It is no secret that explainer videos are a winning move for all types of businesses across different niches. But how can you make an animated explainer video and distribute it well so that it helps people do what it sets out for them to do?
Making an animated explainer video alone is not enough. There are essential steps you need to take before and after the creation of the actual video. So let us go over them all from A to Z.
In this blog, we will outline the steps for creating and distributing an animated explainer video that effectively communicates your message and engages your audience.
Before we start with the details, let us recap about animated explainer videos.
What are Animated Explainer Videos?
Animated explainer videos are short, engaging videos that use animation and storytelling to break down complex concepts or ideas in a simple and easy-to-understand way. They are commonly used by businesses and organizations to explain their products, services, or missions to their target audience in a visually appealing and memorable way.
There are several types of animated explainer videos, each with its own unique style and approach to conveying information. The type of animated explainer video you choose will depend on your message and target audience, as well as your budget and timeline.
The common types of animated explainer videos that you can use are:
Whiteboard explainer videos: These videos feature an animated hand drawing on a whiteboard to visualize complex ideas and processes.
This is a short and simple example of a whiteboard explainer video:
Motion graphics explainer videos: These videos use graphics and text to explain ideas and concepts in a visually appealing way.
Here’s an example of a motion graphic explainer video:
2D animation explainer videos: These videos feature traditional 2D animation techniques and can be used to create a wide range of styles, from cartoonish to more realistic.
Here’s an example of a 2D animation explainer video:
3D animation explainer videos: These videos use 3D modeling and animation techniques to create more realistic and lifelike characters and environments.
How are Animated Explainer Videos Important?
Organizations and marketers are on a non-ending quest for clear and concise messaging that reaches their audiences quickly and effectively. This is especially important in today’s fast-paced and information-saturated world, where people’s attention spans are shorter than ever. So, by distilling information down to its core elements and presenting it in a straightforward manner, you can ensure that your audience understands and retains the key points of your message.
In addition to having a clear message, using animation and storytelling techniques also help make your content more engaging and enjoyable. This is especially important for complex or technical subjects, as it can help make the information more relatable and encourages viewers to act.
How to Make an Animated Explainer Video
So, whether you are trying to explain a new product, promote your services, or simply share your mission with the world, an animated explainer video is an effective and powerful way to reach and engage your audience.
Prepare and Write a Powerful Script
The first step in creating an animated explainer video is to develop a script outlining the key points and messages you want to convey. Scriptwriting is an essential step of every video production as it serves as the foundation for the rest of the video and ensures the goal and messaging of the content is portrayed.
To craft a script for your animated explainer video that delivers your message clearly and engages the viewers at the same time. To do so, make sure you:
- Identify your target audience and understand who they are and what they are interested in.
- Define your goals for the video at hand. What do you want to achieve with your animated explainer video? Do you want to increase brand awareness, promote a product, or educate your audience about a specific topic?
- Collect all the necessary information and research that will help you craft your script including information about your product or service, industry data, customer testimonials, and more.
- Determine the key points and messages you want to communicate in your video to help you structure your script and ensure that your message is clear and to the point.
Once you have a clear idea of what you want to communicate, then you are ready to start writing your script. When the writing phase starts, focus on creating a compelling and engaging narrative. This means using engaging language, crafting a clear and concise message, and building a story that will hold your audience’s attention. It is important to keep it short and to the point – remember, you want to keep your audience engaged and interested, not overwhelm them with too much information!
To write a successful script, it is recommended to hire a professional scriptwriter with sufficient experience in writing for explainer videos.
Create a Detailed Storyboard
Once you have developed a solid script, the next step in creating an animated explainer video is to create storyboards. Storyboards are visual representations of the video that help the production team plan out the animation and design elements, characters, and scenes.
To create the storyboard, use your script to start visualizing the animation and design elements of your video. It should include the overall look and feel of the video, as well as any special effects or transitions you want to incorporate.
Make sure to put thought into planning out the characters and scenes that will be included in the video depending on your message, your brand, and your target audience. A fantastic way to do so is by sketching out rough illustrations or using digital tools to create more detailed designs.
By creating storyboards, you get a clear picture of what your animated explainer video will look like and make any necessary adjustments before moving on to the animation process. This is a crucial step that will help ensure that the final video is visually appealing and accurately conveys your message.
Animate Your Story
With a solid script and storyboard in hand, the next step in creating an animated explainer video is to bring the video to life through the animation process. Whether you are doing it on your own or working with a professional production company, it is important for you to know what happens on the animation stage.
The animation process involves a combination of hand-drawn illustrations and digital software, depending on the animation style and complexity of the video.
To begin animating your video, start by creating rough drafts of the characters and scenes using hand-drawn illustrations or digital tools. From there, you can add in any special effects or transitions, as well as any text or graphics. As you work, be sure to pay attention to detail and ensure that the animation is smooth and seamless.
If you have the time and patience to create your own animation, there are several online animated video makers that you can use. Some popular options include:
Animaker: “A platform for beginners, non-designers & professionals to create Animation
and Live-Action videos for every moment of our life.”
Powtoon: A user-friendly animated video maker that allows you to create professional-quality videos using a drag-and-drop interface.
Animoto: An easy-to-use animated video maker with templates for diverse occasions, music tracks, and design elements to choose from.
Vyond: A cloud-based animated video maker that allows users to create videos from scratch or using their templates, characters, and design elements.
There are other online animated video makers available as well. However, when choosing an animated video maker, be sure to consider factors such as the features and tools it offers, the quality of the templates and design elements, and the overall ease of use.
For professional animation for your animated explainer videos, it is best to work with a production company that has sufficient experience in the field and the portfolio to prove it!
Read more about: Animated Explainer Video Pricing
Edit and Revise Your Video
Once you have completed the animation process, it is time to edit and revise your animated explainer video to catch any errors that need fixing before the final version is complete.
To begin, review the video in its entirety, paying close attention to the animation, sound, and overall flow of the video. Look for any errors or areas that may need improvement, such as awkward transitions or incorrect information. If you find any issues, make a note of them and set aside time to make the necessary changes.
In addition to reviewing the video for errors, ask for feedback from others, such as colleagues or friends to help you identify any areas of the video that may be confusing or could be improved upon. A step further could be showing your video to a few members of your target audience to get their specific input on how to improve!
Distribute Your Video
Once your animated explainer video is complete, it is now the time to put it in action and distribute it among your target audience. Depending on your strategy, you can share your video on a variety of channels, including social media, your website, email, and more.
- Find Your Best Platforms
To determine the most effective platforms for sharing your video, consider your target audience and where they are spending time online. For example, if your audience is primarily active on social media, then sharing your video on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram would be the most effective strategy. Alternatively, if you are targeting a more professional audience, sharing your video through email, your website, or LinkedIn is more appropriate.
- Use Tags and Keywords
Once you have identified the platforms you will use to share your video, it is important to use appropriate tags and keywords to make the video easy to find for your target audience. Doing so helps increase the visibility of your video and ensure that it reaches the right people. For example, use relevant hashtags on social media and include search keywords in your video description on your website.
Read more about: SEO for Video.
- Make the Best Out of Your Video
In addition to distributing your animated explainer video through various channels, to consider ways to repurpose the video content for different platforms and audiences. Repurposing your video content helps you make your money’s worth and can help increase the reach and impact of your video, as well as provide additional value for your audience.
To repurpose your video content, start creating shorter versions of the video for platforms like Instagram or TikTok, where shorter attention spans and smaller screens are favored. You can also consider creating a series of shorter videos that focus on specific aspects of your product or service, which can be shared on social media or included in email campaigns.
Another way to repurpose your video content is to create accompanying written content. To do so, you can use your video script as a blog, then accompany it with further blogs about the topics covered in the video.
That is not all! Take a minute and think creatively about how you can repurpose your video content to maximize its value and reach.
Are You Ready?
Creating an animated explainer video that effectively communicates your message and engages your audience is not a painless process. In fact, it involves several key steps that require professional intervention. From developing a script and creating storyboards, to animating the video and distributing it to your target audience, each step is important.
At Verve Videos, we understand the importance of creating high-quality animated explainer videos that deliver results. With our team of experienced professionals and state-of-the-art tools and technologies, we can help you create an animated explainer video that meets your goals and exceeds your expectations.
If you are interested in learning more about our animated explainer video services, check out our portfolio and read through our successful case studies with our partners!
Our team is happy to answer any questions and help you start creating an animated explainer video that actually works!
Watch the following video to learn more:
