In the current digital landscape, be it brands or marketers, everyone is stepping up their video marketing game. It is because they understand the need of the hour. According to video marketing statistics released by Wyzowl for 2022, a staggering 88% of people would prefer seeing more video content from brands this year. It is a 3% increase from last year. But why exactly are audiences eager to watch brand videos?
Videos, especially animated ones, provide a simple explanation of complex processes and concepts. As a result, an animated video of your product can engage audiences much more effectively than other videos or written product descriptions.
However, a custom animated explainer video can take up to 8 weeks to make if you are doing it all by yourself. We have put together all the relevant information about making an animated explainer video below to make the process faster for you. Keeping the below pointers in mind, you will be able to speed up the video creation process for your business.
Table of Contents
Why Animated Explainer Videos?
Among the different kinds of video formats, animated explainers are one of the most popular. They look visually captivating and are apt for conveying complex ideas in a simplified manner. According to a 2021 report published by Vidyard, Explainer videos are also one of the most preferred video formats by brands and marketers.
You can easily create and publish animated explainers if you know the ins and outs of video content creation. Unfortunately, many new brands jump right into making explainer videos without knowing the spectrum of services that they would need to employ to put together a polished explainer video.
On top of that, if done separately, the costs of all these different services can pile up. Hence, at least brands that are just starting should consider hiring professionals who offer Explainer video services. It will help brands to leverage the knowledge, skills, and expertise of professional video makers. Moreover, it is also a more cost-effective and time-saving option.
How to create animated explainer videos?
Following is a step-by-step breakdown of how you can go about creating animated explainer videos that are effective in catching the target audience’s attention.
1. Create a story outline and complete scripting
Creating a story outline is essential because it defines the layout and nature of the video. You can hire a professional writer or do it yourself. But if you are doing it yourself, it’s best to know the basics of scriptwriting before planning a video marketing campaign.
Almost all videos need some sort of script. The same goes for animated explainer videos as well. The scripting process remains pretty much the same whether you hire a video company to work on it or do it yourself. First, you must come up with the initial script idea.
If you choose to work with an agency, they also ask you to provide a brief outline of the video. Then comes the stage of drafting the script. Once the drafting is done, you have to check the script for accuracy. If changes are to be made, this can take a bit longer.
The scripting stage is going to be complete once you have answered the following questions:
- What’s your product or service about?
- How will it help people?
- What type of mood (tone) would you like the video to have?
- What are the three key advantages your product provides?
- Finally, what is the call to action that should be mentioned in the video?
2. Work on recording Voiceover
Every company needs a voice — to show the world who they are, what they do, and what sets them apart. Just like scripting, voice-overs are also better if done by professionals. But, if you do not want to hire someone for this task, then you can set up your own voiceover studio by doing the following:
- Hire voice talent; they might be friends, colleagues, or even professional voice actors. You can find voice-over talent on freelancing websites such as Fiverr.
- Make sure the space you are using for recording has minimum background noise levels.
- Use software for recording. Some options for recording software are Audition or Audacity.
- When recording, don’t worry if the reader stumbles over a line. Just pause and continue.
- Then edit your audio file to remove mistakes and anything else you don’t want to use. You should also remove noisy backgrounds during the editing process.
3. Get graphic elements in place
Custom videos need custom graphics. Every element of video graphics, be it background illustrations or character designs, should be inspired by your brand and mirror your target audience.
The idea is to make it clear to the viewer why you’re telling this story and make it about something they can relate to. Unfortunately, it usually takes a week to complete video graphics, which is one of the more time-consuming parts of video creation.
4. Get Animation done
Now that you’ve done all of your designs and drawing, it’s time to animate them! At this point, animators will be immersed in your work and bring it to life. Depending on the complexity, the process can take two weeks or more. It’s not an easy task to animate without making a character look robotic. But a high-quality animation gives characters a human touch that can make viewers relate to the story.
Animation is a skill-heavy and time-consuming process. Unfortunately, not every firm has that kind of trained manpower at hand. Even if you have people who can work on animation, the final result may not be up to par with your competitors’ video content quality.
Hence, it is best for businesses just starting their video content creation journey to hire a dedicated explainer video company. The company should have a team of illustrators and animators who have ample experience with graphic design. Unfortunately, many brands mistake relying on DIY tools for animation, but that is not a good option for a few reasons.
It’s good that there are so many do-it-yourself animation tools available on the internet; some of them are even free to use. However, despite their practicality, many of these tools lack some features. Usually, these features are available in more sophisticated software such as Adobe Illustrators and Adobe After Effect.
The software requires time and effort to master; therefore, it is wise to rely on professional animators who use these and other software to create polished animations.
5. Add some humor and fun
The video must be both fun and engaging. It has to resonate with a target audience, engage and provide a memorable experience. Regardless of age, gender, location, and other factors, the one thing that people worldwide can agree on is that they want to be entertained.
Adding something like a joke or surprise can make your video stand out. It also escalates the chances that the viewer remembers your brand.
6. Engaging background score is a must
Music can be beautiful. It also has a powerful influence on our minds and evokes different emotions, feelings, and associations. Thus, it’s crucial to choose the right music for your video. With the right music, you can make the viewer feel whatever you want them to.
Think about researching your target audience and choosing the sound to fit your video and convey the brand’s message correctly. There are many music libraries where you can download for free or purchase music at a reasonable price; Audiojungle, Tunefruit, Freesound.org, or PremiumBeat are just some examples.
Conclusion
To summarize the above, you should start the video by giving a precise and understandable problem your product solves. Next, introduce your product/service as the solution to the problem you just identified. Then proceed to explain what your product does and why it’s valuable.
Be sure to cover all the essential features, benefits, and keywords buyers are likely to search. Don’t forget to add some customer quotes to prove your product works. Lastly, end your video with a call to action.
