What is an explainer video?

Below, we delve into the main components of any explainer video as well as the benefits you can expect to receive from investing in this type of content. As professional creatives with 30 years of collective experience in this industry, we can also provide expert advice and guidance for creating your own explainer video content. So, carry on reading to discover how an explainer video could spell success for your business!

If your customers are struggling to see the benefits of your product or your company provides a particularly complex service, an explainer video can help dispel any confusion. Designed to be clear, relatable and entertaining to watch, explainer videos can play a vital role in customer communication, boosting conversion rates and raising brand awareness.

No matter which industry your business specialises in, explainer videos can be used to guide viewers through a wide range of programmes, products and services. To make them stand out from the crowd, explainer videos can also be animated or created using a combination of live footage and motion graphics to help demonstrate how a particular product or service works in real life.

Put simply, the ultimate goal of an explainer video is to accurately and effectively explain a concept, product or service to your target audience. One benefit of opting for an explainer video includes the fact that these pieces of simple, effective content can be used in evergreen campaigns and can even live permanently on your website.

Regardless of whether you want to increase sales or make your brand stand out from the competition, investing in explainer video content can help you to accomplish a wide range of objectives.

Below, we find out how this type of long-lasting video content catches the viewer’s attention.

How effective are explainer videos?

There are many reasons to choose explainer videos to help boost your business, but how can we prove their effectiveness? With data, of course! Using video marketing statistics compiled by Wyzowl, we can support our statements. Instead of making outlandish claims, we simply follow the data because the statistics speak for themselves.

According to Wyzowl’s 2022 video marketing research, the most common type of video content created was explainer videos, with 74% of video content created for this purpose. Their research also found that a mammoth 86% of businesses still use video content as a marketing tool, with a significant 92% of the marketers valuing it as an important part of their marketing strategy, but why?

In 2022, a substantial 87% of marketers said video content has led to an increase in traffic, 82% said it increased dwell time, and an impressive 94% said that it improved understanding of their product or service. Similarly, 96% of viewers found that watching an explainer video helped them to learn more about a particular product or service, and 73% actually preferred to watch a short video to learn about a product.

Additional data also showed that 86% of marketers believed video content helped them to generate leads, while 81% of marketers say it increased sales and 49% said it reduced support calls. As a direct result of video content, further data found that 93% of marketers benefited from an increase in brand awareness, and 86% were able to generate a good ROI (Return on Investment).

Data from the end users also supports the ROI finding, as 88% of people attested that they had been convinced to purchase a product or use a service by watching a video. Following the same vein, end-user research also found that 78% of people were convinced by video content to purchase or download an app or software. Impressive stats? We think so, too!

From all the above statistics, it becomes clear that explainer videos aren’t just a more entertaining way of digesting information, they have the ability to propel your business forward. Regardless of whether you want to increase dwell time or brand awareness, explainer videos have helped endless companies to achieve both their short-term and long-term targets.

Where are explainer videos used?

The short, snappy and informative nature of explainer videos makes them suitable for placing almost everywhere and anywhere online. Instead of distracting from important text, explainer videos can add to the impact of a variety of pages, including a website’s homepage, category pages and product pages.

Plus, explainer videos can be easily included in blog posts and buying guides to give viewers a better idea of what to expect before investing in a certain product or service. Whether they’re explaining how the product should be used or describing the benefits of a certain service, explainer videos within blog posts can encourage viewers to convert before they’ve even reached the landing page of the product or service.

Not to mention, explainer videos aren’t only limited to your end-user customers. They can also be used for internal communications, effectively explaining more complex concepts to your staff in a quick and easily-digestible format. Ideal for attaching to internal emails, they can be shared with ease throughout the business to keep every member of the team up to date on the latest company information.

Explainer videos can also be used to direct your target audience towards your video content from social media platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and even TikTok. Even within these social media platforms, your video content can be effortlessly shared, reaching hundreds if not thousands of users every day.

How much should an explainer video cost?

The exact cost of an explainer video will naturally vary based on both the type and length of the video as well as the size and reputation of the agency. However, with no one-size-fits-all cost, it can be difficult to ensure you’re getting value for your money, especially due to the wide spectrum of standards and prices. Generally, if you’re searching for a more affordable option, you may be more successful in reaching out to single-sole traders or global agencies that can provide product bulk content.

However, if you’re looking for an explainer video that stands out from the crowd while retaining the tone and style of your brand, there’s no better option than an independent agency like Tricks Studio! We pride ourselves on our ability to deliver high-end video content for competitive prices. Our talented team of creatives is always focused on producing video content that not only meets but exceeds your expectations.

Keen to hear more? Find out how much a tailored explainer video for your company might cost by getting in touch with a member of our team today! Regardless of whether you want to test the waters with just one explainer video or sign off on an explainer video for every product on your website, our experienced team will work with you to create the most effective content for your budget.

What do you need to make an explainer video?

There are two ways you can make an explainer video: either enlist the help of the professionals or attempt at a DIY version. Naturally, the tools, time and expertise you’ll need to accomplish a DIY explainer video are going to be much more extensive than the resources required to contact and work alongside a professional video content agency.

If you don’t have the resources or experience to create in-house explainer videos and are eager to get a professional point of view, contacting an agency will likely be your best option. A well-equipped video agency can take full of advantage of the experienced creative professionals at their disposal, only requiring a small amount of guidance, a feasible budget to work with and an achievable deadline.

If, on the other hand, you’re attempting to produce your own video content, then you’ll need to consider how much time and money you’re investing in your software, tech and people. Due to the wide variety of explainer video styles (including live-action, animated and whiteboard explainer videos), the exact tools you’ll need for each type of explainer video will vary.

As a result, it’s important to bear in mind that this is by no means a comprehensive list of tools required to create an explainer video, and you’ll need to do further research if you’re attempting this process yourself. Below, we explain the basic process of making an explainer video and what you’ll need for each step of the process.

Brainstorm and write the script

The most important stage of creating any piece of video content is the script-writing stage! Ensuring your script is short, snappy and conversational will help you to produce a clear and easily-understandable explainer video. Adding a touch of humour here can also lighten the tone and help to make the overall viewing experience more enjoyable.

Record the voiceovers

Once your script has been finalised, you’ll need to enlist the help of a voice actor to create the voiceover. While some amateur voice actors are fairly cheap and cheerful to hire for the day, you can achieve a more professional voiceover if you’re willing to spend a little more on an experienced actor. Thankfully, there exist many voiceover agencies and recording studios that you can approach to find the right voice to set the tone of your explainer video.

Produce the explainer video

At this point, you may want to consider reaching out to an experienced video production agency due to the complex and time-consuming nature of video production. However, if you’d like to attempt this stage in-house, then you’ll require a dedicated video content creation specialist and explainer video content software. Powtoon, Wideo and Adobe’s Video Maker are all worth exploring if you want to give video production a go yourself!

Add the finishing touches

After pulling the video clips together, you can move on to introducing the accompanying sound effects and music. Luckily, there are plentiful online resources of music databases (both free and licensed) where you can find a huge selection of sheet music, sound effects and background music to bring your video to life.

Wherever you decide to source your music, remember to read the fine print – some audio will be a one-time purchase and royalty-free, while others might require attribution or a subscription. Alternatively, you can even create your own audio files using tools like Audacity, GarageBand (for Apple Mac users) and Adobe Audition.

Share, measure and track!

Once your explainer video is looking good, it’s time to ensure your target audience can view this content. Try posting the video content across your socials, as well as giving your explainer video a fixed home on one of your website landing pages. By tracking the level of engagement across these different platforms, you’ll be able to figure out the best way to help your company connect with the right target audience. YouTube Insights and Google Analytics are both useful tracking tools for this purpose.

Explainer videos at Tricks Studio

Struggling to find an explainer video company that takes the time to understand what makes your business tick? At Tricks Studio, we pride ourselves on getting to know how your business works from the inside out. From your target audience to your most popular products, we can identify which video content would be most effective to help you achieve your business goals.

Our small yet mighty team of creative professionals is simply bursting with talent and has the ability to expertly produce compelling explainer videos for all kinds of clients. A dedication to professionalism, unparalleled customer service and high-quality content ensures our customers return to use our services time after time.

Unlike larger agencies, we provide a personalised touch that highlights the unique qualities of your company. By working alongside your members of staff, our core team of experts can deliver superb video content that really resonates with the values, personality and even the CSR policy of your business. Eager to find out more?

To get in touch with a member of our team or to discover more about how explainer videos can boost your business, please don’t hesitate to give us a call! You can either call us on 01244 560 537, send us an email enquiry at [email protected] or fill out our convenient online contact form. No matter how you choose to get in touch, our creative team will be on hand to make your video content dreams a reality.

Thanks to our marketing expert for sharing his insights on his own viral experiences. Are you keen to go viral on social media? We’ve crafted a wide range of paid and organic social campaigns for our clients over the years. Get in touch with us to find out how we can increase your engagement and overall performance through high quality design and animated content.