Videos increase sales, increase traffic, increase trust, and build loyal customers. An explainer video is a short video that tells customers more about the product or service a business offers. Many businesses use explainer videos because they are affordable and effective in growing a customer base.
Explainer videos help you inform customers how your product/service solves their problems. Buyers want solutions to their problems. Your ability to explain how your business meets their needs directly links to your success.
Explainer videos increase customer loyalty and trust.
Explainer videos allow you to display your personality in words and images. This helps buyers identify with your business on a personal level.
The reason customers become loyal, repeat customers is because they like you. Showing your personality through videos is vital for businesses where customers don’t know you. Videos connect consumers to your company and brand, increasing trust.
Types of Explainer Videos
Your explainer videos show your customers they can trust your solutions to their problems. Below is a list of the most common methods used in creating videos that effectively promote your business.
- Person talking
- This is a person talking to the camera. They are casual and personable. You could explain about your store, answer questions, or talk about a product. Always focus on the needs of your customers. Use a smartphone to record this video.
- The person explaining with animations
- When titles, thought bubbles, infographics, etc., appear in the talking video. Animations increase movement and attract attention. You can add animations using film editing software such as Camtasia or using PowerPoint.
- Demonstrations
- Someone is showing how to do something. You can show how to use a product or show yourself doing a service. These videos are useful for answering questions.
- Animated videos
- The animations can be 2D or 3D. These are very popular. Several paid programs allow non-tech-savvy individuals to create animated videos, such as Toonly and Renderforest.
- Whiteboards
- A person is drawing on a board or using a program with illustrations such as Doodly or VideoScribe. Whiteboard videos are useful when you are writing a lot of text.
- Motion graphics
- Uses illustrations that you move about the screen using a program’s animations or special effects. The program could be PowerPoint, Filmora, Camtasia, etc.
- Screencasts
- A screen recording of someone doing a task on a digital device, such as demonstrating how to use an app or program.
- Stop action
- Uses paper cut-outs, clay figures, action figures, or any object you want. Stop motion is a series of pictures where the object is moved slightly in each photo. When you play the video, the object looks like it is moving.
Choose the style that best reflects your store’s brand and is most effective in communicating your message.
Where to Reach Interested Buyers Using Videos
So you decided to make an explainer video, now where do you use them?
Social media videos increase sales
Explainer videos can reach a wider audience compared to other forms of online advertisement. Posts with videos are three times more likely to be shared by the viewer. Your content will have more views without an effort on your part.
Surveys show 93% of organizations that post videos on social media record an increase in sales.
Website videos increase 3x the exposure to your message
Visitors tend to spend about 10 to 20 seconds on a site or social media platform. Videos offer you a unique opportunity to pitch your product or service within the first 20 to 30 seconds. If visitors have no reason to stay on the site, they will leave. Embedding an explainer video on your site and linking with popular social media platforms can extend the time visitors spend on your site from 20 to 60 seconds.
Pages with explainer videos are 50 times more likely to earn a first-page ranking by Google.
The best choice is to gather your marketing ideas and have them explained in videos. Videos keep your site looking clean while supplying enough information.
Emails videos increase clicks by 65%
According to a study, including the word video in an email subject line increases click-throughs by 65%. Add a colorful thumbnail of the video to increase clicks.
Video ads work better
Consumers are bombarded with advertisement messages daily. People prefer explainer videos because they are straight to the point, short, and easy to understand. Studies have shown that 85% of customers are more likely to buy a product or service after watching an explainer video.
Most brands prefer using videos as their primary advertising method because videos deliver their message faster than other content.
Retargeting ads save money
Facebook gathers info on who watches your video and how long. You can use this information to retarget interested individuals with different advertising that costs less.
What Makes a Good Explainer Video
Make sure the video you create is mobile-friendly because 92% watch videos on cell phones. Additionally, they share the videos using their phones. Mobile-friendly videos increase people’s awareness of your store.
Most buyers prefer landscape videos.
Your videos should be 90 seconds or less in length. Place your most important information within the first seconds of the video. The exception to this rule is Facebook, where videos 2 to 3 minutes are preferred.
Remember, the purpose of your video is to inform. Keep your videos interesting, but videos that only entertain the viewer are not your goal.
Benefits of Explainer Videos for Small Businesses
Video content is in high demand, with projections showing almost 80% of internet traffic are videos. Small businesses that do not take advantage of explainer videos will lose sales and their competitive advantage.
Small businesses that are interested in growing and staying competitive need to use explainer videos. Remember, if you cannot explain the value your products offer to customers effectively, your competitor will. Explainer videos help you keep your command in the market through social channels.
This article is part of the Business Essential Series.
Have Questions or Comments?