The world is confusing, and sometimes, we need someone to explain it to us. To set yourself apart, there are a number of incredibly effective, versatile ways to educate and expand your audience with animated videos. In fact, nearly 90% of modern marketing professionals use video – and gorgeous animation made custom for your brand is a foolproof way to stand out.
At Explainly, we live and breathe animation! 2D, 3D, live-action, stop motion, and mixed media animation can be used in movies, television, advertisements, video games, software experiences, e-commerce, short films, fine art, websites, and more. The possibilities are endless! So if you’re looking to learn more or planning to create a video, our tips below are a must-read.
Creating Different Types of Videos:
In today’s media environment, constant stimulation through smartphones and social media exposes viewers, resulting in shorter attention spans than ever. Very few people have the patience to sit through a ten-minute video. In fact, retention data shows a drastic drop-off after just two minutes. With that said, 68% of people are willing to sit through a video if it lasts 60 seconds or less. Short videos are also going to do better with engagement on social media than long-form content.
Explainer Videos:
Explainer Videos are short, concise videos under 90 seconds that get their message across quickly and are proven to grab viewers’ attention effectively. Whether a snappy explainer video lives on your website, YouTube channel, Vimeo page, or is linked to customers via email or social media, the key goal is to show what makes you great clearly and quickly, while compelling them to book a call or demo with you after watching.
YouTube ads:
Youtube ads are viewed constantly by the 30 million people who use YouTube every single day. Using YouTube ads to promote your business is attractive… but it can also be an intimidating task to undertake. You shouldn’t neglect this important marketing tool, but you do need to know how to use YouTube video ads successfully. The targeting capabilities of YouTube ads even allow you to drill down deep to capture your target market fully.
Social Media:
When it comes to social media content and videos that live on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Facebook – shorter is almost always better. LinkedIn alone is used by 875 million professionals in over 200 countries worldwide. It is truly an untapped resource for many brand’s marketing departments. Content to create for your LinkedIn or other social pages could include videos on company news, new product launches, event promotion and recaps, industry insights, case studies, or community outreach to name a few. Consistency and frequency of posts is also massively necessary if you’re trying to build a social presence. To achieve the best social success, respect your audience’s time and jump into your messaging right from the start.
Long form content:
Long form content typically lies further along into your sales funnel, and provides the opportunity to give your audience a more detailed explanation about your products or services. With your viewers much closer to making a purchase, these nitty-gritty details are more beneficial than they might be in a traditional introductory explainer video.
Testimonial:
Testimonial interviews are one of the most effective forms of modern marketing. While they have been used promotionally for decades, they are proven to be trusted today by 88% of customers. By giving a glimpse behind an advertisement through testimonials and peer recommendations, your content becomes even more convincing. First determine the big-picture goal of a testimonial. Then consider the storyline of the testimonial. Other important elements are statistics or KPIs, b-roll, and motion graphics to enhance the video.
Writing Videos for Different Industries:
The needs of professionals and companies working in different industries each have unique, complex needs. Explainly’s expertise in explaining, advertising, and promoting within these industries is vast!
Healthcare:
For example, healthcare marketing specifically requires a careful approach. Companies marketing within the medical industry must balance science, technology, and credibility with empathy, humanity, and sensitivity. Your goal is to demonstrate understanding of the audience’s needs and precisely articulate how you can meet them. Consider delivering a well-rounded story by showing both the perspective of the patient and the doctor. Our flexible demeanor aims to captivate, educate, comfort, and build trust in our audiences – which has led us to work with clients including McKesson, Johns Hopkins, AARP, VeryWell Health, Elite Medical Staffing, Lallemand, Precision for Medicine, ACLA, and many more.
Software:
Similarly, the software, technology, and cybersecurity industries are extremely high in demand, so it is key to convey your technical solutions that customers might not understand in a fashion that is palatable, empathetic, and educational – as Explainly has achieved in our projects with major players including AWS Slalom, Uber, Toast, Repsly, Vantiq, and Avast. Wording in your explainer videos and marketing materials can make or break your audience’s very first impressions of your company. The initial tone your marketing sets can influence how a viewer can anticipate interacting with your team and software. So, by maintaining a balance between approachability and getting straight to the point, you can hook your audience and show you have a solution to their needs.
Education:
In educational marketing, it’s equally important to address the key pain points and goals of what potential students need from an educational program. You want students to know your program exists. You also want them to know how successful they can become through and after your program. By determining your ideal student profiles, you can focus your marketing to yield more effective marketing outcomes.
Non-Profits:
Non-profit organizations can communicate the impact of their work to donors through explainer videos. Videos raise awareness of your organization, inform the donors about plans for the next year, and show exactly how their donations are used – making supporters feel in-the-loop and part of the team. The best time to unveil your brand new explainer video can be at a conference, digital event, on your website homepage, in newsletters, or anywhere that puts your message in front of a captive audience.
Wording is a Fundamental Key
Every type of video has different needs and nuances. Oftentimes short explainer videos are most effective when they steer clear of overly technical jargon. More complex references could establish deeper credibility or explain more complex concepts in longer-form videos. However conversational language is typically more effective to connect with your audience. Conversational language can this make your company feel more approachable, warm, and trustworthy. It is also easier for the average viewer to understand. However, pairing this language with on-screen-text, motion graphics, and illustrations can drive home tougher concepts and improve information retention!
The Magic of Animation!
We see animation every day of our lives – from beloved classic movie characters, to advertisements, to TV, to explainer videos, to in-app software experiences! Now that you’ve explored all the opportunities to use animation for your business, how do you create it? The production pipeline of animation all comes down to a series of drawings, backed by ample research, scripts, illustrations, scheduling, and teams of very experienced artists and producers. The Explainly team always strives to perfect the marketing videos we produce, from the strong initial story writing to the final visual polishes.
At Explainly, we create custom, frame-by-frame business animation videos, just for you. No templates, no drag and drop software, and no cutting corners! Ready to learn more and boost your business’ video presence? Reach out to us at explainly.com!
