Different Types of Customer Educational Content
Helping customers succeed with your product isn’t just about offering support—it’s about equipping them with the right knowledge from the start. When customers clearly understand how to use a product, they’re more likely to see its value, stay engaged, and become long-term users. This is where customer education content comes in.
From quick how-to videos to in-depth video knowledge bases, different formats of educational content serve different needs. Some customers prefer step-by-step visual guides, while others benefit from interactive webinars or short screen recordings that walk them through specific tasks. By offering the right mix of customer educational content, businesses can educate customers effectively, reducing frustration and increasing adoption.
In this blog, we’ll break down the most effective types of customer educational content, when to use them, and how they can improve the overall customer experience.
Different Types of Customer Educational Content
Every customer interacts with products differently—some need step-by-step guidance, while others prefer to explore on their own. To effectively educate customers, businesses must offer a mix of customer education content that meets these diverse learning preferences.
Video has become one of the most effective ways to deliver educational content because it simplifies complex concepts and provides a more engaging experience. How-to videos, video knowledge bases, and screen recording tutorials allow users to learn at their own pace, while live training sessions and explainer videos help reinforce key concepts.
By incorporating different types of customer educational content, businesses can create a seamless learning journey, reduce support requests, and improve customer satisfaction. Let’s explore the most effective formats and when to use them.
1. How-to Videos
How-to videos are step-by-step instructional videos designed to educate customers by guiding them through specific tasks, product features, or workflows. These videos simplify complex processes, making it easier for users to understand and apply what they’ve learned. By offering a visual, hands-on approach, how-to videos reduce friction in the customer journey and enhance product adoption.
One of the most effective use cases for how-to videos is feature walkthroughs, where businesses demonstrate how different functionalities work in real-time. They are also widely used for product tutorials, helping new users get started with a SaaS platform or learn advanced features. For instance, in SaaS onboarding, companies create how-to videos to guide users through account setup, dashboard navigation, and key workflows, ensuring a smooth first-time experience.
2. Video Knowledge Base
A video knowledge base is a structured library of educational videos designed to provide self-service support and answer common customer queries. Unlike scattered help articles or static FAQs, a video knowledge base centralizes instructional content, making it easy for users to find step-by-step guidance whenever they need it. By offering an organized collection of customer education content, businesses can improve accessibility, reduce reliance on live support, and enhance the overall user experience.
This format is particularly useful for self-service support, where customers can troubleshoot issues independently without waiting for assistance. It’s also highly effective for FAQ explanations, transforming traditional text-based answers into engaging, visual demonstrations. A SaaS company might create a video knowledge base covering common troubleshooting issues, such as resetting passwords, managing integrations, or configuring account settings.
For a detailed guide on implementing a video knowledge base, check out our blog: How to Add a Video Knowledge Base to Your Website.
3. Screen Recording Videos
Screen recording videos capture on-screen actions while providing narration to guide users through processes, making them an essential tool for educating customers on software functionality. These videos offer a direct, visual way to explain features, workflows, and troubleshooting steps, helping users navigate complex interfaces with ease. By demonstrating actions in real time, screen recordings eliminate confusion and provide clear, actionable insights.
This type of customer education content is particularly effective for software training, where users need to learn how to use a platform’s features efficiently. It’s also widely used for UI demonstrations, allowing businesses to showcase product updates, new functionalities, or dashboard navigation. A software produce based company might use screen recordings to walk users through dashboard analytics, showing them how to generate reports, interpret data, and customize views.
Screen recording videos streamline learning, making technical concepts more accessible and engaging for customers. For a step-by-step guide on creating videos with screen recording, check out our blog: How to Make an Instructional Video With Screen Recording.
4. Software Explainer Videos
Software explainer videos are short, engaging videos designed to break down complex software features into easily digestible content. By combining visuals, animations, and narration, these videos simplify technical concepts, making them more accessible to both new and existing users. They help businesses educate customers in a compelling way while reinforcing the value of their products.
These videos are particularly useful for marketing product features, where they highlight key benefits and functionalities in an engaging format. They also play a crucial role in onboarding new users, providing a quick overview of essential features to help users get started effortlessly. For example, a SaaS company launching a new AI-powered feature might create a 90-second explainer video showcasing how it works, its benefits, and how users can integrate it into their workflow.
With their ability to simplify complex information and capture attention, software explainer videos are a powerful tool for enhancing customer education content and driving product adoption.
5. Webinars and Live Training Sessions
Webinars and live training sessions offer interactive, real-time learning experiences that allow businesses to educate customers through direct engagement. Unlike pre-recorded videos, these sessions provide opportunities for two-way communication, enabling participants to ask questions, get personalized guidance, and gain deeper insights into a product’s functionality.
They are particularly effective for customer Q&A sessions, where users can address specific challenges and receive expert answers on the spot. Additionally, deep-dive training webinars help customers master advanced features, making them valuable for onboarding and ongoing education. A company, for example, might host a "Getting Started with Our Platform" webinar, walking participants through essential workflows and answering their questions along the way.
By fostering engagement and building stronger customer relationships, webinars and live training sessions elevate customer education beyond passive learning.
6. Customer Onboarding Emails with Video
Onboarding emails are essential for guiding new users and incorporating short videos into these sequences makes the experience even more engaging and effective. Instead of relying solely on text-based instructions, videos provide visual clarity, making it easier for users to understand key workflows from the start.
These emails are particularly useful for getting new customers up to speed with a product’s core features. For example, a welcome email might include a 60-second "Getting Started" tutorial that walks users through their dashboard, account settings, or first essential action. Other follow-up emails could feature bite-sized videos covering advanced features, best practices, or tips to maximize product value.
By integrating video into onboarding emails, businesses can increase engagement, reduce friction, and accelerate product adoption, ensuring that new users have a seamless first experience.
4. Customer Success Stories and Case Studies
Customer Success Stories and Case Studies as customer educational content, play a crucial role in illustrating real-life examples of how customers effectively utilize a product or service. These resources offer a diverse and engaging portrayal of user experiences through formats such as written case studies, video testimonials, or success story articles. Their primary benefits extend beyond mere documentation, providing compelling social proof that validates the product or service's efficacy. They also serve as inspiring narratives for potential customers, providing insight into the practical benefits and real-world applications of the product or service.
5. Interactive Workshops or Training Modules
Interactive Workshops or Training Modules are hands-on sessions designed to enhance users' understanding and skills. Delivered through formats such as workshops, e-learning modules, and gamified learning experiences, these educational resources offer a dynamic and engaging approach to learning. The benefits of immersive learning experiences extend beyond traditional methods, actively involving users in skill development. Having interactive sessions contributes to a deeper understanding of the product, ensuring users gain practical knowledge.
7. Product Documentation and User Guides
Traditional product documentation has long been a go-to resource for customer education, but static text and images often fall short in providing clear, engaging instructions. That’s where video-enhanced documentation comes in. By integrating video tutorials into user guides, businesses can offer a more intuitive, visual learning experience that simplifies complex workflows and reduces friction in product adoption.
For software products, video-based user guides can walk customers through detailed processes, troubleshooting steps, and feature explanations more effectively than written instructions alone. Instead of scanning lengthy help articles, users can watch a quick demonstration and grasp concepts faster. Many companies now embed short, contextual videos within their knowledge base to make support resources more accessible.
To understand why video is becoming an essential part of modern user guides, check out our blog: Why Video is the Future of Software User Guides.
Choosing the Right Type of Educational Content
Not all customer education content serves the same purpose. The right format depends on factors like customer needs, topic complexity, and scalability. Choosing the right type ensures that users receive the most effective guidance while allowing businesses to scale their educational efforts efficiently.
Customer Needs: Matching Content to Learning Preferences
Different users absorb information in different ways, so it's essential to align your content with their learning preferences.
- Hands-on learners benefit from how-to videos and screen recordings, which offer a real-time walkthrough of processes, making it easy to follow along and implement steps immediately.
- Busy professionals appreciate software explainer videos, which distill complex features into concise, engaging overviews that save time.
- Independent problem-solvers rely on video knowledge bases and user guides, which provide on-demand access to instructional content without needing live assistance.
- By delivering content in the format best suited to your audience, you enhance learning efficiency and user satisfaction.
Topic Complexity: Choosing the Right Depth of Information
- For simple tasks, such as setting up an account or adjusting settings, how-to videos or onboarding emails with videos provide clear, quick instructions.
- For detailed processes or troubleshooting, product documentation and video knowledge bases offer comprehensive explanations, often supplemented with screen recordings for better clarity.
- For complex workflows or new product features, webinars and live training sessions allow users to engage directly with experts, ask questions, and gain a deeper understanding in a more interactive setting.
Scalability: Balancing Impact and Efficiency
- Self-service content, such as video knowledge bases, screen recordings, and user guides, is highly scalable. Once created, it can be accessed by thousands of users without additional effort, making it a cost-effective solution for ongoing customer education.
- Webinars and live training sessions, while highly engaging, demand ongoing resources. These are best reserved for critical onboarding sessions, product launches, or advanced training, where real-time interaction adds significant value.
Striking the Right Balance with a Hybrid Approach
- New users get quick-start guides through onboarding videos and emails.
- Existing users can self-educate with a video knowledge base and user guides.
- Advanced users benefit from live training sessions and webinars.
Best Practices for Creating Customer Educational Content
To make customer education content effective, it's crucial to focus on clarity, engagement, and accessibility.
Keep Videos Short and Engaging
Attention spans are limited, so keep videos concise and focused on a single topic. Aim for under two minutes for explainers and five to ten minutes for tutorials. Use storytelling, real-life examples, and a conversational tone to maintain interest.
Use Clear Visuals and Captions
High-quality visuals improve comprehension, especially for complex topics. Zooming in on key actions, adding annotations, and using clean UI representations help users follow along. Captions and on-screen text make content accessible for all users, including those watching without sound.
Organize Content in a Structured Way
A well-organized knowledge base or video library improves user experience. Categorize content by topic or use case, ensuring that users can quickly find what they need. Consider adding search functionality and linking related content for a seamless learning journey. For an in-depth guide on structuring your knowledge base, check out our blog: How to Organize Your Knowledge Base.
Create Powerful Customer Education Content with WowTo
With WowTo, you can easily create and manage customer education content without any technical expertise. Use its Chrome extension to record screen tutorials, create how-to videos, and host them on a no-code video knowledge base—all directly on your website. Whether it’s onboarding new users, explaining complex features, or offering self-serve support, WowTo provides everything you need to build an engaging video knowledge hub.
