The Anatomy of an Exceptional Explainer Video

Did you know that 97% of businesses say that explainer videos help users understand their business better whereas 95% of people have watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service.

In today's fast-paced digital age, explainer videos have become invaluable tools for businesses to convey complex ideas in a simple and engaging manner. As with many productions it all starts with the script, let’s break it down:

Clear Objective

Defining the purpose of your explainer video should be the first thing you address. Are you looking to introduce a new product, explain a concept or address a problem. You may be looking to combine all of these but setting clear objectives around what you want to communicate will help guide the script and video production process.

Cost Effective Marketing

While explainer videos primarily seek to communicate a specific message they can double as an effective marketing tool. A single video can be used across multiple platforms, reaching a wide audience without the need for additional marketing materials. Longer videos can be split into chapters and shared to highlight various elements of a business. With the rise of affordable video production tools and platforms, creating a quality video is more accessible than ever.

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It’s important your explainer video clearly articulates any next steps or desired action for the viewer, whether it's visiting a website, signing up for a trial, or making a purchase. While this could be part of the script it’s important to make the call to action prominent and easily accessible. It should be visible in any caption or description accompanying the video. 

Audience Understanding

Defining your audience is crucial when forming the concept for your explainer video. Who are they? What are their pain points? What information are they seeking?

For example, explainer videos may be targeted at consumers with no knowledge of your product or it might be targeted at other businesses with a deep technical understanding of the field. With this in mind the script should be tailored so the content, tone and style of the video resonate with the target audience.

Compelling Storytelling

It’s important to craft a narrative that flows logically from start to finish, capturing the viewer's attention from the outset. It’s best to keep sections of the video short and focused with digestible content, avoiding jargon and unnecessary details. Typically a target length of no more than 90 seconds is ideal. More complex topics may require more than this in which case you may consider splitting up the video into chapters or even span several videos. Viewers can then choose the areas they want to focus on. 

Visual/Audio Appeal

Like any content you put out, explainer videos represent your brand and should maintain consistency in branding elements such as colours, fonts, and imagery. Utilise eye-catching visuals, animations, and graphics to enhance understanding and retention of key concepts.

MCE Systems x Lightmill Media Explainer Video

Whether it's animation, live-action, interviews, or a combination of these elements, you can tailor your video to best represent your project and appeal to your target audience. With more complex ideas incorporating motion graphics to show processes or simply difficult concepts ensures viewers are not confused. This creative freedom enables you to stand out in a crowded digital landscape.

When using a presenter or a voice-over it’s best to go with a professional voiceover artist whose tone and pace align with the intended message and target audience. While it may be tempting to star in the video yourself or use a staff member it’s not as easy as it looks! Your message deserves to be communicated with a strong authoritative voice. 

 Finally, incorporate background music and sound effects to create an immersive viewing experience. If possible choose your music ahead of time to help create a cohesive tone and inform the creative when planning your shoot.

Explainer videos are powerful tools for educating, engaging, and converting viewers into customers or supporters.

Need a little help getting started with your Explainer Video? Get in touch with the team at Lightmill to help you create a video for your brand.