Small Business Onboarding Videos: Clear Steps, Examples, and Tools
Onboarding videos are short, focused videos that help new hires or customers start quickly. They show one task at a time. They use plain language, and end with a clear next step. Use them to reduce questions, standardize training, and help people feel confident from day one.
How to make employee onboarding videos
- Pick one outcome for the viewer.
- Choose a format: phone camera, screen record, slides with voiceover, or an AI avatar.
- Write a short script with simple sentences and one idea per scene.
- Record or generate with clear audio and steady framing.
- Add captions for accessibility and quick scanning.
- Add one call to action so viewers know what to do next.
- Publish where people already work and measure results.
Onboarding video examples for small businesses
Use these onboarding video examples as templates you can adapt today.
- Welcome and week one plan.
- Day 1 setup: accounts, tools, and access.
- Office or shop tour.
- IT setup: email, 2FA, and password manager.
- Payroll and time tracking basics.
- Safety 101 for common tasks.
- Sales or POS walkthrough.
- Support triage and escalation path.
- Product unbox and first run for customers.
- Dashboard in five minutes for customers.
- Appointment booking and reminders.
- Inventory receiving and storage.
- Social media guidelines for staff.
- Shipping and returns in practice.
- First week wins and who to contact.
Why onboarding Videos are essential
Onboarding videos help people start strong. They reduce first-day confusion. They save manager time, and make training consistent for every hire and every customer.
- Better retention. Employees are 69% more likely to stay for three years when they experience great onboarding.
- Stronger outcomes at scale. Companies with mature onboarding are up to 103% more likely to report improvements in key metrics. That’s like new-hire retention and engagement.
- Execution gap to close. Only 12% of employees strongly agree their organization does a great job with onboarding, and only 29% of new hires feel prepared and supported.
- Productivity and loyalty. Well-run onboarding improves productivity. It increases loyalty, engagement, and reduces turnover. Keep expectations clear and information paced.
Start with a short playlist of the top three tasks. Keep each clip focused on one outcome. Add captions so everyone can follow along.
Challenges Faced by Small Businesses in Onboarding
While onboarding is crucial for any business, small businesses face unique challenges when trying to create an effective process. Several factors can limit their ability to implement successful systems.
Limited resources
Small teams do not always have time to run the same walkthroughs for every new hire or customer. Training happens in brief moments, which leads to gaps.
Lack of personalization
People learn at different speeds and often need to replay steps. Live training cannot always pause or rewind.
Inconsistent experiences
When training depends on who is available that day, the message changes and quality slips. Checklists help, but many steps are easier to learn when shown.
Time constraints for managers
Managers carry a full workload and cannot repeat the same instructions every week. New hires wait for help and lose momentum.
Keeping content current
Processes change and documents drift out of date. Long trainings are hard to redo, so teams postpone updates. Solve with onboarding videos by turning that process into a 2 to 3 minute clip.
Tool sprawl and access
Information lives across emails, docs, and chats. People waste time hunting for the one message that explains a step. Use short, repeatable videos to keep experience consistent across teams.
The role of technology in onboarding Videos
Technology should make onboarding easier. Choose simple tools that remove work and help people learn at the right moment.
Automation that saves time
Use light automation to deliver the right clip at the right time. Examples include sending a welcome video on day one.
AI avatar tools
AI avatar tools can turn a short script into a presenter video in minutes. They’re useful for explainers. If you update often. Even multilingual versions, and topics where a friendly face helps. Keep clips under three minutes and mix in screenshots.
Screen recorders
Best for software steps and dashboards. Record the exact clicks, add brief callouts, and trim silence. When the flow changes, re-record that segment and swap it in your playlist.
Slides with voiceover
Great for policy refreshers, safety notes, and quick intros. Keep text large. One idea per slide. Export with captions so everyone can follow.
Accessibility by default
Turn on captions, include transcripts, and check that controls are easy to navigate. Accessible videos help everyone.
Employee vs. customer onboarding videos
| Aspect | Employee onboarding videos | Customer onboarding videos |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Help new hires start fast and safely | Help customers activate and reach first value |
| Typical length | 60 to 90 seconds for intros, 2 to 3 minutes for tasks | 60 to 90 seconds for intros, 2 to 3 minutes for tasks |
| Distribution | Intranet or LMS, email, chat | In product, help center, email sequence |
| Success signals | Faster ramp, fewer errors, fewer tickets | Activation rate, repeat use, fewer support tickets |
Make an onboarding video with VidAU
One simple way to produce clear, consistent clips is to use VidAU’s AI avatar workflow. Follow these steps.
- Choose an avatar and language.
- Paste your script.
- Adjust layout and captions.
- Render and share from your library.
Benefits of using VidAU for onboarding videos
- Fast updates without reshoots: Edit the script. Regenerate in minutes. And keep training current as workflows change.
- Consistent delivery for repeat processes: Every viewer hears the same clear message. It reduces variance and errors.
- Budget-friendly for small teams: Skip studio costs. Reuse templates.
Conclusion
Start with the process that triggers the most questions. Write a six-line script, record a short screen demo or create an AI avatar version. Add captions, and publish where people already work. Track one outcome per clip. If something changes, update the script and regenerate. Build three to five clips, organize them in a playlist. Share the link in your welcome email, intranet, or help center. Small steps create momentum and reduce repeat work. When you are ready to move faster, use VidAU to produce consistent onboarding videos in minutes. Register for VidAU and create your first video today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should we include in an onboarding video?
One clear goal, a few steps, the key screens or scenes, captions, and a single next action.
How long should it be?
Sixty to ninety seconds for intros. Two to three minutes for task demos. Split longer topics.
Do we need special gear?
No. Use a quiet room, a basic mic, and a screen recorder or an AI avatar tool.
Where should we share the videos?
Employees: intranet or LMS. Customers: inside your product, help center, or a short email sequence.
How do we know it is working?
Track completion, repeat views, and questions after viewing. Watch ramp time, activation, and support tickets.
How do I create an onboarding video with VidAU?
Choose an avatar and language, paste your script, add captions, render, and share the link.
