By esantiago@hubspot.com (Erica Santiago)

Explainer videos are a great way to push your content and brand to your target audience, but creating one might seem intimidating. How will you make a video that is informative, engaging, and easy to follow for your audience?

Fortunately, this article has simple tips and excellent examples to help you get started.

What is an explainer video?

An explainer video is a short video that communicates how something works in a simple way to its target audience. Explainer videos are often used in marketing to show the benefits of a product or service and how they work.

Explainer videos are often uploaded to platforms like YouTube and social media, but they can also be placed on your website’s homepage or product page.

Types of Explainer Videos

The three most common explainer videos are:

• Live-action
• Animated
• Whiteboard
• Screencast

Live-action explainer videos are non-animated promotional videos, and they are best for business selling physical products or people-focused services.

Animated explainer videos are made with animation and are great for explaining less-tangible services or products such as software.

Whiteboard explainer videos are in the same family as animated ones, but they specifically involve animation that hand drawn (or appears to be) and erased on a whiteboard.

Screencast videos are a great option if you want to keep your production costs low. A screencast video comprises screen recordings of users implementing a product or service online.

Explainer Video Tips

Here are some best practices to keep in mind when creating an explainer video:

• Keep your video short. Ideally, you’ll want your video to be 30 to 90 seconds long. If your video is longer, you’ll definitely need to be creative to keep your audience’s attention.
• Get straight to the point. Make your message and intentions clear within the first 30 seconds of your video.
• Use simple language and avoid jargon. Too much technical language can bore your viewers, encouraging them to click away from your video.
• Speak in the second-person by using words like “you” and “your.”
• Use a casual, conversational tone in your videos.

How to Make an Explainer Video

There are several ways to create an explainer video, and your method will depend on the type of explainer you want to make. However, most explainer videos require the following steps.

1. Write your video script. The best script will give a quick overview of what your product or service does. You should also introduce a problem and then explain how your product or service solves it.

Toward the end of your video, include a call-to-action telling viewers to call now, book an appointment, sign up, etc.

2. Record a …read more

Source:: HubSpot Blog

Author: Aaron