{"id":41967,"date":"2020-02-25T10:00:34","date_gmt":"2020-02-25T17:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/resources\/explainer-video-tips\/"},"modified":"2024-02-28T09:53:28","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T16:53:28","slug":"explainer-video-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/resources\/explainer-video-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"So, You Want to Produce an Explainer Video? Here’s How"},"content":{"rendered":"

“So… what does your company do?”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a question that can either thrill or haunt a marketer. The savvy give a quick elevator pitch nailing the right words and sell amid a flurry of well-connected sentences \u2014 while others clumsily wade through a sea of ‘ummms’ and ‘hmmms’ squandering the opportunity.<\/p>\n

There’s an increasingly popular Plan B option that allows both to answer quickly and confidently. It goes something like, “Hey, have you seen our explainer video yet?”\u00a0<\/em>Way easier, and truth be told: Plan B is fast becoming most companies’ Plan A.<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

What is an explainer video?<\/h2>\n

In essence, an explainer video is a short 1- to 3-minute video that breaks down who a company is, the product they sell (or service they provide) and how both of these can help their customers. The best increase traffic, conversions and awareness, serving as a fun and engaging device used across a company’s site and marketing channels.<\/p>\n

But perhaps it’s the style in which this gets done that separates an ‘explainer’ from a product video as the best delight their audiences in an entertaining fashion using anything from animation to live-action \u2014 to keep audience attention from first moment to end. A cross-breed between a commercial and product video designed to dazzle the digital generation.<\/p>\n

The good news is that we all like entertainment. If there\u2019s one thing good about the glut of digital videos we consume daily, it\u2019s that the demand for quality has gone up while our collective tolerance for being sold to has gone down. If you\u2019re going to win attention at the very least \u2014 and brand advocacy at the very most \u2014 you need your explainer video to score on multiple levels.<\/p>\n

Witness three of the all-time greats in the form of Dollar Shave Club<\/a>, Dr. Squatch<\/a>, and Chatbooks<\/a>. Not only did they enlighten their audiences about products new to market, but they were groundbreakingly innovative and creative AF.<\/p>\n

In addition, each video positively impacted business and awareness, delivering viral performances at 26+ million, 98+ million, and 5+ million views, respectively \u2014 generating impressive earned-media numbers along the way.<\/p>\n

But humor and live-action aren’t the only way to go.<\/h3>\n

There are many other approaches \u2014 more friendly to the bottom line \u2014 that are more common these days, given practicality. These range from the classic whiteboard approach to a classic 2D animation (such as what\u00a0HeadSpace employs<\/a>) to 3D animation, which can work well for products with more dynamic visuals.<\/p>\n

If you have any questions about what kind of video you should be trying to make for your company, here’s a quick breakdown<\/a>\u00a0of different types. It’s important to understand what it is you actually need to be since unfocused videos may not deliver optimal ROI.<\/p>\n

Recently, I helped produce\u00a0an explainer for ClearVoice\u00a0that used touches of humor and motion graphics to give a sense of the service. Having just gone through the process, we thought it would be good to share a few tips from our pursuit to help you produce your own.<\/p>\n

5 Steps for creating an engaging explainer video<\/h2>\n

So, here are five key areas you’ll want to be cognizant of if you\u2019re going to create such a video. Then, the next time someone asks what your company does, you won\u2019t have to do language limbo in front of them…<\/p>\n

You can just send them a link.<\/p>\n

[Please note: The following advice is primarily designed for creating a live-action explainer, a la the ClearVoice approach. For animated videos, the process will, of course, vary in terms of execution.]<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

1. Create a strategy.<\/h3>\n

The first step is always to decide what style of explainer video will work best for your company, given budget considerations, the brand, and the ultimate goals for the project. One key is to know your audience and what visual style they might be most receptive to.<\/p>\n

Here are a few key questions to ask yourself to kick off the process:<\/p>\n