Meet Mrs M. She was recently diagnosed with diabetes, and like many others, she turned to YouTube to learn more about her disease. But she found most videos were lengthy and packed with complicated terms, leaving her more confused than informed.
“Why can’t they make these videos shorter and simpler? It’s so hard to remember all the information,” she thought.
If you’re looking to create some health-related video content, you don’t need a degree in film studies to make one. Creating an effective educational video on health conditions takes a mix of clarity, creativity, and scientific accuracy. Ultimately, just remember that your audience must be able to understand your content. You just need to know how to communicate clearly and purposefully.
Have you ever wondered how some creative content creators manage to turn complex topics into short and digestible videos that make sense? Here are 10 tips to create health videos that truly help your audience:
1. Know Your Audience
Before hitting the ‘record’ button, ask yourself: Who is this for? Is it the general public, patients, or healthcare professionals?
Identifying your audience is critical to help you decide on the depth of content, tone and language to use. Healthcare professionals might want more technical information, while patients and the public would appreciate simple language and clearer explanations.
For instance, instead of saying ‘reduced ejection fraction’ in a heart failure video for lay audiences, try ‘the heart is not pumping as strongly as it should’. But, if your video is targeting an audience with medical background, using medical jargon is not an issue.
💡 Skip medical jargon for lay audiences.
2. Focus on One Concept per Video
Too much information at once can overwhelm your viewers. The best thing to do is to focus each video on a single concept, whether it’s symptoms, diagnosis or treatment.
If the topic is broad such as diabetes, heart diseases or cancer, consider breaking it into a video series. For instance, one video for symptoms, one for prevention, and another video for treatment. Breaking down complex topics into bite-sized chunks can prevent information fatigue and engage the audience better.
If your topic is broad, break it up into a series.
Examples of video series:
- Video 1: How to Take Your Blood Pressure
- Video 2: When to Take Your Bloor Pressure
- Video 3: Frequently Asked Questions about Blood Pressure Monitoring
💡 Think of your video like the chapters in a book – a step at a time.
3. Visuals are Everything
A picture really is worth a thousand words – especially in medicine. Visuals can simplify complex concepts and make them more engaging.
For example, use animation to show disease progression, diagrams for anatomy, or timelines for treatment plans. You can even colour-code key points (e.g. red for danger; green for healthy or good) to help viewers grasp ideas swiftly.
Some great tools to explore:
💡 Visuals should simplify, not complicate.
4. Use Storytelling to Connect
Let’s be honest – we all love stories. Stories are easier to remember than raw facts alone.
Sharing a real-life patient journey or a relatable scenario helps people see themselves in the content. This builds empathy and makes your advice more memorable.
Even abstract content can be framed through a story. Think: “Let’s follow Jane’s journey as she discovers she has thyroid disease.”
💡 Tell stories for a human connection.
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5. Keep It Short and Focused
Our attention spans are shorter than ever. Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram reels are popular for a reason. If your content is clear and relevant, even short videos can be powerful.
Aim to keep each video between 3 to 7 minutes.
For longer topics, split them into a video series or add clickable chapter markers to allow viewers to skip to what they need.
💡 Less is more – stay on point.
6. Add Key Points On Screen
Highlight key phrases on the screen to reinforce the crucial messages about the health topic. For instance, listing down the symptoms on screen while verbally elaborating on each one.
Having key phrases on screen can be helpful for people who often watch on mute.
💡 On-screen text helps reinforce your message.
7. Provide Actionable Advice
At the end of the video, the viewers want to know: “What can I do now?”
Offer practical tips such as ways to manage symptoms or reduce risks. Showing them what they can do is more beneficial than listing the facts.
For instance, “quit smoking is a great step to protect your lungs” if you want to talk about preventive steps to combat lung cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).
💡 Empower your audience with doable steps.
8. Speak With Authority, But Keep It Conversational
As a healthcare professional, your voice carries weight – use it well. Do not be afraid to speak directly to camera. When you appear in the video yourself, it builds trust and connection with your audience. Keep your tone professional yet conversational, like how you would explain something to a patient in clinic.
Avoid reading from a script verbatim — instead, aim to sound natural and engaging. Practice a few times, or jot down bullet points to guide you.
💡 Speak to the camera like you are speaking to your patient in the consult room.
9. Recap with Key Takeaways
Wrapping up with key takeaways is a great recap.
Repetition helps effective learning. Do a quick recap at the end of the video highlighting the key takeaways. Try:
- “Here’s what we covered…”
- “Remember these 3 things…”
Otherwise, consider using visual summaries or short quizzes to boost retention.
💡 Wrap up with a reminder of key messages.
10. Back It Up with Sources
Credibility matters, especially when it comes to talking about health conditions. People trust doctors, but they trust doctors more when backed by reliable sources.
Mention credible references at the end: WHO, CDC, clinical guidelines, or peer-reviewed articles. It shows you’ve done your homework and helps viewers trust the content.
💡 Credibility matters in healthcare communication.
You Can Do It Too
10 Tips:
- Know Your Audience
- Focus on One Concept per Video
- Visuals are Everything
- Use Storytelling to Connect
- Keep It Short and Focused
- Add Key Points On Screen
- Provide Actionable Advice
- Speak With Authority, But Keep It Conversational
- Recap with Key Takeaways
- Back It Up with Sources
Educational videos, particularly on health topics, have the power to empower people and change lives. While it may not seem like a breeze to start, all you need is to take baby steps one at a time. After all, as a doctor, you are already trained to explain complex ideas. You do it every day with your patients.
Start small. Pick one topic. Keep it short. And always ask yourself: Would your health video make sense to Mrs M?
