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Video or written content? How do you prefer to read product help guides/documentation? 🛠
You're trying out a new product and need some help, so you turn to the company's help center. Do you look for how-to videos or written instructions?
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Replies
It should be a mix of both as we are in the digital era and customers are looking for omnichannel support. We can't expect customers to be satisfied only with product tour videos they may also look for product documentation or a manual.
I suggest embedding product videos in the manual and publishing them online via a knowledge base on your website.
Something like this https://docs.biztalk360.com/docs...
Usually how-to videos, but if they're too long, I skim through articles. The more engaging and to the point the content is, the better.
I did a ton of research on this when building searchegg.io,
most users don't even go to the help center even when they're stuck, and the ones that do, don't stick around for long.
Curious to know if that's your experience too
I prefer documentation for it lets me jump to sections I am interested in and also lets me copy code snippets & commands.
I actually prefer written just because I don’t need to keep rewinding the video to see
Written instructions with screenshots/images over videos. Videos are great for new features or product demos but if I'm stuck somewhere I'll 9/10 go for the written version.
It really depends on the complexity of the product! I generally prefer text describing steps with screenshots of the product's interface. But when I was figuring our Google Analytics back in the day, I was grateful to have video tutorials:)
Both. Loom is great for doing short guides, and then doing a transcript (not word for word but a guide following the video) once you've recorded it is easy.
Then you have two pieces of content to publish instead of one :D
I prefer to watch if there is any how to videos rather than written content. But for more detailed information I'm looking at documents.
Both. Written content will probably give me more information, but a page with video content would be more interesting.
Attractive videos capture the audience's interest and keep them engaged throughout the video. That's why I'm all for videos!
@evgeniyyakubovckiy Videos do attract attention, but for help guides/documentation it's less about hooking the audience and more about being helpful and efficient to a user in need. Still, videos are indeed a good fit here as well - probably both written and video together. Thanks for sharing!
Both? Haha it really depends on the topic. If it's a quick guide or questions answerable by 1 or two words/sentences, I'd go for text. But if it's more about technicality, I usually prefer video. But if it doesn't work, I resort to written content.
I think that's why both video and written content is important and a valuable factor for Google algorithm.
If it's documetation, I preferred it written, and in a concise and comprehensible way, with examples.
However, if it is some sort of a "how-to" guide, i'd prefer a video.
I prefer video demos on operating and using the product and written documents for manufacturing and other related information.
Usually both. A video that is under 10 minutes followed up with a bullet point explanation step by step.
@dylan_merideth Hey, nice seeing you here too, i noticed you from indiehackers. Love the vapour wave aesthetic btw.
HiDock H1