What is an Explainer Video and How Can It Help Your Business?

In the rapidly-evolving digital landscape, businesses are constantly exploring new and innovative ways to effectively communicate their message and captivate the attention of their intended audience.

One powerful tool that has proven to be highly effective in achieving these goals is the explainer video.

Whether you’re looking to explain a complex process, promote a new product, or boost brand awareness, using an explainer video will be a game-changer for your business.

Understanding the Concept of an Explainer Video:

Before we can dive into the benefits of using an explainer video for your business, it’s important to have a clear understanding of what they actually are.

Explainer videos are short, action-packed, and engaging videos that help clarify and explain a business idea, product, or service in a concise and visually appealing manner.

They combine elements like animation, voiceovers, and storytelling to deliver complex information in a simplified and entertaining way.

This can help your audience easily understand and better retain your video’s message.

Defining Explainer Videos

An explainer video is a marketing tool that aims to educate and inform the target audience about a specific product, concept, or service.

It typically lasts between one to three minutes and captures the attention of viewers by using visually appealing graphics, relatable characters, and a clear and concise script.

In other words,

An explainer video needs to be short, eye-catching, action-packed, and one that speaks the language of your target audience.

Below is a basic example of an animated explainer video we produced for our own brand, Aesthetic Marketers:

Key Features of Explainer Videos

Explainers videos possess several key features that distinguish them from other forms of marketing content.

First and foremost, they are concise and to the point. They deliver the intended message efficiently without boring viewers with excessive information.

Additionally, explainer videos employ visual storytelling techniques and frameworks to make the content more engaging and memorable.

They leverage animation and motion graphics to break down complex concepts and captivate the audience’s attention.

When it comes to explainer videos, brevity is king.

By keeping the duration short, typically between one to three minutes, explainer videos are able to hold the viewer’s attention and deliver the desired message without losing their interest.

This concise format also allows for easy sharing on various social platforms, making it an effective tool for reaching a wider audience.

Another important aspect of explainer videos is their use of visually appealing graphics. By incorporating vibrant animations and dynamic graphics, these videos are able to present information in a visually stimulating way.

This not only helps to simplify complex concepts, but also makes the content more entertaining and memorable for your viewers.

Furthermore, explainer videos often utilize relatable characters and scenarios to engage the audience.

By featuring characters that the target audience can identify with, the videos are able to build a lasting connection and create a sense of familiarity. This connection helps to establish trust and makes the viewers more receptive to the message being conveyed.

Additionally, explainer videos rely on a clear and concise script to effectively communicate the intended message. The script is carefully crafted to ensure that every word counts and that the information is presented in a logical and easy-to-understand manner.

The key thing to remember when writing your video’s script is simplicity.

By using simple language and avoiding industry jargon, the videos are able to reach a wider audience and make the content accessible to everyone.

To sum it up, explainer videos are a powerful and trending marketing tool that combines eye-catching animation, compelling storylines, and concise messaging to educate and engage the target audience.

By leveraging visual storytelling techniques, these videos simplify complex concepts and make the content easier to remember.

With their brevity and visually appealing graphics, explainer videos are able to grip the audience’s attention and effectively deliver the desired message.

The Importance of Explainer Videos in Business:

Now that we have a good understanding of what explainer videos are, let’s explore the various ways in which they can benefit your business.

Enhancing Brand Awareness

Brand awareness is crucial for any business, especially in today’s competitive and global market. In order to stand out from the crowd, businesses need to establish a strong and easily recognizable brand identity that resonates with their target audience.

Explainer videos provide the perfect platform to create a lasting impression on your target audience and increase brand recognition.

By effectively communicating your brand message, value proposition, and unique selling points, explainer videos can help establish your brand identity and keep your business top of mind.

Furthermore, explainer videos can also help reinforce your brand’s visual identity.

By incorporating your brand colors, logo, and other visual elements into the video, you can create a cohesive and consistent brand experience for your audience.

This visual consistency not only enhances brand recognition but also builds trust and credibility with your customers.

Simplifying Complex Concepts

Explaining complex concepts or ideas to an audience for the first time can often be a daunting task, particularly when dealing with technical solutions or abstract subjects.

This is where explainer videos truly excel.

By breaking down complex information into easily digestible visuals and straightforward narratives, explainer videos make it easier for your audience to grasp the key messages and better understand your offering.

For example, if you are a software company (SaaS) offering a complex software solution, an explainer video can help simplify the technical jargon and demonstrate how your platform solves your audience’s problems.

By using animations, graphics, and concise explanations, you can effectively communicate the benefits and functionalities of your software in a way that is easy for your audience to understand.

Below is an explainer video that we produced, which breaks down the various solar and backup power solutions available to South Africans:

Increasing Customer Engagement

In the digital age, capturing and retaining audience attention is highly valuable (and challenging).

With the abundance of information, memes, and cute dog videos available online, businesses need to find new and creative ways to engage their audience and keep them interested in their products or services.

Explainer videos will help you do exactly that by providing an engaging and immersive experience.

By presenting information through dynamic visuals and captivating storytelling, explainer videos can effectively grip your audience’s attention and keep them engaged throughout the entire duration of the video.

This has been proven to increase customer interest, improve conversion rates, and ultimately, bring greater business success.

Moreover, explainer videos can also be easily shared and integrated into various online platforms, such as social media, websites, and email campaigns.

This makes it easier for your audience to discover and engage with your content, further amplifying your reach and increasing the chances of converting viewers into paying customers.

In conclusion, explainer videos are a powerful tool that will bolster your marketing efforts in multiple ways.

From enhancing brand awareness to simplifying complex concepts and increasing customer engagement, explainer videos are the not-so-secret sauce for driving business growth and revenue.

So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to differentiate your brand and give your audience the video content they’re seeking.

The Making of an Effective Explainer Video:

Now that we’ve explored the importance of explainer videos, it’s time to delve into some of the key factors that contribute to creating an effective one.

Choosing the Right Format

When it comes to explainer videos, there are various formats to choose from, including animated, live-action, whiteboard, and motion graphics.

Each format has its own unique advantages and suits different types of content and marketing goals.

It is important to carefully evaluate your specific goals and audience preferences to select a format that aligns with your objectives.

Use the table below as a guide when deciding on the type of explainer video to produce for your brand:

Crafting a Compelling Script

A well-crafted script is the foundation of any successful explainer video.

It is crucial to develop a script that effectively communicates your message, highlights key benefits, and keeps your audience engaged.

To help you write a killer script and storyline for your explainer video, consider using an established storytelling framework to help guide your script to perfection.

Your script should be concise, clear, and compelling, delivering the necessary information in a straightforward and relatable manner for your audience.

Importance of Quality Animation and Voiceover

The visual and auditory elements of an explainer video play a crucial role in capturing the attention of the audience and conveying the intended message.

Using quality animation and a professional voiceover are essential components that contribute to the overall effectiveness of the video.

Investing in high-quality animation and voiceover services will greatly enhance the impact and professionalism of your explainer video. Most explainer video production companies will include these services.

Measuring the Success of Your Explainer Video:

After producing and implementing an explainer video, it is important to measure its success and evaluate its impact on your business objectives.

By utilizing key performance indicators (KPIs) and analytics, you can gain valuable insights into your audience’s preferences and the effectiveness of your video, so that you can make informed decisions for future improvements.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Explainer Videos

Some of the key performance indicators to consider when analyzing the success of your explainer video include view count, engagement rate, click-through rate, conversion rate, and social media shares.

It’s important to track your video’s completion rate and the percentage of viewers who make it past the 25%, 50%, and 75% marks.

This will help you identify where your video may be losing viewers, and allow you to make improvements to keep them engaged.

By tracking these metrics, you can gauge the level of audience engagement, the effectiveness of your messaging, and the impact on your overall marketing goals.

Utilizing Analytics for Improvement

In addition to measuring KPIs, it is important to leverage analytics to gain a deeper understanding of viewer behavior and preferences.

Analyzing demographic insights and platform preferences can help you identify areas for improvement and optimize your future explainer videos for maximum impact.

Overcoming Common Challenges in Creating Explainer Videos:

While explainer videos offer a variety of benefits, there will be certain challenges along the way. It’s important to be aware of these challenges and develop strategies to overcome them.

Budget Constraints

Producing a high-quality explainer video can sometimes be costly.

However, there are various cost-effective solutions available, such as DIY animation software and freelance voiceover services.

Your choice of video/animation style, as well as the length of your video are two factors that can heavily influence the cost of production.

By carefully planning your budget and exploring affordable options with your explainer video producer, you can create an impactful video that falls within your financial means.

Time Management

Creating an explainer video involves several stages, including concept development, scriptwriting, storyboarding, animation production, and post-production.

It’s important to allocate sufficient time for each stage and ensure effective project management to meet your deadlines and deliver a high-quality video.

Maintaining Viewer Interest

With the attention span of viewers decreasing, and the amount of spam increasing, it is essential to maintain their interest from start to finish with your video.

To achieve this:

– Keep the video concise
– Start with an engaging hook
– Use engaging and vibrant visuals
– Tell a story that resonates with your target audience

By creating compelling content and delivering it in an engaging manner, you can easily capture and retain viewer interest.

The power of explainer videos cannot be underestimated when it comes to boosting your business.

By effectively communicating your message, simplifying complex concepts, and increasing viewer engagement, explainer videos can help your business stand out from the competition, drive brand awareness, and achieve your marketing goals.

With careful planning, creative execution, and strategic analysis, explainer videos can become a valuable asset in your business arsenal.