I think we can all agree that succeeding at promoting your service or product is better than failing. When I work with clients, I always evaluate the best way to convey the story of your product and come up with creative solutions to engage viewers.
Videos will be a part of the strategy in 95% of the cases. That is likely what brings you to this blog. Some of my favorite types of explainer videos use whiteboard animation either in part or completely. Why? It’s built on the storyboard that every single scene, commercial, film, or digital video was based on. Whiteboard video is also a popular animation style, because of its simple strength in storytelling. If you’ve never seen a whiteboard animation video, just click this link to see some samples. You will see a skilled artist use illustrations to explain the narrative, and your viewers watch drawings take shape in front of their eyes.
This animation method complements the way listeners hear a story or an explanation, reinforcing their learning process. Many of my clients are drawn to whiteboard animation because it’s a friendly and creative way to promote their message. We created our first in 2011, and that led to hundreds more over the last 5 years! A lot has changed recently.
Now, the internet is flooded with whiteboard animations. It’s important to know what can set your whiteboard video apart. To distinguish between what will work and what does not, here are a few simple recommendations:
1. Hire a Production Company with Marketing Experience
Producers are the glue that holds a production together. We make things happen—discover the needs of your project, hire production crew, and more, in order to get you the finished product. It’s utterly critical to hire a producer who knows how to express your unique qualities. Sometimes, the cheapest bid for a project isn’t the best choice. Why? A producer who is just starting out or a production company that cuts costs is more prone to mistakes. For example:
1. The quality may suffer
2. They may mismanage the production budget so you end up paying more just to get quality
3. They’ll stop working on your project when a bigger project comes along
4. They may outsource most of the work – draging your timeline, budget, and quality into the dungeon
5. Your video may not be unique, it may be a template that many other companies could also use. That is no way to stand out from the crowd
I’m so thankful for clients who do their research; they know that Rip Media has been creating whiteboard animation videos for years. Initially, Rip Media Group started working in film production by creating storyboards for feature films. But soon enough, we migrated to traditional video for hundreds of corporate clients. My clients are always impressed by the level of expertise of our productions. I aim to keep it that way. I am grateful for the time I have had to build relationships with outstanding storytellers and artists in the entertainment industry.
2. Craft a Compelling Call to Action
It’s important to brainstorm before your explainer video is written. What do you want this video to accomplish? What do you want viewers to do once they watch your explainer video? Your explainer video will have a story that leads to the moment where you want people to take action! I love when my clients are clear on what they want their video to accomplish—that information dramatically increases an explainer video’s chance to be successful. If you don’t know your goal, how will you know whether or not it will succeed?
3. Create an Engaging Story for your Target Audience
Watch this whiteboard animation that we did for Tandem Diabetes for a great example of storytelling for a targeted audience.
Before whiteboard animation can go into production, a story needs to be written. It’s important for the client and producer to evaluate who the target audience is! They are the ones who are going to be clicking on your video and build your views! (For more information on that, read my blog “How to Build Views on Your Explainer Video or Whiteboard Animation Video”). It’s important to know who you are sharing your story too. Once you know your audience, I want your story to captivate them! I don’t want them to look away from the screen or get bored.
Whatever story that is going to be told must be creatively engaging. That doesn’t your product or service will be shoved aside and never discussed! Naturally, your product or service will be the focus of the story. But people will relate more to a person’s journey using your product or service instead of watching a “hard sell.” What do I mean by “hard sell”? A common example is a commercial where a used car salesman preaches to their potential customers. Educational or explainer videos should avoid sounding too preachy. Industry trends show that an audience will be more receptive to a woven story that doesn’t force a company’s promo down their throats. Check out “Creating Powerful Stories in Whiteboard Animation Videos,” for more story-telling tips.
4. Hire a Production Company That Produces Quality Art
One of the easiest factors to distinguish a good whiteboard animation video from a bad one is an artist’s ability. Now, I don’t just mean the type of art they create. While their style of brushstroke is important to attract people’s eyes, a quality whiteboard artist will be able to produce fabulous drawings that engage viewers short attention spans.
Some companies want to avoid human error altogether and do not hire artists for their whiteboard animation videos. Instead, these companies will use computer programs to simulate the artist’s drawings. While not all whiteboard animation programs are bad, many of them remove the human touches that make these videos so relatable and appealing. It’s special to see a real artist hand-draw pictures with personality, humor, and warmth. People are attracted to watching talent. By using computer programs, you might save a few dollars, but you will sacrifice viewership. In the world of Return On Investment, that means the cost per view is far higher with a bad video, and you receive a far greater ROI with higher quality and more views. it is worthwhile to spend more for a unique production.
5. Make a Marketing Video That People Want to Share
Views aren’t the only thing that makes a whiteboard animation video successful. At the same time, it’s important to make a video that your viewers want to share! There’s no perfect formula for a viral video, but video marketing can certainly help get your video views. I delve into more details on the blog, “10 Tips to Improve Online Video Marketing and Business Blogging” and “How to Build Views on Your Explainer Video or Whiteboard Animation Video”. But here are a few key tips:
- Create relevant titles
- Provide viewers with email opt-ins
- Promote on social media
- Be Topical
- Have a clear message
- Be unique
A whiteboard animation video is a personable way to spread your message or explain your company’s concept. As an experienced producer, I want to help you maximize the potential of your budget. I want to give you an explainer video that possesses a clear and creative story. And it should definitely have the share factor! I want your video to fulfill its purpose.
Reach out to Rip Media today to set up your free consultation.