Informative

How to Create Explainer Videos and Boost Your Social Media Campaigns

If you are looking to describe your business visually and engagingly, consider creating an explainer video.  Explainer videos are short animated clips that introduce the product in just 60-90 seconds. They are popular because they are particularly simple and convenient to consume. This blog was tailored specifically to show you how to create professional explainer videos and how they can help you to boost your social media campaigns.

James Riddle

Guest Writer

Dec 30, 2019

What is an explainer video?

A well-designed explainer video is a great way to engage potential customers, educate them about your business, drive more sales, and boost your social media efforts. Of course, it all sounds great until you’ve actually started working on your video. Many marketers face challenges starting from the earliest stages of the video production process. Keep reading to find out insider tips for improving your social media efforts through creating an explainer video. 

(A very simplistic explainer video made by Spotify, but really well done nonetheless.)

Drafting a script

A well-written script guarantees 50% of your campaign’s success. Your animation script needs to explain your product briefly and coherently.  Start by writing a creative brief and have your creative professionals outline the main objectives and goals of your explainer video. You will use this brief later on when creating a script. Here are some questions to consider when working on your creative brief. 

• Who is your target audience? 
• What is your audience’s specific problem? How can you contribute to solving it?
•  What are the main benefits of your product or service? 
• Which tone matches your business perfectly? 
• What do you want viewers to do next? What is your call to action?  

When drafting your script, keep in mind that your explainer video will be the first thing your website visitors see and experience when they land on your website. You need to narrate and explain how your product or service works, meanwhile highlighting it’s benefits. Don’t try to pitch the finest technical features, show what’s valuable in your product for prospects. Also, don’t make your video too formal. The most exceptional explainer videos are always fun to watch, so use humour to entertain your viewers and keep them glued to the screen. 

Choosing visuals and audio

Nothing will ruin your video as much as a poorly recorded, bad quality voiceover. Hire a professional voiceover actor to establish your company’s voice. Consider adding background music, to create a particular mood, if it matches the tone you’ve set. 

Animated videos come in different styles, but they are always engaging, emotional, and visual. There are different types of animation styles you can use in your explainer video. Keep in mind that some styles appeal better for certain businesses than others. No worries, if you are not a genius in creating animation. There are a ton of explainer video tools out there to help you boost your marketing campaign. 

The golden rule is to keep your video simple and short. Create a video with attention-grabbing colours and constant movement to keep the audience’s attention. Don’t make the visuals too detailed, since details divert attention from the main narrative. People often have a short attention span, so the shorter your video is, the better. The perfect formula is having no more than 150 words per minute. 

What does it all have to do with your social media campaign?

Once you’ve figured out how to create an explainer video, it’s time to learn how it can help to boost your social media game. Engaging and original explainer video will enhance your brand on social media platforms by making users identify with you because they contribute to customer trust and brand identification. High-quality original video content usually spreads out fast (12 times as many shares on average) and gets a lot of comments and reposts. Your followers will soon become supporters of your brand. Also, video explainers are mobile-friendly and can be watched on different devices. This aspect will also have a positive impact on sharing and repost tendencies.  

The benefits of explainer videos go far beyond social media marketing. Since they are so easy to consume, animated explainers contribute to increasing web traffic. They tend to get more clicks, redirecting more traffic to your website. Also, it’s a great way to help your SEO strategy. You will get higher positions in YouTube’s search results if you have a high quality animated videos combined with your SEO efforts. They can also boost conversion rates, raise attention, and user engagement. 

Takeaways

A good explainer video should be informative and fun to watch at the same time. Investing in an animated explainer video pays off on many fronts, starting with your social media marketing. You must be creative and original to stay competitive on social media platforms.

Have your creative team make a script that will narrate your brand’s story and set a unique tone. Inform, engage, and excite your viewers with attention-grabbing animation and high-quality voiceover. Don’t forget to use explainer video software. It’ll help you produce a professional video that engages customers, and delivers measurable results!