Most web users have an attention span of just a few seconds, so it’s a challenge to grab and hold your customers’ attention to make them to stay longer on your website. One way to maintain your website visitors’ interest is to help them understand what your product or service is all about and how it can solve their problems. Doing that in an engaging, fast and easy-to-understand way is vital, and an explainer video is one of the best ways to accomplish this, so it’s a tactic that many businesses are using in their marketing strategies.
What is an explainer video?
An explainer video is a short, about 60 to 120 seconds, online marketing video used to explain your company’s product or service. It can be placed on a landing page, your website’s home page, a dedicated product page or your social media marketing channels. Below are the main reasons your business should have an explainer video:
- Increase conversion rates. According to a survey from Forbes, embedded marketing videos on a landing page increase conversion rates to 80%; 64% of customers are more likely to buy a product online after watching a video about it, and 90% of customers report that product videos help them make purchasing decisions.
- Clarify the objective of your product or service. A written message can be ambiguous, allowing different interpretations by different readers. An explainer video uses the advantages of images, text and voice to provide a more specific and clearer message.
- Drastically improve retention. The average person retains just 10% of what they hear or read, but 50% of what they see.
- Generate increased traffic and interest. A well-executed explainer video increases the time viewers spend on your website, an indication for the Google search engine that your website has valuable content and that leads to a higher rank in the search results. In addition, websites containing mainly blocks of text and still images rank low in Google searches in contrast with websites using video, which rank higher.
- Liven up your pitch. While it might be difficult to make your investor or client pitch decks or other presentations engaging, a well-produced explainer video can quickly capture the audience’s attention with its visuals and action.
- Be easily sharable. According to a report by Small BizTrends, videos have 1200% more social shares compared to texts and images.
- Help build brand awareness. A well-produced explainer video uses elements like visuals and descriptions to enhance and build your brand awareness among your clients.
Types of explainer videos
Although there are many different types of explainer videos which serve different purposes and audiences, there three main groups:
Animated explainer video:
This is one of the most popular types of explainer video because it is a good fit to explain most products or services, from intangible tech services like apps to showing the mechanical features of a physical object or tool. An animated explainer video can be 2D, 3D or a combination, use motion graphics, or be even more informal like stop motion or claymation, depending on the product and the target audience. Animated explainer videos allow for more creativity and are easier to edit and adjust after creation.
Live-action explainer video:
This is a non-animated video using real people and locations, although some animation can be included, e.g. text bubbles, charts and graphs. This type of video is a better match for companies selling a physical product or a people-orientated service where human interaction is important, such as for a restaurant or a consulting group.
Screencast:
While less popular than the other two types, this video is basically a recording of a desktop or mobile screen showing the software or an app. A screencast fits best for instructional and educational purposes, and it can be added to both animated and live-action explainer videos.
Choosing the right explainer video style for your needs can be tricky and you might want expert assistance to decide. Please get in touch with us to discuss which video type is the best match for your business to highlight your product or brand and to provide the best experience for your audience.