11 Oct Mastering Concise Animation Storytelling In 2 Minutes
Do you know how powerful a marketing video can be for your company? Why not make space in your marketing budget? Money is often spent on static designs, posters and online banners, which do bring in a lot of traffic however it doesn’t stimulate the viewer’s mind into trusting you or your company.
In this digital world, there are many mediums to communicate with when creating an explainer video: emails, calls, newsfeeds, and timelines. Don’t make your viewers feel that their time is wasted.
Video explainers have the ability to capture and inform viewers about your business. According to DaCast “the average length watched of a single online video was 2 minutes 42 seconds.” If someone already started watching your video then notices it is ten minutes long, they may press ‘stop’ within the first 30 seconds. However, if a person sees it will take them a maximum of two minutes to watch the video, their motivation to finish the video is much higher.
So how do you create a video that is to the point, effective and keeps your viewer’s attention? The ‘two-minute rule’ for the length of an explainer video is not set in stone, but it is important to keep it as short as possible. Here’s how:
Tell A Story
You want to get your viewers engaged from the get go. Facts can be boring, but stories do sell. Storytelling is needed to keep your viewers engaged and interested in the product/service you are selling.
Focus On Your Audience
Keep your audience in mind when creating the animated explainer video. Focus on solving their problems and how you can help them. For consumers to trust you don’t sell your audience, rather make them understand that you can help them. The solution you offer should be the focus of the video, don’t talk too much about the features of the solution.
It’s All About The Script
Before you start with the visuals you need a good script for your video. A successful explainer all comes down to the script. It is the foundation of your video and needs to be easy to understand. Keep it short and to the point to keep the viewer’s attention. Allow for editing to strip down the content to the most important aspects of your business, service or product that you want to showcase.
Use A Character
Using a friendly and fun character to tell your story help to lead viewers along the video which allows them to become invested, wanting more. The character will guide them through, which allows viewers to gain a level of trust and an emotional connection. The character can be developed in the storyboard.
Keep It Simple
A good explainer video focuses on 4 things to keep it short and simple:
- The Problem: Address the problem to your viewers.
- The Solution: Introduce the product/service that you offer as a solution.
- How it works: Briefly explain how your solution works in a simple and concise way.
- Call to action: Tell people what to do next – such as call, subscribe, enter, download.
Use The Power Of Symbols
A picture is worth a thousand words. Using symbols and images allows people to get more information in less time. Let’s make the best of your viewer’s attention span by using symbols for easier understanding.
Hinting At Important Information
Waiting until the 2 mins are up to reveal all the information may stir the viewer off course, they are no longer enticed and may have already started to watch another video.Hints must be given to keep the viewer’s attention. Bits and pieces of information can be revealed throughout the video.
The Shorter The Better
The less information you add to your video, the more viewers will be able to remember afterwards. Remember your video is an overview, you want it to be easily understood and not too dense. Doing it this way allows people get hooked and interested in your business further.
Try to keep your video short, the best thing is to keep it as short as you can make it relaying your message effectively.For video, the rule is to have 150 words per minute. This allows enough time for the message to sink in.
The hardest part is to keep it short and sweet. Yes, you want your customers to know all about your product or service, but it isn’t wise as viewers will switch off when too much information is relayed to them. Remember the longer the video is, the fewer people will pay attention to it. The trick is to keep the script short and concise to the most important parts of your problem and solution.
Benefits Not Features
When showing a product in your explainer video make sure to highlight the benefits, not the features. Instead of running off the features and technical jargon, tell people how your product or service will make their lives better.
The Video Animation Process
Remember video is a process that takes time and patience. Most people are not aware of the steps to create a successful video or animation and all the time and hard work that goes into it. Have a look at our video process here.
To see the cost of an animated explainer video go here.
To have a look at our video and animation work and processes go here.
Why not add the explainer video onto your website landing page? It is a good way of increasing your conversion rate plus a video captures the viewer’s attention for longer periods of time and decreases the bounce rate of your site. For more information go here.
If you would like to view our other creative processes and see how we work go here.
If you are in need of any Video Marketing needs, feel free to contact BWD Advertising and Breeze Website Designers.