How to Make Video Bumpers for Training Videos

One of the most common issues in creating eLearning videos is how to make the best video bumpers (intros and outros) for your videos. It is pretty straightforward to do, but first, you need to confirm that you even need video bumpers. 

Do You Need Video Bumpers? 

Overall, you don’t necessarily need bumpers on most of your videos. You will probably want one on the first video of your series as an introduction. You should also consider adding a short intro to the first milestones. 

While you don’t necessarily need outros, they are much easier for learners to skip. So, you can include these if you want to. 

But remember that intros and outros can annoy learners and create dead space in learning. This is especially true if learners will watch videos back-to-back. 

With that said, there is one good situation when you should consider using video bumpers, not just the first with a new milestone or series. That is, if your videos will appear somewhere other than the course. In that case, the intros and outros will give you a chance to advertise your course as a whole so people can find it. 

How Long Should Video Bumpers Be? 

Shorter is better when it comes to video bumpers. Aim for no more than five seconds for the first intro in a series or when introducing a milestone. If you decide to include an intro on the other videos (which you don’t need to), keep it at three seconds or less. The shorter these are, the better. 

The length is less important for outros, as they are easier for learners to skip. But you definitely want to ensure the outro is shorter than the video itself. Shorter is still better, and ideally, you will aim for about five seconds or less. But if you go over, it’s fine, as learners can skip them. 

What to Include in Intros and Outros

Once you decide you want an intro and outro, what do you include? The intros on the first lesson or new milestones can be a bit more detailed. They can include the name of the course, module, milestone, and lesson. They can introduce the subject matter expert. After that, future intros should just have a brief mention of that information. Ideally, it will be a simple bit of text with the course name that you show for a second or two. 

The most important thing to include in an outro is what comes next. Think of it as a call to action to continue learning. You can also include a refresher on the course title, modules, milestones, and your logo. 

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How to Create Intros and Outros  

There are two main choices for creating intros and outros. 

B-Roll Footage, Text, and Music

Get some B-roll footage, add some sound, and insert the relevant text over it. You can use free image sights for the footage. Use any video editing software to combine the elements. 

Use Templates

An even easier option is to use templates. There are hundreds available online, both for free and paid. Some programs, like Adobe Premiere, even include templates. 

Conclusion

You don’t always need to include intros and outros in your eLearning videos. If you do, you can either use templates to create them or a combination of B-roll footage, sound, and text.