“There are times when referrals don’t come easy to me…but in this case, Ydraw proved to be an excellent partner in the development of Parentlink’s video. They were responsive and flexible, they came in on budget and on time, and were very professional throughout the entire process. I did speak to three other firms before landing on Ydraw and none were as agile and customer-focused. Many had drawn out timelines that could not be adjusted to fit our schedule. Others were just way to expensive. Curtis and his team wrote the script with very little input from us and we were pleasantly surprised at how spot they were and willing to adjust as we worked our way through message development. We absolutely loved their work! I highly recommend them.”
Things are changing in the video industry and Ydraw is changing with it. We have a couple of new styles of explainer videos that are going to blow your mind. lol
Curtis and I (Jace) spend a lot of time thinking about and discussing new ways to tell our customer’s stories. All we care about are your results. We want your videos to be successful. Just the other day, we were sitting in Chipotle going over the traditional story telling script style. Is it still effective?
For those who don’t know, a traditional style script starts off with a powerful headline, identifies the problem, gives the solution, and ends with a strong call to action. This has been used for years and it does work, but we think there needs to be more.
Explainer Videos and Stories.
Whenever I speak at conferences I like to open up with a story. There is something about a good story that gets my presentation started off on the right foot. We are not using them enough. So let me show you ways you can incorporate a better story into your new explainer video.
Video 1: Upgrade to a Testimonial Video
When a future customer is listening to your message, they want to know what you can do for them. They are hoping that you can solve a problem they’re experiencing in their life. Whether that problem is a simple want or an immediate need.
To often clients go way overboard on the features of their product or service. Features tell, benefits sell. A video that focuses on features does not perform at the top of the funnel. Feature based videos should be used at the bottom when a future customer has already looked into you business.
Make sure you write that down some place. It will change your business… 🙂
We decided to ask the question…If we were going to make a purchase, what kind of video would we want to see?
It would need three things:
1. Prove the product or service can solve my problem
2. Be very convincing (social proof)
3. Have a story behind it
Obviously we have all seen video testimonials before. They work! But a lot of them are lacking creativity and forget to focus on the actual story.
So here is what we came up with.
Have an actual customer tell their story (video testimonial), create graphics and images that show the story, and wrap it all up with emotional music.
We all get tired of boring educational videos. Unless they are creative, fun, and engaging.
Effective storytelling can be a great way to education an audience and persuade others to your point of view. A long lecture isn’t too convincing because they feel opinion-based. Which can be polarizing.
But a careful blending of rhetoric and facts woven into the right story can change minds.
We have done a couple of these styles of videos in the past, but we kind of took this educational explainer video to a whole new level.
If you’re in the market for a new explainer video that will persuade your audience the right way, then give us a call.
It’s a given that not all information is going to have people on the edge of their seats, especially when it comes to business content. Ideas, concepts and new products need and deserve exposure for sure, and video is a great way to make it happen.
But seriously..where is the logic behind investing time and money intosomething with no entertainment value whatsoever–even if it happens to be informative? At best, people are forced to watch and try to digest it, and worst case, it gets completely ignored and/or even criticized. Boring videos can be a waste of your viewers’ and your time.
Put yourself in your audience’s shoes.
Think about your life. Think about your typical routine from how you feel when your alarm clock goes off, to getting up and ready, to starting work whether you work in an office, from home, or on the road. Think about what you do and where your mind and mood are at different times throughout the day.
Now think about how you feel when you take a quick break to check your phone and surf the web, Facebook or YouTube. What kinds of things catch your attention and what will you skip over?
Finally, think of yourself at the end of the day. How does your brain feel? What do you want to think about and what do you want to avoid? Chances are, the last thing you want to do as you unwind is sit and watch some boring video explaining…anything. In fact, if you come across dry information not only are you likely to quickly move past it, you might also be slightly annoyed by it.
Boring Videos = Lost Messages = Lost Money
I think I can fairly speak for the general population and reiterate what has been said on this site before when I say that people just don’t like boring videos!
And yet, they keep getting produced. They’re everywhere! From promoting the latest scientific wonder of a supplement to hit the shelves to teaching employees about harassment policies, to rounding up support for a cause that will save the world; these important, informative and boring videos are being created, not watched…and…messages….are….getting…lost!
We all know that video is by far one of the best ways to market a product or idea. People remember more when visual is combined with audio, so yes, please, make videos and use them to put your point across. Just be sure those videos are attention-grabbing so any time and money you invest into them doesn’t go down the drain.
Entertaining Videos Can Make You Money
I get it; there are some pieces of critical information that just aren’t that interesting but can be if you present them the right way. Entertaining marketing and corporate videos can definitely make you money!
Marketing: It’s obvious how an entertaining video can help sell just about anything. Marketing is all about catching and keeping the attention of clients or potential clients as a message is delivered. With all the competition out there, you’ve got to be creative to get noticed!
Corporate: How can corporate videos be profitable? Good guestion. They’re necessary and people generally get paid to watch them. Step one is getting colleagues and/or staff to watch the video. Step two is keeping them engaged so they actually remember what it’s all about.
If your training videos are interesting enough, your employees will pay attention, remember what they’ve been taught and actually act on it. If they make your employees smile or laugh–even better! Happy employees who know what they’re doing, love their jobs and think their company is cool, work harder by default. When they work harder, production goes up and you make more money.
If your concept catches your colleagues’ attention you’re more likely to get their support. More support means more recognition and in most cases more recognition leads to…you guessed it…more money.
Ydraw Can Take the Boring Out of Boring Videos
Ydraw videos are well known for their high-quality art and quirky storylines that keep audiences engaged. It’s no secret that we pride ourselves on the effectiveness of our entertaining videos.
As our client, we ask that you be open to our suggestions as we work together to make sure your audience isn’t bored. That way we can deliver an entertaining, memorable share-worthy video that will help your company produce amazing results and increased revenue.
Thank you for reading Why Businesses Create Boring Videos!
Why you should definitely consider Video Marketing
As technology becomes more accessible, our means of marketing continues to evolve. Over the past decade we have seen a significant increase in video marketing efforts from brands both large and small. The reason people are so ecstatic about video marketing is because it works!
Not only has the costs of producing a video dropped significantly over the years, the means of promoting your video have become much more sophisticated, helping brands reach the right target audience much more quickly.
Below we’ll dive into the main reasons why you should definitely consider making space in your marketing budget for video, and some of the best ways to reach your ideal buyer in no time.
Get your Message to the Masses
They say that an image is worth a thousand words, however, video is estimated to be worth 1.8 million words according to Dr. James McQuivey. People are predominantly visual by nature, meaning that by implementing video you cater your marketing message to the masses.
While a striking image may captivate the attention of a person rather quickly, the moment you add motion to it, you significantly increase engagement and retention. This is why video marketing has seen a steady increase in use over the past few years.
People are waking up to the fact that in a world where everyone is bombarded with information on a consistent basis, it is important to be able to draw their attention away from the clutter and look at your message.
The Viral Potential
Video marketing done right can reach millions of viewers with a small budget. Above any other content format on the internet, video has the quickest potential to go viral. It’s much more memorable to share a video as opposed to a blog post. An image may impact people, however video captivates them and keeps them talking.
Facebook has shown to be one of the best video marketing platforms for viral video marketing. While YouTube is still the king of video on the internet, the advertising platform and precise targeting options within Facebook, allows you to put your brand video or product video in front of the eyes of a very precise demographic.
However, it is important to understand that both YouTube and Facebook are two different platforms that ultimately serve different purposes. On both platforms, videos can go viral and drive in heaps of traffic seemingly overnight.
Understanding Different Types of Video Marketing
Video is versatile and can be utilized in many different areas of your business. Whether you use video for promoting a product or your company, to facilitate customer engagement or simply to add value to your brand, there is no downside to using this marketing method.
Quick Ads – These ads are typically no longer than 30 seconds and most are even shorter. For the most part, this format is used on popular video platforms like YouTube. These are the videos that appear in between your video playlists that give you an option to “skip this ad” after five seconds. This means that if you are going to implement this strategy, you have to hook the viewer within five seconds. It’s a good way to break into relevant markets if you don’t have any followers or to push a time sensitive promotion.
Tutorials – These videos are typically longer in nature and can last up to 20 minutes. While you aren’t ‘selling a product’ directly, you provide value to the viewer by giving them insight into a product/service you might be promoting. Tutorials are also excellent for SEO as it keeps the viewer on your page meaning that the ‘on page time’ increases and bounce rates decrease.
Explainer Videos – These videos are typically no longer than 2 minutes. However, for the vast majority of these videos 90 seconds is the goal. These videos are dynamic as they could be used to introduce a brand or product and should establish a problem and solve it within the timeframe. Most brands implement these types of videos in their marketing campaigns.
Sales Videos – These videos can range anywhere between 5-10 minutes and are typically used on landing pages or squeeze pages. As opposed to explainer videos, these videos can go into greater detail about the product/service you are promoting and should have a clear call to action at the end. Sales Videos are designed to make it easier for your prospects to understand what it is you are selling.
Viral Videos – For the most part, viral videos are quite short. Similar to Explainer videos, this format typically is no longer than 2 minutes in length. However, the ideal timeframe you should be shooting for is roughly 30 seconds. The purpose of a viral video isn’t to sell but to drive in traffic. You optimize a CTA to drive people to your squeeze pages after the video has gone viral. In essence, these videos should contain a strong emotional link to your target demographic and your CTA should relate to the contents of the video.
What to Consider when Using Video for Your Brand
Your budget will change depending on what type of video you need. There are a few elements you need to consider when making a video:
Script – This is the heart and guide of your video. Without a compelling script a video cannot be made. Depending on the writer you get, a script budget could range from anywhere between $50 USD – $100 USD. Scripts are presented in Audio-Visual format. (Two Column Format)
Voice Over – Once the Script has been created, voice over is required. There is a great wealth of ‘voice talent’ online and the type of voice actor you require will influence your budget. These V.Os can range from $30 and upward depending on the experience and portfolio of the V.O artist.
Production – Once you have the script and the voice over completed, you will commence with producing the video. Typically people use programs like After Effects or other video editing software. The format you chose for your video will influence the price. Don’t “skimp” out on the price–the quality of your video will have a direct impact on your conversions rates.
Platform and Promotion – Once everything has been produced, you will need to load it on the appropriate channels and apply an advertisement budget to it. The price tag associated with this action is entirely up to you.
We hope this in-depth overview of video marketing provided you with the necessary tools to engage in video marketing for your brand. If you have any questions or doubts, be sure to get in touch with us today!
WOW! It’s been a busy 5 years for Ydraw. We launched interactive videos, ypaint, #ygrams, 2.5D animation, live with animation, cardboard videos, and blackboard animation videos, to name a few. We also improved our 2D and 3D styles. Don’t believe us? Check out the demo reel.
In 2018, we’ve been making the switch from explainer videos, to stories! If you want the full details on why, you can read this blog post.
We focused on generating leads, traffic, and sales with stories. Ydraw spent thousands on creating YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram ads. We wanted to create a simple system that would help our clients generate more traffic, leads, and sales with their videos.
Here are some things you should be doing in 2019 with your videos
Video Advertising Ideas Class 101
1. Instagram Ads
I want to show you some of our Instagram videos. We usually test our creations on our own company first and then push them out to our customers.
Here’s our 30 second Instagram ad we did for Ydraw. We took a video we already had and cut it down to 30 seconds. We can do the same for you.
It worked! Here’s a simple screenshot of the results. (note: we did run this over the holiday season which can get expensive. Costs have since come down.)
This simple ad has generated over 142 direct leads. The power of Instagram comes with the comments and sharing. I will discuss this more later.
Here are a couple more examples of Instagram video ads. Below them is a webinar I recorded that goes into more detail about Instagram ads.
Instagram Sponsored Ad Webinar
2. Facebook Ads
Just like Instagram ads, you ought to be running Facebook video ads. Here’s why.
I have been running Facebook ads for years. So far the numbers have been great! The screenshot above is a simple ad I created.
Spend: $218.17
Leads: 31
Reach: 17,687
3. Youtube Ads
I am still in love with YouTube! If you’re not using YouTube for ranking and video ads, wake up…haha!
Please make it a priority in 2019.
Here is a fun YouTube Video Ad we created for a carpet cleaning company.
There is so much more to come on this subject so stay tuned for more.
YouTube’s TrueView Advertising Yields True Blue Results
YouTube’s video sharing services have exponentially grown since their launch in 2005.
With over a billion users (which equates to about one third of the on line population) people are watching hundreds of millions of hours on YouTube every day.
The video presence of YouTube is unparalleled, they reach more people in the age range of 18-49 than any cable network in the U.S. Internationally, YouTube can be navigated in 76 different languages which translates to 95% of the earth’s population.
Since their acquisition by Google in 2006, YouTube has become a frontrunner in advertising choices.
YouTube’s TrueView advertising format makes implementing an ad campaign easier than ever before.
Just as the name hints at, advertising partners pay per true-view and are only charged when the viewer is engaged with your ad.
That means you only pay when the viewer watches 30 seconds or the full ad (whichever is shorter) or if the viewer interacts with your ad i.e. clicks over to your site.
There are two types of TrueView ads; in-stream and in-display.
The in-display ads appear in YouTube search results, adjacent to related videos, on the YouTube home page, and on partner websites and apps.
In-stream ads play before, during, or after videos on YouTube or on partner websites and apps.
A great aspect of the TrueView dynamic is that viewers have control over what they see and how much they view.
Viewers are given the option to skip an in-stream ad after five seconds, so if they choose not to view your ad its no money out of your pocket.
Real time analytic updates are an excellent feature of TrueView ad partnerships.
YouTube includes built-in analysis so you can measure the effectiveness of each of your video ads and make adjustments as necessary.
Some of the analytical features allow you to see exactly where your ad is being viewed, how many clicks you’re receiving, and how many ad views you have paid for.
If you choose to run multiple video ads at once this tool allows you to compare performance and have maximum reach from your campaigns.
YouTube also features target audience optimization for all of their advertising partnerships.
They offer a variety of customization options such as location, age, gender, and interests just to name a few.
Ensuring you reach the right audience, TrueView ads are easily palatable for the viewer.
If they don’t want to see your in-stream ad, they have the choice of simply skipping it.
If they don’t want to view your in-display ad they just don’t click on it. This allows them a chance the either become interested or continue on their merry way.
Either way, you’re only paying for viewers who are interested in watching your ads.
TrueView advertising is a practical and effective method of connecting with your market.
According to YouTube’s analysis, partner revenue has grown 50% consistently over the past 3 years.
Having all the evidence of success, Youtube TrueView advertising yields true blue results.
If you want more information about YouTube TrueVeiw advertising click here.
Thank you for reading YouTube’s TrueView Advertising
