Video has been proven to be a highly effective and popular way to educate. From high schools and universities to homemade instructional DIY projects, the ability to learn from a video as opposed to a manual is appealing. When presented an opportunity to read a three-page article on how a surgical procedure is performed or watch a three-minute video, most people will opt for the video.

A study by Kaiser Permanente, found that using custom patient education videos increased patient satisfaction and reduced readmission rates. When compared to written education materials, video increases short-term retention of the information provided. Having video content also improves search engine rankings.

According to Cisco, approximately 80% of the world’s Internet consumption will be comprised of video by 2019. Now is clearly the time to begin creating informational videos for patients. Yet, organizations, especially healthcare, are lagging when it comes to curating video content.

One of the main reasons businesses haven’t jumped on the video curation bandwagon is a fear of looking unprofessional. While most would love to have a library of professionally made informational videos, for many businesses it can be cost prohibitive. There are many free video editing programs available that can help businesses begin creating effective patient education videos. Here are ten tips to easily create patient education videos.

1. Create a list of topics that are important to your patients and create a video on each. FAQs are a great place to start!
2. Keep videos to five minutes or less when possible and stick to one topic per video.
3. Position the video camera at the same location each time to create a uniform look to your video library.
4. Write a script of what will be discussed to ensure you stay on topic and within the prescribed time. Start by introducing the topic and provide an overview of what will be discussed in the video.
5. Use illustrations and models when possible to help deliver information.
6. Keep the information simple. Rather than creating a lengthy video that may overwhelm viewers, break the topic up into small segments.
7. Remember who your audience is and avoid using medical terminology the average patient will not understand.
8. Use closed captioning when possible or include a transcript of the video.
9. Upload the video to YouTube and optimize it so it can be found easily online. Include a keyword-optimized title, description, tags and a transcript of the video.
10. Embed the completed video onto your website and social media pages.

Patient education videos provide an excellent way to help existing and potential patients learn about the procedures, services and products you offer. They are also an excellent way to help your practice stand out online. Make videos a part of your 2016 medical marketing strategy by creating your first video today.