Online learning can be kind to your budget, but if learners aren't engaged in the content, it won't be a wise investment.

Workplace training offers many benefits for both companies and employees. In fact, a lack of training can lead to negative effects. But not all businesses have the bandwidth—or the budget—to conduct in-person training on a regular basis. Online training offers an effective solution for companies that have a distributed workforce or limited funds.

Top e-learning tools are chock full of features to help trainers create engaging courses and get measurable results. However, keeping trainees engaged with the materials can be a challenge online. These five tips can help.

Tip 1: Use a multimedia approach

Online training offers participants little opportunity to interact with their peers or the instructor. As such, e-learning can be a bit boring since trainees are usually flying solo on the courses. A good way to maintain engagement is to include multiple types of media, placed at regular intervals in each course.

Variety is a key factor, so use pictures, voiceover narration, and video to keep people from drifting off. It's important to remember that different trainees have different learning modalities. Although some are quite capable of absorbing big chunks of text, many learn better through visual cues, and still others fare better with auditory stimulation. Thus, using a multimedia approach helps a larger number of trainees absorb the material.

Also, note that there is value in creating high-quality media for courses. People are less likely to tune out good content.

Tip 2: Make courses interactive

Participants take online courses via computers and mobile devices. Given the various apps, projects, and meeting reminders that are contained on these devices, the potential for distraction is high for trainees.

To keep everyone on task, use short, interactive quizzes, preferably with a variety of answer types such as multiple choice and labeling. That will help ensure that trainees remain focused by allowing them to directly engage with the content. And as it turns out, just knowing that there are quizzes will aid with the retention of the material, thanks to a phenomenon known as the Hawthorne effect.

On a related note, consider the tone you use in training materials. When you're not catering to a live audience, training materials can have a tendency to come across as dry and impersonal. If you have a photo of people in view while creating courses, it makes you think of presenting live, which will make the tone more conversational and, thus, give trainees a sense of interactivity. Remember that you don’t have to make e-learning a complete replacement to live training; a bit of live training is a nice complement to the online counterpart.

Tip 3: Keep it short and sweet

In this always-on world full of endless content and instant gratification, attention spans are decreasing. As such, e-learning works best when training initiatives are delivered in short, easily digestible courses. You should keep participants moving along at a swift pace.

Ideally, use no more than 10 words on a slide. Including images as often as possible also is a good rule of thumb. For voiceovers, the narration should last no more than five minutes per slide. Break up your content into modules that are short—eight to 15 minutes maximum. Each module should include a quiz even if it isn't for assessment.

Tip 4: Explain the benefits

Whether you're training in person or online, it's important to explain the benefits. Trainers will almost always discuss how a course benefits the company, but make sure you also let the participants know how the information will apply to what they are doing—in particular, how it will help them improve a skill (or skills).

Sharing real-life stories is a great way to show the value of the information. When I talk to sales trainers and tell them that one of our customers saw an increase of up to 400 percent with resellers who passed the course, they become interested in learning how they did it.

Before-and-after scenarios work very well. Describe how learners are doing things today, and then how they will do things after taking the training course and what the impact will be.

Tip 5: Provide incentive

As with all things in life, the right incentive can motivate e-learning participants, giving them a reason to pay close attention to course materials. Offer rewards such as professional certificates and badges. Badges aren't just for gaming anymore. For example, Badgeville offers a solution for HR and training that helps increase employee engagement.

Companies that have enacted a badge program see a 25 percent increase in training completion and a 50 percent reduction in time to complete online learning courses. You could even provide some small prizes for trainees who perform the best on quizzes, say a $5 gift card to Starbucks or a pack of M&Ms (it's amazing how many adults are still motivated by free candy).

Also, don't underestimate the value of intangible rewards. Reinforce trainee behavior with specific feedback, referring to their performance based on what was covered in training. A pat on the back is worth a heck of a lot.