In today's fast-paced digital world, capturing your audience's attention and effectively communicating your message is more challenging than ever. With so much noise and competition online, it's essential to find ways to stand out and engage your target market. 

One powerful tool that can help you do just that is an animated explainer video. In this article, we'll explore what animated explainer videos are, why they're so effective, and how you can use them to boost your marketing strategy and achieve your business goals.

What is an Animated Explainer Video?

An animated explainer video is a short, engaging video that uses animation and storytelling to explain a complex concept, product, or service in a simple and easy-to-understand way. 

Unlike live-action videos, which rely on actors and real-world settings, animated explainer videos use digital illustrations, characters, and visual effects to create a compelling narrative that captures the viewer's attention and communicates key information in a memorable way.

Animated explainer videos come in many different styles and formats, from simple 2D motion graphics to more complex 3D animations. Some common types of explainer animation video include:

  • Character animations: These videos use animated characters to tell a story or illustrate a concept, often with humor and personality.
  • Whiteboard animations: These videos use hand-drawn illustrations and text on a digital whiteboard to explain ideas in a clear and concise way.
  • Motion graphics: These videos use graphic design elements like shapes, icons, and text to create dynamic and engaging visual narratives.
  • Screencast animations: These videos combine screen recordings of software or apps with animated elements to demonstrate how a product or service works.

Regardless of the specific style or format, the goal of an animated explainer video is always the same: to communicate a complex message in a simple, engaging, and memorable way.

Why Use an Animated Explainer Video?

So why should you consider using an animated explainer video as part of your marketing strategy? Here are just a few of the key benefits:

1. Increased Engagement and Retention

One of the biggest advantages of animated explainer videos is their ability to capture and hold viewers' attention. Studies have shown that people are more likely to watch and remember information presented in video format than in text or static images alone. 

By using engaging visuals, compelling storytelling, and clear, concise messaging, an explainer video animation can help you cut through the noise and make a lasting impression on your audience.

2. Improved Comprehension and Understanding

Another key benefit of animated explainer videos is their ability to simplify complex ideas and make them easier to understand. 

By using clear, visual language and breaking down concepts into bite-sized chunks, an animated explainer video can help your audience grasp even the most technical or abstract topics quickly and easily. 

This can be especially valuable for businesses in industries like technology, finance, or healthcare, where complex jargon and processes can be a barrier to understanding.

3. Enhanced Brand Awareness and Recall

In addition to improving comprehension and understanding, animated explainer videos can also help boost your brand awareness and recall. 

By using consistent visual elements like your logo, color scheme, and brand voice throughout your video, you can create a strong, recognizable brand identity that sticks in your audience's minds. 

This can be especially powerful when combined with storytelling and emotional appeals that create a personal connection with your viewers.

4. Increased Conversion Rates and Sales

Perhaps most importantly, animated explainer videos have been shown to have a direct impact on conversion rates and sales. By providing clear, compelling information about your product or service and addressing common objections or concerns, an explainer video can help move viewers through the sales funnel and encourage them to take action. 

In fact, studies have shown that including an explainer video on a landing page can increase conversions by up to 80%.

How to Create an Effective Animated Explainer Video

Now that you understand the benefits of animated explainer videos let's take a look at some key steps and best practices for creating an effective video that achieves your marketing goals:

1. Define Your Objectives and Target Audience

Before you start creating your explainer video, it's important to have a clear understanding of your objectives and target audience. 

What do you want your video to achieve? Are you looking to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or drive sales? Who are you trying to reach with your message? What are their pain points, interests, and motivations?

By answering these questions upfront, you can ensure that your video is tailored to your specific goals and audience, and that it includes the right messaging, tone, and calls-to-action to achieve your desired results.

2. Develop a Clear and Concise Script

Once you have a clear understanding of your objectives and audience, the next step is to develop a clear and concise script for your video. 

Your script should follow a logical structure that introduces the problem or challenge your audience is facing, presents your product or service as the solution, and includes a clear call to action that encourages viewers to take the next step.

When writing your script, it's important to keep things simple and straightforward. Use plain, easy-to-understand language and avoid jargon or technical terms that might confuse or alienate your audience. 

Focus on the benefits of your product or service rather than just the features, and use storytelling and emotional appeals to create a personal connection with your viewers.

3. Choose the Right Style and Format

Once you have a solid script in place, the next step is to choose the right style and format for your animated explainer video. As mentioned earlier, there are many different types of explainer videos to choose from, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

When selecting a style and format, consider factors like your brand identity, target audience, and the complexity of your message. 

For example, if you have a playful, informal brand and are targeting a younger audience, a character animation with humorous elements might be a good fit. If you have a more serious or technical topic to explain, whiteboard animation or motion graphics might be a better choice.

4. Invest in High-Quality Production

Creating a high-quality animated explainer video requires a significant investment of time, skill, and resources. 

While there are many online tools and templates available that allow you to create simple videos on your own for a truly professional and effective result, it's often best to work with a specialized explainer video company or freelance animator.

When choosing a production partner, look for someone with experience in your industry or niche, a strong portfolio of work, and a collaborative, communicative approach. 

Be sure to provide clear guidelines and feedback throughout the production process to ensure that the final video meets your expectations and achieves your goals.

5. Promote and Distribute Your Video

Finally, once your animated explainer video is complete, it's important to promote and distribute it effectively to reach your target audience. Some key channels and tactics to consider include:

  • Embedding the video on your website homepage or landing pages
  • Sharing the video on your social media profiles and paid ad campaigns
  • Including the video in email marketing campaigns and newsletters
  • Uploading the video to YouTube and optimizing it for search
  • Featuring the video in blog posts, case studies, and other content marketing assets
  • Using the video in sales presentations and product demos

By promoting your video through multiple channels and touchpoints, you can maximize its reach and impact and ensure that it's working hard to support your overall marketing strategy.

Conclusion

In today's crowded and competitive digital landscape, an animated explainer video can be a powerful tool for boosting your marketing strategy and achieving your business goals. 

You can capture your audience's attention, simplify complex ideas, and drive meaningful action and results by using engaging visuals, compelling storytelling, and clear, concise messaging.

Whether you're looking to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or drive sales, an animated explainer video can help you cut through the noise and make a lasting impression on your target market. 

So, if you haven't already, consider adding an explainer video to your marketing mix - your business (and your audience) will thank you for it!