Video Viewer Habits, Trends, And Statistics You Need To Know - How to Create Instructional and Informational Videos That Get Watched

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Aria

Video Viewer Habits, Trends, And Statistics You Need To Know compiles research on how people engage with instructional and informational videos. It explains why video has become a widely adopted training and communication format across markets, then details a TechSmith study based on a 2018 survey of 924 respondents and an analysis of real-world video examples. The guide translates findings into practical methods for capturing attention, optimizing video length, improving search visibility, and sustaining watch time through techniques such as clearer structure and captioning.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages33

Reading Time1 h 23 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Research Methodology

The Rise Of Video

Know Your Audience

How to Grab Their Attention-And Make Them Stay

The Preferred Length Of Videos

The Power of Search

Why People Stop Watching Video

How to Keep Viewers Watching

Caption Your Content

Be The Best: Lessons Learned From Real-World Videos

What Did we Learn?

Tools of the Trade

Video Viewer Habits, Trends, And Statistics You Need To Know How to create instructional and informational videos that get watched Foreword: Video has revolutionized the delivery of information and training content. Whether you are teaching people through online content, or training internal coworkers, the use of video to share knowledge is becoming an expectation. However, many companies struggle with how to create and deliver engaging and effective instructional videos that viewers will actually watch. TechSmith conducted research to learn more about people’s viewing habits and preferences around instructional and informational videos, and what that means for creating videos that get watched. In this guide, you will find applicable tips on how you can leverage these insights to create video content that helps people learn new skills or gain new knowledge. 2 Contents 04 / Introduction 05 / Research Methodology 07 / The Rise Of Video 10 / Know Your Audience 11 / How to Grab Their Attention-And Make Them Stay 11 / The Preferred Length Of Videos 14 / The Power of Search 18 / Why People Stop Watching Video 19 / How to Keep Viewers Watching 23 / Caption Your Content 25 / Be The Best: Lessons Learned From Real-World Videos 31 / What Did we Learn? 32 / Tools of the Trade 03 Introduction Video has emerged as one of the most powerful and widely used formats for delivering trainings and instructions- regardless of who your audience is. The vast majority of businesses have embraced video as a marketing, training, and communication tool with customers and employees alike. The acceptance and consumption of video continues to grow across most demographics. This should come as no surprise: As employees, students, and customers increasingly expect information to be available in video format1, businesses are embracing video for its benefits, visual appeal, and effectiveness. The big question is no longer “Should I create a video?” Instead, we need to focus on the question “How do I create videos that are effective and that get watched?” To understand more about how this medium is most effective, TechSmith conducted research to discover user preferences and consumption habits across six different markets-Australia, Canada, France, UK, the US, and Germany. The TechSmith Video Viewer research provides unique insights into when, why, and how today’s consumers engage with informational and instructional video content, as well as best practices to ensure your instructional and informational videos are efficient and effective. Discover how you can revamp your own video content to find a better way to connect with your audience. [1](1 www.techsmith.com/visual-communication-research)[ ](1 www.techsmith.com/visual-communication-research)[www.techsmith.com/visual-communication-research](1 www.techsmith.com/visual-communication-research) 04 Research Methodology Research Part 1: Video Viewer Survey To understand more about how video is most effective, TechSmith conducted research to discover user preferences and video viewing habits. The main portion of the research consists of a survey that was administered to 924 unique respondents in late December 2018. The recruitment as well as the delivery of the survey were conducted by Qualtrics, an independent research partner. Similar versions of this survey were previously conducted in 2013 and 2016. For the 2016 study, we surveyed 1,006 participants while the 2013 study involved surveyed 1900 respondents. All studies used the same type of survey methodology, though the questions varied slightly year to year. This report will focus on the most recent results, but data from previous reports will be referenced for comparative purposes. WHO WERE THE SURVEY PARTICIPANTS? Markets Included Australia (17%) (n=155) US (17%) (n=154) Canada (17%) (n=155) France (17%)(n=155) UK (17%) (n=154) Germany (16%) (n=151) Key

FAQs

What is the main purpose of this guide?

It translates TechSmith research into actionable advice for creating instructional and informational videos that viewers will actually watch.

How was the research conducted?

The study includes a 2018 video viewer survey administered to 924 unique respondents via Qualtrics, plus an analysis of 95 submitted real-world instructional and informational videos.

What topics are covered to improve video performance?

The guide addresses understanding the audience, grabbing and holding attention, preferred video length, search visibility, reasons viewers stop watching, and ways to keep viewers engaged, including captioning.

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Aria