The Art of Storytelling: How Explainer Videos Bring Ideas to Life

Digital storytelling is an art of the modern age. In today’s fast-paced world, it has the ability to stand still and capture people’s attention, even if fleetingly. Almost like a lighthouse in a vast ocean of data – guiding the audience to your message.

Explainer videos, in this regard, refer to short and engaging videos that are created to help explain a concept, product, or idea in a clear way. You know, the kind of videos that grab your attention and keep you hooked with all sorts of awesome animations and sounds.

They're not just your regular videos, oh no! These little wonders are used a lot for marketing stuff because they're experts at getting the message across quickly before people zone out or move on to something else.

Nobody wants to lose their audience, right? And here's a fun fact for you! More than 50% of online shoppers are totally into explainer videos. Yep, they watch these before making a decision to buy something.

In the modern business landscape, we've got a bunch of awesome explainer videos that companies and big shots use to connect with their audiences. It's like a whole menu of options, and which one they pick depends on what they want to achieve, who they want to reach, and what they want to say.

Think of it this way: they've got a variety of flavors to choose from, and each one fits a different situation or vibe. It's all about their goals, target audience, and the message they want to get across.

Important Types of Explainer Videos and Storyboard Animations

Different types of explainer videos or clips used for demos, product walkthroughs, tutorials, etc. have different strengths that make them unique for storytelling.

And they are often useful for brands in the manner in which they fit their messaging and marketing goals. Here are some important styles of explainer videos that are commonly used by companies to get their message across:

• CGI Videos:

You know when you've got a product with all those intricate and mind-boggling designs? Well, 3D animated explainer videos are the perfect way to show it off in all its glory! These babies use cool computer-generated images, like 2D or 3D animation, to give you a visual spectacle that’s got every little detail coming to life.

• Whiteboard Animation:

Imagine watching an artist magically draw illustrations on a digital whiteboard, and as they draw, the whole concept or story starts to unravel right before your eyes! That’s exactly what whiteboard animations entail.

The clips have a unique and captivating style that's super smart at grabbing your attention – as they make you feel like you are part of the creative process.

• Motion Graphics:

These little wonders are like a fusion of animated texts, cool graphics, and funky icons, all spiced up with dynamic onscreen effects and smooth transitions.

They're the go-to when you are working with a motion design company and want to showcase some mind-blowing statistics and concepts in a way that's way more exciting than just plain old charts. We're talking about taking data to a whole new level of awesomeness!

These are some of the coolest styles of explainer videos you'll find all over the digital world. But wait, there's more! Companies can also choose screencast videos, which are like sneak peeks of their screens in action, or go for some stop-motion magic that's like an animated photo album come to life.

Oh, and they can even dive into the realms of VR and AR, but here's the secret sauce: no matter which style they pick, the main mission is always the same – 

To be able to send a communique, an idea straight to their audience's hearts, hitting those desired goals and making a real connection. And guess what?

According to Mr. Google, a whopping 80% of savvy consumers head to YouTube for those product demos, launches, and other explainers to help them make up their minds about what to buy.

Awareness and Reach: Marketing Success with Animated Explainer Videos

Think of animated explainer clips like the cool kids in the world of business right now. They're not just storytelling masters; they've got some serious marketing mojo too! Because they boost a company's brand awareness and reach a whole new level, and that means more eyes on their awesomeness. And you know what happens when more people dig a brand?

Yep, those conversion rates shoot up like rockets! So, let's break it down and see why animated explainer videos are the superheroes businesses need:

• Simplifies the Complex:

Often, in marketing, companies deal with having to convey complex ideas about the products, concepts, and services to either their customers or to other businesses. Compared to standard media involving simple texts or images, animated explainer videos serve as a useful medium to simplify these complex topics into something more accessible to the audience.

• Increases Engagement:

Owing to how explainer videos can be quite dynamic and interactive in nature, more viewers typically feel encouraged to watch the content put out by a company till the end. Effectively, they have a higher retention rate, with around 77% of viewers on average completely watching the clips – provided that they’re short and precise. This is much better for the marketing message.

• Boosts Conversion Rates:

Animated explainers are like the ultimate guides. They make everything crystal clear, so you totally understand what that product is about. And when you understand something, you trust it more, right?

That's where the magic happens and people go crazy for it! We're talking a whopping 44% increase in the number of folks who want to buy that product. And this is an easy way for companies to make sure that their leads shoot through the roof.

• Shareability:

Out of all the media and texts one can put out about their brand or business, explainer videos are the most easily shared and also viewed content on social media platforms. Especially the shorter ones, as they are shared almost 37% more than the longer videos.

And this is natural, considering how when a viewer finds the content interesting, they are more likely to share it within their network and expand its reach. 

• Enhances SEO:

Optimizing the online presence of your brand for web searches is an inevitable necessity when it comes to improving where one falls in the results, like when consumers are searching for products that resemble theirs.

Well, here's the cool part – video content is like the ultimate boost for your website! It can crank up that organic traffic by a whopping 157%! Furthermore, the clips will grab the attention of the people and keep it on your sites for longer, thereby reducing bounce rates. 

• Tells the Brand’s Story:

Storytelling in video games is quite popular in online entertainment circles because of its efficiency. Similarly, animated clips are like the ultimate storytellers for companies.

They've got the perfect style and eye-catching content that allows an enterprise to spill all the tea about that brand's journey. You know – all the ups and downs, the cool values they stand for, and those special little quirks that make them unique!

Based on these reasons, it’s easy to see why animated explainers and such clips are regarded as important storytelling devices.

Just like content for video game monetization, its impact on an organization, the awareness and reach is significant, and it can complement various strategies in matters requiring a touch of promotional work in all the important quests.

Lightning in a Bottle: Explainer Animations that Stood Out

Catching lightning in a bottle is just that. It’s hard and rare to repeat. However, they are examples that others can successfully learn from and possibly repeat in their own stories of success.

Let’s check out some rockstars in the business world who used explainer videos to help them go against the grain and gain success within their industries:

1. Airbnb

Airbnb nailed the travel game with their awesome animated clips. They became the ultimate vacation matchmakers while using the visual content to show off some amazing destinations and tourist spots.

The CGI had some really charming visuals complete with details that just screamed “Adventure awaits,” invoking a sense of wanderlust that appealed to tourists. Pretty soon, people were planning their dream trips and looking at travel opportunities which skyrocketed Airbnb’s presence in their domain. 

2. Slack

When things were picking up, Slack quickly became one of the cool kids on the lot, using some really snazzy clips and visuals to show off all their awesome services to potential users.

As a popular messaging platform allowing teams to collaborate, the videos used real-life scenarios and animations to present how their organization makes communication easier in a workplace geared toward productivity.

This led to the widespread adoption of Slack in various communities as it resonated strongly among its target audiences. 

3. Crazy Egg

As a website optimization tool, Crazy Egg placed an explainer video right smack in the middle of its homepage. It demonstrated the upsides of its heat map and services, including goodies such as user tracking and more.

This approach demonstrated remarkable efficacy, given that it gave a clear directive to enterprises – that how Crazy Egg will assist them to understand their own website and study the behavior of new and old visitors. It was highly successful, making them popular in helping businesses convert website visitors into customers. 

Turning Complex Ideas into Simpler Concepts

Overall, we can see how explainer videos have provenly become an indispensable asset in modern marketing. It’s an important part of the landscape for businesses across various industries, as is its art and power of storytelling. 

The importance of making explainers in this manner cannot be overstated in marketing. It can turn complex ideas into simpler concepts that can ultimately help businesses communicate in a better manner with their audience.

Book a consultation with our team at EDIIIE today to find out how explainers such as animations and other clips can help your enterprise soar. Watch, as your brand’s story takes center stage and get the spotlight it deserves. 

Common Questions on Animated Explainer Videos:

1. What is an animated explainer video?

Animated explainers are clips that stay short, snappy, and involve telling a great story or showcasing enterprises in the most fun way possible. They are like a blank canvas, where the company gets to be the artist.

Much of the content is dictated by the creative choices involved but they’re typically under 2 minutes in length – keeping things quick and to the point, just how most folks love it.

2. Why do I need an explainer video?

The deal with explainer videos is they're like your secret weapon in the crazy world of branding and promoting your product. There's a whole ocean of enterprises out there, and you want to appear unique and relatable to consumers who are saturated with ads and promotional content.

Well, there’s no rocket science here, but explainers will make a quick job of putting your offering in the spotlight. You can cut through the clutter in this way, while speaking your audience’s language at the same time!

3. How much does an explainer video cost?

So, the price of your awesome explainer clip can vary depending on a bunch of stuff. First up, the style you want to go for – the cooler the animation, the more it might cost. Then there's the production quality, because you know, top-notch quality brings the value you need.

Oh, and the length of the content matters too! The longer it is, the more effort goes into making it, and you guessed it, that might bump up the price.

Last but not least, who you choose to team up with makes a difference. Some companies might charge more for their mad skills, while others might be more budget-friendly. So, you're probably wondering, "Hey, what are the numbers?"

According to Wyzowl, the cheapest 1-minute explainer video can go for $600 – not too shabby, right? The average price quote is around $10,983, and the median comes in at $5,400.

4. How do I make an animated explainer video?

When it comes to making an awesome animated explainer, you've got two important options, depending on what floats your boat – and your budget!

• Option A is all about DIY fun! You can use some slick professional animation software and mix it up with cool video editing tools. Want some sweet voiceovers and music to amp it up? Go for it! You're the boss here, creating your masterpiece! 

• Or if you're feeling differently, there's option B! Just outsource your needs to a dedicated animation design company. They've got all the magic tricks up their sleeves to turn your vision into reality.

5. How long should an explainer video be?

Though there is no definitive answer to this question, an explainer video’s overall runtime or length depends on factors such as the message you want to convey, your audience, and the platform you post it on. Typically, you would want to stick to either 1 or 2 minutes at max and avoid going up to and over 3 minutes unless you have a strong reason for it.