Top tips on how to make the most of your explainer videos

Explainer videos are not only a great visual asset to any website, but they are a great way to help even the most corporate businesses share creative and entertaining content. They are a fun tool to explain a business concept, movement or mission statement, typically using animation. It focuses on using simple and concise language to ensure the concept is easily understood by the user, backed up with engaging visuals that hold the user’s attention. 

1. Make sure an explainer video is right for your business

Explainer videos can be a great tool to incorporate into your overall marketing strategy. As a business, you have to be clear on why you are using an explainer video. If there is a clear purpose for the video, you are more likely to produce interesting and engaging content. 
Explainer videos have many uses, from explaining overarching business concepts, selling a specific product or service, and even to sit alongside or replace a blog. They are a great way to create an immersive customer journey that can give a great insight into your brand. 

2. Utilise your staff 

Creating the best explainer video possible comes from collaboration within your business. Explainer videos tend to be project managed within the main marketing function, but naturally, the team will need to work closely with the design and social media team for the creation and publication of the video. These teams can provide expert insights on what will work best per channel and how to tailor the video to be watched, shared and most importantly, engaged with.
It should be part of your strategy to utilise your internal workforce to share and promote your explainer video, internally focused marketing or internal communications teams can utilise the videos to increase employee engagement.

3. Discover your target audience

As always with marketing, it is crucial to know your audience inside and out. Whether you want to create an explainer video for general brand awareness or a specific product sell, you must make sure you fully understand your target audience before utilising this tool. Discovering your audience will lead the creative aspects of the video, and audience analysis can help to steer the direction of the content in every way.
Ongoing analysis of your explainer video can provide strong and in-depth insight into which messaging, sounds, animation type and duration will produce the best results. Continually adapting the video as per your audience preferences will only improve the video and attract more users.

4. Keep it short and sweet

The key to engaging content is not to drag it out too much, explainer videos are no exception. They tend to be short in length due to the fact that users won’t sit and watch a ten-minute video anymore. Consumers want something bite-sized that gives them the information they need quickly.

5. The proof is in the pudding

Explainer videos that are executed well, with good content and design that reflects the products or services that you offer, can make a noticeable difference in increasing conversion rates. They are particularly useful when you need to get a message across in a short space of time, company updates or big changes can be produced through explainer videos and shared on your company website and social channels, which will reach your audience faster. 
Ensuring that you are analysing and adapting according to your overall performance is key to improving your explainer video, and continuing to see great results.

6. Hire the best people for the job

Creating a successful explainer video will require the best staff and creative professionals across a broad range of specialisms. From design to social media, you’ll need top talent to help you to plan and execute this video. As well as creative professionals, having a data analyst to measure the performance of the video and give advice on how to improve it, thus improving overall performance.
By gaining a thorough understanding of your brand, target customers and future projects, we can help you to find the right talent to join your marketing and creative teams. The perfect candidate would have a blend of technical skills along with the right attitude and approach to their work. We operate through extensive networks and work with candidates who specialise in a whole variety of creative areas, meaning you are always matched to an expert in your sector.
If you would like to discuss this further or to explore how we can help with your recruitment processes, contact your local Michael Page office. You can also submit a job spec and one of our specialist consultants will be in touch. 
Matthew Scarfe
Manager, Michael Page Marketing
T: 020 7269 2334