Explainer videos are a great way to introduce new products or services to a market. In addition, explainer videos also can be used for both marketing and advertising purposes. The main goal of an explainer video is to present your brand in the most appealing way possible. It tells what your company does and how it can benefit your target audience.
This article will cover some dos and don’ts when creating an explainer video. You will know how to create an animation that will get people’s attention.
The benefits of using animated videos for marketing your business
These days, video marketing is becoming increasingly popular. And with good reason – videos are very effective in grabbing people’s attention and explaining certain things to them.
They’re more effective than the typical blog post, which has long been the gold standard for simple internet advertising. In addition, there are quite a few reasons why you should consider using animated explainer videos.
1. More enjoyable than the text. Your message will reach out and ‘grab’ your audience members by their eyeballs.
2. Make it easy to keep viewers engaged. Videos give you much more control over the visual elements of the presentation. So, you keep people’s interests and focus.
3. Can be used for marketing. If you’re looking for a way to engage your audience, one of the best ways to do it is through videos. Videos allow you to communicate with your customers on a personal level.
How can explainer videos boost sales?
It’s no secret that a lot of people watch online videos before making purchases. Some estimates state that over half of consumers will check out product videos before making a bay decision.
If you have an engaged customer base, using explainer video marketing may be a good strategy. Marketing video strategies are effectively increasing sales. They allowing leads to progress down the sales funnel, eventually turning into customers.
Over half of consumers will check out product videos before making a bay decision. Photo from Moose.
On the other hand, a poorly-made explainer video can do more harm than good. People may assume that you don’t know what you’re talking about if your video is confusing. Explainer videos need to be well constructed and easy for viewers to understand. It’s important to avoid using too much jargon or complex structures to avoid losing your audience.
No matter how great your explainer video might seem to you if someone else can’t understand what’s you want to say. You cut off that customer base from your company.
Try it out to upload it onto a social media site or an online platform like YouTube. You never know – maybe the engagement generated by your customers will help catapult your product into the limelight.
4 dos and don’ts when producing your explainer video
The following are the most important dos and don’ts when creating an explainer video.
Do:
Use a script, and stick to it
The first step for a successful video that you have to take is creating an effective script. The good news is that plenty of people out there can help with this; all you have to do is ask around.
Finding a master storyteller is a key element of making an animated explainer video a success.
Determine what your explainer video will showcase
This tip might sound like common sense. But many people don’t realize how important it is to define the purpose of your video. It’s not enough to say, “I want my explainer video to sell my company’s product.”
If your aim is as broad as before starting to create your video, it’s probably best to hire a pro. Otherwise, your video being too generic. It will dilute your message and cause you not to achieve your goals.
Find the right voice-over artist for your explainer video
This is another thing that many people overlook when creating videos. They use whoever is convenient for them or record the voice-over themselves.
However, it is a good idea to choose someone who does a good job conveying your brand.
A title is a vital part of your explainer video
After watching the video itself, the title is usually the most memorable part, so make sure you get it right. The best way to go about this is to have a great title and then write the script around that.
Using a character in your explainer video is a good idea for a professional company image. Ensure that they represent your brand as closely as possible – otherwise, it might be seen as if you are trying too hard.
Don’t:
Forget about your message
Explainer videos are supposed to be attention-grabbing. But they’re not movies with catchy montages and funny characters. They should focus on one thing only: selling.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with your explainer video in this regard.
Many styles will work just as well for you besides the one you use. If you want an animated explainer video, then go ahead and develop it using the most effective techniques available to you.
Choose your animation type carelessly
Again, this might sound like common sense. But you’d be surprised just how many people don’t think about what the type of animation they’re using means their branding.
It’s up to you to decide whether or not explainer videos animations ‘fit’ into your brand image. Remember that it doesn’t matter if something is popular – there are plenty of popular things that you shouldn’t do.
Take the voice aspect for granted
It’s not enough to hire someone who can do the job at hand. Ensure that they also fit in with any branding elements. Also, remember never to overlook sound effects unless you’ve got a lot of money sitting around.
Don’t copy other videos
Although you may be tempted to do so, it’s usually best to develop a completely original idea. Even if you end up having to spend extra time and/or money on the development process. It’s much easier for people to remember your explainer video when they can tell that it’s unique.
Once you’ve put together your explainer video, show it to as many people as possible. Also, make sure that they give you honest feedback. Use this information to create a new effective video that will deliver the right results.
Find quality voice over for an affordable price
Whether you’re a small lifestyle business owner or one that runs a big-chain business, voice-over is one of the elements that you can’t ignore. There are plenty of places where you can get great talent at an affordable price.
You might be surprised how many people can offer high-quality voices in your local area for less than $100.
You can ask for recommendations on the best voiceover artists on Reddit or other communities. Fiverr, Upwork, and a similar platform are also good for this. All it takes to find one is a simple Google search with relevant keywords.
Music and sound effect
One of the most important aspects of video creation is the choice of music or sound effects. It can often be tough deciding on which song you want to use. And there are a lot more questions that come into play when choosing a music piece or even creating from scratch:
- Do you need an instrumental version?
- Will it need explicit lyrics?
- Is this for uploading onto YouTube or Vimeo?
- Are you having it custom-made for your company?
The list goes on.
When choosing songs, it’s best to stick with something that will catch people’s attention. It’s good to clone beats from popular songs as long as they fall under copyright lawsю. This gives you some leeway when deciding on which song to use.
Another often overlooked option is to choose an already-used track. For instance, you can get songs that have been used in popular movies or TV shows from websites like AudioJungle. You also can take tracks from Fugue or similar stocks for free following simple conditions.
Common mistakes you should avoid making in your explainer video
It’s effortless to make a mistake when creating explainer videos, and there are many things that you can do wrong. Here are some common explainer video mistakes:
1. Missing out on key points. People must remember what you’re trying to say in your video.
2. Poor use of color. A good strategy is not to use bright or distracting backgrounds or fonts. They can prevent people from remembering your message.
3. Using too many characters. Make sure you choose the right number of characters to use in your explainer video. Of course, this will depend on what kind of product you’re trying to promote and how much time you have. A good rule of thumb is not to exceed more than three characters. Keeping it simple and using fewer characters will allow people to focus on content.
Final thoughts on animated explainer videos for marketing
You can use animated explainer videos to explain multiple concepts and sell various products, services, or a combination of both. Many companies find that having an animated explainer video is a great way to boost sales.
If you’re looking for a new marketing strategy to try out this year, then consider investing in these types of videos. They may be the answer you’ve been searching for.
Author’s bio: Neal Taparia is the co-founder of Imagine Easy Solutions, a portfolio of online educational services that reaches over 30 million students yearly. Neal sold the business to Chegg (NYSE: CHGG), an executive, for three years. He’s now pursuing a new initiative, Solitaired, which ties classical games with memory and attention training.
