How do you choose the right style and tone for your animated explainer video?

2 Define your objective

The second step in choosing the right style and tone for your animated explainer video is to define your objective. What do you want your video to achieve? What action do you want your viewers to take after watching it? How do you want them to feel and think about your brand, product, or service? By clarifying your goal, you can align your video with your marketing strategy and message. For example, if your objective is to educate your audience about a complex problem or solution, you might use a whiteboard, motion graphics, or infographic style. If your objective is to entertain your audience and create a positive association with your brand, you might use a cartoon, 3D, or live-action style.

3 Choose your voice

The third step in choosing the right style and tone for your animated explainer video is to choose your voice. Voice refers to the narration, dialogue, music, and sound effects that accompany your visuals. Voice can have a significant impact on how your audience perceives and responds to your video. It can convey emotion, personality, credibility, and authority. Therefore, you should choose a voice that matches your audience, objective, and brand identity. For example, if you want to sound friendly and relatable, you might use a casual and conversational voice. If you want to sound authoritative and trustworthy, you might use a professional and formal voice.

4 Consider your budget

The fourth step in choosing the right style and tone for your animated explainer video is to consider your budget. Different styles and tones of animation have different costs and timelines. Some factors that affect the price and duration of your video production are the complexity of the design, the length of the script, the quality of the animation, the number of revisions, and the experience of the team. Therefore, you should be realistic about what you can afford and expect from your video project. For example, if you have a limited budget and time, you might opt for a simple and minimalist style. If you have a larger budget and time, you might opt for a more elaborate and detailed style.

5 Test and refine

The fifth step in choosing the right style and tone for your animated explainer video is to test and refine. Testing and refining your video means getting feedback from your target audience, your stakeholders, and your video team. Feedback can help you identify what works and what doesn't in your video, and how you can improve it to achieve your desired results. You should test and refine your video at different stages of the production process, such as the storyboard, the animatic, and the final cut. For example, you might ask your audience to rate your video on aspects such as clarity, engagement, emotion, and persuasion. You might also ask them to suggest any changes or improvements they would like to see.

6 Enjoy the results

The sixth and final step in choosing the right style and tone for your animated explainer video is to enjoy the results. Enjoying the results means celebrating your achievements, measuring your performance, and leveraging your video for your marketing goals. You should be proud of the work you and your team have done, and share it with your audience through various channels and platforms. You should also track and analyze the metrics and outcomes of your video, such as views, likes, shares, comments, leads, conversions, and sales. By doing so, you can evaluate the effectiveness of your video and optimize it for future campaigns. For example, you might use tools such as Google Analytics, YouTube Analytics, or Wistia to monitor and report on your video's performance.