What is an explainer video?
An explainer video can be described as a short-form video used to explain or introduce a product or service or communicate a brand’s desired message to the target audience. Through explainer videos, brands or businesses educate their audience, create awareness, and eventually persuade them to take an action in the end. Moreover, it amplifies branding and marketing efforts by providing solutions and creating a connection with the target audience.
2D animated videos are commonly used for creating animated movies, marketing videos, explainer videos, advertisements, websites, etc. They help brands connect with their audience and engage them by simplifying the brand’s desired message or a process.
What does an explainer video include?
To create an effective explainer video, a brand or a video team must include these five essential aspects as mentioned below:
1) Video length
The shorter the video the better! An explainer video must be created in under 3 minutes, as they work best and give better results.
The average attention span of a human being is 8 seconds which is less than that of a goldfish, therefore, keeping videos short, engaging, and impactful is crucial.
2) Gives solution
Explainer videos often address the audience’s pain points and problems and provide solutions by educating them about the products or services. This way, the audience has something to gain from the video while getting hooked onto them.
3) Speaks to audience
Explainer videos are a part of a brand’s marketing, thus they must match the brand’s voice and speak the language of the target audience in order to connect with them. If the tonality and style of a video don’t relate to the audience, then it will fail to engage them.
4) High quality
The overall quality of the video can make it or break it for a brand. From the quality of the production to its script to its sound effects, each aspect contributes to creating an amazing video that effectively communicates the message.
5) A strong call to action
A strong call to action at the end of the video will clearly state the next action to be taken by the target audience. It is equally important as it results in receiving business leads for a brand. Many businesses fail to achieve their marketing goals because they focus more on promoting their products or services and fail to compel the audience to take any action.
Types of explainer videos
There are a few types of explainer videos that are commonly used in the industry, like:
1) Animated Explainer Video:
Animated explainer videos are the go-to option when the primary goal of creating a video is to explain a complex idea or a process to the audience. Due to its visual appeal and relative ease to create videos, it’s a popular choice among brands. The educational format of an animated explainer video makes it look interesting and attracts the audience’s attention as compared to a person standing in front of the camera and just spitting out words.
2) Live-Action Explainer Video:
This type of explainer video features people and objects to explain a business’s products and services. It is quite challenging to master it but it works great when done properly. Unlike the animated explainer videos that use interesting visuals to translate the message, live-action explainer videos require creativity to keep the audience engaged. Generally, the video shows a spokesperson from a company who walks through the visual journey to effectively communicate information about a product or service.
3) Crowdfunding Explainer Video:
Crowdfunding explainer videos can be both live-action and animated videos or a combination of both. The length of the videos is usually longer and more explanatory as it usually explains how the funds are planned to be spent. An effective crowdfunding explainer video can create a great impact among the audience and result in raising hundreds and thousands of rupees.
The benefits of explainer videos
1) Builds trust and credibility
Without building trust and credibility, customers will not be open to knowing a brand’s product or services. Explainer videos are a great way to reach out to customers. It shows them that the brand cares for the customers by simplifying an idea or a process for them, which further creates engagement.
2) Boosts sales & conversation
Apart from attracting customers and engaging with them, videos are also used as a part of a marketing strategy that leads customers to take the desired action. It could be buying a product, subscribing to emails, booking an appointment, etc. Such videos also help customers to know what they are getting into by providing information about products or services, and more.
When videos are incorporated into the website, it drives more website visits and makes customers engage with it for a longer time.
Additionally, videos also work great in email marketing. By adding an explainer video in the subject line, it can boost open rates and click-through rates by 19% and 65% respectively.
3) Improves SEO ranking
Google values and ranks websites that show a greater user engagement rate and the time spent by users on the website. Videos embedded on the website engage users for a longer time and decrease bounce rate. Including videos on the website is a great practice to improve SEO ranking.
4) Boosts social media reach
Videos have become the most popular and engaging format on social media platforms. Explainer videos help a company reach a wider audience and connect with the intended audience.
5) Shows the human side
Customers always connect to those brands that show emotions, and values and present themselves as more than a mere business or a company. Explainer videos are a perfect choice to personify a brand. It gives the brand a human touch with simplicity.
The process of creating an explainer video
Explainer videos are created in the same way as any other video production is carried out.
1) Pre-production
The first stage involves planning and conceptualising an idea or a story, along with scriptwriting and finding the right people and team for the job.
2) Production
The production stage is where the animation begins or the shooting of the explainer videos.
3) Post-production
It involves editing and compiling all components of the video and bringing it together. The addition of voice-over, overlaying of music and sound effects is also done in the final stage.
The benefits of explainer videos
1) Begin with a problem
Starting the video by addressing customer’s problems and pain points is the easiest and most effective way to grab their attention. Customers are not interested to know about random products or services that don’t connect with them or serve as useful. Moreover, a customer is exposed to or rather bombarded with several types of marketing activities on a daily basis.
Therefore, providing a solution or fixing a problem appeals more to the customer and facilitates the creation of a connection between a brand and the customer.
2) Focus on benefits not features
Brands must think about the customer and as the customer. While a company may have pioneering technology or a unique selling proposition that makes them stand out in the market, customers will always look for benefits and care less about the features and its technicality. A company should be direct and to the point while stating how its product or services will make a customer’s life or work easy within a short span of time.
3) Make it customer-centric
Understand and research what the customers actually need and use them to engage the audience. Speak the language that they understand the best, and use the correct tonality and style that they would relate to. Explainer videos should be customer-focused rather than brand-focused.
4) Focus on audio quality
The audio of a video holds the same significance as the visuals of the video. Without proper audio, high quality, and correct timing, an explainer video could end up as a disaster! Audio elements such as sound effects, voiceovers, background music, etc. help the video elements to come to life. Therefore, using high-quality audio tools and technology is imperative to set the tone of the video and evoke the emotions that the video intends its audience to feel.
How much do explainer videos cost?
The pricing of an explainer video depends on multiple factors, such as the video length, style, quality, timeline, etc. Creating an effective explainer video that creates impact among the target audience requires proven experience, in-depth knowledge, and good judgement among others.
An explainer video may cost a company between Rs. 65,000 to Rs. 80,000 per minute. The pricing varies based on the type of video required and the amount of efforts it will require.
Explainer videos are an investment that ensures returns along with an entertainment value. Additionally, the video could be repurposed into different formats for different digital marketing platforms to amplify a company’s marketing efforts.
Explainer videos are visually appealing, attractive, and entertaining. They may look simple, however, creating them requires a certain skill set that takes years of practice to master. Explainer videos can benefit your company in more than one way and can create a high level of recall value and impression among customers’ minds.
There are a few software options that allow users to create DIY animated videos, but when it comes to your brand reputation and marketing goals, it's best to leave the work to professionals.
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