07 Nov Top 10 Reasons To Avoid Cheap Explainer Videos
When promoting a product or service it is important to choose the medium carefully, be it print, billboard, video or digital. An explainer video is probably the best medium to use as there are so many benefits such as an increase conversion rates, generating increased interest, better Google search ranking, increased web traffic, among others.
But is it worth going cheap?
Before you decide to go cheap on an explainer video, have a look at these reasons and reconsider.
1.Creating An Impact Or Just A Video
A critical question that should be asked is if you want the explainer video to have an impact on the viewer or if you just need a video.
Impactful video
A video with impact has the following characteristics:
- Universal Appeal: for a video to have impact it must appeal to many audiences that may have the same problem or may want your solution.
- Short and Simple: to keep viewers engaged the video must be short and clear so the message comes across without confusion.
- Emotional Content: Humans naturally act on their emotions, so have some emotional content to draw your consumer in and entice them.
- Actionable: The video has a form of “call-to-action” such as people sharing the video to their friends or a number for people to call your company for a quote.
- Identifiable and Relatable: The video must be relatable to the viewer which will the video to be spread further.
Cheap Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3sRM-japc4
Cheap explainer videos like the one above are:
- Low quality: The quality of the images may be similar to clip art or could be blurry.
- Unappealing: Due to the quality the viewers will not find it appealing and will become uninterested.
- Unpersonalised: They are not customised and made to look nice for the viewer and lacks the brands personal touch.
If you simply want a video, then by all means go for the cheapest videos around. But if you want results from people watching the video, then you must dig deeper into your pocket.
2. You will not get a significant ROI
Return on Investment (ROI) is an important marketing element and must be considered.
Crazy Egg is a web app that helps you understand how people interact with your website. Their heat maps show you where people click, and where they don’t, so you can improve usability and maximize conversion rates.
Video is known to:
- Help increase conversion rates
- Bring people to your website.
An increase in conversion rates means more people are looking through your video and website, therefore having a higher chance of gaining more clients for your company.
To get the return on your investment you opt for a high quality explainer video, which in turn will attract more customers. Remember this is not possible with a cheap video.
3. Writing Your Own Script
The script is a vital part of any video or animation project. It is the “make it or break it” point of any video. Freelance video animators who advertise R100 videos assume that you will be providing a polished script that is the optimal number of words for the length of the video. You can opt to write your own script. This isn’t highly recommended as most businesses are talented in their industry, not in script writing.
Let a copywriting expert write it for you. Most importantly we’ll put together a video script that will hold your viewers on the edge of their seats and convert them into action-takers. And that’s what our dedicated copywriters do for a living.
COST: Taking a crash course on script writing will cost you and your business valuable time and may not yield the professional result you need. Script writing is an actual job and people study human psychology, marketing, and writing for years to. Rely on a professional rather than costing yourself time, money, and the unnecessary stress.
4. The Importance Of A Storyboard
Make sure a storyboard is created from the script. Rather get a professional to do it and you can help with refining it as you go.
A storyboard is an important aspect of preparation before making a video. A Storyboard does the following:
- Show which angles and positioning of elements within the frame of the ‘camera’ or what the viewer is able to see.
- Acts as a guideline when shooting on set or animating in the studio.
When a storyboard is thoroughly refined it allows less room for error when in production. This means that changes won’t have to be implemented as much and therefore the process will be less time consuming and more cost effective when changes are made in the storyboard phase.
5. Using Clip Art Images
Clip Art Imagery
Customised to the client Imagery
Images that are used as stock or clip art is a big no no and indicates the video is:
- Cheap
- Low quality
- Use of generic images.
Your business is unique with original ideas, concepts, and business plans. You want to set your business apart from your competition. So don’t let your business settle for standard, stock clip art for any of your marketing.
COST: When the budget is trimmed and the business chooses for a cheap explainer video using clip art, rather than customised art, the cost to the business brand and initial impression could be compromised. Potential customers may assume that your brand is thrown together and inauthentic, which shows in the images you use in your video.
6. Recording Your Own Voice Over
Have a look at our diverse voice over portfolio
Either you or the freelance video animator may consider recording the voice over yourselves. This is highly unrecommended because:
- The room is likely a casual room such as a bedroom
- Not soundproof
- Sound will be of low quality and may have unwanted background noise
Even with the proper equipment, if the room isn’t soundproof then this creates problems with the sound. A soundproof room is crucial when recording sound as it helps to stop any unnecessary noise and to prevent echo.
Professional explainer video companies will have access to a soundproof room and the appropriate equipment to record the sound.
COST: Recording a voice over in your bedroom to avoid spending more money will actually create more of a problem and in the end cost more to re-do professionally. So avoid the extra cost and rather go with the professionals from the get go.
7. The Importance Of The Animation Movement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVt2TqTagGk
Character
Signs that the character animation hasn’t been well crafted:
- Fuzzy or robot-like
- Stay frozen for a while
Good animation makes characters look:
- Lively every time
- Express their feelings with expressions and movement
- Generate empathy within the target audience.
This will instantly mirror on the amount of people watching the video all the way through and also how many of them convert after watching it. When a new element is displayed on the screen (whether it’s graphics, icons or shapes) good animators usually apply a little bounce to it, making it more pleasant to the viewer’s eye.
If you come across an animated marketing video in which elements show up rigidly and sort of creaky-like, with no animation bounce at all, it might be another poor-animation warning sign. When swapping between scenes, animators usually apply a transition. It could be a camera wipe or a background switch, for example. But if the transition is the same one on every single shot, then it sure isn’t quality motion graphic work.
8. Being a Project Number
Freelancers may atsr adding changes and escalating the final bill far from the initial price of R100 or rushing the project in order to profit. They see you as a project number not a valued client on a personal level.
Explainer videos are an effective and appealing way to introduce a brand, but they can be used to:
- Launch new products
- Introduce new teams
- Explain changes within a business.
Video has so many uses as a medium, it makes sense that teaming with a video professional to handle multiple projects throughout the years is ideal. When businesses partner with professional video animation companies, a dedicated project manager is assigned to the client to handle all present and future business and add that personal touch.
COST: Cutting corners and using random freelancers to produce each video that your business needs over the years will result in a disconnected portrayal of your brand for viewers. Time will be wasted as your business model must be explained and re-explained to each new freelancer. Developing a relationship with a project manager employed by a professional video company who is dedicated to the needs of your business ensures that your message and video quality will remain consistent and true to your company culture. You also run the risk of not having a consistent brand identity when work is passed onto a new freelancer.You’re not just a project number, you have a personal relationship with the professional video company.
9. Compromising On The Length Of The Video
30 second video
1 minute 30 second video
An animated explainer video doesn’t need to describe every single product you offer in one video; people will tend to lose interest if the video is too long or not interesting.
The length of the video is an important factor when considering an animated explainer video. You want to sit between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. In extreme cases they can be shorter or longer depending on the strength and type of message.
Animated explainers that are longer than 2 minutes are usually for an animated explainer that describes the company as a whole – some companies can be very complex and it may be a challenge to explain in a short amount of time.
10. Using Sound
Sound effects are the “cherry on a cupcake” that brings the whole animation together. Well placed sound effects can enrich your visuals and pull the viewer into that moment. Be subtle about the sound effects. Overpowering sound effects will stick out like a sore thumb and will make the animation seem less organized, but on the other hand, if the sound is not clearly audible, the visuals will lose impact.
Conclusion:
The end results, such as your conversion rate on your website, will reveal the real cost of any explainer video. A cheap video usually ends with you regretting your choice. The choice is up to you on whether you go for a cheap video or not. But at least you now know the expectations when thinking to go for a cheap explainer video.
Remember to reap the rewards and gain more customers, going cheap may not work. The video will be of poor quality and becomes redundant after a short amount of time. A low quality video doesn’t have much longevity in the market and won’t be able to be used as it may go out of date and new trends will take over.
You Get What You Pay For
High quality explainer videos are very valuable and guarantee better results. These high quality videos will be more expensive, that’s a fact. You can choose to do spend more or go for a cheap explainer video resulting in poor quality. You simply get what you pay for.
Have a look at our video process. Have a look at video animation pricing. Get a quote from us for an explainer video. Here is our video and animation work and processes.
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.