by Ydraw | Oct 3, 2018 | video
Written by Erica Schmidt Jabali
We’re screeching fast towards the end of the year and we all know what that means: end of the year marketing pushes, the bustle of the holiday season – and before you know it – staring at your New Year’s Resolutions for 2019.
So, before you write down, “Join a gym,” let’s talk about what you can do to build your business and how you can use your YDraw video to achieve your marketing goals.
Luckily, the easiest way to talk about BOTH of those things is to talk about books.
Because by honing in on the best business books out there, you’ll be on the fast track to creating the viral video of your dreams and then marketing it to perfection.
Let’s start with a book that inspired our name – YDraw:
- Start With Why by Simon Sinek
With over 2,000 almost-perfect reviews on Amazon and the 3rd most popular TED talk of all time by the same name, you can see why Sinek’s landmark book is at the top of our list.
Sinek talks about the idea of The Golden Circle as the framework upon which your business should be built and it starts with the question, “WHY?”
By looking at WHY you do what you do and WHY you sell what you do, you are able to find what will help your target consumer buy into your product, your service, or your movement.
Sinek’s philosophy works because emotion trumps reasons every time.
So, whether you want to revive a checked out team of employees or market a new product to the masses in your next whiteboard video, take notes from Sinek and Start With Why.
2. Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller
This is another powerful read that you won’t want to miss. Miller starts out with a bang by saying, “Customers don’t generally care about your story; they care about their own.”
He goes on to explain how businesses can spend less on marketing if they can focus their message “on the aspects of their offer that will help people survive and thrive.”
This, friends, is what explainer videos and whiteboard animation videos are ALL about!
The goal is to boil down complicated ideas or lengthy messages into short, simple, engaging, movie trailer-style videos that will speak quickly and directly to how what you do will benefit your consumer.
After all, like Miller says – “Your customer should be the hero of the story, not your brand.”
3. Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance
If you’re looking for some inspiration on thinking outside the box – you can’t go further outside of it than Elon Musk. Often called a “real-life Tony Stark”, Musk has dedicated his life to creating technological inventions that are paving the way for future breakthroughs.
He may be a controversial character in his personal life, but we can still be inspired by his ambitious entrepreneurial pursuits.
When embarking on a creative project, such as a whiteboard animation video, you have a fantastic opportunity to push the envelope of reality. So, if you need some encouragement to leave the status quo in your dust, this book may be the one for you.
4.Creativity, Inc. By Ed Catmull
The book that Forbes said, “Just might be the best business book ever written,” has been making waves for years.
Understandably, since Creativity, Inc. is our all-access pass into the inside of Pixar Animation, by our tour guide Catmull, a co-founder.
And, really, who better to learn from about storytelling than the company that changed animation forever?
Chock full of insightful guidance on how to create amazing teams to the ideals and techniques that have made Pixar films beloved all around the world, Creativity, Inc. might be the secret sauce you have been looking for to inspire your next incredible YDraw video.
Honestly, we could keep you here all day talking about the incredible books out there. But, instead, we’ll put the rest on a virtual bookshelf for you.
Browse at your leisure, pick up what interests you, and leave some suggestions of your own in the comments below.
On Our Shelf:
by Ydraw | Sep 26, 2018 | Creative Marketing, How to pick a video style, video, Video Marketing, Video Strategy Guide, video style
Let’s talk about style…
The style of your video sends a subconscious message to your viewers and lets them know that your company is professional, modern, playful, organized, credible, genuine or any other positive brand qualifier.
If you haven’t already noticed, here at Ydraw we produce many different video styles. Some clients come to us knowing what type of video style they want and others not knowing their options let alone the differences between them.
Rather than shoving you into a box you don’t fit in, we are here to help guide you in the right direction and determine what video style best fits your unique brand, message, audience and budget.
Here is just a quick glimpse of a few of our video styles:
WHITEBOARD/BLACKBOARD/CARDBOARD:
Purpose: These videos are hand drawn with marker on the paper of your choice. The purpose is to create simple, relatable and easy to understand stories/concepts to explain your product or service. By lining up powerful narration and simple artwork we hit both sides of the brain to keep your audience interested and wanting to know more. These videos are our favorite for teaching.
Budget: Range from $ – $$
Features:
- Traditional artwork
- See the artists hand draw while narration is happening
- Small digital effects added in to bring on artwork or pose change a character’s expression etc.
- Hand drawn
- Funny and relatable
YSWIPE:
Purpose: This video style uses Pattern Interruption to change the viewers thoughts or perception and redirect their attention to what you want to show them. We use the artists hand to slide/snap/wipe/point artwork on/off screen to keep the video upbeat and lower the viewers defenses.
Budget: Range from $-$$$
Features:
- Traditional or digital artwork.
- Upbeat and fast moving
- Uses Pattern Interruption
- Artists hand slides/snaps/wipes/points artwork on screen.
YPAINT:
Purpose: Ypaint videos use full watercolor or pencil sketches and have a more realistic art style. Instead of seeing the artists hand, we digitally reveal the images as if they are being digitally painted or dropped on screen like a water droplet. These videos use slow movements and soft pastel colors to evoke emotion in the viewer. If you want your video to be inspirational, motivational and classy, this may just be the style for you.
Budget: $$
Features:
- Inspirational/Motivational/Classy
- Slower pace
- Soft Pastel Colors
- No hand involved
- Realistic artwork
MOTION GRAPHICS:
Purpose: This video style uses simple digital artwork and kinetic typography to explain complex topics in a literal or abstract manner. Motion Graphic videos are fast moving and can allow a boring topic to be upbeat and easy to understand without telling a story or condensing information. Most of the time they are used to explain a complex product or show a result.
Budget: $$-$$$
Features:
- Pattern Interruption
- Lots of movement
- Simple digital artwork
- Exact brand colors
- More sophisticated
- Fast moving
- Can be literal or abstract
- Moveable characters and objects
ANIMATION OVERLAY:
Purpose: This style overlays digital artwork on top of live video to make them more interactive and fun. Although we love using real people to evoke real emotion, sometimes it can get boring. If you want to show that your company is trustworthy by using live video as well as relatable and unique by using digital artwork, this style is for you!
Budget: $$-$$$$$ (Depending on price of live video). We are happy to do the live for you, or you can send us the live video and we can animate on top!
Features:
- Can be endorsed by celebrity in live video
- Trustworthy
- Sophisticated
- Interactive
- Allows viewers to go back and find a specific spot to rewatch.
- Combine real people and digital artwork
2D ANIMATION:
Purpose: This video style uses engaging narration and compelling characters and backgrounds to tell a story. Characters can range from simple stick figures to more complex and detailed characters. 2D animation allows the characters to move and talk more than you will see in a motion graphic video. Think cartoons like Tom and Jerry or Phineas and Ferb.
Budget: $$$-$$$$$
Features:
- Characters that talk and move more realistically
- Unique artwork that range from simple to complex
- Interactive and fun
3D ANIMATION:
Purpose: These videos use beautiful and complex three-dimensional characters and backgrounds to tell your story without using real people and places. The bigger the budget, the more complex artwork and movement. Think Toy Story or Tangled. The downfall to 3D Animation is that you are competing with companies like Pixar and Disney who have enormous budgets and endless amounts of time.
Budget: $$$$-$$$$$
Features:
- More bells and whistles than other video styles
- More sophisticated and complex
- Lots of movement
- Time consuming
- Characters can talk and move
- Digitally drawn artwork
So now that you know the basics, what video style is right for you?
What may have worked for one company may not work for yours. Depending on your purpose, audience, brand and budget there is a perfect style for your company and we are here to help you find it.
by Ydraw | Sep 18, 2018 | Creative Marketing, how to make a whiteboard animation, Simple marketing, Story Telling, Video Content, Video Marketing, Video Strategy Guide, Whiteboard animation, Whiteboard Video, Writing a Script, Ydraw
Here at Ydraw, we work with amazing people every day, from all over the world, to create awesome videos.
Our completely custom videos are perfect for companies, because we can create EXACTLY what they need. From the scripting, to the choice of art style, to your voiceover selection, to our custom music composer, everything is tailored to our customer’s needs.
Since each video is entirely unique, it requires both parties to be equally invested and provide timely feedback. COLLABORATION IS KEY! This can be both a blessing and a curse.
One of the biggest challenges we run into when creating videos is understanding each parties’ roles in the project. We rely on the client to provide the information needed for us to understand their product or service, and in return, ask our clients to trust us when it comes to creating the best content for them.
Sometimes clients will focus in on one minor detail that has little or no impact on the overall messaging of the video, and can eventually lead to an experience or end product that isn’t so spectacular.
For instance, have you ever looked at a word so many times that you convince yourself it’s spelled wrong? The more your stare at it, the weirder it looks… even though it was right from the beginning. This can happen when creating content.
When creating videos, we notice this problem in the artwork phase. For example, a client will get so hung up on the color of “Mary’s shirt”, and before you know it, they’ve convinced themselves that their ENTIRE video is a failure, because absolutely NO ONE is going to understand or even watch the video, if her shirt is red, and NOT blue…
Sounds dramatic… but we see examples like this happen with our clients often.
We completely understand that these projects, these videos, are as important as your first born child! You have a lot of pressure to produce an amazing product, but it’s imperative to remember to step back and focus on the overall message of your video.
So if the color of Mary’s shirt isn’t the most important part to creating a successful video… then what is?
The message!
First, you want to establish your message. Keep it clear and concise! Second, ensure that your content helps to portray that message.
Don’t know where to start? The good news is that Ydraw can do it all for you!
(and don’t worry.. if you want Mary’s shirt to be blue, we’ll make sure it’s the prettiest blue you’ve ever seen.)
by Ydraw | Sep 12, 2018 | video
Did you know that Facebook is the most popular app downloaded to smart phones? And Instagram has over 1 billion monthly active users, according to Statista.
Social media is all the rage in today’s world. People are on it ALL the time, posting and scrolling.
Sharing content on these platforms, whether it’s through regular posts or ads, this is a great way to get your business in front of others.
A few weeks ago, we talked about how video posts have a higher conversion rate than regular posts. But there’s more to it, you need a strategy for what you are sharing on social media. You don’t want to spam your followers with the same posts that just scream “BUY MY PRODUCT”. You want to switch it up and share different types of content with them to keep them engaged and not feel like you are shoving the same information down their throat.
Here are 4 guidelines for the type of content you should be sharing:
1. Value Post
- This should provide solutions to common problems that your customers/potential customers might have.
- Example:
2. Recognition Post
- Share a success story. Social proof naturally arouses curiosity in others.
- Example:
3. Story Post
- Share a story that ends with a call to action.
- Example:
4. Engagement Post
- Ask your viewers a question. You want them to stop and think about the question you asked.
- Example:
Whether it’s a picture or a video, utilize each and every one of these categories on your social media platforms. Get creative!
Now that you’ve mastered your regular social media posts. Consider running video ads. They allow you to target your audience based on things like age, job title, location, etc. Getting your business in front of the right eyes is key.
How can Ydraw help with all of this?
To see success, you must be consistent and find out what is and isn’t working for you. Here at Ydraw we create content with a purpose. Then we use target marketing on all platforms to share your video. We test this regularly and if it’s not working, we adjust. Video ads are a beast in and of themselves, don’t waste time and money trying to figure it out yourself. Leave it to the professionals if you want to see quick results.
By implementing all these things into your social media game, you’re sure to see results.
by Ydraw | Sep 5, 2018 | animation, Animation Production, Animation Video, Customer Service, Video Strategy Guide, Ydraw
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Take any man-made wonder for example. The Great Pyramids, Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building, Sistine Chapel etc… all of these remarkable accomplishments had to be mentally and visually created before being accomplished. In other words, someone had to think these things up before they were made. I believe any artist, whether they be sketching or preemptively visualizing, goes through a conceptual creative process. The world literally looks the way it does today because of this process being successfully actualized through creators minds over the course of thousands of years.
Not in all cases, but in most, the success of any art form is derived heavily from the conceptual creative process. This is why this process is so critical when trying to create an effective end result, whether that be constructing a building or styling someone’s hair. Whenever I start a new visual project, I like to do several things. First I like to sit down and brainstorm ideas, often times with the client. This helps me gain a better understanding of what needs to be included in the final product. Sometimes clients aren’t sure what they want so be prepared with visual ideas and be sure to ask lots of questions. Second I like to add fuel to the “creative fire” by gathering and absorbing materials that inspire me. For example, listening to music and gathering ideas from other types of media. Everyone is inspired by different things so this may be different for everyone. And third, I usually create a rough storyboard containing visuals and descriptions of what I plan to create.
These three things are in no way an exhaustive list, every creator is different. However, at Ydraw we have found this process to work really well for our videos. As you start the creative process you may discover that some steps work better for you than others so make sure to experiment and find what works best for you. However you may decide to carry out your own conceptual creative process, do it! By taking the time to plan out your next creation beforehand, you will increase the effectiveness of the final product.
Written by Brenden Nelson -Ydraw Video Animator
2. Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller
