How can you creatively solve problems to create effective explainer videos?

To simplify complex content effectively, you need to know who you're talking to. Are they experts in the field, or are they beginners? Tailoring your message to their knowledge level is the first step in ensuring your video resonates with them. Sometimes we're catering information to first time users or a specific industry where specific jargon need to be utilized.

One of the most common mistakes I see in explainer videos is providing too much background or detail that is not crucial to the message. An explainer (or any short video) should get straight to the point and call out exactly what the user will come away with. Links to further information, QR codes, etc. can be used to drive traffic to your website or to engage with your social media.

There are a few techniques I have found resourceful and for clients. 1st is please keep your explainer video short and sweet. This means you need to get the attention of your audience in 25 seconds and the video should be no more than 90 seconds, and 90 seconds may be too long. Speaking casually as well works and in 2nd person (meaning ''you and your'') and then know what platform is your target audience. Is it youtube, social media, or even your web-site or homepage of your business. This is a simple an concise way many have been successful that I've helped and also when we have asked others from the consumer end and the production end. Speaking personable also helps the audience feel connected seeing there is so much content our there.

The best performing videos are the videos that are seen by the intended audience. If you have the specifics already identified for your target audience, lean into the pain points and how this explainer video solves it. You can use AI tools like ChatGPT to hone in on your target audience and have it provide you with pain points. The pain points are critical to delivering high value explainer videos that resonate with the target audience.

Here's a technique that works especially well for explainers. In the whole ocean of information, your core audience always has these three buckets of knowledge on a chosen topic: A: things they want to learn; B: things they had forgotten; C: things they already know. Use A to sell the explainer and build the piece around. Use B to provide background and engage them. Drop C so that you don't look incompetent or patronising. But the trick is to define which bit of information goes to which bucket for your specific audience. Learn what your core audience wants to learn, what they need to be reminded of, and what they could tell themselves. Those would vary for each group of people. Which group of people is your core audience in?

I tend to base my training videos on workflows so you are learning the skills to do YOUR job not demonstrating the full capabilities of the product.

With highly technical topics you need to be sure YOU understand what you're explaining. Don't be afraid to keep asking questions until you feel like you've truly got it. Most clients really appreciate your persistence -- it can even be eye-opening for them to realize how much insider-speak they use, or how uncommon certain practices or ideas might be.

Keep all explanations super simple. Planning ahead and even running a script by someone in your target audience is an idea worth exploring. Focus on the pain point, use visuals to explain (show vs tell) or B-roll to show something in action. People are more likely to relate to and remember visual elements vs talking elements. Using your own stories and/or stories of you clients will create an additional element that pulls people into your video getting them to watch longer.

Avoid metaphors and comparisons. Otherwise, you're just explaining two things instead of one. Don't be afraid to engage a challenging topic on it's own terms- your audience is smart!

State your key points early and use that as a structure for your video. Additionally, modern video hosting platforms often allow for transcript-based searching - don't be afraid to allow learners/watchers to navigate to the information they're searching for mid-video, or within descriptions or supplemental material. Many clients get lost in the nuance and importance of granular details - they are likely emotionally attached to the information they're trying to convey. It's hard for them to understand that a learner/watcher may not hold that same consideration and thus mentally check out a lot faster than they realize. Things need to be kept as brief and concise as possible.

I find that splitting the content into smaller more targeted elements helps engagement as viewers can view the elements they actually need when they need them rather than having to trawl through a load of irrelevant content. Not to say the content isn't ever relevant but maybe not all at once right then. It helps the viewer feel more in control, and also means potentially they will stay longer or come back for more which helps with profile.

If the video is going to seen or used by a customer, it needs to be a positive reflection of your brand. Even if the purchase has been made and the video is for customer support or training -- this isn't the time to cut corners on quality. If anything, it's time to make the experience as pleasant and rewarding as possible. The viewer (your customer) has reached out because they need help with your product or service. No doubt they're feeling some frustration. No one wants to stop work to try to figure out why the software or device they need isn't working. The easier it is to find the information, follow the steps and get back to work -- the longer you'll have a satisfied customer on your side.

Regardless of the topic, demographic, or client, it is always important to recognize that there are many different types of learners out there; visual learners, auditory learners, reading/writing learners, and kinesthetic learners. The best producer is considering all 4 learners in every video they create. Create key visuals, utilize emphasis text, provide accessible transcripts and closed captioning for every video, use an engaging speakers/VAs, and try to include as much interactivity as the LMS or video host allows (quizzes, surveys, etc.).

We want to make sure we know our audience and their style of video. While leaning into our brand identity, we need to make sure our audience will engage with what we are posting. We do not want to switch up our style constantly because we will only confuse our audience and steer away from brand identity.

Select the ideal video format by considering your topic, audience, and budget. Options include live-action, animation, whiteboard, screencast, or interactive, each with unique pros and cons based on complexity, creativity, and engagement goals

A little music can be good, I also record in 4K so I can zoom to button clicks or text windows or whatever without losing resolution

There is such a thing as too much - a full blown animation may be wasted on a simple explanation. If the foundations of your video are good (a solid script, a talented narrator, and an engagement plan), then simple additions of music, stock footage, and supplemental content (graphs, example photos/videos, interviews/testamonies, etc.) will only add to the video. On the other hand, if your script is poor, narrator untalented, and video undiscoverable, then no amounts of extra glitter will save it!

My biggest word of advice is - catch them in the first 3 seconds. Do something with your body or with your product that will catch the viewer's eye right away. For example: Makeup: Start by applying lipgloss Fashion: Hit record, then set the camera down. It will create a more organic feel when the viewer sees you set the phone down. It's as if you JUST came up with this idea and you can't wait to share it

In your explainer video, impactful visuals and audio are essential for viewer engagement and emotional resonance. Use relevant, high-quality visuals like images, icons, and animations to illustrate your points, and add personality and clarity with audio such as music, voice-over, or sound effects.

Tracking your KPIs are foundational to creating better learning content in the future. We have the ability to track watch time, see where viewers are clicking into these videos, and if anyone drops off or reloads certain parts of videos. As an example, in a past position, my team used to have a closing bumper on their videos with a callout to their website and interactive links to other videos. We learned that 70%< were closing the video prior to getting to that CTA. Why keep it if it was never being viewed? We needed to include the CTA earlier in the video, and not in a closing bumper.

I know a lot of people are afraid of testing because they want everything to be perfect and they are afraid of making mistakes. In my opinion, the best way to learn is from your own mistakes.

Explainer videos have many different use cases. Some are top-of-funnel content, but most fall lower in the funnel. If your explainer video is designed to attract leads, here are some metrics to watch: ? Play rate ? Engagement, especially multiple views by a single viewer ? Click-through rates If your explainer video is being used for sales, here are some metrics to watch: ? Play rate ? Engagement ? Click-through rates ? Responses to an email If your explainer video is being used for customer success, here are some metrics to watch: ? Engagement ? Play rate ? Retention ? Positive responses to a survey A/B testing is always a good idea if you're willing to iterate on what you learn. Video isn't just a one-and-done thing, it's a process.

In the explainer video creation process, the key is to continually refine your video for clarity and impact. Ensure it aligns with your goals and resonates with your audience. Use A/B testing, analytics, and user feedback to assess and enhance its performance.

Manage script time vs. Audience Engagement. Ensuring that pivotal information is front loaded so that viewer trust is ensured is a great idea for those crucial early moments of content. As time goes on, audiences have been shown to have shorter and shorter attention spans. As such, it's important to understand cutaways, blending comedy and information so engagement stays up and pacing.