Explaining Explainer Video: Why Every Business Needs One
Our video production hub here in Cambridge receives enquiries for all sorts of videos, from corporate promotional videos, client testimonial videos to product launch videos.
But without doubt, one of the most popular questions we get asked is: “Can you create our business an explainer video?”
Of course, the answer is a resounding yes!
But why is an explainer video such a key weapon in your marketing armoury? What even is an explainer video?
Keep reading to find out, as Front Foot Creative’s Tom Stewart explains explainers!
What is Explainer Video Content?
The most common purpose for an explainer video is to visually illustrate a product, service or business idea in a short-form video. It’s relatively self-explanatory really, you use them in your marketing or sales strategy to explain what it is you do.
The video should be compelling enough to engage an audience in the most efficient way possible.
Explainer video production is all about creating a clear understanding for your target audience.
The key components are:
- The biggest benefits of your service or product
- The audience’s perspective of how your product/service works
- Inspire your target market to want to find out more
Nailing these three things in your explainer video content, should set you on the right path to achieving your marketing and sales goals.
Let's Show You An Example
Explainer Video Client Case Study: Build Momentum
The Brief
To provide Construction lead generation business, Build Momentum with an engaging explainer animation. Their big focus was their “customer journey”.
The video needed to succinctly explain Build Momentum’s value proposition in a simple, consumable yet engaging way.
Production
After an initial discovery phase where Build Momentum laid out the key components of the customer journey to us, we opted for a 2D animation explainer approach. Firstly, we crafted a script, featuring each of the client’s key messages.
From there a 2D animatic (static animation) in Build Momentum’s brand colours was storyboarded alongside a professional voiceover of the script. Following client sign off, we proceeded to the animation stage, to add the finishing magic.
Outcome
A 90 second explainer video in 2D animation style, for Build Momentum to send to prospective clients and for use on their website, social media and in business presentations.
The use of the animation led to an uptick in customer enquiries and subscriptions to Build Momentum’s service.
Why Should I Have an Explainer Video?
1. Explainer Video Engage!
It’s just a fact – an engaging piece of video content is far more likely to capture your audience than a long block of text or an overblown PowerPoint presentation.
Engagement rates for videos far exceed static images or text with some statistics suggesting that social videos are shared 1200% more than text or pictures.
Video resonates in a unique way and has the ability to set your business apart from the competition.
2. Explainer Videos Help Your Business Stand Out
Standing out from your competition is key to winning new customers and clients, so a high-quality explainer video can really elevate your brand.
Taking the time and effort to produce an outstanding piece of marketing collateral to concisely explain your product or service can underline the calibre of your organisation and increase customer loyalty.
Brand awareness is super important in a crowded marketplace, so being known for skilfully marketing and explaining your product or service and winning the attention of potential clients will help take your business to the next level.
3. Efficiency, Efficiency, Effic…You Get The Idea!
Ultimately explainer videos, should save you time!
Imagine the scenario. You’ve had a positive introductory meeting with a potential client and need to follow up with your value proposition.
You know your prospect is busy and needs to see something that quickly explains your product or service thoroughly but concisely.
What would you prefer to send? (and receive if you were in your client’s position):
Option 1: A PDF with reams of text, an outdated PowerPoint.
Option 2: Another attempted follow up call to explain your service in more detail.
OR
Option Golden Ticket: A slick, engaging explainer video highlighting your service in 60 – 90 seconds.
Explainer videos cut through the noise, they save time for you and your potential clients
4. Explainer Videos Can Boost Search Engine Rankings
There’s plenty of competition out there and one surefire way to secure an edge over your competitors is to rank highly on search engines.
An engaging explainer video, to sit within your SEO strategy, rich in key words can play a key role in your efforts. Use explainer video as a function to demonstrate authority, expertise and credibility.
Creating content that demonstrates knowledge and gives valuable insight to your potential client base is an invaluable way to drive incoming enquiries, which in turn can lead to an increase in sales.
Where Does Explainer Video Content Fit Into My Marketing Strategy?
Explainer video can be utilised in a number of ways.
Featuring explainer video content on a product or service landing page or even homepage of a website, can be a sure way to engage with a target audience quickly.
Most importantly it should placed in a visible area of your site, ready to build audience understanding of your offering in a quick, succinct manner.
Meanwhile, MailChimp report 81% of businesses said that explainer video helped increase sales, 53% of businesses said explainer video helped reduce the number of support calls and 76% report increased website traffic.
Explainer Videos Can Be Used on Socials!
Sure, your explainer video will be the perfect piece of content to send over directly to potential clients and of course it should also feature prominently on your website.
But it can also be repurposed to give you maximum exposure across multiple channels.
Utilise your explainer video on relevant social media – whether it be Linkedin for B2B or Instagram, Facebook or similar for B2C. And of course YouTube is the king of the explainer video. Who hasn’t learnt a new skill on YouTube with an explainer video? Baking, learning the guitar, that new photoshop update – we’ve all been there.
Don’t forget your paid campaigns too. A polished explainer video can provide you with the perfect piece of content to illustrate your paid ads, targeting the type of clients and businesses that you want to work with.
FFC Top Tip: View your explainer video as a marketing asset that gives you value across more than just one platform. Ultimately you have invested in it, so why not make the most of it? And when planning your explainer video content, think about where you will use it and how your audience is likely to consume the content.
Are There Different Types of Explainer Video?
Yes! There are alternative types of explainer content, including slightly longer-form videos.
These tend to be more beneficial for businesses not intending to use their videos for marketing purposes, but to support in-house productivity by breaking down a complex or long process.
At our Creative hub in Cambridge, we categorise these as operational explainer videos.
Client Case Study: RWE – RITAS
Take for example our clients RWE. They required a series of longer-form explainer videos, ahead of the launch of their new company wide Reporting Incident and Audit System – RITAS.
The online system was brand new and thousands of staff across multiple countries needed to understand its full functionality and how to use it effectively ahead of its rollout.
Front Foot Creative therefore delivered six individual explainer video deliverables, utlitising screen recordings, 2D animated graphics and a professional voiceover. Each deliverable was also duplicated with German and Dutch versions.
This project significantly saved time for RWE operationally to train people either face to face, or through the production of less effective written manuals, leading to an efficient launch of the new RITAS system.
And yes, technically you could categorise these as more training or induction videos! But with no end test required for RWE users to pass after watching the content, and with the main purpose of the video content being to EXPLAIN the functionality of their new internal system, we’re happy to call them explainer videos. So there!
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