Even before receiving a call from a client, a construction business may need to clarify the intricacies of the work. Using explainer videos helps construction businesses deliver services, processes, project plans, safety systems, and technical ideas visually, making them easier to understand.
Animation can present information that cannot be filmed, such as phasing, workflows, hidden systems, and future developments. Explainer videos can enhance sales, prequalification, hiring, communication with stakeholders, and online visibility.
1. Service & Capability Explainer Video
A service and capability explainer enables potential clients to quickly get to know your construction company and how you operate. When it comes to services, you can get your key points across in an informative 60-90 second video, rather than calling the visitor to read a few pages.
This type of video is effective on your homepage, your company overview page or a landing page associated with your company’s sales proposal page, or your first-touch sales email. It can include your project types, how you deliver your projects, your capabilities as a specialist, and your clients’ process as to how you work.
Fill the message with specific words. The main aim is to help the right prospect get a quick grasp of what your company can do, not a laundry list of services.
2. “How It Works” Explainer
Before clients reach out to a contractor, they may have some questions. They might wish to know about timelines, cost breakdown, who’s doing what, project phases or what happens when they accept a quote.
An explainer addressing one of these questions, presented clearly and visually, can answer that question. The business relationship between the client and general contractor, for instance, may be clarified with a general contractor’s explanation of the design/build process. Shows to a roofing contractor could indicate the summary phases of a business roof replacement.
Such videos can also be beneficial for SEO if they are hosted on the right page that can be indexed. Google suggests making your video’s discoverable and indexable. This includes giving the relevant page useful metadata and putting the video and making it stand out on the relevant page.
Have one clear question per video. This helps make the content more digestible and it’s more likely to meet the intent for this search.
3. Safety Culture Explainer
One of the ways in which safety information is made available is in the form of lengthy policy documents, statistics or various bid attachments. If that information can be condensed into a video, it can be a great introduction to your company’s safety culture.
The video may address the following:
- Site orientation
- Safety training
- Hazard reporting
- Worker responsibilities
- Site supervision
- Subcontractor requirements
- Risk management procedures
It might also describe safety performance data, such as an Experience Modification Rate (EMR), if applicable to procurement and prequalification.
According to OSHA “EMR is an indicator of workers compensation claims experience. OSHA, however, has also warned that using EMR as the sole measure of workplace safety performance isn’t adequate.
Either show, or make your safety figure, present how your safety program works via the video.
4. Investor Pitch Video
Spreadsheets and drawings alone can be challenging to grasp as development and construction proposals. Video investors’ pitch can be used as a one-stop visual representation of a development proposal.
Use animation to show project feasibilities, project construction, project financing, major project milestones, site usage, or operation of the completed asset.
This could be useful for developers to provide explanation to:
- Lenders
- Investors
- Development partners
- Internal decision-makers
- Other financial stakeholders
Investor videos are of the greatest value to complement a financial presentation, not to supplant it. Keeping key individuals involved in the key feasibility analysis. Leverage animation for easing the understanding of relationship between stages of the project, costs, and the outcome.
5. Sustainability Explainer
Sustainability considerations may impact on the tender selection, planning considerations, investment market and client procurement standards. But some terms, like energy efficiency, embodied carbon, water management, material selection, and green-building certification, might be unknown to some stakeholders.
An explainer about sustainability puts the concepts across in easy, plain terms.
It can illustrate the following:
- Reduce waste
- Improve building efficiency
- Support responsible material use
- Conserve resources
- Contribute towards certification targets
For projects which aim for LEED certification, for instance, the U.S. Green Building Council defines LEED as a framework for developing green, healthier and more efficient buildings, all while still being a cost-effective measure.
Steer clear of “green” terms that are too broad to be meaningful. Provide more details about the construction method/certification/target or measurable project outcome you are talking about.
6. Construction Phasing Explainer
There are times when animation can be more useful than conventional site footage, such as the construction phasing. Video can demonstrate the development of a project prior to even starting work around it.
Consider using a construction explainer video to visually represent:
- Site access and logistics
- Crane positions
- Road or lane closures
- Temporary pedestrian routes
- Traffic management
- Material storage areas
- Delivery routes
- Work around occupied buildings
- Changes between major construction stages
This type of video may come in handy when applying for planning approval, pitching a proposal on a video for tenders, creating a video for stakeholder meetings, or sending a video to tenants.
Phasing a drawing requires only one thing: the viewer to interpret it. Animation lighting, on the other hand, could illustrate what is going to occur at each stage of the drawing.
If there is more than one project plan, use the one that has been approved by the project manager for your complex project. A video should clarify an existing plan; not add assumptions.
7. Community Projects Explainer
Public works and infrastructure development impacts citizens with a low level of construction literacy, but a need to know what is occurring in their neighbourhoods around their homes/businesses/schools and transport.
A community project explainer can cover:
- Why the project is being completed
- Expected community benefits
- Major construction stages
- Access changes
- Disruption periods
- Safety arrangements
- The completed project
This is where it’s essential to use plain language. Don’t use construction jargon when it is not clearly defined in the video.
The aim is to build the project in a way which gets the residents, councils, local businesses and other stakeholders to understand the project without necessarily relying on them to interpret the technical construction document.
This also ensures consistency of message for project teams to share on website, in meetings, presentations, and in community materials.
8. HR Brand Video
Skilled employees, graduate engineers and apprentices, supervisors, and project managers are also in high demand among construction companies.
A human resource brand explainer can help out exactly some thing it’s just like to function for your business.
The video could elaborate:
- Typical career paths
- Training opportunities
- Project types
- Team structures
- Workplace culture
- Career progression
- What new employees can expect
Animated video is a recurring element that can be used for a multitude of careers pages, job ads, social media, graduate campaigns and recruitment events!
Make it realistic, do not stretch the information. Overall, a good recruitment marketing strategy should enlighten candidates about the company and the opportunities that exist there without setting their expectations when the job doesn’t fit.
Best Practices for Construction Explainer Videos
Before coming up with anything, a construction explainer needs to have a business motive. Get the one planning to shoot video, and have him/her list who that they want to watch it with and what they would like that person to subsequent either comprehend or take any action upon their part.
For stronger results:
- Cover one main subject in each video.
- Keep language clear and specific.
- Avoid unnecessary construction jargon.
- Use real project information where accuracy matters.
- Match each visual to what the narrator explains.
- Add captions for viewers watching without sound.
- Embed videos on highly relevant website pages.
- Support videos with useful written content.
- Give each video a descriptive title and thumbnail.
- Measure results against the purpose of the video.
Make sure that the explainer is created not because video is a trend at the moment. Look at a problem in communication, and determine if you want to use animation to clearly convey this message.
The best video isn’t necessarily a decorative brand video. They’re action-packed marketing instruments targeted at a specific audience, message, and step to take next. If the topic is complicated, animation can help to clarify all this before the first meeting even starts.
Need help planning the strategy, format and budget for your next video? Get started with Zelios! Our creative team would love to help you reach new heights.
Select the video type that aligns with your marketing objectives, and receive an immediate high-level estimate of the production cost.
