Why Every Software Update Needs a Video Walkthrough

Picture this: Your company just released a new software update for the program everyone uses to compile data, and now everything looks completely different. You’re left sifting through a PDF that was sent out in an email, trying to figure out how to do the same things you already knew how to do. Or maybe you’re a customer who just purchased a new program, and the only instructions you were given are buried in a long, text-heavy document. If only there were a video tutorial you could easily follow along with.

Whether you’re launching a new product, onboarding customers, or educating investors, an animated explainer video that walks through your software interface can be one of the most effective tools in your marketing arsenal. Here’s why:

More Comprehensive and More Engaging

When it comes to teaching someone how to use your product, video walkthroughs give you the ability to:

• Show, not just tell

• Highlight key features in real time

• Add voiceover, motion graphics, and sound design to bring clarity and energy

• Simplify complex ideas

• Enhance audience engagement and understanding

Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to just 10% when reading text (source).

When your audience understands how your product works and why it matters, it benefits not just the customer, but the company as a whole. Sales teams use these videos in demos to speed up the sales cycle, marketing teams use them to increase landing page conversions, and product teams use them to onboard users faster. It’s a strategic investment that directly supports growth.

Case Study: IXOM x HiveLinx

Client Goal: Turn a PDF manual into an engaging, easy-to-follow training video.

Software: HiveLinx

Audience: New and existing users

Here’s a case study on how we created a training video for our client Ixom and their software HiveLinx. Ixom originally came to us with a detailed PDF manual explaining how to use their software. They wanted something more comprehensive and easier to follow.

1. Discovery and Strategy: First, we had a discovery call with the client where we helped them narrow down their needs to a 2–5 minute video. They wanted something that would showcase the benefits of using the product as well as a comprehensive walkthrough of the software interface.

   
   

2. Learning the Product & Writing the Script: Before we started writing, we took time to learn the HiveLinx interface. This helped us write a script that accurately explained the product in a way customers would understand. Once the draft was ready, we sent it to the client for review and approval.

   
   

3. Voiceover Selection: Next, we provided the client with a few voice-over artist options. A strong, clear voice is essential to guide the viewer through the experience.

   
   

4. Screen Recording & Visual Breakdown: With the script and voiceover complete, we created multiple screen recordings of the software in use. HiveLinx only had three main pages, so we focused on highlighting what users needed to know on each screen—buttons, menus, error messages, and other key interactions.

   
   

5. Animation & Enhancement: Here’s where the magic happens. We brought the screen recordings into Adobe After Effects to create engaging animations of the software. This included actions like mouse movements, zoom-ins, and camera movements.

   
   

6. Bringing It All Together: Finally, we assembled the voiceover with the animations. For this client, we flew onsite to film custom b-roll that was also included in the final video. The result was a comprehensive training video that’s far more effective than a static manual and much easier for new users to follow.

Example Videos We’ve Created

Here are a few examples of walkthrough-style videos we’ve created for our clients

Interested in making your software easier to understand and easier to sell?

Let’s talk about how we can create a custom walkthrough video that works for your product, your brand, and your audience.