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July 24, 2024

How To Write a Good Explainer Video Script

How do I write a great script for my animated explainer video?

Animated explainer videos are some of the best marketing tools your brand can invest in when it comes to getting the word out about your products and services. For your animated video to be effective though you have to start with a compelling story, and this means writing a good video script.

The truth is no matter how wonderful the animation is if the story behind that animation is confusing, off-brand, and/or boring the video won’t be effective. So, let’s discuss how to write a good explainer video script, shall we!

Before we get started talking about how to craft those amazing stories let’s discuss what an animated explainer video actually is. An animated explainer is a video that uses voice narration to impart information to a brand or companies potential customer base paired with animated visuals and text.

By using the combination of creative visuals and audio you will be engaging more of the audience’s senses and therefore allowing them to retain information faster and easier. Sure, you could just use an animated video with motion graphics and still be able to get your message across to the audience, but without a script, even that will be difficult because the script is the skeleton of the video itself.

Without a skeleton, you wouldn’t be able to walk and it’s the same for your animated explainer video. It is the tool that the animators will

Does The Script Really Matter That Much?

Before we get started talking about how to craft those amazing stories let’s discuss what an animated explainer video actually is. An animated explainer is a video that uses voice narration to impart information to a brand or companies potential customer base paired with animated visuals and text.

By using the combination of creative visuals and audio you will be engaging more of the audience’s senses and therefore allowing them to retain information faster and easier. Sure, you could just use an animated video with motion graphics and still be able to get your message across to the audience, but without a script, even that will be difficult because the script is the skeleton of the video itself.

Without a skeleton, you wouldn’t be able to walk and it’s the same for your animated explainer video. It is the tool that the animators will use to craft the actual animation. So does the script really matter? Definitely! For both the animator and your customer base.

A cartoon boy looking confused

Process of Writing a Good Explainer Video Script

For you to develop a good explainer video script understanding the complete script writing process is necessary. By having a structured outline of the steps you will be able to draft a script that is both engaging as well as informative in no time.

Start With A Brief

Before you even start putting fingers on the keyboard it’s always best if you start with a creative brief. This brief will give a basic overview of what your animated explainer video is looking to achieve and what the overall vision is.

In this brief, you should answer what problem you are looking to solve, what your solution does to solve that problem, as well as a call to action. During this phase, you also might want to create a short summary (sometimes called a lift pitch) that you can impart quickly if asked to do so.

Structure Is Everything

Next, you need to lay out the structure of the script. you should first discuss the problem, then demonstrate your service or product, and after that move on to explaining why your service or product is the way to go.

This is a basic three-act script setup that you can then use to craft a great explainer video. To draft your story use real-life statistics and experiences as much as possible. This will elicit a stronger emotional reaction from your potential client and lead to a better customer conversion rate.

Use our words

Once you have this structure all that is left is to write the actual video script itself. To make your script more engaging, you’ll want to write the way you talk. Basically, this means that your script should be written in a conversational tone.

It should almost feel like a dialogue between the narrator and the viewer. As you are writing just think about how you would have this conversation with a friend and let the words flow onto the page or computer screen.

A 3d cartoon man with glasses smiling

Things To Consider When Writing Your Script

As you begin to lay out the storyline of your animated explainer video some key things have to be considered in order to make your video fit your needs. We like to think there are three categories of considerations that must be present when drafting your awesome video script.

Brand

Animated explainer videos have been around for a few years now, but they are still relatively new when it comes to marketing. Just because it may be a new avenue for you doesn’t mean you should try to reinvent the wheel. Instead, stick with what is true to your brand.

In other words, the video should look seamless when viewed next to other forms of your media. This means you need to write your script in your brand’s voice and stick with what brought you to the party.

Customer

Next up you have to consider the problem you’re looking to solve and the customer that you’re looking to help with this problem. For instance, if you’re writing for a predominantly millennial customer base you will want to stay with a tone that is a little simple and interactive to grab their attention.

This also includes using verbiage as well as visuals that will engage them. Everything about your animated explainer video should not only represent your brand but be something that your potential customer base will be drawn to.

Product/Service

Lastly, you have to look at the product or service you’re looking to offer. This will dictate the stories that you tell and the statistics you use. Without consideration of this factor, the animated explainer video you’re looking to script out will be nothing but a waste of time.

So as an example going back to answering a problem for your customer maybe you’re looking to develop an app that helps the millennial deal with anxiety throughout the day. If this was the product or service that you were scripting your animated explainer video for you would want to use relaxing colors.

You might also want to consider using a more laid-back nonclinical dialogue. Understanding your market and your product will allow you to draft a really great script for your video.

An animated female office worker

Tips To Creating an Animated Explainer Video Script

So now that we have looked at why the script is important, the process, and some key considerations there are also a few tips that we would like to share with you that will help you create an animated explainer video that will elevate your brand’s marketing strategy.

Here are our top 10 tips we know work well when it comes to drafting video explainer scripts that are not only entertaining but beneficial to both you and your potential customers:

Illustratable Words

The trick when it comes to creating an animated explainer video script is to make sure that the script itself is easily illustrated through animation. Using complicated and unfamiliar words may end up delivering a script that is not only cumbersome for the customer but also for the animator who is looking to bring your ideas to life.

So when writing your video script make sure to use simple words that can be translated easily into details and actions in your animated explainer video. Also making sure to use simpler words and concepts will allow the animator to ensure that they can stay within the standard 60 seconds when it comes to video explainers.

Though you’re looking for illustratable words and simplistic concepts you still need to make sure that you are speaking in your potential customer’s language As well as your industry.

You want your customer to feel comfortable as they’re watching your video while still remaining professional. So finding a nice balance between simple verbiage and industry jargon will be key to your script success.

A cartoon woman wearing flowers and celebrating

Use humour

No one wants to sit there for even a minute and watch something that just isn’t entertaining. So when writing your script not only do you have to be informative, but you need to show a sense of humor. This combination engages the customer and keeps them in watching until the very end.

Just giving them a script that runs down a laundry list of statistics and facts will not keep anyone’s attention. Just like with the balance between illustratable words and industry jargon you have to find the sweet spot when it comes to information and humor.

Of course, you don’t have to deliver a script that has people doubled over in laughter but having a little bit in there will break up the monotony and make your video more memorable.

Words and tone

One of the key tips that we can give you is that when you’re writing your script you need to remember that the dialogue placed in it will be done via voiceover. So as you’re writing out this dialogue you’ll want to make sure that you think about your tone. Tone may be one of the most important aspects of your script.

If you want your animated explainer video to be lively and show your brand voice then you’ll want to ensure the tone matches that. Too often when brands or companies are beginning to script out their animated video they think about all the cool visual aspects that the animator will be able to employ.

But those animators need the tone just as much as the narrator to ensure that these video explainers are getting the job done. You also want to make sure you are very clear when it comes to pronunciation and words so that you don’t trip your narrator up when they are doing their voiceover.

Give your animator room to create

Understanding the importance of a script is a good first step but you have to also remember that it’s an animated script which means you have a collaboration going on. The script will of course guide the video itself, but you also have to give a little bit of room for interpretation so that the animators can add their mark to the project as well.

This means understanding that it’s OK if you have a few lines and ideas in the script that you’re not quite sure how will visually be shown. By allowing a few of these abstract concepts to float throughout your script you will allow for some pretty creative moments to be crafted by your animator.

Keep it short

Sometimes it is tempting to draft a script that has every answer to every question about whatever you’re trying to solve. We understand that you want to deliver as much information as possible.

But you also have to understand that typically animated explainer videos only average about 60 seconds. This equates out to about 180 words.

Sure there are voice actors that can read much faster and still be intelligible, but analytics show that longer explainer videos do not perform nearly as well when it comes to social media and other marketing tools that you will be using.

For this reason, one of our biggest tips is to remember that less is more sometimes. Stick to the important aspects and allow yourself to dive deeper once the customer has reached out.

Message In First 30 Seconds

You have very little time to get the point across to your potential customer. After all, as we have already said typically you’re looking at 60 seconds of viewing time. This means you not only have to deliver all the information but get to the point as fast as possible.

A good rule of thumb is to ensure that whatever message you’re trying to get across or problem you’re trying to solve is laid out within the first 30 seconds of your animated explainer video.

With that being said it’s even better if you begin you’re animated video script with the product or service you’re looking to provide the viewer. The quicker you can get the problem out the easier it will be to dive into writing the solution to that problem.

Pace is important

Once again you have limited time to deliver your message and convert your potential customer into an actual customer. Because of this, it means when writing your script pace is very important.

So like we said you need to make sure that you have your main message laid out within 30 seconds and then you need to pace the script so that you get all the important details in without feeling rushed.

Like with everything else having to do with animated explainer videos you will need to make sure there is a fine balance between pace and being informative. When sitting down to write your script make sure to bullet point out the pieces of information you need to have in your script and then work the script according to that list.

Tell a good story to the audience

Just like in television and film you need to make sure there is a cohesive story being told. This means creating a flow in the script that allows for that story to run its course in an entertaining and informative way.

To do that you have to have a good overall story that allows for your statistics and information to be relayed in a way that keeps the potential customer engaged. This can be done not only with the animated visuals but also by being clever with the dialogue and ways that the script imparts your message.

Let your imagination be free

When dealing with live-action atmospheres and actors there is a limit to what can be done without high-cost special effects. That’s one of the biggest benefits of choosing to do an animated explainer video.

The world is your oyster, and you can use your imagination and have things happen that you would never be able to do when dealing with an actual physical set. This of course means that no matter how complex your concepts are or intricate your metaphors the animator will be able to make your dream and vision come into reality.

So when writing keep that in mind because this will give you the ability to deliver a dynamic script.

A second pair of eyes

Any writer will tell you that sometimes it’s good to have a second opinion. So our final tip is to let somebody else read the script before you actually submit it to the company you have animating your video.

This will give you a better idea of how others will take in the information and may allow for some edits that you didn’t see during your first run-through of the script. The more streamlined you can make it the easier it will be for the animator and the quicker the process will be.

Final thoughts on script writing

With video becoming a more and more beneficial marketing tool your company will only benefit from embracing it and one of the ways that can be done is by employing an animation agency to help you create a spectacular animated explainer video.

Understanding how to write a good animated explainer video script will allow you and your brand to get your message across and engage your customers in a better way. By taking time to understand what needs to be considered, the process as well as employing a few of the tips we gave above you should be able to create a video that inspires viewers to look further into your products or services.

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July 18, 2024

What Are the Benefits of an Animated Explainer Video?

Video marketing has become one of the biggest and most beneficial additions to any marketing strategy no matter the industry. Video is simply more entertaining and therefore viewers tend to engage at a higher rate. On top of this, many types of video content are quite easy to produce especially given the technology we have available to us today.

It’s human nature to be enthralled with moving images and that is why more and more companies are beginning to turn to video content as the way to get their brand message out. One of the many methods used is an animated explainer video.

No matter what type of animated explainer video you’re doing whether it is a motion graphic focused project or one that uses animated characters to tell a story there are a lot of benefits that your business or brand will be able to take advantage of by incorporating this type of content into your marketing strategy.

Video content is king!

The truth is more people love watching videos. In many studies, it has been proven that we retain more information when we watch it rather than read or listen to it. Because of this utilising video in your marketing strategy can help you elevate your brand awareness, increase your traffic, and eventually boost sales.

The answer to why is simple video content is simple to engage with and is very sharable on any platform you are using. This means that small businesses or brands can stay more visible longer on social media feeds and grow brand awareness across multiple platforms while using just one simple animated explainer video. So imagine what happens if you have a whole library of them!

13 Benefits of Choosing an Animated Explainer Video

So what are explainer videos good for? There are many types of explainer videos you can choose from but all of them will help you build a content marketing strategy that will deliver your business enhanced results.

Here are 13 benefits that your business will be able to take advantage of if you opt to invest in animated explainer videos:

Stand out in the crowd

With the rapid evolution of marketing today your content has to be consistently fresh to meet the needs of your customer base. By utilising animated explainer videos you will be able to stand out amongst your competitors.

Animated videos give your company the ability to not only show but tell your customers about your unique value propositions and brand message. These videos allow you to give your customers an insight into your company’s values and a deep dive into your products or services engagingly and entertainingly. Utilising an aesthetic that is both engaging and informative will help build your brand’s awareness and make your products and services memorable.

Video marketing is not new, but it has become increasingly popular over the past few years. Even with its popularity though many companies still have not embraced it and so by utilising an animated explainer video you will be a trailblazer no matter what industry you’re working in.

a cartoon man standing out from a crowd

Emote and engage

With the rapid evolution of marketing today your content has to be consistently fresh to meet the needs of your customer base. By utilizing animated explainer videos you will be able to stand out amongst your competitors.

Animated videos give your company the ability to not only show but tell your customers about your unique value propositions and brand message. These videos allow you to give your customers an insight into your company’s values and a deep dive into your products or services engagingly and entertainingly. Utilizing an aesthetic that is both engaging and informative will help build your brand’s awareness and make your products and services memorable.

Video marketing is not new, but it has become increasingly popular over the past few years. Even with its popularity though many companies still have not embraced it and so by utilizing an animated explainer video you will be a trailblazer no matter what industry you’re working in.

Convert those viewers

With the rapid evolution of marketing today your content has to be consistently fresh to meet the needs of your customer base. By utilizing animated explainer videos you will be able to stand out amongst your competitors.

Animated videos give your company the ability to not only show but tell your customers about your unique value propositions and brand message. These videos allow you to give your customers an insight into your company’s values and a deep dive into your products or services engagingly and entertainingly. Utilizing an aesthetic that is both engaging and informative will help build your brand’s awareness and make your products and services memorable.

Video marketing is not new, but it has become increasingly popular over the past few years. Even with its popularity though many companies still have not embraced it and so by utilizing an animated explainer video you will be a trailblazer no matter what industry you’re working in.

A cartoon man having a brainstorm

Rank better

With short-form content becoming more and more accessible viewer’s attention spans are gradually getting shorter. Because of this captivating, a viewer’s attention is becoming more difficult and retention statistics more important. Video may well be the key to this, it is more engaging and entertaining which can keep potential customers’ attention longer.

Because video retains viewers longer it also can help boost SEO when it comes to ranking your website in search engines. The longer someone stays on your landing page or website search engines like Google place a higher priority is because they feel that there is valuable information on that site.

In fact, when this happens Google decides that this landing page or website is an authoritative web resource and places it higher in search results. That means that both Google and your potential customers both see video content as the preferred method of content distribution and so it is a great marketing investment for your brand or business.

Build your brand loyalty

The key to building a long-lasting customer relationship is trust and loyalty. Most people will trust brands or businesses that invest in marketing content that leaves them with a positive feeling, entertains them, and answers a problem they have concisely and creatively.

This is why using an animated explainer video for your business or brand can be so successful. Building loyalty and trust is vital to the success of any business and only comes with a clear vision and precision execution of your marketing strategy.

This means you need your customer to truly feel that your brand or business cares about them. That is why making sure you invest time, money, and effort into creating video marketing content will help elevate your brand loyalty and recognition.

A cartoon man working at his desk

Craft a memorable brand

Animated explainer videos are by far one of the most effective means of content distribution. It interacts both with the customer’s visual as well as auditory senses which means better retention of the information. This combination creates a more memorable experience because it is so immersive and therefore builds a relationship that will help develop a better brand image.

By using an animated video you can develop a brand message and association that helps make your brand’s image more memorable and because of this, you will see an increase in leads and sales.

Not only can you use an animated explainer video to help with customer relationships that are already there but also build new ones to expand your brand message’s reach.

Improve your sales funnel

When you’re considering using an animated explainer video for your business it doesn’t matter at what part of your sales funnel you use it you will receive excellent results. You can craft a video that is at the beginning of your sales funnel process to generate leads or simply use it as a way to retain customers you have already.

You can also use multiple animated explainer videos in different parts of your sales funding especially in those areas that you find lack results. It is a great marketing tactic to use these videos in specific weak spots to elevate your sales process making it smoother and more engaging.

With a well-crafted animation and a killer script, you can use your animated videos to drive traffic to your landing page or websites to convert more viewers into long-term customers. So you can see why choosing to create one or several animated explainer videos can be so beneficial for your brand or business.

No used salesman here

Among the benefits that your business will be able to take advantage of when opting to use an animated explainer video is that they are designed to do one of three things. Explainer videos will explain your product or service to the customer.

Or you can use them to educate the customer on important information about your businesses niche or simply to entertain them. Because of this these types of videos tend to not feel as in your face when it comes to your business selling people on something.

You don’t have to be super direct when it comes to saying that you’re the best at whatever you do either, but these explainer videos can show your audience the systems you use and how your company uses them to help solve their problem.

The fact that this is done entertainingly and engagingly will help your customers feel comfortable and continuing on a relationship with your brand or business.

Complicated becomes simple

Even the most complicated industries can be easily explained with an animated explainer video. Being able to be entertained while learning something will you’re your customer as we have said before retaining the information better and it can build a favourable and lasting brand image in their mind.

So for those businesses that are dealing with complicated things like technology an animated explainer video will allow you to break those concepts down into simple visual images that help the customer understand what exactly is going on.

Many scientific studies show visual perception is more about memory than it is actually the input of the images through the eyes. That means building an animated explainer video that is entertaining and memorable will allow your brand message to stay relevant in your customer’s minds and therefore build a lasting relationship.

They are scalable

Animated explainer videos take less time to create and are easier on the budget than live-action videos or many other forms of marketing content. Because of this, you were able to get more videos in a shorter amount of time than you would typically with a traditional talking-head video explainer.

This allows you to scale and create a content marketing loop. You will be able to develop several videos that tie into each other to give more information to your customer base. By creating a series of animated explainer videos that tackle one part of the problem at a time you can build a playlist that will have them staying on your landing page or website longer.

This ties in with the better ranking in SEO because the more time your customer spends on your website the higher of an authority ranking you have when it comes to a search engines algorithm. Along with this, it is easy to add information like statistics and trends change when dealing with an animated explainer video because all it takes is a simple click here and there to change up the actual animation.

Versitile forms of marketing

The concise nature of animated explainer videos is perhaps one of the biggest benefits there is to use them for marketing your business or brand. The videos have a short amount of time to get all the information necessary to your customer and because of this, there is very little time for your customer to click away.

Once you have a video explainer that is crafted with outstanding visuals and a good script you will be able to take that video and market it in multiple places. The good thing about animated explainer videos is that all social media platforms have begun to focus on video. That means one video can reside on your website as well as be uploaded to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

So you can see how versatile this form of marketing actually is. It doesn’t take much when it comes to these videos to make them fit a platform ideal format. This can like with other aspects we have just talked about allow you to have a wider reach and perhaps even get your message in front of people you would never have been able to before.

Short and sharebale

Attention spans are getting shorter as we said above and so the fact that these animated explainer videos tend to average about 60 seconds makes them vastly superior when it comes to marketing to long-form content. By giving the customer a little taste you can get them to watching longer content or even diving into the written content on your website.

The length of these animated explainer videos also makes them easily shareable across social media platforms. After all, if someone sees some interesting and entertaining content that they think can help friends and family they will share it with those individuals even if it is a marketing video.

So on top of being able to help build a better conversion rate the fact that these videos are short and shareable also increase your reach. But it’s not just your customers that may share these animated explainer videos but also people within your industry. This will build brand awareness with your customer base as well as your peers which will enhance your authority in your field.

Show and tell

One last benefit that we think is crucial to why investing in an animated explainer video is so important is the fact that it shows both the problem and your solution to that problem.

Instead of reading a blog or watching an infographic-heavy video the user will be engaged and be able to visually see what the problem is that you are looking to solve for them. This makes it easier to digest and simpler to decide to opt for your product or service.

Final thoughts

So if you’re looking for a powerful marketing tool to improve your brand or businesse’s engagement and reach an animated explainer video is definitely something you should be considering.

The video through the use of its visuals and audio will allow for the customer to be entertained while getting a look at your brand’s voice and message. This in turn will eventually lead to a higher conversion rate and even elevated sales.

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July 10, 2024

Animated Explainer Videos – Types and Benefits

What You Can Do with An Animated Explainer Video?

One of the most popular forms of an animated explainer video is the infographic but if you take that and elevate it to a newer level by adding narration you get an even more compelling animated explainer video. This form of content can be used in many different ways.

You can utilise an animated explainer video to promote a product or service that your brand or business is offering. They are also great tools to use in your training or recruiting process. The use of audio and graphics combined creates a better engagement and retention when it comes to your audience.

The short but concise videos don’t take up much of your audience time and still impart your brand message and voice in a way that will help build your brand awareness. That is why so many companies, brands, and influencers are opting to utilise these types of animated videos as part of their marketing strategy.

What style of animated explainer video should I choose?

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Whiteboard explainer

Whiteboard explainer videos are a pretty well-known type of explainer video. These videos are crafted by recording the artist as they are drawing illustrations and writing words on a whiteboard. Though nowadays there are also digital platforms that allow you to do this, and they are not always black and white any longer.

This type of animated explainer video is perfect for explaining a service or process without distractions. That means it’s great for B2B businesses, IT companies as well as marketing agencies. It allows for complex processes and information to easily be disseminated to an audience that is drawn into the fact it is being illustrated live. It can also be used for training purposes as it is great for educating individuals too.

This style of animated explainer video is very budget-friendly and takes limited time to produce. That is why smaller businesses and brands can benefit greatly from considering this option.

Motion graphics

This is a graphic and text-based option when it comes to animated explainer videos. it is a simple yet complicated process that uses animation paired with music to create the illusion of motion. Oftentimes this type of animated video finds its way into projects from businesses in the technology or financial industry to name a few.

It is a perfect option if you’re looking to create a commercial or promote your services and products. The intricate yet elegant animation allows for a fast pace which suits the limited time frame afforded for animated explainer videos.

The intricacies that go into the creation of this style of animated video mean that the process of production may take a little bit longer. However, when it comes to budget this option has a wide range of price points Which means you will have to shop around to find the right agency for your business.

A multicoloured animated graphic woman wearing glasses

3D motion graphics

When it comes to animation techniques 3D motion graphics is taking the simple motion graphics we discussed above and adding depth and dimension to a project. By taking the simple shapes, icons, and text that are used in traditional emotional graphics you can add more interest and therefore grab people’s attention faster.

Just like with traditional motion graphics 3D motion graphics are perfect for commercials or product breakdowns. They can even be used to explain complicated technology or products in a more engaging way. But due to the high budgetary costs, this option is best if looking to create a commercial.

This type of motion graphic adds on even more time as there is now a need for rendering out 3D texts and objects. This means that there are much like the traditional motion graphics will be added time onto the base timeline and there will be a lot of variation when it comes to pricing.

Kinetic typography

Another option is kinetic typography which is very similar to motion graphics except for it is solely focused on text. This text can be 2D or 3D but the key factor in this type of animation is the movement of the text.

Because it is focused so much on text and numbers it is perfect if you’re trying to explain an idea. Unlike static graphics though because of the motion, even the simple idea of expressing a concept becomes more engaging because there is motion and most often some sort of sound design or music accompanying it.

With this type of animated explainer video, the timeline for completion can vary greatly depending on whether you decide to go with 2D or 3D. This is also a key factor when it comes to the budget for the project.

Paper Cutout Animation

We will discuss traditional stop motion in a little bit but one of the most endearing forms of stop motion that is commonly used in explainer videos is the cutout animation. This type of animated video requires a little camera work. Taking that camera the animator takes snapshots of the paper cutout animations as they move through the structure of the script.

Once this is done those images are uploaded into a computer and digitally spliced together to create a video. This is a great option if you’re just looking to tell a story. It gives you both a cartoon style feel which elicits a comfortable vibe for your audience. This makes it perfect for a B2C company that is trying to grab attention and build strong brand loyalty.

This process is a little more time consuming than many of the others because there are some very hands-on artistic skills needed. Not only is the animator having to use a camera, but they are also having to hand draw all the elements. This very hands-on approach typically means that this type of animated video explainer may be a little more pricey.

Digital cutout animation

We will discuss traditional stop motion in a little bit but one of the most endearing forms of stop motion that is commonly used in explainer videos is the cutout animation. This type of animated video requires a little camera work. Taking that camera the animator takes snapshots of the paper cutout animations as they move through the structure of the script.

Once this is done those images are uploaded into a computer and digitally spliced together to create a video. This is a great option if you’re just looking to tell a story. It gives you both a cartoon style feel which elicits a comfortable vibe for your audience. This makes it perfect for a B2C company that is trying to grab attention and build strong brand loyalty.

This process is a little more time consuming than many of the others because there are some very hands-on artistic skills needed. Not only is the animator having to use a camera, but they are also having to hand draw all the elements. This very hands-on approach typically means that this type of animated video explainer may be a little more pricey.

Cartoon animation

You may look at cartoon animation and think that this is really only suitable for a brand or business that is looking to market towards a younger demographic. But this type of animated explainer video actually has a wide range of use because it is fun and engaging.

Cartoon animation can be used in many different industries because it utilses a wide range of colours and can still break down complex ideas. By utilising animation in a cartoon style it is also eliciting a sense of nostalgia from the audience which keeps them engaged for longer.

This type of animated explainer video will require some old school animation principles. That being said even with the fact that each cell has to be hand-drawn whether that’s on paper or digitally this process could take a little extra time and that may equate out to a higher budget needed.

An animated doctor in a hospital setting

Silhouette animation

Silhouette animation is a very unique and stylized option when it comes to explainer videos. This animation place is dark characters and objects against a white background. It may be one of the older styles of animation, but it still has a place in the digital marketing age.

This style is very specific and therefore great for brands or businesses that are looking to have a more Avant guard feel to their explainer videos. It is a great option for those looking to highlight specific features and therefore we think this is a great option for educational purposes or training as well as explaining a service.

The lack of detail when it comes to the silhouette animation process allows for a shorter time frame to complete the project. Because of this and the fact it may not require as many animators you may find that this is one of the least expensive options that you can use.

Animation & live-action

No matter what type of video content you create it is going to have better results than static imagery. So, the idea of combining animation with live action is not only entertaining but could be very engaging when it comes to delivering your brand’s message.

Typically this animation is done by filming a live-action scene and incorporating animated elements. You can have your live-action actors interact with animated characters or even words and symbols to create an even more engaging product.

Because of the two different production processes, this type of animated explainer video will take longer. Not only will you have to allow for the time to film the live-action footage but also to create the animated assets.

On top of that, you then have to allow for time to combine the two and because of all of these steps, this option may be a poor one for a small business working with a tight budget.

2D/3D animation

Just like worth combining live-action with animation the idea of combining 2D with 3D elements is also an option when it comes to animated explainer videos. This type of animation is crafted typically with either the characters and objects being 2D or the background. Then the 3D elements and the 2D elements are combined together to tell a compelling story.

This is an intricate and difficult form of animation to include in your animated explainer video, but it can be very captivating, so we suggest you consider it. This type of animation is perfect for selling a concept or product.

The mix of the two styles takes a lot of finessing and time to raft the assets so this option will end up with a longer timeline when it comes to completion. The use of multiple styles of animation and that special finesse will also mean that this type of explainer video might not be a good fit for smaller businesses or services.

Infographics

Infographics are an option that utilises typography with images and objects to help relay statistics. This combination often accompanied by sound effects and music allows the typically dry statistical information to be entertaining and engaging.

This type of animated explainer video is perfect for B2B businesses as well as brands that are looking to share metrics and analysis of those metrics. So, marketing businesses and other services that are looking to assist in improving business results and performance are perfect for this type of product.

On top of this, it’s great for business presentations and pitches. The simplicity of these infographics allows for a quick turnaround and a minimal expenditure when it comes to budget.

Outline animation

The use of varying weights of lines to create characters and objects is what characterizes outline animation videos. This very simplistic yet stylized option gives any explainer video a unique vibe and character.

Many startup companies and smaller brands often gravitate towards this type of animation. It is a great option for storytelling as well as outlining a process or service. It can also be used when dealing with pitch decks or even training videos.

Because it is simple 2D animation that is stylized it often takes less time than some of the other options and therefore requires a smaller budget. This may be why smaller companies and startups are drawn to this style of an animated explainer video.

Graphic animation

Graphic animation when it comes to explaining our videos helps elevate the engagement capacity of your video by incorporating motion and graphics with emotion. This is another type of stop motion animation that will take graphic elements and utilise stop motion techniques to explain ideas.

If a business offers services or products that are more complicated than normal this type of explainer video could be a great option. For that reason, startups and B2B businesses could get a lot of benefit from using this type of animation as it will allow them to explain there are complex concepts and ideas to their audience easier. On top of that, it’s eye-catching and that combined with a good script and sound work will create a captivating video for your audience.

The timeline for this type of animation fall somewhere in the middle ground. In regards to the budget, this is also the same as it depends on the agency that you employ and how intricate your video concept is.

Stop motion animation

Another animation option when it comes to explainer videos is stop motion. As we said in the paper cut out section above stop motion utilises pictures of objects that are moved gradually over time to create motion and build out your brand story.

There is something nostalgic about watching stop motion animation and this emotional reaction to this style makes it great for B2C companies. It is also a nice technique for startups who are trying to make an impression on their potential customer base.

The process does take quite a while and so the timeline tends to be lengthier than other options and there is extra equipment involved so that also means the budget can be a little steep.

A stop motion girl in a car

Final thoughts on animation choice

So when your business is looking to include an animated explainer video in your marketing strategy these are just some of the options that many agencies will offer. the choice of which style depends on the message and vision of what you’re trying to deliver to your customer.

It also is important to understand the time frame you have to complete the project as well as the budget. By looking at all of these aspects you should be able to choose the right type of explainer video that will optimize your customer engagement, retention, and conversion rate.

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June 24, 2024

What To Look For in an Animated Explainer Video Agency

Where do I start?

Global businesses and marketing agencies have been realizing over the past several years that video content has been the preferred method for their target audiences to ingest information. Because of this many of these companies find it necessary to look for a third party animated explainer video agency since they don’t have in-house animators.

But when you as a business begin looking for a third party company to help with the marketing strategy you want to ensure that you get the best fit for your needs as well as for your money. So below we’re going to discuss some things that we think are vital to look for in an animated explainer video agency before signing on that dotted line.

A Little About Animated Explainer Videos

First and foremost when it comes to animated explainer videos the agency you choose to go with needs to understand the key considerations. These are the items that have to be at the forefront of the creation process when developing a marketing video for your brand.

Here are the three things that absolutely need to be considered when not only crafting your animated video but also the script that goes with it:

Brand

One of the benefits of animated explainer videos is that you can deliver your brand message in a way that stays true to its voice. So the explainer video studio that you go with needs to be able to translate your brand vision into a visual and audio piece of content that works with the project.

Product

The agency should be able to evaluate and suggest quality ideas that highlight your product or service in a way that makes it competitive with the rest of the market. Understanding how to market your product or service will make the agency stand out and assure you that they will handle your project with care.

Customer

Lastly, the agency should through your cooperation have a firm understanding of the customer and demographic that you are looking to reach. Once they have this they should be able to design an animated explainer video that will draw your potential customer in and keep them engaged with your content.

A cartoon animator working at his computer

What are the best ways to showcase your animated explainer video?

When you’re looking for an animated explainer video agency you want them to understand where this video would do the most good. There are many ways to use an animated explainer video and the agency that you want to go with will know that the options below are some of the best places:

Pitches

Animated explainer videos are not just to be used for online marketing. They can be just as effective when used during a presentation or pitch. The same benefits that make them excellent for social media marketing or as information on your website make them perfect for presentations and pitches.

It is a timesaving video that can introduce you and your product or services to the audience you are speaking to. You can even use them at conventions or conferences as a looping form of marketing to draw people in so that you can talk to them further about your solution to their problem.

Social Media

Social media marketing and ads or maybe the most commonplace that business is utilizing this form of content. One of the reasons this is a great place to use your animated explainer video is because of the feedback and analytics you can get your hands on.

Being able to see which content delivers a better result allows you as the business to be able to course-correct if something is just not working the way that you thought it would.

Recruitment/Training

The animated explainer videos are great marketing tools they can also be used to recruit employees and train them. Just like with the customers your employees will react and retain the information during their onboarding better if emotions are elicited and the tools used are engaging.

So utilizing an animated explainer video agency to craft your onboarding videos and other training assets could be the thing that sets your company and brand apart from others.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is probably one of the best ways to build a client list. But that doesn’t mean you have to stick with the boring old form letters that many marketers still send out. Instead why not used mixed media to make your email campaigns stand out.

By adding unexplained or video straight into the email or including a link to your animated explainer video you will be able to increase your engagement and build a better Lead generation list.

What To Look For In An Animated Explainer Video Agency

A cartoon office woman with a magnifying glass

Deciding to invest in an animated explainer video is a good idea for almost every type of business when it comes to building out a comprehensive marketing strategy. Along with all the things above, there are several other aspects that you as a business owner should look for in an animated explainer video agency.

Here are a few of the most important that we think should be on your list to check off before choosing which agency to go with:

Check Their Portfolio

When first starting your hunt for the perfect explainer video agency you will want to take a look at their website and their portfolio. Most agencies will have a portfolio housed somewhere on their website. This will allow you to take a look at their style and examples of their work.

If when looking at this portfolio you don’t see any videos specifically having to do with your industry you can always reach out to the agency and ask if they have examples of work that do.

By taking an in-depth look into their portfolio and reaching out to see if they have any other examples of their work you will be able to get a good idea of the quality as well as the variation of animation styles available to you.

This is also a great place to take a look at how effectively each of those examples deals with that particular brand’s message. When looking at the portfolio you want to also pay close attention to the small details. Make sure to look for things like transitions, sound design, the pacing of the story as well as the voiceover and the overall storytelling of the videos.

These are all aspects of an animated explainer video that could be the thing that gives the video production quality a boost and therefore give the agency an edge over their competition.

Reputation

Even with a stellar portfolio you still need to pay attention to what is being said about the company and their work. There are two main ways to do this- through online reviews and by utilizing LinkedIn.

Start by taking a look at platforms that allow people to leave online reviews. Read several of the reviews to look for both positive and negative experiences with said company. You can also Google the company to find out what other past clients are saying about them.

Taking the time to dive into your LinkedIn and research whether you have any connections in common with the agency is also a good idea when it comes to diving into their reputation. If you do have connections you can always reach out and ask these connections what their opinion of the agency is.

Once you have gathered together all the information and you feel confident that you have a good grasp of the reputation of the agency you can decide whether it is the right fit for you and move on to the next item on the list.

Budget

There are varying sizes of agencies out there that you can do business with and depending on the size of them you may find that there are different price points quoted for a project like yours. An animated explainer video budget typically ranges anywhere from $500 to $80,000 depending on the agencies capabilities and experience. So you have to really pay attention to the budget you have when looking for an agency for your video production needs.

Of course, during the initial consultation, a final price will not be able to be delivered to you by the agency. But they will be able to give you a ballpark range of what the project you are looking to have done will potentially cost.

But you as the marketing agency looking for the explainer video shouldn’t let the agency itself dictate the price. Instead, you should come to the initial consultation with a budget range that you can do. By doing this you will be able to determine immediately whether this agency and your needs are compatible.

Proven Process

Most animation agencies that deal with explainer videos will have developed a process that they have carefully crafted over time to ensure a smooth workflow when it comes to production. When looking at the agency you will want to make sure that they are open about this video production process and what the essential steps in that process are.

This process should include scriptwriting, storyboarding, animation, voiceover, and music as well as sound design work. The workflow may be different in every agency as to the placement of those pieces of the process, but these should all be somewhere in there.

The animators and other staff at the agency should be able to easily express this process so that you are confident that they have a plan that will ensure deadlines and budgets are met. They should also be able to give you a rough estimate of the time it takes for the completion of the project.

Able To Tell A Story

A good animated explainer video will always have a story behind it. No matter how elegant the graphics are or how much work is put into the sound design if there is no story the animated explainer video will not be able to deliver your message properly.

So when looking at the portfolio make sure that you are not only paying attention to the animation and quality of the product but also the story that the videos are telling. You want to look at how the story is structured, the pace and tone that is used when relaying the client’s message. Does all this combine together to build a value proposition that is easy to understand and entertaining?

If the answer is yes then this is an agency that may work well with your project. If however you love the visuals but there is no storytelling behind it then perhaps you might want to continue your search for an agency that fits the needs and creative ideas you have for your explainer video.

Easy To Work With

When you’re looking for a creative professional to animator video chances are you’re paying attention to the actual physical product as well as the experience of the people you are going to end up potentially working with. But one thing you can’t overlook is how easy it will be to work with them.

Any relationship whether it’s personal or business-related is best suited when it is between two individuals (or companies) that find it easy and fun to work together. This is one of those considerations that solely has to do with your gut reaction.

So when you meet with the agency representatives to begin discussing your project listen to your feelings and look to see if you guys share similar work values and styles as well as company ideas. If you do then it is probably a good bet that you will work well together. If you don’t it may be time to move on to the next agency.

Good Communication

In any relationship communication is key, In fact, it may be the most critical aspect especially when it comes to working on a creative project for your business. This comes two-fold – ease of communication and comfortability of communication.

When it comes to ease of communication you have to look at whether you feel comfortable relaying honest and open feedback to the agency you’re choosing to work with. This is another one of those gut feeling situations that when sitting down for initial consultation you need to pay attention to.

You also need to look and see how much communication is open to you. Do they primarily want to do business through emails? Or are they open to video chats every now and then? The more open the agency is the more you’re likely to feel comfortable when it comes to communicating your needs as well as your feedback.

Of course, all of this relies on your chosen means of communication. So if you are someone who only wants to deal with emails then you don’t want to choose an agency that likes to use video calls or even communicate through text. This won’t be comfortable for you, and it will make for an unproductive work relationship.

Working Hours

Because animation explainer videos are very much a collaborative project you will want to find an agency that you can deliver feedback and revisions at any stage of the production. Most typical production takes between six and eight weeks and has many steps in the process.

At any time if there is a communication breakdown due to time differences this could lead to delays in the production and significant waste of both your and the animators time. So when looking at an agency you want to look at their working hours and make sure that it corresponds with your work schedule.

Finding an agency that is either in your same time zone or within a couple of hours will also make it easier to set up meetings so that you can ensure the animators have everything they need, and you can be involved in every aspect of the production process.

Workload Capability

Last but certainly not least you will want to make sure that the agency you are looking to employ can handle the workload of your project. Most agencies will be very honest with you.

However, some may tend to bite off more than they can chew. Depending on the size of your project or the number of explainer videos you’re looking to have created the agency may or may not be able to take on your project.

For instance, if you have a project that has several lengthy animated explainer videos then a smaller agency may not have the manpower or the available time to do this. That means when looking for an agency you will want to look for one that is a medium to large-sized company.

Final Thoughts

Like with any creative project finding the right partner is crucial for success. Animated explainer videos are a great addition to your marketing strategy and may end up being a key aspect of it. So you want to find an agency that she would be willing to work with time and time again.

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May 15, 2024

Tips For Making Good Animated Explainer Videos

Where should I start when making an animated explainer video?

When it comes to SEO and marketing content one of the most popular options for any business or brand to go with is the animated explainer video. But what shouldn’t explainer video include? How do you create an effective animated explainer video that gets your brand’s message across to your potential audience?

To grab your audience’s attention and utilize these animation videos properly there are definitely some key ingredients that have to be present. So we wanted to give you some tips that will help you create effective video content that you can use across social media or anywhere else your marketing strategy has deemed necessary.

That’s why though the script and story behind the content that you or your brand are putting out there are important so too is the execution and delivery method you choose. One of the easiest ways to ensure that the video is just as engaging as the script is to employ a motion graphics and animation agency to create an animated explainer video for your business or brand.

Why does your business or brand need them? We have put together a quick look at why we think these marketing tools are so vital to the success of your business or brand.

Types of Explainer Videos

First and foremost when it comes to creating a good animated explainer video you need to choose the right style for your product or service. There are several different types of animated videos that can be used to market your brand or business.

Here are some of the main types of animated explainer videos:

  • Screencast – For those looking to market a platform or software a screencast may be a good option. This is a type of animated explainer video where you can show the process of the product while having a live video in video picture of the narrator discussing this process.
  • Cartoon animation – If you’re trying to impart information about your product, service or a pain point the customer may be experiencing a cartoon animation (whether it is 2D or 3D) is a fun option. This gives you the ability to visually show what you’re trying to tell and that makes it more engaging.
  • Stop motion – A business or brand that is marketing a product via an eCommerce store or through their website may want to show the features and benefits of this product. Stop motion is an old-school form of animation that will allow you to have movement while still being able to create a simple explainer video.
  • Whiteboard – Whiteboard animations can actually be a great tool for services that are looking to explain why there are different from their competition or even as training videos. This type of video gradually animates everything on as if being drawn right in front of you which makes it visually engaging and hard to turn away from.

You might have noticed that you tend to remember things more vividly when you see them rather than read them or hear them. It is a proven fact that most people tend to only remember 20% of what they read and 10% of what they hear.

This means that something that combines both of those senses along with a visual aspect will allow the viewer to take in more data and retain it better and faster. So when you’re looking for new marketing ideas video should definitely be in one of the top slots in your content marketing strategy.

A cartoon man looking at a storyboard

Making An Animated Explainer Video

The process of making an animated explainer video is not complicated but can be challenging if you don’t have the right structure. So here are a few quick tips when it comes to the process of making an animated explainer video:

Video Type

Before you do anything else you need to choose the video type that will best suit not only your brand but for your audience. Taking a look at the types of animated explainer videos that are available to you through the agency that you’re using will be the initial step.

Script It Out

Next up you will then have a good guideline for how to craft your script. Typically an explainer video will be between 30 and 90 seconds long which means you’re looking at anywhere between 60 to 200 words when it comes to the script.

You will want to make sure that your value proposition is within the first quarter of the video so that anybody clicking on your video will immediately know what you are talking about. From there you’ll move on to explaining how you’re going to solve that problem.

Voiceover

After the script is written and you are sure that it is on brand and delivers all the information you want to be delivered, it’s then time to record it. Here you will want to interview several voiceover actors to ensure that you find the right actor that fits the tone and voice of your brand.

Produce/Edit

Now that you have the script and the voiceover you can begin working on the animation itself. During this process, you will go through and ensure that the visuals match what is being said.

This will add a little creativity and motion to make your animated explainer video more entertaining and engaging. Once that’s done you can then edit not only the visuals but the sound and finally add in any sound design you’re looking to.

Publish

The final stage is to upload the animated explainer video to whatever platform or location you’re looking to house it. Once it is published then all you have left to do is to engage with your audience and answer any questions that they have in regards to your product or service.

A cartoon woman celebrating at her desk.

Tips For Making an Engaging Explainer Video

In order to craft an engaging explainer video, there are several things you can do during the process to ensure optimal results. Here are some of the tips that we like to share with businesses that are looking to invest in an animated explainer video:

Identify Customer Pain Points

When thinking about the video that you want to produce first you have to understand your customer’s pain points. Once you have this you can then use that to craft a video script that will provide a solution to your customer base. You want to think of this explainer video as a sales script without being overtly salesy.

You have to understand your audience completely even down to what makes them happy and how your service or product can do that. If you’re unsure then the first step to creating a good animated explainer video would be to do some market research and identify these important facts.

It’s All About the Funnel

If you’re looking for a powerful tool that will influence a decision-making process then a video has to be included in your marketing strategy. The combination of visual and audio will help viewers be able to understand your brand’s voice and what you have to offer.

This means you have to pay attention to where you are using your animated explainer video and your sales funnel process. Though it can be effective at any point in the process most find it better to utilize it in the beginning or at the end.

Friendly Tone

When drafting your script or even during the animation process you want to keep your target audience in mind. This means paying close attention to the tone of the video in its entirety. You want it to be friendly and inviting while still being informative.

The more friendly your video tone is the more likely you will be able to retain the attention of your core audience which in turn will help with your conversion rate.

Choose The Right Agency

Making sure you do your research to find the right animated explainer video agency is also one of the best tips we can give you. You want to choose one that you are comfortable working with and that share similar ideas when it comes to business.

On top of that, you need to look at the portfolio to ensure the available animation styles will work with your brand vision. You also have to keep in mind your budget. This is why choosing the right agency is so important.

If you choose the wrong agency you could wind up going over budget and not ending up with a product that you feel will garner the results you were looking for.

Concise Yet Entertaining

As a business and brand, you have to emphasize how valuable your potential customers time is. Because of this, you will want to make sure that you draft a script that is not too long. This means how concise you can deliver your message and talk about your solutions to your customer’s problem is key.

You want to make sure that during your brief amount of time with your audience that you are able to impart every piece of information that you’re looking to deliver. But just because you’re being very efficient with your words does not mean that it can be dry.

On top of being very streamlined your content has to be entertaining. This means potentially adding in a little humour or simply using animation to keep your audience engaged in what is going on. By doing both of these things you’ll be able to drive the results you’re looking for and create a great animated video explainer video.

Stay On Brand

No matter what piece of content your business is putting out you want to ensure that it stays on brand at all times. This gives your current customers a sense of consistency and shows potential future customers that you have a set message and voice. This will create brand awareness and loyalty.

When you are looking to craft an animated explainer video this translates to ensuring that the fonts that you use on all your other media are incorporated into the animation. It also means sticking with your brand the colour palette and voice for the animated video. Most animated explainer video agencies will ask for a brand guideline during the initial consultation and then build their video around that.

Relevance

Another great tip when it comes to developing an engaging animated explainer video is to ensure that your offer is relevant to the field and to the customer. This means ensuring that the video is not only about what you want but something that interests your audience. Staying relevant when it comes to topic and customer base will allow your business to build better brand awareness as well as loyalty.

A cartoon man working on an animated computer

Animated Explainer Video Best Practices

So now that we’ve given you a few great tips to help you ensure that you are creating an engaging animated explainer video we thought we would also give some best practices that will take that video to the next level. Here are a few of our best practices that we think you could benefit from using as well:

Customer Focused

You have to remember that you are not making your animated explainer video for you but rather to show your audience what benefits and features your product or service has to offer them. So you also need to craft a call to action that will entice your potential customer to move forward in your sales process.

Grab Their Attention

You have to start your video with something that’s gonna grab the viewers’ attention. That means starting off with a strong visual or statement that is directly related to what your customers need.

Along with this when you are drafting your script you should make sure that you use identifiers that are specifically aimed at your audience. For instance, instead of saying the customer, you would say you. This one on one conversational tone makes it feel like you are talking directly to them and trying to help them as opposed to everyone.

Short & Sweet

Boredom is not your friend! That means you need to make sure that everything as we said before is short and sweet and to the point. For us, one of the biggest best practices is to make sure you focus on only one or two of the main things you want the audience to take away from your presentation so that you can optimize retention. Then once that’s done your CTA should help convert that viewer into a customer.

Draft A Good Script

The video script is the skeleton of the entire animated explainer video. Without a well-paced and written script, your animated video will fall flat. We talked above about what the script should look like when it comes to time and words but more important than that is the actual storytelling.

You want to make sure that the script that you’re writing is clear and simply written so that no matter what experience level your audience is they can understand the product or service you’re offering.

This doesn’t mean not to use industry jargon it just means to streamline it down and try to make concepts as simple to understand as possible. By doing this you will be drafting a good script that will allow the animation team to develop an amazing animated explainer video.

Narration Is Key

Choosing the right voice as we said above can be a make or break situation when it comes to your animated explainer video. Different types of narration will create different emotional effects for the viewer. This means looking at what you’re selling and choosing a voice that matches that.

For instance, if you’re selling a subscription service for meditation then you would want to choose a soft calm voice to narrate the video. On top of this when you choose the voice you should also consider the demographic you’re looking to market to.

All of this plays a part in making sure that the narration of your video hits the mark end produces the results you’re looking for.

Where to Use Animated Explainers

There are many places where you can utilize your animated explainer video to elevate your metrics and build better brand awareness.

  • Website/Landing Page – One of the best places that you can post your animated explainer video is your website or landing page. It is always good to have an introduction video smack dab on your home page where customers can get to know what you and your brand are all about. An animated explainer video will make this more entertaining and memorable.
  • Social Media Platforms – Using that video or other videos on your social media feeds can help improve engagement and reach. It also allows you to analyze the content quicker than you would on other outlets. With more and more social media platforms putting a focus on video in regards to their algorithms it’s just smart marketing to utilize several different types of animated explainer videos in your social media strategy.
  • Crowdfunding Sites – If you’re a startup and you’re looking to gain a little attention on sites used for crowdfunding an animated explainer video discussing the product that you’re selling could be the thing that sets you apart from others. This will make your offer more compelling and engage your potential investors better.
  • Seminars and Pitches – No one wants to sit in a seminar or a pitch staring at slide after slide for hours. So to make your presentation stand out utilizing an animated explainer video is a great idea.

Final Thoughts on Animated Explainer Videos

When it comes to choosing the style of explainer video that you are going to employ in your content marketing strategy you have to consider your brand, the product, the services you’re looking to sell, and your audience.

Animated explainer videos are a great tool to have in your arsenal when it comes to building brand awareness and elevating sales. Their use of engaging visuals and informative narration optimizes retention and makes your brand stick out amongst the crowd. So there are a lot of great reasons to invest time and money and to developing amazing animated videos for your business or brand.

No matter if you are crafting these videos yourself or have opted to hire an amazing animated explainer video agency you should have a good foundation of understanding of what best practices you can utilize to ensure your video turns out of the highest quality.

  • Screencast explainer videos are a low-budget option that is intended to give the viewer a good look at how your product/service works.
  • Animated explainer videos allow you to tell a more in-depth story. This type of explainer video sets your product or service up as the thing that is going to fix whatever problem your customer has. These tend to be more engaging and are perfect for marketing your business to end-users or even startups.
  • Next up is whiteboard animation which allows for the content to be created as the viewer watches. This is perfect if you have complicated information you’re looking to build into your advertising and social media plan.
  • Lastly, you have the motion graphics explainer video. This video marketing asset uses text as well as 2D animation to impart your message elegantly and engagingly.
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March 23, 2022

Animated Explainer Videos – Why Does Your Business or Brand Need Them?

No matter what industry you’re in any form of content you are putting out is an attempt to tell a story. This could be a story about your services. It could be a story about your product. Or it could even be a story about your customers but in the end, this content is intended to help impart a message that gets the viewer to take some sort of action.

That’s why though the script and story behind the content that you or your brand are putting out there are important so too is the execution and delivery method you choose. One of the easiest ways to ensure that the video is just as engaging as the script is to employ a motion graphics and animation agency to create an animated explainer video for your business or brand.

Why does your business or brand need them? We have put together a quick look at why we think these marketing tools are so vital to the success of your business or brand.

Why video?

Before we even get into talking about animation we wanted to talk a little about why video is such an important tool when it comes to marketing your products or services. To do this we’re going to take a little tour into the human brain.

You might have noticed that you tend to remember things more vividly when you see them rather than read them or hear them. It is a proven fact that most people tend to only remember 20% of what they read and 10% of what they hear.

This means that something that combines both of those senses along with a visual aspect will allow the viewer to take in more data and retain it better and faster. So when you’re looking for new marketing ideas video should definitely be in one of the top slots in your content marketing strategy.

What’s So Great About Animation?

That’s all well and good but why not go for a live-action explainer video with some talking head relaying all the information and cleverly crafted transitions between footage.

This is a viable option after all it still uses video, but animation allows for you to relay your information while entertaining and eliciting emotions from the viewers in a whole different way.

Not only that but there are several other reasons which we will go into further in just a few moments that make opting for an animated explainer video ideal for almost any business or brand.

Explainer Videos – What Are They?

There are many different types of explainer videos but in the end, they all do the same thing. The intention of an explainer video is to communicate a value proposition to your potential customers.

This can be a product or a service that is advertised in a way that gives the viewer all the pertinent information while eliciting an emotional response that will eventually help generate sales.

When looking at this option there are three main categories that your video can actually fall under. The first one of course is an emotional video. This is where you’re animated explainer video uses visuals and a script that elicits emotion from the viewer.

You also have the traditional explainer which is clear and concise and lays out a concept or service that you were looking to promote to your potential client base.

Then there is a promotional video which is simply you selling a product or service. All three of these types of animated explainer videos can be utilized individually or together to create captivating content for marketing your brand or business.

How To Choose the Style of Explainer Video?

When it comes to choosing the style of explainer video that you are going to employ in your content marketing strategy you have to consider your brand, the product, the services you’re looking to sell, and your audience.

There are multiple types of explainer videos and some work better for certain industries than others. Here are some of the different types that you have to choose from:

  • Screencast explainer videos are a low-budget option that is intended to give the viewer a good look at how your product/service works.
  • Animated explainer videos allow you to tell a more in-depth story. This type of explainer video sets your product or service up as the thing that is going to fix whatever problem your customer has. These tend to be more engaging and are perfect for marketing your business to end-users or even startups.
  • Next up is whiteboard animation which allows for the content to be created as the viewer watches. This is perfect if you have complicated information you’re looking to build into your advertising and social media plan.
  • Lastly, you have the motion graphics explainer video. This video marketing asset uses text as well as 2D animation to impart your message elegantly and engagingly.

Why Use Animation? Reasons To Invest in An Animated Explainer Video

The truth is if you’re looking to optimize your online presence and drive traffic to your website an animated explainer video is both versatile and powerful. In fact, there are a lot of reasons why your business could benefit from using an animated explainer video.

Here are a few of the top reasons we think it’s a good investment to find an animated explainer video agency to help you craft the perfect explainer video for you and your company:

Your Imaginations the Limit

When choosing an animated explainer video there’s no more having to abide by the laws of nature. Because it is animated the video itself can relay your message and information in any way your brand sees fit.

No matter how intricate the concept is you’re trying to impart to your customer animation can do this. That means you can dream as big as you want because, in the end, the animator will be able to deliver your vision very easily.

This also means that you can show rather than tell which will allow your animator the ability to stick within the confines of the shorter video format of an animated explainer video and still get all the information out there to your customers.

With so little time (average animated explainer video runs typically 60 seconds) having the ability to create visual animations to relay even more information will make your content more engaging and memorable.

Easy To Deliver Context

Sometimes when dealing with static images it is hard to get the context of a brand’s identity or message across. But with animation anything is possible!

So you can utilize the motion in the graphics to allow you to deliver a more clear vision no matter how challenging you think it is. Ensuring that you can deliver your content so that your viewers understand will help drive traffic to your website and to improve your conversion rate.

Tone Is Easy

Animated explainer videos make getting the right tone so much easier. When using live-action video the actors may impede the process of delivering your message in your brand’s voice or the tone intended for the video.

When working with animation all of the risks of an actor not being able to explain properly the message you’re trying to get across is taken out of the equation. With animated characters and motion graphics, you can utilize a broader spectrum of tones and emotions. This means that it will be a lot easier to cover uncomfortable or difficult subjects.

Abstract Ideas, No Problem!

If your business is trying to deliver an idea or concept that is abstract then using an animated explainer video is one of the best ways to ensure that that message gets relayed properly. This is ideal for companies that are trying to capture big ideas that are not easily explained with a simple film camera.

Products or services that require you to relay global statistics or discuss the inner workings of intricate technology can be hard to film with a live-action camera. With animation though you can develop an explainer video that can get into the minutest of detail of what you’re trying to market to your core audience.

Simple Video Production

When you’re trying to produce a live-action video there are a lot of intricate parts. You have to ensure you have the space, the crew, as well as the budget to fund the project. Everything has to work perfectly in conjunction otherwise the video may take longer than necessary or not even get made at all.

When dealing with an animated explainer video several of these issues get pushed to the side. When it comes down to it the animated explainer agency that you go with will be in charge of all the animation as well as the audio and sometimes the script. This means that everything is done by a small handful of people.

The video production workflow is also much easier and so are the revisions of the project. Because it is animation if characters need to be removed or props need to be added or even backgrounds need to be switched it can be done with a simple click of a mouse as opposed to having to completely reshoot like you would with a live-action video.

What Are Some of the Benefits of an Explainer Video?

Why are explainer videos popular? This type of marketing is so popular because there are tons of benefits that not only the brand and company can take advantage of but also for the end viewer. Besides the reasons that we talked about above here are some of the other reasons that investing in an animated explainer video is crucial for your business:

Cost-Effective

With any business, budget is always the main concern. If you’re looking to create an explainer video and look at the costs of a live-action video production versus an animated explainer video you will quickly see that’s one of the biggest benefits is how cost-effective this type of video is.

You can either find yourself a monthly subscription where you can create the videos yourself or even hire an experienced animated explainer agency. Both of these will still be more cost-effective than dealing with the video production costs of a live-action explainer video.

Easy to Scale

As your business or brand grows you will have to create more and more content that is engaging and relatable. If you bank your content strategies on live-action video then not only will this become exceedingly expensive, but you will have to devote more time than you may have available.

Not only the physical and financial requirements but the time requirements will become excessively hard to manage as your business begins to scale up. With an animated explainer video, your company will be able to have a plethora of videos at your disposal in no time.

It will simply take the time to write the script, storyboard, and then create the actual visual animation.

Because the process has fewer people involved as well as equipment the time it takes to turn around these projects is almost cut in half. This makes using animated explainer videos for your marketing purposes so much easier to scale than any other type of video content.

Improve Visual Content

When it comes to visual content there is a lot of different options not just live video but also infographics. These are static graphics that relay statistics and are very text-heavy. Though this is not a horrible use of graphics it can become very cluttered and therefore hard for your customers or clients to ingest.

This is because the graphic is not emotional and so the viewer tends to quickly skim through the information missing a ton of the content and important data necessary to give them an idea of what you’re trying to help them with.

When using an animated video explainer you get to relay all the same data and information but in a more engaging way. You then can steer them through your content the way you want them to take it in. This allows you to highlight specifics pieces of information and control the pace of the viewer as they go through your content.

All About Psychology

Humans have been communicating with drawings for as long as they could form cohesive thoughts. Throughout the centuries this form of communication has gradually expanded to include many different forms.

Because of our psychological connection with images when used in conjunction with an engaging script and the perfect audio an animated explainer video actually produces better retention of the information being disseminated.

The perfect combination of these three aspects elicits strong emotions and these emotions can be used to create a stronger marketing content strategy. So why not use the human brain to help you help your customer solve whatever problem it is you’re looking to solve.

Updating Them Is Easy

As more and more companies and brands enter into the digital creative field it will only continue to grow. Already over the past few years, it is drastically expanded the marketing capacity of many businesses but like with everything else you have to be able to continually update this content.

Of course, you can strive to create evergreen content (content that is always accurate and informative) which should be part of your video marketing strategy but there will always be niche and trending topics that may pertain to your product or service. Utilizing animated explainer videos allows you to have a ton more flexibility when it comes to updating that content.

You can revisit old content and easily change out text and animations which in the end will give you a completely new video with more up-to-date information. This will not only save you money but time and allow you to continue to help your customers very effectively.

Build A Connection

Because video is becoming such a major marketing tool there have been plenty of studies into how effective it is in actually getting people to take the next step and click through to your website. Most viewers have said that a video is oftentimes the key ingredient to help them finalize their decision to purchase a product or service.

This is because an animated explainer video allows you to connect better with your customers and therefore helps you build credibility and earn their trust. So it goes to say that the more videos that you produce whether you do it by yourself or with an animated video explainer agency you will deepen your relationship with your customer base.

Final Thoughts

No matter what industry or customer base you’re looking to market to using an animated explainer video will help you reach more people. These videos are engaging yet informative. Simply put video is the marketing tool of the future.

An animated explainer video is the most entertaining and simplest way to get the information about your product or services in front of the people you are looking to help. So as you can see there are many reasons why investing in an animated explainer video will help boost your business’s reach.

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