Getting your message across effectively can be challenging in this day and age. This is where explainer videos come in. An explainer video is a short, engaging video that can convey complex ideas, products, or services in a simple, visual format. Explainer videos can increase engagement, clarify difficult concepts, and boost conversion rates. But how do you create a compelling explainer video? Let’s dive into the process, step-by-step.
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Define Your Goal
The first step, before thinking about visuals, you need to define your goal. Ask yourself: What do I want to achieve with this explainer video? Do I want to inform, explain, or drive sales? Who is my target audience?
Having a clear objective will guide the entire creative process, helping you decide on the tone, style, and messaging. For example, an explainer video for a software product aimed at small business owners will look different from one explaining a non-profit cause to a general audience.
Write a Script
A compelling script is the backbone of your explainer video. It’s crucial to keep it clear, concise, and engaging. The script should follow a simple structure:
- Introduction: Hook the audience with a relatable problem or statement.
- Problem: Outline the problem that your product, service, or concept solves.
- Solution: Introduce your solution and explain how it works.
- Call-to-Action (CTA): End with a strong CTA that encourages viewers to take the next step (e.g., signing up, visiting a website, etc.).
Aim for a script length of 60-90 seconds. The shorter, the better. Most viewers will drop off if the video is too long or meanders from the point.
Create a Storyboard
Once you have a script, it’s time to visualize it. A storyboard is a sequence of drawings or visuals that map out each scene of your video, helping you plan the flow and key moments. It allows you to see how the script will translate visually. At VideoScribe, our simple timeline operates similarly to a storyboard, so you can see an overview of your visuals during key moments while building on your video.
When creating your storyboard focus on:
- Key moments: What visuals will appear during each part of the script?
- Timing: How will the scenes transition from one to the next?
- Visual metaphors: Will there be any specific imagery or animations to illustrate abstract concepts?
You can download our FREE video storyboarding template here.
Choose Your Style
Explainer videos come in various styles. Your choice should reflect your brand’s identity and the preferences of your target audience. At VideoScribe we have explainer video templates in the style of whiteboard animation and motion graphics. Whiteboard Animation features a hand-drawn style and is plain and simplistic, often used for educational content. Motion graphics style features more clean and polished animations and is often used in tech or SaaS explainers. Check out one of our Whiteboard Explainer templates below.
Animate!
Start animating your explainer video! You can start with a VideoScribe template or from scratch. When animating, keep a checklist of important things to consider to make sure your explainer video is as effective as possible. Pay special attention to brand consistency; make sure to use colors, fonts, and style elements that align with your brand identity. Ensure the animation flows naturally from scene to scene with smooth transitions. Consider pacing as you animate. Don’t rush through the video and let each point land before moving to the next.
Record Your Voiceover
A professional voiceover adds a polished feel to your explainer video. It’s essential that the tone matches your brand and message—energetic for fun, casual content, or calm and authoritative for technical or serious subjects.
You can record your voiceover directly through VideoScribe to make sure your voice matches your video perfectly. Just make sure to record in a quiet environment, with proper equipment to avoid distracting background noise.
Pair your voiceover with background music to give your explainer video atmosphere. At VideoScribe we also have around 200 music tracks in our audio library to choose from. You can also import your own music and audio clips as an MP3.
Publish and Promote
Once your explainer video is ready, it’s time to share it with the world! Publish it on your website, social media channels, and platforms like YouTube or Vimeo. You can also use it in email campaigns, webinars, and presentations. Don’t forget to optimize it for SEO by including relevant keywords in the video description and title.
Overall, creating an explainer video is a powerful way to communicate your message, engage your audience, and drive action. With the right planning, scripting, and production process, you can create a video that stands out and effectively explains your product or concept. Whether you're doing it yourself or hiring professionals, following these steps will help you create a polished and compelling explainer video that resonates with your audience.
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