Animated explainer videos can significantly increase the number of people who choose to buy your product or service.
When Salesforce added an explainer video to the home page of Work.com they saw their conversion rates increase by 20%. When heat map providers Crazy Egg added an explainer video they saw their conversion rates increase by 64%.
Unfortunately, a number of businesses are failing to take full advantage of the benefits of animated explainer videos. Many explainer videos are overly long, repetitive and fail to truly convey why the viewer should purchase the product. Below you can find five ways that you can make a marked improvement to your explainer video and increase your sales.
#1 Work On The Script
Perhaps the biggest reason that animated explainer videos fail to produce the optimal result is because of a poorly written script. As noted below keeping the length of your video concise is critical if you want to maximize the number of people who will watch the entire way through. A good script will clearly identify the problem or pain the customer is facing, why your product is the best solution to that problem, how the product works, and a compelling call to action which tells the viewer what they need to do next. You can learn more about these four elements of a good explainer script here.
#2 Reduce The Length Of The Video
Longer is rarely better when making an explainer video. As we explained in this post on the optimal length for an explainer video, if you want it to b
e effective it needs to be relatively short. A Study from video software company Wistia showed that after the first 30 seconds approximately 25% of the audience will stop watching. Reducing the length of the video will mean that more people will see the entire video.
#3 Focus On The Benefits
A common mistake when making an explainer video is to focus on the features, not benefits. The features are what your product and service does, but the benefits are why someone would actually want to pay for it. For example, if we were listing the features & benefits of a car would be:
Features
* Side impact air bags
* 12 Way adjustable driving seat
* Rear view camera
Benefits
* Your family will be safe and protected during the journey
* Feel comfortable while driving no matter your body shape
* No stress when parking into tight spaces
To help determine whether something is a feature or benefit, ask yourself “What’s in it for me?” Any product feature can be turned into a benefit when you dig a little deeper. This is key because people will only purchase a product if you can clearly articular why it is advantageous for them to do so.
#4 Pay Attention To The Sound
Poor sound quality can significantly reduce the quality of an otherwise perfectly acceptable explainer video. You should strongly consider using a professional voice-over actor who will be able to deliver the script clearly and persuasively.
Another component of improving the sound of the video is selecting the right music. The right music can set the mood of the video. For example, for an explainer video for a “Family Archival Service” something poignant and moving might be correct. For a dating app some fun and optimistic may be preferable.
A professional video production company will be able to provide advice on which is the best for your situation.
#5 Use The Visuals To Tell The Story
In 1911 newspaper editor Arthur Brisbane gave some simple – but crucial – advice during a speech Syracuse Advertising Men’s Club:
“Use a picture. It’s worth a thousand words”.
This is the lesson we should not forget when creating an explainer video. It can be tempting to use the script to explain all of the features and benefits of your product. However, an animated explainer video is much more than simply the words that are spoken.
The visuals and music are combined with the script are used to tell the story. The advantage of using an explainer video over a page of sales copy is that a single image can potentially explain what would take a paragraph of text to cover.
Need More Help With Your Explainer Video?
Then call us on 0203 637 1467 or use our contact form. We can provide expert advice and explainer video production services.