We love explainer videos!

We’ve always loved a good explainer video, and now more than ever, we’re embracing the flexibility and versatility they offer. Even if you haven’t heard the term explainer video, you’ve most likely seen them around. Unsurprisingly, they are used to explain something so the audience can understand it in less than two minutes. Company information, product offerings, and complex services are perfect subjects for explainer videos, leaving the audience with a clear understanding of what the company is all about, and wanting to take the next step.

Generally, explainer videos are best used in the beginning and middle of the sales process. If a potential customer is aware of their problem that needs solved, an explainer video can be a great way to tap into that need and explain how a product or service can be the solution they’re looking for. Explainers are perfect for educating the general population, or to nurture leads that need more info about what makes your company different. Their relatively short length makes them super versatile, and you can use them in sales presentations, on your website, in a newsletter, on social media, or wherever you can get a minute (or two) of a potential client’s time.

One of the great things about explainer videos is their ability to pack a big punch in a small package. Because they generally have animation and illustration, it can easily showcase the personality of a company and generate a lot of brand recognition with colors and brand-specific imagery. This allows you to easily stand out from the competition in a format that’s easy for the viewer to consume, share, and act on.

There are a few things to consider when planning an explainer video - timing, tone, and purpose. Unless made specifically for social media, the sweet spot of an explainer video length is between one and two minutes. It’s the perfect amount of time to explain what’s needed, while keeping the audience engaged. The tone should be generally friendly and conversational since the goal is to educate and engage the audience with a clear message. And there should be a distinct purpose to the video - whether you’re trying to explain a complex offering or highlight what makes your business stand above the rest, a focus on the client benefits, not just the features is key. Lastly, ending with a call to action gives the viewer a clear path forward after they understand why they should contact you. That call to action could be visiting your website, signing up for an event, or picking up the phone.

So how do we distill an entire company, product, or service into less than two minutes? For us, each video is a custom process, but it all starts with truly understanding what we’re trying to explain and who we’re trying to reach. From the beginning of the process, we get slightly obsessive about understanding what we’re explaining. We develop a creative brief, which outlines the look, feel, and tone of the video. That knowledge paves the way to developing the script which helps lead the project. From there, our copywriters do their magic, creating a custom script that includes all the pertinent information, while still being interesting, relatable, and conveying the right tone. We then develop a storyboard and start to geek out on creative, brainstorming what kind of visuals and animation styles that would work best with the project. Next, we get to bring our custom illustrations to life that really showcase the product or service. Sometimes the right component is live video footage to include with the animation, so we do that too. Since we also specialize in film and high-end commercial work, we can always get the right shot to tell the story. Finally we find the perfect voiceover talent to record the script, and the right music to bring it all together.

All these components have to come together to deliver a message that clicks with your viewers and drives them to take action. Got a story to tell? An explainer video is a compelling way to get the message out. Get in touch today and let’s bring your story to life!