Best Practices For Creating An Animated Explainer Video

Best Practices For Creating An Animated Explainer Video

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Have you ever considered using explainer videos as a marketing tool for your business? It doesn’t matter if you’re selling tech products, software tools, kitchen accessories, or fashion, explainer videos are a must-have! They are a fantastic way to grab the attention of your target audience while showcasing how your product can solve their problems, all while keeping them entertained. It’s like your very own elevator pitch, but in a video format that’s sure to impress.

According to Wyzowl, 96% of people prefer watching an explainer video to learn more about a product or service. And according to Crackitt, 59% of marketers are now utilizing animated explainer videos as a means to promote and sell their products and services. This illustrates the effectiveness of animated explainer videos in capturing the audience’s attention.

But what makes a good animated explainer video stand out from the rest? What are the most common and best practices marketers or experts use for creating an animated explainer video? Let’s find out.

Best Practices For Creating An Animated Explainer Video

Creating an effective animated explainer video requires careful planning and execution.  In this regard, there are several best practices that marketers should follow to ensure that their animated explainer videos are successful in achieving their intended goals. Also, you can find some of the best-animated explainer videos in the linked article that follow these effective practices in order to get the desired outcome.

  • Identifying Target Audience
  • A Solid Outline and Script
  • Story Telling or Strong Narration
  • Shorter The Better
  • Benefits Over Feature
  • Clear and Concise voiceover
  • Visuals and Music
  • Optimize the Process
  • Promote on Social Media
  • Include a Video CTA

1. Identifying Target Audience

When creating an explainer video, it’s a common mistake to blindly focus on highlighting the features of your product or service. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the purpose of the video is not to impress yourself or your colleagues. Instead, as a marketer, you should aim to demonstrate to your audience how your product or service can be useful to them by addressing their problems or simplifying their daily lives. So, instead of simply extolling the virtues of your product, focus on showing its value in addressing the specific needs of your target audience. Knowing your audience will help you create an animated explainer video that resonates with them. Moreover, it enables you to tailor your messaging, visuals, tone, and content to better connect with your audience, ultimately resulting in a more effective and successful video.

Target Audience

2. Priortize the Script

When making an animated explainer video, prioritizing your script is one of the core practices to follow because if you get the script right everything else will most likely fall into place.  It’s essential to portray the most important stories or messages and present them in the first 30 seconds of the video. The initial illustration or message should be captivating enough to hold the viewer’s attention. Moreover, considering keywords while writing the script will help you achieve great results with your explainer videos. It’s important to identify the search demand for relevant keywords in your business and industry to ensure that your video is aligned with them. Otherwise, your target audience may not be able to find your video online, resulting in poor visibility and reach. 

3. Story Telling or Strong Narration

Animated explainer videos give you the space to step outside your usual marketing box and surprise your audience with some unique and entertaining content. Aiming to hook your target audience with a strong storyline or narrative is one of the oldest tricks that most creators frequently practice while making an animated explainer video for businesses. Storytelling techniques to make your video more engaging and memorable lead to higher shareability. Make sure the story resonates with your brand’s message and is relatable enough to your audience so they can connect well.

4. Shorter The Better

According to Wyzowl, 73% of individuals prefer watching a short explainer video as compared to reading a lengthy text article or receiving a sales call/demo. Most successful and impactful animated explainer videos happen to be short and simple. So this is something that expert marketers and creators strictly practice while creating animated explainer videos for business purposes. Therefore, concise explainer videos of 60-90 seconds or less can have a greater impact on purchasing decisions and engagement.

5. Benefits Over Feature 

When producing an explainer video, it’s important to remember that your audience is more likely to be interested in how the product or service can benefit them rather than just listing its various features. When creating an explainer video, it is essential to address this aspect right from the beginning. It is important to remember that web users have short attention spans, and they are more likely to lose interest if the video fails to pique their interest from the get-go. Therefore, it is imperative to focus on highlighting the benefits of the product or service to the viewer to maintain their attention throughout the video. So, rather than throwing out long-winded technical jargons, communicate to people how your product or service will enhance their lives.

6. Clear and Concise Voiceover

Voiceover is one of the main elements of an animated explainer video. In this kind of video, voiceover and animation go hand in hand. A powerful voiceover can convey enthusiasm, humor, sincerity, or any other desired tone to create a memorable and engaging experience for the viewer. It also provides clarity and context to the video’s message. It can explain complex concepts in a clear and concise manner, making it easier for the audience to understand the key points. If you lack experience in voiceover, it is advised to hire a professional voiceover artist. This will guarantee a high-quality video that is more likely to result in better conversion rates.

7. Promote on Social Media

If your business is not leveraging social media platforms, you are overlooking a valuable opportunity to build stronger connections with your audience. Social media provides a readily available platform to engage with potential customers and build relationships with them. Additionally, besides maintaining an active social media presence, sharing your explainer videos with your followers can further increase your business’s visibility. By incorporating explainer videos into your social media strategy, you can capture the attention of your target audience and effectively communicate your brand’s message.

8. Include a Video CTA

When creating an explainer video, it is essential to focus on accomplishing three critical objectives. Firstly, it must clearly explain your product or service to the viewers. Secondly, it must demonstrate how your offering can effectively solve a problem for them. Finally, it must persuade them that your product or service is the best solution available. Once you have effectively achieved these objectives, you can then incorporate a compelling call to action (CTA) to encourage viewers to take action. By emphasizing these crucial elements in your video, you can effectively communicate your brand’s message and encourage potential customers to engage with your offering.

  • Our Takeaway

By prioritizing the best practices for creating an animated explainer video, you can be confident in the final product and its ability to achieve your desired outcomes. Keeping up with these practices will not only save you time and money but also help you create a video that delivers tangible and measurable results. By following these guidelines, you can effectively communicate your brand’s message and increase the chances of success for your video marketing campaign.