‘How to’ videos are helping people find love, get jobs, and even save lives


Navigating your way through life may never be easier thanks to the endless supply of ‘how to’ videos available online. A new survey shows just how many people are taking advantage of them.


LONDON — If you love do-it-yourself projects, you’ve probably watched some “how-to” videos online. When it comes to romance however, you may not think about finding a “how to date” video, but a new survey says maybe you should give it a try. Researchers find many adults are finding love and even learning how to save lives using online tutorials.

A poll of 2,000 British adults reveals one in 10 say a “how to date” video helped them find love. Another 10 percent say tutorials about acing job interviews helped them land their dream jobs.

The survey, commissioned by Vision Direct, says how-to videos are great for generations who prefer the short, digestible formats of social media.

“We all spend a lot of time online these days, and our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter,” content manager Alex Smyrliadi says in a statement. “It can be hard to learn something new when someone explains it just once, and as video content can be replayed whenever, wherever, it makes information a lot easier to digest.”

How to save a life

The OnePoll survey finds even more adults believe online tutorials can provide vital information during medical emergencies. One in four respondents say they’ve helped someone having medical problems after watching a how-to video. One in five believe those tips actually contributed to saving that person’s life.

“Getting expert advice in person can be difficult or even impossible sometimes, so ‘How To’ videos make sharpening skills accessible to a lot more people,” Smyrliadi adds.

It might seem like something that comes pretty “naturally” however, one in 10 say these videos helped them conceive a child.

Who needs friends? Ask the internet!

A previous Vision Direct survey finds two-thirds of adults turn to technology first when they want to learn something new. More than half of respondents prefer searching Google and YouTube than asking a real person to help train them.

Among the most popular searches are how to put in contact lenses, how to get stains out of clothes, and how to shave for the first time. Other respondents are also learning new languages, like French, and tips on how to bake or cook.

For British adults, DIY videos are still the most frequently viewed how-to videos online. With so many people stuck indoors due to COVID-19, it’s no wonder adults are looking for tips on fixing up their homes.

“We know the old adage ‘practice makes perfect’ stands true, and that to learn anything well, whether that’s putting in contact lenses, doing a bit of DIY or poaching an egg, you need to do that thing more than once,” the Vision Direct manager explains.

The British contact lens supplier is now producing their own series of how-to videos, teaching the many different ways people can pop in their lenses each day.

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