Why Use An Explainer Video Company? – Everything You Need To Know
Video
23 November 2021
What is an explainer video?
An explainer video is a short and informative video that can be used to describe your company or a product or service that you offer. They are typically one to two minutes long and tell the viewer what you do in a creative way. The name “explainer” comes from the fact that they help people understand something new by breaking it down into simple terms.
Explainer videos come in many different formats including animated videos which are usually more fun for viewers of all ages! There are also live-action videos that may include interviews with real employees or actors on set. A combination of animation and live-action can be used to explain complicated services, particularly in the oil and gas or renewables industry.
Why are explainer videos so effective?
Videos in general, are widely known to be an effective form of media because they engage your audience visually and audibly which is incredibly telling when you consider that 90% of all our mental stimulus comes from visual and audio cues.
Using video as a marketing or learning tool, not only helps viewers to better retain the information being conveyed, but it also prompts an emotional response that they may then associate with your brand or product.
According to research conducted by HubSpot, 76% of marketers say using video helped them drive more traffic to their website and increase sales. Marketers also noted an increase of up to 66% more qualified leads annually from using explainer videos.
On top of that, HubSpot also found that 96% of consumers increased their online video consumption in 2020. Now 9 out of 10 viewers say they want to see more videos from brands and business, meaning that video content is not only desirable but now expected by the majority of your target audience.
How to make an explainer video work for you?
There’s no denying that video as a medium for advertising is a fantastic way for businesses to convey their brand, marketing message, and services but at the end of the day what will ultimately decide whether or not an explainer video has been effective comes down to the quality of the visual and audible content.
If your explainer video is able to describe difficult to understand concepts in an easy manner they are really doing their job and they will be well received.
An explainer video only works if it has been able to simplify a difficult-to-understand concept for the viewer. The goal is always to break down the process or your service and how it works, or the various complex components of your product, into easily digestible bite-size chunks.
You should also consider the level of understanding that your target audience has. What terms and jargon will they be able to understand. If your video is for beginners or for advanced-level users of a product, make sure you specify that in the title or description of your video so as not to confuse people.
If your explainer video leaves viewers scratching their heads, it will not drive the kind of results you want. That is why we recommend using an video production company to produce the video for you. They will be able to craft a compelling storyline and shoot a high-quality video that will drive the results you are looking for.
Types of explainer videos
Live-Action Explainer Videos
Live-action explainer videos are promotional videos that are filmed using real people to explain your company’s product or service. Companies providing a physical product or a people-oriented service, such as a restaurant or consulting firm, would be suitable candidates for a live-action explainer video.
These can be highly effective because people are inherently drawn to other human faces to help us build connections. This helps the viewer of a live-action video to feel more emotionally connected to the characters, particularly when those characters relate to the demographics of your target audience.
Companies may choose to use feature their own employees in the films, which can often be more compelling. This is because you are able to see the people behind the service or product who are passionate about what they do and hear their experiences firsthand.
Live stream on social media
Live streams are essentially the same as a live-action video except that the content is shared live via social media so there is no room for outtakes or after-effects. This can seem a little daunting, but producing live streams fosters a feeling of accessibility and connectivity between your brand and your audience.
You are able to answer consumer questions in real-time, tailoring the content as you film to suit the needs of your audience. This creates highly personalized content and any mistakes you might make along the way only serve to humanize your brand, and proves that you have nothing to hide.
The best part about live streaming is that you can save the video to your channel afterwards, or choose not to. Saving your video will allow more people to see it, share it and engage with it.
Companies may choose to pay social media influencers to produce a live stream explainer video on their behalf, provided that the product is fairly easy for the influencer to understand and that the product fits the profile of the influencer and their followers. This is particularly effective for B2C companies.
Animated explainer videos
The most popular type of explainer video is animation. With animation anything is possible. What might seem inconceivable is brought to life before your very eyes. It is for this reason that animations become particularly useful in creating explainer videos that are aimed at depicting highly complex products, services, and solutions.
These types of videos are commonly used to explain services that are difficult to visualise in a live-action such as industrial services or intangible tech products like software. The oil and gas and renewables sectors often use animated explainer videos to demonstrate various pieces of equipment or technology in action that cannot be physically captured on film because it is either submerged underwater or below ground level.
Some companies on the other hand offer few, if any, physical products, making live-action explainer videos an unrealistic option. Animated explainer videos allow businesses to get more creative with their content, and can be easily modified if any adjustments ever need to be made.
Users are more likely to engage with a video than read informative material about a product or service and using animation helps to make that experience more enjoyable. As a result, your message is more likely to sink in. Including a call to action at the end of the explainer video will guide viewers towards the next step you want them to take.
Most importantly, animated explainer videos are fun. These are often thought of more as entertainment rather than a means to sell, and therefore consumers are more likely to engage, be swayed, and take action, than through conventional ads. We recommend that to get the most out of an aminated explainer video that you hire a video production company that specialises in animation to plan and create the content for you. That way you know it will be of high quality and drive the results that you need.
Whiteboard explainer videos
A whiteboard explainer video is an educational video that uses hand-drawn style animations to write and erase itself on a white background, to simulate learning on a whiteboard. This format of video has grown in popularity as it is a simpler andmore affordable style of animation.
This style transports the user back to their days in the classroom and signifies to them that this is a space in which they will learn new information. Using thin lines and continuous motions helps to make the animation more effective as it flows more naturally between each scene. This will help to hold the viewers’ attention for longer, but it might not be a style that is suited to your brand, which you will need to consider when deciding which style of explainer video is best for your business.
Which style of explainer video is best?
This is highly subjective. Depending on the industry, the type of consumer you want to reach, and the product or service offering you are trying to promote. You may choose to combine some styles together such as live-action footage, mixed with some animations which serve to further break down your product’s capabilities.
Here is a video our team recently created for Net Zero Technology Centre showcasing the launch of their #TechX Clean Energy Accelerator:
Explainer video best practices
Keep your audience in mind
Who is your intended audience? You can’t properly communicate with someone if you don’t know who you’re talking to. Keep in mind that the target market for a particular video may not be the same as your overall target market.
When producing any piece of marketing material, you need to first consider what your target audience is experiencing and how you want to be perceived by them. What are the problems they are facing and how can your product or service help alleviate those issues?
What is the next step you want the audience to take? Do you want people to sign up for your newsletter, try out your product for free, or visit our website? This is how you’ll decide what your call to action will be.
Grab their attention
Don’t ease viewers in, get them hooked right away. Studies suggest that online users make a decision about whether or not they will engage with your content in the first 2 seconds so you have to grab their attention right away and hold it there.
You might do that through an impactful statement, or perhaps through engaging visuals and sleek designs. Animated explainer videos can be particularly effective to drive visual engagement in viewers and hold their attention for longer.
Using words like “you” or “your” helps to engage the view directly.
Keep it brief
Don’t drone on too long. You’ll only be able to hold an online user’s attention for so long, so make sure you keep it short and sweet. There is no point in producing something that is boring, uninteresting, or unentertaining as it will never yield the desired results.
Try to limit the length of your video to under two minutes long, or even less if the subject is simple.
After all, the more information you offer somebody at once, the more probable it is that they will forget it. To maximum retention, focus on one or two essential lessons, and don’t forget to close with a clear CTA.
Make your explainer video script the best it can be
It is so important that your story be both engaging as well as relevant to your audience. You might be tempted to jump right into the more exciting process of video production, but the success of your explainer video hinges on the storyline being compelling.
Make sure you address all of the questions your audience may have, as well as explain to the viewer what they can expect to gain from your offerings.
Ask someone you trust to read over your script who is unfamiliar with the concept you’re trying to convey. This will ensure that you’ve not made any assumptions that will cause viewers to be confused during your explanation.
If you have decided to employ an explainer video company to do the hard work for you, you may have to help them put together the script as you will know your product/ service better than anyone.
You should also think about the voice you want to use to convey this message, the tone you want them to use, how old you want them to be and whether they should be male or female. These factors may contribute to whether or not your target audience will engage with the explainer video.
Why use an explainer video company to produce your content?
If you aren’t already using explainer videos as part of your marketing strategy then it’s time to start today. Most companies, no matter how large or small don’t have the specialist skills and resources to create professional and compelling videos in the way that an explainer video production company could.
When it comes to deciding what your storyline should be, what type of explainer video format is best for your business, brand, and products, and how your target audience is likely to engage with it, an explainer video production agency will help steer you in the right direction. The best explainer video production companies will also be able to incorporate your brand messaging and visuals so that your content is cohesive across all channels.
Animated video production companies have access to highly skilled designers, animators, and videographers who can build unique characters from scratch or incorporate live-action footage into animation projects with ease and finesse. Whatever you do, don’t go trying to create an animation from scratch on your own, with little or no experience in the field. The result will be an amateur-looking video that fails to engage your target audience.
To create explainer videos that are effective is hard enough without taking on an animated explainer video. It’s always better in business to rely on the right people to do the right job.
Our clients trust our video production and animation specialists to produce high-quality live-action footage and animations that can be used to simplify complex topics through easily digestible and entertaining explainer videos. If you are looking for a professional explainer video company to handle your next project, our team is only a call or email away – 01224 392828 or info@avcimmedia.com.