By The Pollack Group
Creating video content is no piece of cake, and special thought is required when it comes to “explainer” videos. Thought and planning is required to make them as effective as possible while reaching the correct audiences. The agency was featured in the Forbes Agency Council’s latest piece, ’14 Things To Remember When Creating ‘Explainer’ Videos.’ View the original article on Forbes. And the No. 9 contribution is from our president, Stefan Pollack:
9. Include Subtitles
Don’t forget subtitles. The majority of social media users do not have audio on when viewing videos, so it has been increasingly important to implement accurate and easy-to-read video captions. – Stefan Pollack, The Pollack PR Marketing Group
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1. Follow Monroe’s Sequence
Explainer videos seek to teach and motivate. Monroe’s motivated sequence provides a simple structure for the video. Open by gaining attention and reassure viewers by stating your purpose. Next, connect with the audience by identifying the need for the solution you’re about to show. Then, demonstrate the solution. Finally, close by visualizing the benefits, not the features, the solution offers. – Ahmad Kareh, Twistlab Marketing
2. Consider Different Learning Styles
Some people prefer to learn by seeing, others by hearing and others by doing. Try to incorporate as many of these styles into your educational materials as possible. – Kieley Taylor, GroupM
3. Make Every Second Count
Remember this old presenting staple: Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them and then tell them again. Time is valuable and so is thoroughness. So, in your explainer, give them the steps, present the steps concisely and then give a brief recap. If need be, break your content up into an explainer series. Attention spans are limited, so make every second count. – Bernard May, National Positions
4. Focus On SEO Benefits
The first thing we consider when creating an explainer video is the consistency with the brand and using it as a value add for UX and SEO. When using explainer videos, it’s important that the video is part of your content strategy and is supporting the optimized long-form content on your page. They’re also great for generating value links and reducing bounce rates. – Alex Valencia, We Do Web Content
5. Get A Good Spokesperson
Explainer videos are a great way to demonstrate a product; however, the voice and visual presence of the spokesperson are key. We have recently transitioned from using only product managers to also using young, high-energy employees who represent the company in the best light possible. This also serves to demonstrate that our client is thinking about its next generation of professionals. – Francine Carb, Markitects, Inc.
6. Stay Authentic
Authenticity is more than just what you say, it’s also the world you create. Cut through the clutter with an explainer video that brings the product or service to life in an authentic, engaging way, showing passion for what the company does. This creates an emotional, compelling connection for consumers, allowing them to envision themselves using your tool to solve their problems. – Howard Breindel, DeSantis Breindel
7. Keep The DIY Feel
I see businesses get stuck on explainer videos because they try to make them too good. Sure, you want to reflect your brand well, but if what you’re providing can solve the problem of a customer tomorrow, then make it with your laptop or phone. Consumers can understand the context of what you’re sharing. If anything, videos that feel more DIY will help humanize you and your brand. Just make it! – Jessica Gonzalez, InCharged
8. Remove The Jargon
When creating a problem solving video or a product overview video, you want it to be searchable and you want it to be easy to understand. Therefore, the words you use should be relatively simple. Keep it brief, use images, supporting text (again, simple) and include a short description tag for reference. Don’t over-complicate with industry jargon. – Scott Kellner, GPJ Experience Marketing
9. See Above
10. Maintain Your Brand’s Voice
Explainer videos should still maintain tone and voice of the brand. Often times brands can be very operational and tactical in their approach, but should consider weaving in personality to really resonate with their consumers. Consistency across all mediums builds a stronger brand. – Lauren Shirreffs, 2Social Agency
11. Speak To The Lowest Common Denominator
Our agency refers to this service as LCD-ing it — speak to the lowest common denominator. You must assume that a fair number of viewers are starting from scratch, with no knowledge of your company or how it can benefit them. You must create the video for that group of people. The more knowledgeable consumer will still gain something and the LCD customer will feel educated and empowered to purchase. – Dustin Iannotti, artisansonfire.com
12. Keep It Simple
One of the most important things to remember about creating explainer videos and content is that people do not have a ton of time. Your video needs to be entertaining, straight-to-the-point and clear. Those videos need to explain only what is necessary and ensure that the user is able to access the most important discussions. – Jon James, Ignited Results
13. Focus On Visuals Over Sound
Visual images that have graphic reinforcement are important. Many people won’t watch a video with the sound turned on, so explainer videos have to be effective with the sound on or off. – Jessica Hawthorne-Castro, HAWTHORNE LLC
14. Focus On Originality
Explainer videos have long been popular, but the formats that receive the best engagement are constantly changing. The problem with inexpensive, cookie-cutter vendors is that they are always behind the curve in producing videos that are fresh and different. Do you really want the same kind of whiteboard video or animation style that everybody else is using? Your content won’t matter if you do. – Scott Baradell, Idea Grove
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