Video is one of the most powerful methods for increasing exposure and leads for an online business. This is mainly due to the fact that there is simply too much content already out there, and people want visuals with instant gratification.However, at the same time, it’s important to know what is the purpose of an explainer videos and animated videos format for your message and audience.
Two of the most effective formats to choose from are Whiteboard and Explainer Videos. It’s been proven time and time again that these types of videos perform much better than someone on the screen (talking head videos).
We all have our reasons for why such videos work better, but we also wanted to survey some of the internet’s best video producers, marketing experts, and content creators to get their input — all of which you will find below.
Why do you think whiteboard and explainer videos work so well? (vs. traditional talking heads)
The reason that this content strategy has such good results is that people can bond better with a person they hear and see. When you use a whiteboard, you remind viewers of a teacher. It gives a sense of authority.Although videos and podcasts are very popular nowadays, they won’t replace written content anytime soon. There are a lot of internet marketers that don’t blog in their native language. When you write a post you can use a tool to correct the typos, ask a friend to proofread or hire an editor so your grammar looks impeccable. When you are recording a video, you can’t.
Also, the type of content that works best depends a lot on the audience. Explainer videos in front of a whiteboard would be very unusual for bloggers in niches like fashion, parenting, fitness or for eCommerce sites that sell physical products. This type of video works best for theoretical topics, especially for bloggers that sell digital info products.
My advice is to focus on your audience, test multiple types of content and see what works best for you.
- Minuca Elena of MinucaElena.com
I’m currently using a combination of whiteboard (explainer) videos and “talking head” videos to promote my websites, brands and how people how to walk through a process.- Zac Johnson of ZacJohnson.com
One of the things that is important to any business is brand recognition. One of the principles the mind uses to determine who they want to work with is what they remember. Being memorable in business is a critical part of one’s success. When I created the logo for Massachusetts Real Estate Exposure, I wanted to make it something that would stand out while also delivering my main message. “Marketing like no other Massachusetts Realtor”. Branding is important on so many levels and should never be overlooked by any business.- Bill Gassett of MaxRealEstateExposure.com
Whiteboard videos work SO well because they are 100% “hot to”. Viewers want to know how to do stuff. Whiteboard videos explicitly delve into how to do it, with practical, usable tips laid out clearly on the board. Fabulous medium for connecting with people who want specific, actionable tips for solving their problems.- Ryan Biddulph of Blogging from Paradise
There is a scientific reason behind why explainer videos work so well. Videos combine both audio and visual stimulus which has been proven to increase message retention. Perhaps most critical for lead generation, they increase conversion rates by 20% (Unbounce). Every website should have at least one well, executed explainer video. The secret is in the script.- Brenda S. Stoltz of Ariad Partners
We have used explainer videos from the beginning to show prospects what we can do for them. Explainer videos tend to be more memorable and use a variety of imagery to capture and keep the attention of the viewer.
We also keep our videos to 60-seconds or less. Doing so forces us to get to the point and explain what we do quickly. If it takes longer, there are probably a few ways you can cut it down to the very essence.
I see a lot of whiteboard and explainer videos that try to say too much and in too much detail. Remember, the job of the explainer video is simply to give the viewer enough information to know they want more, not to explain everything your company or product does.
As a founder, I knew that I was not the most exciting and engaging person to explain what we do. A script and a voiceover would do a much better job of outlining the benefits of what we do. Unless you are known among your friends as “Mr. or Ms. Personality,” leave it to the experts.
- Tim Bourquin of AfterOffers.com
Why do so many people prefer to watch a video over reading text, say a blog post? They want to be engaged, entertained and catered to.- Ana Hoffman of TrafficGenerationCafe.com
If I had to give just one reason for why whiteboard and explainer videos are working better now today than ever before, I would have to say mobile. With more people now relying on mobile devices to scour the internet, it all comes down to video and instant gratification.
While also looking at mobile, we can see that video is the advertising and persusasive platform of choice as well. A perfect example of this can be see through in-app advertising and how Facebook continues to show more mobile video ads vs. regular text/website ads.
With all of this in mind, video is the way to go — but you still need to decide between explainer or talking heads. If you are building a personal brand or want to gain trust from your audience, putting your face on the screen is definitely a great way to go. However, if you want to increase sales or simply use video on a landing page, explainer videos have proven to work extremely well time and time again.
Brandon Johnston – BlogReign.com
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I think this just comes down to the visual nature of the medium. We can listen to someone talking or even read a blog post but it is not always easy to embed that information. I think the science is pretty clear here and visuals help improve comprehension, help users understand a concept more quickly and aid in memorizing a concept. All pretty huge benefits. I am a big believer in ancient wisdom – from texts like The Art of War through to old sayings and wisdom and certainly one such saying springs to mind here: a picture is worth a thousand words. A complex idea can often be more easily communicated through a picture and that is why whiteboard and explainer videos are so powerful.- Marcus Miller of BowlerHat.co.uk
Whiteboard and explainer videos work so well because they lay out the information in an easy to follow format, they allow for visual and audio learning, and in many cases they tend to be entertaining. Make this part of your brand DNA… Tell Your Story In a Way People Will Care.- Ted Rubin of TedRubin.com
Talking heads suck for almost everything, except to introduce a person. I use very quick talking head videos on my website only to very quickly introduce myself. As they say, “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.” So it is important for potential clients to see right away that they are dealing with a real person they can relate to. It’s much more personal even than posting a photo.But when you want to do anything in depth and get across any information, it’s best to use some combination of images. A talking head narrator is fine as part of something more interesting. Does this work? Well, watch the news. Who wants to see just a talking head news anchor? The narrator should always be just a small part of the overall images.Here’s a great example of how we combined talking heads and animation and costumes for a little extra punch.
- David Leonhardt of THGMwriters.com
Explainer videos are an excellent marketing tool. The great thing about explainer videos is they often allow a complex idea to be explained so that anyone can understand it. As a big fan of point form and getting an idea across quickly both white board and explainer videos do this brilliantly. Often this is why people are more likely to share explainer videos because they get ideas across easily in a form where people can relate. As a marketing professional, I rely on these types of videos for this viral aspect. A good explainer video not only expresses an idea simply but allows the business to further connect that explanation to their brand or product. These types of videos should be considered an essential part of a company’s marketing strategy.- Allan Pollett of AllanPollett.com
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Whiteboard and explainer videos are simply one of the most effective ways to deliver your message to an audience in the shortest amount of time possible. This is why you are seeing more brands and businesses using explainer videos on their main page as the first form of content their audience will see. Explainer videos deliver information at a much faster rate than text or graphic content, while also making for a more personal and engaging experience in the process.
- Karsten Böhrs – mysimpleshow.com
As the creator of the Content Personality™ Wheel, I teach entrepreneurs how to align various content types to their unique personalities. In terms of video, did you know there 31 types of video content to use in your branding? The “talking head/face video” is one of these, but honestly, that style just doesn’t feel light and joyful (aligned) to many entrepreneurs who continue to force themselves to create this type of video. The same goes for the audience watching the videos–some people’s learning styles are best supported by videos that SHOW rather than TELL. Whiteboard and explainer videos have the benefit of illustrating a concept, in a visual manner, which really reaches future prospects who are auditory AND visual learners. Plus, they’re really fun to watch!- M. Shannon Hernandez, Founder of The Writing Whisperer
Whiteboard videos are very simple to understand: they boil the benefits your business offers down into their most basic form, making it easier for customers and clients to understand what you do in a very concise manner. They also mimic the style of learning that we all grew up with– watching a teacher write on a board– making it easy for your viewers to shift into learning mode while they are watching.- Brittany Bearden of AtLargePR.com
People learn in many different modalities. If you were to think back to how you learned in grade school.
Seeing, writing, and hearing were the main modes I personally learned. If you split tested whiteboard/explainer videos in a grade school level of grade 6 you will find you will have to break down information for easier consumption.
What that does is help your prospect really understand what solutions you provide and seeing diagrams, graphics, and figures drive it home versus just someone talking to you.
- Lawrence Tam of LawrenceTam.net
If you’ve ever actually sat there and watching a high-quality whiteboard explainer video (the one with the drawing hands), you will know exactly why these types of videos work so well.- Kristel Staci of Marketing Infographics
Whiteboard videos are working really well for a lot of brands and businesses online right now. Being in the web design and graphic design space, we are seeing a great demand for these videos and explainer videos as well. The funny thing about this type of content creation, is everyone wants one, but they don’t know how to create one for themselves. This means a lot of work actually goes into the design and creation process for this — such as coming up with a script, doing illustrations, voice over work and also coming up with a call to action that engages with your audience. In short, explainer and whiteboard videos work extremely well… just make sure you know what you are getting into before jumping head first into the project.
- Caitlyn Stevenson – freephotoshoponline.com
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I have not yet used a whiteboard video for my own online business, but I should.
There’s been plenty of research done by professionals of psychology that show how whiteboard videos are more effective than talking head videos. Dr. Richard Wiseman has conducted studies that demonstrate whiteboard videos can deliver a 22% increase in memory retention vs. a talking head type of video.
Stats like this make you stop and go whoa! Wait a minute…
Whiteboard videos look and feel much more fun than most talking head vids and are so good at holding people’s attention, it is a wonder they are not used more than they already are.
- Matthew Kaboomis Loomis of BuildYourOwnBlog.net
I think it’s because they’re simply more fun and entertaining than the more traditional videos. Animations attract your attention and keep it for longer and they are more engaging. They are also very succinct and to the point, usually – all of which makes it easier to grasp whatever point they are attempting to make. Visuals in general, are more helpful when you’re trying to learn something – the ability to make a connection between a visual and a certain concept makes it easier to not only understand, but also to remember what you’ve learned.- Lilach Bullock of LilachBullock.com
Talking Head videos are good when you want to create a personal connection with your audience. But once that’s been formed, if you still have more material to present, staring at that talking head becomes boring and a little uncomfortable.- Mike Allton of The Social Media Hat
Whiteboard videos are great, because just like webinars they are content that’s easier to consume. For example, you can watch a webinar while working, but you can’t work while you read an article. Thus, video content will always be one step ahead of other types of content.- Felix Tarcomnicu of Cross Promo
When you record a video showing how you answered a difficult question, solved a nagging problem, or found a unique solution; you prove to people that you are concerned about them. You show them that you are just as concerned about solving their problems as you are about selling them a product or service. The simpler or more quickly you can explain this to your audience the better they will like you. And if you can do it with humor or by sharing your own unique personality they will love you. People love to learn new things. They like how it feels to be the expert and be able to help someone else. They enjoy having fun facts or interesting information to share at family or business gatherings. Also, there is a growing number of people who believe that if you aren’t constantly improving yourself you are in danger of dying either literally or at least spiritually. If you give people what they want, they will always come back for more. FOr the frustrated teachers of the world they are now lucky to live in a time when everyone wants to learn and improve. So, get out your projector, easel, pointer, and of course video camera or cell phone and start teaching the world something. I love sharing my thoughts in these posts.- Maxwell Ivey of TheBlindBlogger.net
They are dynamic — constantly changing. Your mind is more focused because what you are watching keeps evolving. Many people are visual and need the examples to truly understand a concept, and even those who are not enjoying the style. You’re not sure what’s coming next and so that uncertainty keeps you focused. It can also be more entertaining, and in a world where we’re vying for your attention this is key.- Arman Assadi of ArmanAssadi.com
The biggest problem you have today in trying to market to anyone is getting and keeping their attention.
Whiteboard explainer videos seem to do this very well, because you don’t know what is coming next and the bombardment of imagery keep people from getting bored.
When you just have talking heads, you really have to focus and you can be easily distracted.
Explainer videos offer novelty and visual stimulation, which is essential to get enough attention to actually deliver your message.
- John Sonmez of SimpleProgrammer.com
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Every Brand or Business Needs to Use Online Video!
It’s easy for us to tell you how important it is to use video within your online branding and marketing efforts, however, after seeing all of the expert thoughts, opinions and tips above, you should now understand it’s importance even better!
The great thing about online video production (especially explainer video production and whiteboard video production), is that you never even need to get in front of the camera. This eliminates the need to insecurities, shy spokespersons and also additional costs of hiring an actor or voice over. This is where explainer video company like AnimatedVideo.com comes into play, thus making the process of creating a professional video for your business or brand a breeze, while also not taking up your whole budget in the process.
To learn more about this process or to have a video designed for your brand, click here to contact Animated Video today!
