product to new users by showing them the ropes until they get the hang of things.

Let’s go into more detail on how in-app video tutorials improve your SaaS onboarding experience.

#1. Makes the onboarding process more enjoyable

Though this little tidbit has become common knowledge, it’s worth repeating: most of us are visual learners. We process information better when it’s absorbed visually.

That’s exactly why users are 3x more likely to prefer watching a tutorial video over reading a product’s user manual.

This is especially true when your systems, software, or processes are complex. Users are after quick, painless experiences — and your in-app video tutorials can deliver that.

There’s nothing more frustrating for a new user who just wants to start getting used to the application than to be bombarded with an email and ten PDF user guide attachments.

In-app video tutorials only include crucial information that a new user needs to know about your product, nothing more and nothing less.

They break down even the most complex ideas into easily digestible chunks, helping users follow instructions in a hassle-free manner.

#2. Offers self-paced learning

With its accessibility, tutorial videos help users understand more about your product at their own pace.

They can easily pause, rewind, or fast-forward the video depending on how complicated the instructions are.

This self-paced learning can make a huge difference in the SaaS onboarding process and how satisfied customers are throughout their user journey.

It also allows users to more easily retain critical information. By letting them go at their own speed, they’ll be able to focus on the things they think they need to learn more and skip past things that they already know.

This saves your users time and promotes greater efficiency in product adoption.

#3. Reduce user churn

Churn; the one word that can make any SaaS team shudder.

You might know that one of the biggest influences on churn rate is an awkward onboarding process.

In-app video tutorials help you reduce the churn rate by inspiring an emotional connection.

Remember that new users become loyal because they emotionally buy into what the app is going to do for them.

An in-app video tutorial provides an irreplaceable sense of human warmth combined with proven, effective learning methods.

Users effortlessly relate emotions with videos which makes your onboarding process more impactful and memorable than text-only flows.

When they have been educated on how best to use a product, they are far more likely to be satisfied with the onboarding process and continue using it long-term.

#4. Reduces the workload of your customer support team

Think of in-app video tutorials as your 24/7 sales and support reps. It’s always working for you by giving new users a product walkthrough.

This way, you can eliminate the trivial and repetitive tasks that your customer support team normally deals with.

As a result, they’ll be able to focus their energy on more productive tasks instead of answering the same queries that most new users ask over and over again.

In-app video tutorial: some excellent examples

An in-app video tutorial can’t just be a simple explanation. It also needs to be easy to follow and engaging in tone. Just because someone explains something, that doesn’t make it a good tutorial.

Now that we’ve learned about how helpful in-app video tutorials can be when it comes to great user onboarding, let’s take a look at a few examples from brands that have crafted their videos flawlessly.

It’s true that there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution but looking at a few in-app video tutorial examples done right can certainly yield some insights and actionable tips.

Intercom

When it comes to a product that most businesses use on a daily basis, users need little instruction to figure out how it actually works.

Intercom is fully aware of this.

As a conversational relationship platform, Intercom ensures that they don’t leave their new users high and dry after they sign up for the app.

During the onboarding process, they offer a clear screenshot of the user interface so users get a clear idea of what they’ll be getting.

To help users understand more about its features, the Intercom team also offers an in-app video tutorial.

This lets users see the core functions of each feature then leaves them to explore by themselves afterward.

Google Drive

Google Drive manages to deliver its onboarding process fairly seamlessly.

After they give new users a brief explanation of what the product is all about and how it can help with their problems, they provide a short explainer video that doesn’t just show the user what they need to do but makes them actually do it.

In other words, Google Drive doesn’t need to go into too much depth regarding its features as they allow new users to learn as they go.

ConvertKit

What makes ConvertKit’s onboarding experience so great is, despite having many features with different functions, it still manages to cover all of them.

ConvertKit goes over each of its main features in easy-to-digest video tutorials that teach new users and build up their confidence in using the product.

Every feature has its own video tutorial so it focuses solely on what the users actually want to do rather than taking them through everything in a single video.

They start by telling the user the value of the app with simple, straightforward copywriting and give further details through the following videos.

How to create a high-performing in-app video tutorial for SaaS user onboarding

Well-crafted in-app video tutorials can revamp your SaaS user onboarding experience by giving users their “Aha!” moment.

Here are some best practices that you should bear in mind when creating your own in-app video tutorial to ensure that every video sparks a sudden realization in your new users that they’ve found the right fit.

One tutorial for one feature

Giving out too much information about your features in a single video tutorial can overwhelm your new users so try breaking these guides into different sections so it’s easier for them to navigate through video tutorials.

Each step should only be triggered when a user lands on a specific page.

Not all users want to see a demonstration of every single feature your product offers in a single video. Some of them are familiar with some features and only want to learn about a feature they aren’t familiar with. So, providing them with all-in-one tutorials by creating 30-minutes in-app tutorial videos is a great way just to scare them away.

Provide a skip button

No matter how bad you want to demonstrate each feature for new users, you should always allow them to skip the video tutorial if they want.

Adding a skip button gives them a choice on whether or not they want to watch the tutorial.

Remember that your tutorial videos should be a helpful onboarding experience rather than a chore that they’re forced to complete.

Every user has their own way of adapting to new software or feature. Maybe the user is already familiar with your app or has used it before.

Or may they’re simply impatient and just want to explore all the features to find out how everything works themselves.

Communicate quickly and clearly

A great video tutorial clears up any confusion the new user may have in a timely manner. This means you should make it quick and clear.

Your SaaS product may be simple but a demonstration that’s too complex for new users may make the learning curve seem steeper than it actually is.

Make sure you only demonstrate common use cases of your features so the user can understand the benefits. You can also link to your support documentation if users need further information.

Lastly, it’s essential to use easy to understand language that every new user can grasp whether they’re a complete newbie to the product or advanced, pro users.

Explain what you’re doing on the tutorial video and the reason why you’re doing it. This is more helpful than saying something like: “then you can click here. Next, click this button. Now this one.”

Conclusion

In this digital era, in-app video tutorials are one of the most convenient ways for new users to acquire information fast.

They don’t have to read the whole user manual or leave your app just to browse tutorials on other platforms.

Video tutorials are best when it comes to demonstrating each feature of your SaaS product and showing the user how they actually work.

That way, you can increase user retention and create a positive onboarding experience that makes new users stick around.

Here’s a summary of what we’ve talked about above:

• In-app video tutorials act as a virtual tour that helps new users seamlessly adapt to your SaaS product.
• Well-crafted video tutorial apps will streamline your onboarding experience, create more meaningful connections with users, reduce churn rates, and boost the customer support team’s productivity.
• When creating in-app video tutorials, it’s crucial to provide a skip button, make it concise, and provide an explanation of one feature per video.

Want to start improving user onboarding right now? Get a Userpilot demo and see how!