Have you ever found yourself entering the search phrase “how to [insert your problem or what you want to do here]” in Google or YouTube? Maybe you encountered a practical problem in your daily life or wanted to do something and needed the internet’s help. Then chances are that you found a YouTube video which walked you through fixing your problem, or helped you do the thing you wanted to learn. And chances are that that video was produced by a brand that had a vested interest in you watching their video.

For example, last month my iPhone’s battery decided to give up on me. I googled “How to replace the battery in iPhone 6 plus”. At the top of the search results, I found a video by iFixit.com, a DIY device repair site. I checked out their video and learned that I needed some special tools, and I also didn’t have a replacement battery yet. I figured that I might as well order the toolkit that iFixit sells because I thought that it would be easier to use tools that they sell, they earned my trust with their video.

This scenario is not at all uncommon. Data provided by YouTube speaks for itself: search queries for how-to videos have risen by 70% year-over-year in 2014, and more than 100M hours of how-to content has been watched just in North America this year. And it works, in fact, nearly one in three millennials say they’ve purchased a product as a result of watching a how-to video.

A How-To For Marketers – Why How-To Videos Work

A how-to video is a very smart way to connect with your audience in a moment of need. A search for a how-to video is a searcher asking “who can help me out?”. The potential consumer wants to do something or fix something, and this is a space you as a marketer need to be in. If you can help the viewer solve their problem, you’ve instantly earned their trust. You have provided value to them when they needed it, and this drives loyalty and maybe even revenue. As in my example, iFixit earned a new customer and sale, just because they helped me solve my problem, chances are that I’ll return to iFixit the next time I need to repair a gadget.

How-to videos can be found in a range of categories, from the practical to the creative, style, and cuisine. If you have a plumbing business, you can make a how-to video about fixing the kitchen sink. If you’re a chef or food brand, you can show how to cook a steak. If you’re selling apparel, you can show how to tie a cravat or a bow tie. Only you set the limit of what a how-to video can be for your brand.

Brands Who Rock How-To Videos

Two examples of brands that execute how-to videos well are Home Depot and M.A.C. Home Depot has a collection of how-to videos for home improvement, such as installing artificial grass, growing your vegetable garden, or installing a light dimmer.

The Home Depot’s “How to Install Artificial Glass”

M.A.C.’s “Instant Artistry: Sculpted Lips”

How To Make a How To Video

Think about what problem your product solves and how you can make a video about that. A well-produced how-to video can be a very effective way to promote your product. You can subtly promote it while at solving people’s problems. How-to videos is a great opportunity for advertisers, as people are voluntarily searching for videos in a moment of need, instead of being targeted with an ad that might be correctly targeted, but arrive in the wrong time. In the example of iFixit, chances are that 99% of people only buy something from them when they actually have a problem they want to fix.

Here are some tips you should consider when making your how-to video.

• First and foremost, you have to remember that you should not try to promote your video directly. Think as if you are not trying to promote the product.
• Be subtle, and most importantly, be informative. People will watch your videos more if they are genuinely helpful. Then, subtly promote your product.
• Try not to mention your product in the video itself. You can always promote your product in the video description and add links to it. If you earn the viewers’ trust, and if they are interested in your product, they will read the description and might go on to your website.

How-To Templates From Shakr

So, have you decided to make a how-to video? Well, Shakr is here to help you. We have a variety of templates to help you make your how-to video. To help out, I’ve picked out some of our favorites.

DIY Mate is a video-centric design that is very versatile and can be used for a broad range of businesses.

Simple Steps (How To) is a great template for text-focused how-to videos. You only need one image, which could be your business’ logo.

Follow Me is a template more geared towards showing video or photos for your how-to video. It has a version for photos, and another for video, so you can choose whichever you would like.

Conclusion

Do you feel ready to build your how-to videos with these templates? Head over to Shakr and start making these videos in less than 15 minutes with our step by step, ready-made video designs. Aside from these examples, we have a variety of designs that you can use to make how-to videos that suits you and your business. With Shakr, you can quickly make professional-looking videos that are sure to resonate with your fans on social media, and drive traffic and revenue from YouTube.