The fact that your brand is unique is not in doubt – but how you can make it stand out amidst a background noise of more than 500,000 international brands may be!
As your audience’s attention span continues to decline and the competition gets fiercer by the minute, your old marketing tools might no longer be as efficient as they once were.
That’s where explainer videos come in.
Explainer videos bring together your brand’s vocal and visual identity, values, mission, and vision in an engaging package that can effectively hook your audience – in less than 2 minutes!
Here are the key tools you need to create your next explainer video.
First Things First: What Are Explainer Videos?
The first rule of animated corporate video production? Having a vision for your video.
And, how can you have a vision for your explainer video if you are unsure about what you are trying to create? So, let’s cover the basics.
Explainer videos refer to short-form videos designed to explain a product, service, or brand. These videos, which last no longer than 60-90 seconds, are an extremely powerful tool to communicate your brand’s mission, USP, or identity with your audience.
Unlike long-form videos, explainer videos can be easily shared and added to your web pages, social media channels, and marketing material.
When creating explainer videos, there is no limit to where your imagination can go, as far as your content is high-quality, easily digestible, and engaging.
Some of the most common types of explainer videos include:
- Live-action (or non-animated)
- Animated
- Whiteboard videos
- Social media live streams
- Screencast videos
- 3D videos
…and What Can They Do for Your Business?
The truth is that there isn’t much that explainer videos can’t do for your business.
Short live-action or animated videos can truly benefit your brand by boosting reputation and awareness, increasing conversion rate, and improving your marketing campaign’s ROI.
What’s more, explainer videos can play a critical role in your SEO strategy, as websites and pages with video content are more likely to show at the top of the SERP.
Even more importantly, explainer videos are a great alternative for brands who are looking to deliver the perfect pitch every time without having to work on time- and effort-consuming long-form videos or blog posts.
What Does the Trick? The Golden Rules of Explainer Video Production
When it comes down to creating an explainer video, there is no standard formula you can use. And that’s because they should be inherently unique – just as your brand is.
However, some features have been proven to boost engagement and conversion of most videos, which is something to consider during the initial stages of video production.
Explainer videos can deliver a clear message to your audience and allow users to connect emotionally with your brand. But only through the following rules:
- Keep in mind (and address) your customer persona’s pain points
- Be clear on what needs your product fulfills and what benefits it delivers
- Demonstrate how service of the product will work in a real-life scenario
- Describe the product’s features and USPs
- Stick to the Keep it Short and Simple (KISS) principle
Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box and experiment with different styles to find what formula drives the most engagement.
Now You Have a Million-Dollar Idea – Let’s Get the Tools!
You are more knowledgeable about your brand than anyone else will ever be. You only know its real story, ideal audience, original mission, and the hurdles overcome along the road. So, if you have had an idea for an explainer video, it is time to turn it into reality.
Before getting started, keep in mind the golden principle behind an amazing commercial video: you’ll need to have a plan for what you are about to create.
Once you have undergone the storyboarding stage and you have a clear vision of what your video will be like, you’ll need the right equipment to start working on it.
Here are some of the must-haves no video maker can’t do without:
Invest in a High-Quality Camera
Not all videos will require a camera – but most certainly do. Indeed, even if you are looking to create an animated or whiteboard explainer video, you might still need to photograph your product. And, visual appearance is estimated to play a role in over 93% of consumer buying decisions!
But while a high-quality camera is a must-have, you don’t need to splurge on the latest model or the most expensive DSLR. in fact, it is totally possible to create viral explainer videos on a budget, with any recording and photography equipment that can record at least 1080p content. In some cases, you might even get away with simply upgrading your smartphone.
Get an External Microphone
While it might be tempting to skip this expense, investing in a microphone is more important than you’d think. Aside from the fact that the audio should match the quality of your video, high-quality audio will play a major role in helping your audience connect emotionally with your brand and acquire information.
The right microphone can help you enhance or eliminate ambient sounds, capture subtle vocal expressions, and help the audience enjoy a seamless watching experience.
Adjust the Lighting
Lighting tools and lamps are key pieces of equipment in all small video production projects. The right lighting can help you shoot a video right within your business premises or enhance the beauty of an outdoor landscape.
What’s more, if your video has a set theme (and it should), such as funny, lighthearted, humorous, or emotional, editing the room’s light can help you communicate the mood.
Boost Quality With a Stabilizer or Tripod
Simply propping your phone against a houseplant isn’t enough to create a high-quality, stable, and enjoyable video – and you’ll risk making viewers dizzy! Luckily, stabilizers (such as gimbals) and tripods are easily accessible tools for any expert or amateur video producer.
Choose an Explainer Video Software
A great video is more than the sum of its parts. And, what makes it so is the explainer video software you choose to use.
Depending on your video editing skills and the expected end result, there is a wide range of video production software worth exploring. For example, expert video makers might opt for more professional tools such as Adobe Premier, while beginners can take advantage of the growing template collection of software such as RawShorts.
Partner With an Animated Video Production Expert at Dan Rascal
Creating explainer videos can be fun and exciting, and can reel in amazing results – both in terms of ROI and user engagement. But what if you have a great idea for your explainer video but you lack the skills to bring it to life? The team of animated video production experts at Dan Rascal can help. Get in touch today to see your idea become reality!