Smooth Sailing Through the Ydraw Process

You did it!! You’re ready to start making your video.

So what’s next? The Ydraw process has stood the test of time in creating awesome videos, so don’t worry, you’re in great hands. There are 3 steps to our process: The scripting and scene plan phase, art phase, and production phase.

Here are some tips and trips and to make the overall process smooth and enjoyable.

SCRIPTING AND SCENE PLAN PHASE

During this time you’ll work with a creative director to nail down your script and scene plan. We like to think of these videos as a teaser to your product or service. We want to make sure that just enough information is included so that it sparks interest in the topic, and causes the viewer to take action. We don’t want to include every minor detail involved in your product or service, as this is likely to bore your audience.

So what makes a video successful? The headline and call to action!

A headline is the first couple of sentences in your video. These sentences are what hook your viewer immediately! A call to action appears at the end of the video, and instructs your viewer to do something! It can be as simple as visit your website, click the link, fill out a form, etc.

Below are a few DOs and DON’Ts to creating your script.

DO:
-Share all your ideas with the creative director.
-Collaborate and discuss the MOST important information needed in your video. (Remember it’s a teaser!)
-Keep your audience in mind, and solve their needs.

DON’T:
-Ramble on about minor (non-important) details.
-Make your message all about you. (Remember, the viewer is the star!)

ART PHASE
Once the script and scene plan is approved, we send it off to an artist!! (Check out our art styles page to see all the different options!) The artist then creates the artwork based on the information described in the scene plan. We love to send them reference images, color schemes, logos, and any other documents that help them create the scenes!

We send these scenes over to you so that you can meet with your team and talk through your changes. We want your artwork to be perfect!

Below are some DOs and DON’Ts in the artwork phase.

DO:
-Share your artwork with your team.
-Make sure the artwork tells your story.

DON’T:
-Get the opinion of every family member, neighbor, and person on the street you talk to. Involving too many people in your video’s production forces you to pick and choose whose opinion matters most, and definitely slows the process!
-Focus too much on minor details.
-Complicate the artwork. Keep in mind that simplicity is key!

PRODUCTION PHASE
Once your artwork is approved, we send it into production. This is the best part. You get to sit back and relax while we bring your video to life! We’ll add in the voiceover, animation effects, and music and sfx, and send you the finished video link.

Overall, our advice to clients would be to not sweat the small stuff! Sometimes, we see our clients get hung up on minor details that often times have no impact on the video’s message. We love creating videos, and want you to enjoy the Ydraw process too!

Want to get started? Contact us today to start making an awesome video 🙂

Why Whiteboard Offers the Best Value

Why Whiteboard Offers the Best Value

You ever wonder what it costs to produce an advertisement? At Ydraw we turn down a mountain of clients each and every week because they feel our prices are just too much. But how do our prices stack up against other companies? And just how cost effective is a whiteboard animation compared to other forms of advertising on the market?

Let’s do this thing.

I’m going to start with whiteboard animation, since that’s what Ydraw is primarily known for — though our library is quite diverse in terms of the types of products we offer.

A whiteboard animation running sixty seconds costs $7,500. This includes the customer’s choice of voice over artist, visual artist, a screenplay, and music/SFX.

Here’s an example:

Now, check out these prices for various forms of advertising, per Adage.com:

$400,000
The average outlay for a commercial during the fifth season of AMC‘s “The Walking Dead,” making it the costliest scripted series on TV. The Oct. 12, 2014, season premiere drew 17.3 million viewers; the March 29 season finale, 15.8 million.
According to averages from media buyers compiled by Ad Age during the upfronts; ratings according to Nielsen.

$750,000
The amount Snapchat demands per “Brand Story” ad, a branded post (or “snap”) that appears within the app’s “Stories” feed. Snapchat doesn’t disclose user numbers.
According to media buyers interviewed by Ad Age, January 2015.

$35
The cost for a thousand impressions on Hulu for standard run-of-site in-stream video ads, with a minimum requirement of two ads per campaign.
According to Hulu’s rate card, March 2015.

$1.55 million
The cost of 30 seconds of ad time in the championship game of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament on CBS, when Duke will take on Wisconsin. That’s up from $1.49 million in 2014. Last year the championship game averaged 21.2 million viewers, down from 23.4 million in 2013.
According to Kantar Media, Nielsen and media buyers interviewed by Ad Age.

$112,000
The average cost for 30 seconds of commercial time in prime time broadcast TV last year. That’s up from $110,00 in 2013.
According to Nielsen

$344,827
The average cost of a 30-second commercial during “The Big Bang Theory” on CBS, the most expensive comedy on TV. “Big Bang” averaged 16.7 million viewers this season through March 12.
According to Ad Age interviews with media buyers during the 2014 upfronts; audience according to Nielsen

$50,000
The cost of one full-color ad on the front page of The New York Times. To appear on the Times’ front page, though, marketers must commit to a certain frequency, such as front-page ads every Tuesday for six months; the total cost of running frequent page-one ads would likely top $1 million.
According to current and former Times executives interviewed by Ad Age, March 2015.

$24.76
The average cost of a thousand impressions for a 30-second commercial in broadcast prime time in 2014, down from $25.06 in 2013.
According to Nielsen

$20
The cost of a thousand impressions for a sponsored photo on Instagram, down from $40 in 2013 when Instagram first rolled out ads. Instagram says more than 300 million people around the world check out the photo-sharing app each month. Instagram’s minimum ad spend is $200,000.
According to rate cards provided to media buyers by Instagram in spring 2015, before any discounts; minimum spend is according to a media buyer interviewed by Ad Age, March 2015.

$30
The cost of a thousand impressions for a sponsored video on Instagram.
According to rate cards provided to media buyers by Instagram in spring 2015, before any discounts.

$2.5 million
The cost of four weeks on Times Square’s biggest billboard, Clear Channel’s eight-story sign on Broadway from West 45th Street to West 46th Street.
According to sources familiar with the sign’s cost as of March 2015.

Can you imagine paying over a million dollars for an ad that runs less than one minute?

Obviously, these are extreme examples. Here are some you might be more familiar with, according to this website:

National TV Advertising
Setup Cost — $63,000 to $8 million
Cost of Media — Approx. $342,000 per 30 second ad

National Magazine Advertising
Setup Cost — $500 to $397,800
Cost of Media — Approx. $250,000 per ad

National Newspaper Advertising
Setup Cost — $11 to $1.4 million
Cost of Media — Approx. $113,000 per ad

Direct Mail Marketing
Setup Cost — $50 to $7,200
Cost of Media — Approx. $51.40 per order

Telemarketing
Setup Cost — $1,000 to $5,200
Cost of Media — $7-$70 per hour, or $35 – $60 per lead

National Search Engine Optimization
Setup Cost — $4,000 to $10,000
Cost of Media — Free, though it’s roughly $500 per month for an internet marketer

National Pay Per Click Marketing
Setup Cost — $4,000 to $10,000
Cost of Media — $0.05-$3 per qualified visitor, plus $500 per month to internet marketer

National Email Marketing
Setup Cost — $4,000 to $10,000
Cost of Media — $0.05 – $3 per qualified visitor, plus $500 per month to internet marketer

Web Content Marketing Campaign
Setup Cost — $6,000 to $12,000
Cost of Media — Free

A Whiteboard video falls in line with the final choice: Web Content Marketing Campaign. So, while the upfront cost of $7,500 for a sixty-second ad might throw you off, consider it a lifetime investment in terms of how you can promote your business.

Other campaigns, such as magazine or newspaper ads require constant updates and monthly fees. And while you’re certainly guaranteed to get a lot of impressions, chances are only a small percent of them are catering to your audience.

You have a little more leeway in this regard with a television or radio ad since you can choose which time of day, or programs to run it; therefore, guaranteeing the audience is at least fit for your product.

But, again, the fees. Lots and lots of fees. Plus, such ads quickly become dated. Or, they may not even be seen at all!

According to an article written in The Guardian in 2010 (!), it was reported that nearly 90% of audiences skipped through TV advertising. Such is common practice in today’s high-tech world of streaming services, and DVR satellite systems that let you fast forward through advertisements.

Ask yourself: when was the last time you truly paid attention to the commercials during a TV show, sporting event (outside of the Super Bowl), or movie you were watching?

In my house, we have our smart TV connected with our Google Movies account. Between that and Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Go, our exposure to TV advertising is quite limited.

Same with radio, where most ads go unheard because there are so many more convenient streaming options for music these days.

Now, the thing about a Whiteboard video, specifically, is that it features eye-catching visuals that are designed to attract an audience’s attention. And there are so many inexpensive ways to market them.

Yeah, Facebook charges a fee to advertise on their site, as does YouTube, and Instagram. According to FitSmallBusiness.com:

The short answer is $0.65 per click in the US. In other words, every $65 you put into Facebook gives you around 100 clicks on your ad, according to the Salesforce Advertising Index Q3 2015.

You can put your Whiteboard video on Facebook, and then, using the site’s unique features, ensure it gets seen by your target audience. You can customize the features to allow only specific states or regions to see your content, and you only pay when a potential client clicks your ad. That cuts out a lot of needless excess cost.

No, I’m not here to advertise for Facebook, but merely to demonstrate the myriad of ways you can use a Whiteboard video. You can post them on YouTube, or simply post them on your website. You can share them with clients, potential clients; use them at shows, and even put them on TV if you’ve got the budget.

And you can do all of this for $7,500!

There’s no worrying about OCD directors, stuck up actors, shooting schedules, or the myriad of problems that exist with a live-action commercial production. Check out this quote from JLB Media Productions:

The DGA (Director’s Guild of America), of which I am a member, considers low budget commercial work to be $75,000 per day, up to $225,000 for a three-day production. Most national commercials are several hundred thousand dollars up to a few million dollars. Directors are typically paid anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 per day of shooting, but many times that means $25,000 for a one-day shoot that also involves two weeks of prep and another week bidding on the job against other directors.

And that doesn’t factor in the aforementioned cost to advertise your product. Smaller production companies will charge less, but the result more often than not looks like this:

Yikes! Does that ad reflect the company it’s promoting well?

Now, check out this Whiteboard video, which cost less to produce:

See the difference? Which business looks more professional? Which one required the least amount of time and headaches to produce?

So, before you dish out a gazillion dollars on a thirty-second TV, radio, or newspaper ad, give Ydraw a call. Our process is simple and guaranteed to produce the results you’re looking for.

Call us today!

How Whiteboard Video Can Keep Your Business from Dying of Spring Fever

How Whiteboard Video Can Keep Your Business from Dying of Spring Fever

Does Your Business Really Slow Down during Summer or Are You Missing an Opportunity to Keep it Growing?

 

Ah, summer! The very word brings images of freedom and soaking up the sun at the beach or poolside. You can smell bar-b-que in the air and feel cool soft grass beneath your feet as you jump to grab a frisbee being thrown in your direction.

 

Spring has officially sprung and Spring Fever has once again become epidemic in places where winter is actually cold. CEOs and students alike can be prone to distracting thoughts of vacation and..getting…OUTSIDE!!

 

This is yet another time where having a really strong attention grabbing whiteboard video can get your audience thinking about you and your business again.

 

Spring Fever used to be deadly to a lot of businesses. Not so much nowadays. It doesn’t kill anymore; let me tell you why.

Clients Unintentionally Take You with Them Everywhere They Go

 

Thanks to mobile devices your business can be in front of millions of viewers faces at times where they aren’t completely immersed in work and/or school. They actually have time to pay attention. This particularly applies when they 1-work remotely or 2-go on vacation.

1-People Work Remotely

Technology has made it so people can work remotely, or, take work on vacation with them. They are able to focus on work without the distractions of daily life or the office buzz. It is just them and their laptop. You can take part of their undivided attention.

2- Vacating Your Life Completely on Vacation is almost IMPOSSIBLE!

 

Imagine a family going on vacation to the Florida Keys. How many times will they use their mobile devices during the trip?

 

A-Travel Time


Chances are there will be very little singing in the car and the alphabet game, if played at all, will be short lived. GPS will periodically chirp directions at the driver, interrupting his or her favorite Pandora station.

 

There will be either a movie going in the back seat or, you guessed it, everyone else will be playing on his or her phone or tablet. If they’re flying, once the airplane hits cruising altitude–guess what?

 

Long gone are the days when travel time meant being forced to come up with something creative to do while just sitting.

 

B-Meal and Leisure Times


It takes conscious effort to be present and detached from your cell phone in any situation. This family will likely have good interaction and conversation during meal and leisure times, but with conversation lulls and as family members wind down for the evening, cell phones will come out at least once or twice.

 

C-No Service and Cell Phone Free Zones


What will happen when they volunteer or are forced to surrender their beloved cell phones for hours on end to “unplug” in a cell phone free zone or an area without service?

 

SEPARATION ANXIETY!!

 

Imagine the relief on their faces as screens light up and the buzz of new text messages and emails announcing their existence are heard!

 

D-Vacation Documentation


Finally, while they are “vacating” their lives they will make sure to post selfies and pictures of the cool food they eat and the fun things they see and do on Instagram, Facebook and their YouTube channels.

 

How You Can Use Whiteboard Video During Spring Fever Season to Ignite More Interest in Your Business

 

Let’s face it–dependency on mobile devices is real and is not likely to go away any time soon! So why not utilize this state of the human condition in your marketing plan? It can be a great thing for your business when peoples’ noses are pointed phone-ward.

 

1-Use Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Ads

 

Remember Jace’s suggestions in his recent article

“What We Learned About Explainer Videos in 2015”?

This is a fantastic time to start putting them into practice if you haven’t already.

 

Let’s go back to our traveling family in the last section.

After a fun filled day of deep sea fishing, CEO Joe proudly posts a picture of he and Joe Jr. holding up the 11-foot swordfish they caught on Instagram and/or Facebook. CEO Joe, like most of the general population, will probably glance at his news-feed for at least a few seconds before or after posting, since, it’s really hard to enter the social media world without getting at least a glimpse of what’s going on there.

He will likely revisit and either add more posts or see what kind of popularity rating his post earned among his friends and followers. He might even post a video on his YouTube channel of the glorious moment when the swordfish was caught.

 

This is where a fun whiteboard video from your company could get noticed, watched and possibly even shared. After all, CEO Joe is on vacation and has leisure time to enjoy social media.

 

2-A New Season is a Great Time to Make an Online Announcement and/or Launch a New Video

 

People love “new” things and “news”. They will do a double take at something they haven’t seen before. If you’re planning on releasing a new product or bringing on new programs, aspects or talent, announcing it during a slower season could breathe extra life into your business.

 

Be strategic and make sure the timing is just right. Your announcement doesn’t even have to be earth shattering or company-changing; news is news and news turns heads.

 

New seasons can be a great time to consider launching or looking toward creating a new video–just to spice things up!

 

3-Use a Seasonal Topic to Bring Attention to Your Current Video(s).

 

Your customers need to know you’re there for them. This means bringing up topics they could be interested in, even if those topics aren’t directly related to what your business offers or sells.

 

One option is to blog or maybe even create a short newsletter with some helpful hints or healthy summer recipes. You could also post a picture of your amazing office softball team to help reinforce the human side of your business and connect them to you even more.

 

Regardless, make sure and link your video, old or new, to any form of online communication you put out there. It will get views and repeated views, and repetition is a good thing!

 

 

Become part of your audience’s leisure time with a fun distracting and informing whiteboard video that will make them smile.

 

Approached the right way, Spring Fever won’t kill your business; your whiteboard video really can light a fire under it and help keep it growing!

Thanks for reading How Whiteboard Video Can Keep Your Business from Dying of Spring Fever!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ydraw On A Mexican Riviera Cruise

Ydraw On A Mexican Riviera Cruise

Here at Ydraw we are all about work, but every now and then we decide to take some time off.  We think that if you work hard, you should be able to play hard.  And that’s exactly what we like to do.  And let’s be honest, our team deserves it!  At least we think so.

We had an amazing time this year on a Mexican Riviera Cruise. The crew deserved it for all their hard work.

And we just wanted to share this photo of us enjoying our time together.  =)

Have a great week everyone, and remember to take some time off to recharge and mellow out.