How to Make a Killer Explainer Video
There’s no denying the fact that explainer videos are fantastic assets for a business, as they offer a way to engage with prospective customers and familiarize them with what you do. Of the different types of marketing videos, explainer videos are the most influential. It doesn’t really matter where you use the animations, whether in marketing, on your website, or in emails sent to your customers. People won’t be able to take their eyes off them. Explainer videos help your business stand out.
An explainer video is exciting, motivating, and plain fun. It can be used to explain a new product or service, how something works, or an abstract concept. Creating an explainer video might sound intimidating, but it’s actually quite simple. These are the steps you must follow to create one for your brand.
Write an Engaging Script
The script is a document that highlights the chronological run-down of the scenes, shots, actions, and dialogues. Simply put, it’s the foundation upon which everything is built. It’s recommended to write the script yourself. Who better knows customers’ concerns and pain points than you? It doesn’t hurt to have an outside perspective, but you know your customers better than anyone else. Simplicity is key. It would be best to follow this outline:
- The problem
- The solution
- How it works
- A call to action
Talk to your audience in the language of their choice. Use second-person pronouns, use short sentences and simpler words, and stick to an informal style. If you’re going to use humor, do it sparingly. Sarcasm should be avoided at all costs. The emotional response is achieved via a combination of script, story, movement, and editing. Keep your focus on the message so that it’s powerful. If you include too much information, you’ll end up with a messy script.
Decide on a Video Format and Style
Since there are many types of explainer videos, you might be confused as to which one to execute. Examples of types of explainer videos include, but aren’t limited to:
- Animations
- Whiteboards
- Live-action videos
- Infographic explainers
- Kinetic typography
As far as video style is concerned, explainer videos can be educational, sales, or casual/informative. The style has an impact on the success of your project. You can use different styles at different times. You can find great examples on Behance or Vimeo if you’re looking for inspiration. The idea isn’t to steal other people’s ideas but to see what’s possible.
You don’t have to shoot with professional equipment, but it’s a good idea to invest in a tripod and a mic if you’re using your smartphone’s camera. Poor lighting, background noise, and shaky footage will make you lose viewers. If you can afford to buy professional equipment, do it by all means. There’s nothing worse than a bad-quality video. The explainer video must be qualitative both in terms of production and quality of content to communicate your brand’s value.
Hire a Voice Over Artist
Tempting as it may be to record the voiceover for the explainer video in-house, you’d be better off hiring a professional English voice actor. Don’t bog your viewers down with too much text. Viewers are more likely to stick around if you hire an experienced narrator because it takes less effort to listen than to read. The person describes, highlights, explains, or provides additional context, so the video becomes much more interesting. Of course, it depends on the talent of the actor you hire.
The talent of the artist is more important than gender. Some people better narrate than others. The accent of the voice-over actor depends on your target market. You can hire an English voice-over with an international accent or a British accent. The accent plays an important part in how your message is delivered, so choose it strategically. Voice generator tools are often used. You too can use an AI voiceover to transform the text into speech. Your message will be catchier and more inclusive.
Create a Video That Resonates with Your Audience
If you’re not creating content from scratch, add stock images, graphics, cartoon illustrations, etc. Getting viewers to the finish line is no easy task. Don’t cram too many details into a short video. People will forget almost all the video content they’ve watched. You would be lucky if they remembered the main benefit. This is precisely why it’s important to keep things short. Illustrate the story and reinforce the voiceover. Too much information or visual details will distract from the message.
You’ve lost customers if you don’t capture their attention in the first seconds or so. Capturing viewers’ interest in the first seconds is no easy task, but it can be done. If you have the solution to people’s problems, let them know from the very beginning. Don’t waste time talking about something else. People’s attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, which doesn’t come as a surprise given the distractions moving around. Include a striking story in the first part of the explainer video.
Set the Tone with Music
Music can transform a monotonous video into a more interesting one. Even if the focus is on passing on information, background music won’t distract viewers. On the contrary, it will enhance the message and make the clip more watchable. As a rule, explainer videos use minimalistic pop music. Classical music is always a good choice for presenting timeless products and services. The music shouldn’t be too fast or too slow; the speed should be just right. Bear in mind that music is intellectual property, and you need a license for its use.
Select music that matches the emotional impact of the message. If you want to portray your brand in a good light, use music that is cheerful. The music shouldn’t interfere with the narration or the action on the screen, so pay attention to the volume. It should never be louder than the voice-over actor. There shouldn’t be a continual war between the voice and the background music.
