Everything You Need To Know About Explainer Videos
According to an old saying, a picture is worth a thousand words. While this is a cliché, scientific studies have proven that visual input helps to improve audience retention of the information presented. If one picture is so valuable, it stands to reason that a series of moving pictures is worth even more. That is why many companies are adding explainer videos to their websites.
What Are Explainer Videos?
In the days before there was digital marketing, entrepreneurs were told to prepare “elevator pitches,” i.e., a presentation outlining what the business had to offer that would take only a matter of seconds. In other words, it could be completed in the time it takes to ride an elevator.
An explainer video has been described as an elevator pitch for the digital age. It is a short-form video that efficiently and compellingly highlights your business concept, product, or service for sales or marketing purposes. It introduces your company to potential customers and tells your story in under a minute or two.
Explainer videos can be used in several different ways. Some companies use them on social media websites, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, to advertise products and services. Explainer videos are especially good for a platform such as Instagram, which requires that every post have a visual component, and Twitter, which imposes a limit of 280 characters on each written post.
An explainer video can also be used on the landing page of a website to introduce visitors to what your company does or on the homepage to reinforce the information you want potential customers to know about your company.
Why Are Explainer Videos so Effective?
Statistics show that an explainer video can increase conversion rates by 10% to 20%. When visitors to a retail site view a video, they stay on the site an average of two minutes longer and are 64% more likely to make a purchase. When asked about how viewing a video influences their buying behavior, 52% of customers said that it made them more confident in their decision to purchase online.
Clearly, explainer videos are effective, but why exactly is that? It turns out that the effectiveness can be explained through science.
Short Attention Spans
Back in the year 2000, the average human attention span was 12 seconds. As of 2012, it was down to eight seconds, which is less than a goldfish’s. This means that you only have eight seconds in which to grab visitors’ attention when they visit your website. A video can keep the attention and hold it for 2.7 minutes.
Dual-Coding
Dual-coding is a scientific term that means presenting your message in a way that involves both visual and auditory senses at the same time. When both senses are stimulated, people retain 68% of the information they receive. However, when only auditory senses are stimulated, i.e., when you just tell someone something instead of showing and telling them at the same time, retention is only 10%.
Forced Simplification
When you only have eight seconds to make a favorable impression on your audience, you need to present your message in a way that is clear and concise. Since explainer videos are so short, the number of words you can use is limited, forcing you to get right to the essentials.
An explainer video may also help you reach audiences you might not be able to otherwise. If it is particularly interesting, humorous, or entertaining, people are more likely to share it with their family and friends, meaning more exposure for you.
What Should an Explainer Video Accomplish?
An effective explainer video accomplishes three things for the audience:
- Identifies a problem that the audience is experiencing
- Explains how the product or service that you offer can fix that problem
- Convinces your audience that your product or service is the best solution to the problem
Convincing the audience to choose you over the competition may be the most important part of the video. Unfortunately, however, it is also the aspect that is most overlooked. In many cases, people who make explainer videos have no problem explaining what the problem is and how their products or services can help but struggle to explain why the audience should choose them first.
What Qualities Should an Explainer Video Have?
On our website, you can see our portfolio of explainer videos that we have made for other clients. So that you understand what makes them effective, here is a breakdown of the characteristics that they have in common.
Short Length
An explainer video shouldn’t be much longer than three minutes or it could lessen the overall impact. For a video that you plan to post on your website, the ideal length is usually about two minutes to two and a half minutes long. This gives you sufficient time to get your message across and make a strong impression without overstaying your welcome.
High Quality
Your explainer video is a reflection of your business, explaining what you are about to people who may be learning of your company for the first time. To effectively communicate your value proposition, both the content and the production need to be of the highest quality. If the end product is shoddy or amateurish, it won’t make a good impression on anyone.
Matched Style
Your explainer video should match the brand that you have worked so hard to establish. If you present your brand as very thoughtful, serious, and understated, your explainer video should not be whimsical or humorous. The explainer video should give the viewers an idea of what they can expect from the company.
Solution Focus
People who visit your website typically have a problem that they are trying to solve. Your video should focus on the solution that you have to offer.
Clear Direction
Your video should have a call to action that tells the audience explicitly what they should do to take the next step.
How To Get Started Crafting an Explainer Video
With so much riding on explainer videos, you need the help of professionals with expertise in branding and marketing as well as video production. Contact us at MatchPoint Studio to start telling your story to the world.
