Motion Graphics and Video Editing

An explainer video is a short video approximately 90 seconds in length, that does the job of explaining a business concept in a clear, informative, and engaging manner. Animation is a common format for an explainer video because the visuals capture consumer attention quickly and can easily communicate how a product or service can benefit a consumer or solve a problem they might be experiencing.

To expand on this concept, the explainer video introduces the audience to a particular subject — this can be a description of the features of a new product or service, an introduction to a brand, or an overview of a process, such as how a particular app works. An explainer video can also serve as a short tutorial on how to utilize a product or a software application.

Lastly, explainer videos can lead consumers to visit your website to learn more about a product, a service, or your company. You can also use an explainer video to promote your brand and showcase your company culture, further engaging the consumer and building brand recognition.

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Now that you understand the general purpose of an explainer video, let’s delve into the reasons why explainer videos are effective. Once you realize the benefits of using explainer videos as part of your marketing mix, it is likely that you will always strive to utilize them in future video marketing campaigns.

1. Videos Work Better Than Text

Current statistics show that video trumps all in converting prospects to sales. Videos help consumers discover more about brands and the products and services they offer. Videos also help consumers learn more about the benefits of a product or service. That’s because consumers retain more information from watching videos than they do reading text — in fact, 95% of a message is retained via video.

Even more noteworthy, over 95% of consumers polled say that they have watched an explainer video in order to learn more about a product or service. This statistic reveals that consumers are not only keen on watching videos, but they are actively seeking them out. It’s no wonder that explainer videos are actually the most widely created video for marketing purposes.

Consumers just prefer to watch videos rather than read text or view a manual. The format, short time-length, and clear and succinct content are much more appealing and effective. In fact, when asked, nearly 90% of people requested more video content from the brands they choose to do business with.

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2. Videos are Easily Shared

When a consumer finds an explainer video they like, they are twice as likely to share it with friends than any other type of content. Again, this is because the video format is more apt to be easily received than a wordy article, confusing infographic, or lengthy e-book. And while there is never a guarantee that a video will “go viral,” there is much more potential for a video being shared exponentially than a simple web page.

3. Explainer Videos Get to the Point Quickly

A long video is bound to lose watchers as it plays on, regardless of how interesting the content is. Explainer videos work because they are short and to the point. Today’s consumers want to discover information quickly — they don’t want to waste any unnecessary time scrolling through web pages or watching a long video just to find the bit of information they were seeking.

Through an explainer video, you can quickly deliver your message in an engaging manner while ensuring the most crucial information was delivered to the viewer.

4. Explainer Videos Make it Easy to Describe How a Product or Service Works

Explainer videos are ideally suited to demonstrating how to use a product or showcasing how a service will benefit a consumer. Videos are often better suited to providing instructions than simple text, and viewers will benefit from the visual demonstration.

5. Videos Will Improve Your Conversion Rate

Because explainer videos better engage the viewer and present a solution to a problem, viewers are more apt to make a purchase after viewing the video. According to several different sources, including Forbes, over 90% of consumers state that watching a video significantly influences their purchasing decisions.

6. Explainer Videos are Cost-Effective

Making an explainer video doesn’t have to break your marketing budget. Today’s advanced technology allows for high-quality, professional videos to be made for a modest amount. When utilizing the services of a professional video marketing company, you can also be assured that your video will properly reflect your brand and your message in a polished and superior manner. This is important because it will differentiate your brand from competitors…

7. Explainer Videos Help You Stand Out From Your Competitors

Not everyone is doing explainer videos yet (even though they should be). If you have explainer videos already on various marketing channels and video platforms such as YouTube, you’ll not only maintain a strong edge over your competitors, you’ll also improve search engine rankings, subsequently enabling consumers to find you first, before they find a competitor site.

8. They Improve Search Engine Rankings

Explainer videos that focus on specific subjects, products, or services can be tagged and titled with keywords that will help with your SEO marketing and draw in more web traffic through different channels. Having videos on your website also improves search engine rankings because Google uses algorithms to calculate how long someone stays on a page on your website. If they are staying longer to watch a video, Google understands that your website is more interesting and relevant, and improves your search engine ranking in relation to specific keywords.

9. Explainer Videos are Great for Mobile Marketing

Consumers love watching videos on their mobile devices, and mobile shoppers often watch videos when seeking to discover new products. Having explainer videos readily available for the mobile market keeps you engaged with your target audience 24/7 and improves brand awareness.

10. Explainer Videos Are a Vital Part of the Consumer Journey

Marketers who have already added explainer videos to their marketing mix have seen the positive results firsthand— over 80% say that videos help to generate leads, improve website traffic, and increase sales. This is because videos serve the sales funnel much better than a marketing mix comprised of just text content. Adding explainer videos somewhere along the consumer journey greatly improves your ROI and conversion rate.

In Conclusion

Now that you know the reasons why explainer videos are so effective, it’s time to add them to your marketing mix. There are plenty of ways to do this, from placing them on your website and landing pages to utilizing social media and video platforms.

Working with a professional video marketing agency is also a good strategy because not only can they help you put together a high-quality video, they can also help you choose the best channels to showcase your videos for optimal benefit. Video marketing experts will have the experience and knowledge to properly identify your audience and what channels they are bound to visit the most, and can also take difficult to explain concepts and solutions and translate them on a video in a manner that your audience can more easily digest.

Overall, explainer videos can make a huge impact over time, as long as you take the time to develop them in a proper and professional manner and publish them where they will serve you best.

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THEY WORK LIKE CRAZY

Because animated explainer videos are so entertaining, consumers are drawn in to the story … making your marketing message much more effective.

THEY INFORM AND EDUCATE

More and more, consumers want content to inform and educate. In fact, studies have shown that 68% of people say this is the type of content they find most valuable. Animated explainer videos are designed to do just that, giving a massive-boost to your marketing.

ANIMATED EXPLAINER VIDEOS GET THE POINT ACROSS … FAST

You’ve probably heard that a picture is worth 1,000 words. That’s nothing compared to video. According to Forrester Research, one minute of video is worth 1.8 million words. Just imagine how quickly you can get your message across to easily distracted prospects with a brief animated explainer video.

EXPLAINER VIDEOS SIMPLIFY COMPLEX SUBJECTS.

With an animated explainer video, you can communicate abstract or confusing subjects very easily … and as prospects’ understanding increases, so can your conversion rates.

THESE KINDS OF VIDEOS DON’T “FEEL” LIKE MARKETING.

All too often, consumers tune out when they hear yet another marketing message. Because animated explainer videos are actually enjoyable to watch, they’re a great way to subtly promote your brand … without alienating and annoying prospects.

ANIMATED EXPLAINER VIDEOS ARE HIGHLY SHAREABLE.

Another online study states that a whopping 97% of consumers say they’d be willing to share a great branded video. Because explainer-style videos are so fun-to-watch, they’re also super-shareable—meaning more followers and new customers for your brand.

THEY’RE ABSOLUTELY GREAT FOR STORYTELLING.

People love a great story. And there’s no better medium to do that than with animated cartoon explainer videos. Just think about how engaged your kids are during Saturday morning cartoons. Well the same holds true for us adults. These videos just work.

ANIMATED EXPLAINER VIDEOS ARE SUPER ENGAGING.

Animated Explainer Videos Are Super Engaging. It’s way more interesting to see characters fly, props appear out of nowhere, and backgrounds change--than it is to read a bunch of lifeless marketing text. Simply put, animated explainer videos ARE fun to watch. For marketers, that means there’s a much greater chance that prospects will watch your videos until the very end, watching your FULL marketing message.

THEY MIGHT EVEN IMPROVE GOOGLE SEARCH RANK?

Everyone knows that getting on the first page of Google isn’t easy. However, did you know that a site featuring video is many times more likely to make the first page?! With an animated explainer video, you’re giving yourself a greater chance to make that a reality.

EXPLAINER VIDEOS REDUCE SUPPORT CALLS.

There’s not much that’s more frustrating (and time-sucking) than a giant list of support tickets waiting for you every morning. Fortunately, animated explainer videos are a great way to answer common customer questions, minimizing your support needs. In fact, almost half of businesses say that by using videos, they’ve been able to reduce support calls.

ANIMATED EXPLAINER VIDEOS ARE MEMORABLE.

Did you know that only 10% of people remember the text they read? By contrast, video viewers can retain up to 95% of a video’s message. For that reason, an animated explainer video is a great way to stay memorable with prospects--which is super-important since most people require multiple exposures to a brand before they’ll make a purchase.

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