Looking to make the next best explainer video for your business? Check out these 10 trendy types to add flavor and style to your brand.
Explainer videos are fast gaining lots of attention on the internet, with more businesses adding them to their landing and social media pages. They’re effective, trendy, and give your brand an attention like no other. Plus, they’re loved by the audience; statistics show that emails with video have a 300% chance of getting clicked than those without. Plus, 80% of consumers admit they’ve been influenced to buy a product or service after watching an explainer video!
If you’re already considering them, you’ve probably been sidelined by the wide range of options. But you don’t have to crack some code to know what’s best; we’ll give you a list of the best explainer video types that suit your business. But before proceeding, what are explainer videos? And why should any brand add them to their marketing and awareness strategy?
Why Do Businesses Need Explainer Videos?
Explainer videos are short-form videos, usually no more than two minutes that describe a concept clearly and straightforwardly. These videos respect the concision rule regarding the millions of content flooding the internet. Explainer videos aim to pass as much message of the idea as possible in the shortest time is given, to maximize retention and interest in an audience. It’s why the generally unspoken rule puts the best explainer videos of any style at the sweet time spot of approximately 90 seconds.
But not everyone fully understands why explainer videos are relevant to businesses, and they should. They’re so important in fact, that every brand that utilizes them tends to gather the following benefits;
- Higher Audience Retention- 95% of users confirm they’ve watched an explainer video at some point to learn more about a brand, its product, or its services. This shows how much an audience is willing to sit through video than text.
- Faster Sharing- Their short-form styles make them easily sharable across platforms. Explainers can be passed through the mail, as IM, or across social media feeds, inboxes, and link tags.
- Cost-Effective- Though some explainer video styles are on the pricey side, the short length usually means a lesser budget. Plus, you gain far more than you spend from its promotion.
- Uniqueness- Explainer videos allow brands to speak to an audience in their own language. You can infuse as much personality about your brand as you wish in your videos, thus giving the viewers a ‘face’ to project to the name.
- Higher Conversion Rates- Videos are renowned for their higher engagements which in turn means a higher potential to get more customers. Statistics have even shown that a video on your landing page can boost conversion rate by 80%.
- Higher SEO Rankings- Google’s current algorithm is designed to target more web pages with videos, meaning your brand’s online presence will receive a higher SEO ranking if it has a video on its landing page.
- Trust Building- A powerful ad honestly compiled explainer video can help your brand reach the hearts of an audience. Through compelling visuals and narrations, you can express a soul to the listener better than text ever does.
- Informative- Explainer videos are primarily created to dish information about a given concept. And since viewers retain video content 95% better than text, explainers become the automatic choice.
Top 10 Types of Explainer Videos for Your Brand
The truth is you’ll find tons of different types of explainer videos out there, but how do you know which is the best fit for your brand? As different businesses deal in different sectors, it’s important to match your explainer video with an animation style that compliments your craft. It’s also wise to ensure you’re picking from the best options so your business gets the highest level of creative representation. It’s why you should consider these 10 animation types when creating your next breakout explainer video.
Whiteboard Animation Explainer Video
Picture a video that looks like a simple hand drawing coming to life, and you’ll have whiteboard animation. This type is incredible for passing powerful messages without overwhelming them with graphics and effects. Whiteboard remains one of the most affordable video animation types considerable, and their simplicity makes them great for gaining maximum engagement. Plus, they give room for tons of creative flexibility.
Screencast Explainer Video
For demonstrative videos that thrive on passing the message as clearly as possible, think of screencast. With screencasting software or even an internet browser, a creator can gather the needed information, then combine it with catchy visuals like scaling and zooming, mouse pointers, and highlights. Screencast animation can be combined with other explainer video techniques, including 3D, infographics, and live-action.
2D Animation Explainer Video
Currently one of the most famous types of explainer video formats, 2D animations can branch into any topic ranging from apps to banking, tech, healthcare, and even education. Using two-dimensional shapes and illustrations, characters, motions, and even worlds can be created with exemplary creativity at every turn. They’re also great for combining numerous layers of animation for ultimate audience captivation.
Motion Graphics Explainer Video
This style is 2D in form but takes a unique turn through image manipulation, making it ideal for tech explainer videos. You can combine either stock or custom pictures to get any result you want, and merge them with more images or transform them completely. Motion graphics easily captures an audience’s attention without overwhelming the visuals with complex elements, while conveying powerful messages with enthralling illustrations.
3D Animation Explainer Video
Though commonly sought-after by high-end games and film studios, many brands have also come to enjoy the benefits of 3D animation explainer videos. They’re great for asserting some dominance over a topic, especially when related to tech, creativity, or service. 3D is among the most expensive video animation types and often displays a brand’s authority and regality in its field through powerfully compiled designs and processed images.
Live-Action Explainer Video
Agreeably the OG of explainer videos, live action involves using real live footage of people, places, objects, and subjects. Like regular films, they require a studio or location setup and coverage equipment, but the complexity depends on the project’s budget and intended audience. Live-action explainers are perfect for demos, announcements, or testimonials, and often reassure the audience of a brand’s credibility. And their prices vary depending on the project, ranging from as low as $3,000 to as much as $200,000!
Stop Motion Explainer Video
By filming a subject one frame at a time, creators developed what the industry knows today as stop motion. And they make surprisingly captivating explainer videos, especially when aiming to tap into an audience’s emotional response. Stop-motion animation has a tastefully artistic appeal but can take a lot of time to create. Usually, special studio setups and equipment are required to make these types of explainer videos, but they’re worth the time and resources.
Infographic Explainer Video
For explainers with tons of statistics and data, an infographic is the best fit. Since explainer videos are best kept brief and concise, this style allows the viewer to get as much information as soon as possible. Infographic animation works best for explainer videos that deal with information like commerce, banking, economics, history, sales margins, and others. And the creators can fit elements like graphs, charts, tables, and quotes in a playful transition that keeps the viewer fully immersed.
Kinetic Typography Explainer Video
This style is ideal for brands working on a tight budget as you need fewer complex elements to achieve perfection. Kinetic typography works with text more than images and excels when the creators’ bank on wordplay. It’s also best for shorter explainer videos and the more playful the words, the more immersive the content. If you’re a startup with a small budget and a very short release date, this works because they can be quickly whipped up.
Cutout Animation Explainer Video
As the name hints, this animation type uses objects and characters cut out of paper and captured to move in unison. Cutout animation explainer videos may look very low-tech, but they make up for it in artistic prowess. They’re also excellent for minimalist videos that want to pass a strong message without flamboyant effects.
Which Type of Explainer Videos Should You Choose?
As previously mentioned, different brands flow best with different types of explainer videos. But while many will work for your brand, some will perform better than others. Some styles have become synonymous with certain sectors, while others share your message better than others.
For instance, if you prefer longer, more explanatory videos, then screencast may be your best choice. Whiteboard and 2D explainer videos work on a more general scale, while motion graphics are best for tech brands. If you’re running testimonials, product demos, and unveils, live-action is the best choice. And infographics are great for explaining numbers without causing the viewer’s eyes to glaze.
The verdict is to compare the video’s style with your brand’s personality. Ask if the style can pass your business’s message as effectively as you need to. Check if the simplicity or complexity is the best fit for the product and service. And most importantly, ensure that the style is within your budget.
The Bottom Line
Explainer videos are a great way to give your brand a face and identity in an already overwhelmed market. But you don’t have to go on a quest to find the right fit for your products and services. These ten options are ranked among the most effective explainer video types on the market today. So, compare each style with your marketing needs and choose whichever works best for your goals.
The visibility and success of your company or product in the market depends on a high-quality explainer video. Zelios team has realized more than 100 successful projects and knows how to turn video into an effective marketing tool.
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