Wyzowl-explain-ebook

How to explain anything with video

Wyzowl How to explain anything with video Explain 2 verb /ikˈsplein/ To make something clear or easy to understand by describing or giving information about it. To give a reason for doing something. Cambridge Dictionary wyzowl.com

Wyzowl How to explain anything with video Welcome! In a world where time is limited, and our attention In our experience it happens all the time, even with is pulled in every direction...the ability to explain the most amazing products, services and ideas. yourself clearly might be the closest you can get to having a real-life superpower! The true winners in business aren’t always the guys with the best ideas or the best products - Once you’ve attracted your audience, and captured although, of course, it helps. The people who ‘win’ their attention, you have a limited window in which are the ones who ‘build the best bridge!’ to communicate your message. This stuff matters, because, quite simply, an audience can’t care They get super clear about what they need their about something until they understand it. audience to know, and then drill that message home with laser precision and authority. When you explain something, you build a bridge for your audience to walk across. On one side of This sums up the explain stage of the audience that bridge: intrigue, confusion and unanswered journey perfectly. It’s about explaining a product, questions. On the other? Understanding, emotional service or idea, and arming your audience with investment and - ultimately - action! the information they need to take the next step, whatever that may be. How many times have you landed on a website, skim-read it briefly and then bounced? How often By explaining like a pro, you’ll reduce knowledge do you visit a page, see a bunch of words you don’t gaps, convert website traffic, and close leads really understand, and form a snap judgement that into customers like never before. this isn’t for you? wyzowl.com 3

Wyzowl How to explain anything with video Why video? We’re all trying to explain something, right? And • You can reinforce the message - Video lets • It can be shared and revisited - Video, by its we probably recognise that there are dozens of you merge audio with visual and kinesthetic very nature, can be shared and rewatched different ways to do it. Blog articles, infographics, elements to reinforce and underpin key whenever necessary, delivering essential social media posts, pitches and presentations messages, ensuring optimal chances of messages consistently and clearly time - they’re all at your disposal, and they all bring message absorption and retention. Don’t after time. This makes it an incredible tool different things to the table. just tell your audience stuff you want them for learning, training, marketing, selling and to know about. Show them. Reinforce that many more business functions that rely on the But, when it comes to explaining stuff, video is an message with visuals, illustrations, animations sharing of knowledge. incredibly powerful tool. There are a number of and imagery that helps increase their different reasons for this... understanding, and boost future recall. • You control the pace - One of the best • Consumers expect video - The bottom line? things about video is that you control not Audiences just prefer learning about stuff via only the content, but the delivery, speed and video. For example, we found that - where both sequencing of the information within. This video and text are available on the same page means you can lay out the information you - 72% of people would rather use video to learn want to get across, in the ideal order, at the about a product or service. right pace, to make sure the message sticks! • It inspires action - We’ve touched on it already, but when people understand, they can start to care. When they start to care, it becomes much more likely that they’ll consider taking action. wyzowl.com 4

Wyzowl 5 How to explain anything with video How to explain anything with video So, let’s take a look at some of the ways you can go about using video as a tool to educate, convert and close your audience… wyzowl.com

Wyzowl How to explain anything with video Explainer videos Explainer videos are short - generally 1-2 minute These videos are incredibly effective. We’ve seen - videos that condense all the key points of a thousands of businesses engage and inspire their product, service or idea into a digestible piece audience with explainer videos. In a world where of content. your audience needs to understand what you do quickly and without distraction, an explainer video You could think of it as your video ‘elevator pitch.’ represents a promise to your audience: give us 60 If you stepped into an elevator and had a minute or seconds and we’ll help you understand! two to explain a particular topic to someone, this is the level of detail you’d be able to go into. They’re also super versatile. They can be used in so many ways - from your website home page, to emails, social media, presentations, sales pitches, and so many more. When you actually stop to think about how many often you describe what you do, you realise the extent of the free time you could free up by having a piece of content to do it for you. Did you know? 96% of people say they’ve watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service. wyzowl.com 6

Wyzowl How to explain anything with video The explainer video format for businesses… Trying to condense your whole message into 1-2 4. CALL TO ACTION: You aren’t going to be able minutes can be tricky. You have so much you want to get everything down into 1-2 minutes, so to include! We’ve worked on thousands of explainer think of the ending of your video as a signpost. videos, and, while every video is unique, we find Tell your viewer what action they should take this structure really helpful when getting started… next to find out more or get started. 1. PROBLEM: Spend the first part of your video Piece these 4 ingredients together and you’re well talking about the problem(s) you’re trying on your way to a great explainer video script. But to solve. remember, a well-paced professional voiceover is read at around 130 words per minute, so you’re 2. SOLUTION: Introduce your product or service shooting for a maximum length of 130-260 words as the clear, explicit solution to the problem(s) in a 1-2 minute video. you’ve established. 3. BENEFITS: Cover 2-4 key benefits and USP’s. Any more than this will be overkill. wyzowl.com 7

Wyzowl How to explain anything with video Product demos Buying - or, indeed, selling - a product relies And it’s not just about educating your customers. This makes video more popular as a learning heavily on knowledge and understanding. You can also use product demos to educate sales tool than text-based articles (15%), infographics team members. If you improve their understanding (4%) presentations and pitches (4%) ebooks and As customers, if we don’t fully understand the of the products you sell, you’ll supercharge manuals (3%). features and benefits of a product, we’re clearly far their ability to answer questions, build rapport less likely to buy it. with customers, and highlight the most relevant What is your favourite way to learn about a new product/service? benefits to any given audience. And, as salespeople and marketers, if we don’t 68% communicate those benefits fully, we could be massively limiting our potential. That’s where product demos come into play. A 15% product demo - which highlights key benefits 4% 4% 3% and features - can really help people understand products better. It builds realistic expectations Video Text-based Infographics Presentation Ebooks & about what a product can do, and how it can be articles /Pitches manuals used - which helps reduce unpleasant surprises Our data backs up the fact that people love video post-delivery, improving customer satisfaction, as a way to learn about products. More than two retention and reviews. thirds (68%) of people say their favourite way to learn about a new product or service is by watching a short video. And, what’s more, a whopping 94% of video marketers say video has helped increase user understanding of their product or service. Not bad! wyzowl.com 8

Wyzowl How to explain anything with video Product demos Some online retailers actually use video on as Of course, we’re biased, but we’re particularly many product pages as possible so that, as well partial to animated product demos. Animation is as a range of different images, every product has fantastic because it allows you to show off the a video to help the customer understand what ideal use case of your product, without needing they’re buying from as many angles as possible... to worry about hiring actors or finding shooting locations. You can even make these demos before your product is complete, building buzz and anticipation before launch. wyzowl.com 9

Wyzowl How to explain anything with video App demos There’s a saying that, whatever you want to do It helps you convert the right users, who’ll get the ...all the way through to ‘animated’ demo videos. these days, ‘There’s an app for that.’ As of 2019, most value from your app, and discourage the These videos dynamically recreate parts of your there were over 2 million apps in the Google Play ones who are looking for something different - app or website, giving total freedom and flexibility to Store, with around the same number in Apple’s App which is no bad thing! animate the process and make the app look amazing. Store. That’s not to mention the millions of web applications out there! A well-constructed app demo video helps them understand what they can and can’t do with the The vast majority of these apps and websites will app before they sign up - minimising the chances market using screenshots and text descriptions, of them subsequently using the app and realising but, surprisingly, many of them overlook perhaps that it doesn’t do what they wanted it to do. the most effective tool of all: video. The stats speak volumes on this - a huge 79% of people say This helps to optimise retention and engagement a brand’s video has convinced them to buy a piece and increase positive reviews, which helps of software or app. Video has an incredible knack convince others in future to download. It’s a real of turning ‘possible’ downloads into actual users. virtuous cycle! Just like with product demos, an app demo is There are a number of different ways to a great way to build clear expectations about demonstrate an app or website, from simple, what your app can and can’t do. This means that screen-recorded tutorial videos... people who do download your app have a much clearer, more realistic idea of what to expect before they download. wyzowl.com 10

Wyzowl How to explain anything with video Testimonials Testimonials are all about building trust and If they’re willing to vouch for you, to recommend Video is a great way to highlight your customers credibility among your audience. you to others, then that naturally builds trust in this way. Written reviews and case studies among those who are considering buying your are good, but video really helps your audience Let’s be honest: every brand says they’ll deliver products or services. It tells the viewer that you’re identify with the customer in the video. Being able a great experience, a brilliant product and a viewer that delivers on your promises. And the to see footage of them in their office, working, amazing service. numbers stack up - 93% of people say online interspersed with their comments - plus the ability reviews impact their buying decisions. to hear their voice, assess their tone and body In truth, many consumers treat that with a healthy language - makes it a much richer experience. dose of scepticism and suspicion. Of course, a brand is going to promise great things - they want to win your business, right? So what you say about yourself tends to carry far less weight than what others say about you. That’s why testimonials, reviews and case studies are so powerful. They spotlight an unbiased, impartial third party - your existing customers - and let them speak honestly and openly about their positive experience working with you. wyzowl.com 11

Wyzowl How to explain anything with video Videographics In the words of the American scholar and teacher Videographics are a great tool to help you do W. Edwards Deming, “Without data, you’re just this. Like an infographic, they lay out facts, figures another person with an opinion.” and concepts in a visual way that’s much easier to understand and digest than text alone. But, more Data is truly the fuel that drives the digital world. than infographics, they let you use movement, Numbers, facts and figures help us understand the controlling the speed at which the data is revealed world and build the case for our products, services to the viewer. and ideas. But mere numbers, on their own, have little Generating your own unique data is a great way meaning. It’s about those lightbulb moments where to build thought leadership and attract links back we understand the story behind the numbers, to your website, which, of course, massively aids and what they really mean. The ability to piece organic discovery. Videographic is a brilliant way together those jigsaw puzzle pieces into engaging, to present that data. You could run a simple survey inspirational stories is what makes a truly great through a tool ike SurveyMonkey, pick apart your piece of content. key findings, and then create a videographic that visualises the takeaways. wyzowl.com 12

Wyzowl 13 How to explain anything with video Types of video So, having covered a few ways you can explain anything using video, let’s look at a few of the different types of video you can use to achieve this goal... wyzowl.com

Wyzowl 14 How to explain anything with video Animated video Animated video is one of the most versatile media types available, and we reckon it belongs in every business’ marketing toolkit. The beauty of animated video is that you can basically control every aspect of what’s on screen.. You have total control over the look and feel of your video – the scenery, character design, colours, timings, transitions, soundtrack and more. No worrying about hiring the right actors, or finding the right shoot locations – it’s all up to you. And, unlike other video types where every slight tweak means a re-shoot, you can tweak and refine an animated video until it’s just right. wyzowl.com

Wyzowl 15 How to explain anything with video Demo video Demo videos are a brilliant way to show off exactly how a website, mobile app or piece of software works. They’re great tools that help build realistic expectations among your audience about what can and can’t be done. Because they show the product itself in action, they help underscore the benefits of what you’re offering in a way that’s so much more potent than text alone – after all, seeing is believing! This also makes them powerful educational tools. Why tell your audience how to do something, when you can show them? wyzowl.com

Wyzowl 16 How to explain anything with video Interactive video Traditionally, video has been a linear thing. You can pause, play, rewind and fast-forward. Interactive video is a new and exciting tool that changes that, putting the viewer on the edge of their seat and actively involving them in video like never before. They can choose their own adventure, complete forms, buy products, answer questions – and that’s just the start. It all gives you the power to create unique, exciting video experiences that can attract your audience, explain what you do and give support to your leads, customers and team. wyzowl.com

Wyzowl 17 How to explain anything with video Live action video Live action video is a great way to put a face to your brand – showcasing yourself, your team or your customers. This all helps build credibility, win trust and help show the world that you’re real people with passion and expertise! Live action video is great if you’re looking to create video with that personal touch, or if you want to create high volumes of content for output on social media. It’s quick to film and edit, which makes it easier to create in volume compared to other video types. wyzowl.com

Wyzowl 18 How to explain anything with video Animated graphics The eye is naturally drawn towards movement and motion. Adding movement to your graphics on your website, social media or email is a brilliant way to grab attention and create impactful, memorable experiences for your audience. They’re particularly powerful when used where you wouldn’t normally expect – micro interactions, for example, are a great way to turn boring, mundane actions into fun, creative moments that deeply enhance your audience’s experience with your brand. wyzowl.com

Wyzowl How to explain anything with video About Wyzowl Since 2011, we’ve been helping people achieve amazing things with video. wyzowl.com 19

Wyzowl How to explain anything with video About Wyzowl It all started with the (not so) crazy idea that So we create all sorts of extraordinary video creating an explainer video should be clear, content - animated videos, demo videos, live simple and affordable. We pioneered a process action videos, interactive videos and animated to make that happen; fixed turnarounds, graphics - that help you attract, explain and fixed pricing, unlimited revisions and great support your customers throughout their entire communication throughout. journey with your brand. We’ve used these simple foundations to help At the heart of our success is a brilliant, multi- literally thousands of businesses explain what they skilled team of creatives - writers, illustrators, do, with flair, passion and style. Clients all over animators and marketing experts - based in the the globe, in every niche and industry you could heart of North West England. possibly imagine, have trusted us to tell their story. We’ve built our business around their creativity, These days, we do more than just explain an unconditional commitment to our clients, and a products, services and ideas. We’ve realised that series of systems and processes - working in the that’s only one of the many amazing ways to background - to ensure we always offer the clarity, harness the power of video. simplicity and quality that’s been our calling card since day one. So, whatever your goal, whoever your audience, visit us online at wyzowl.com to find out more about us and get started with your next video. wyzowl.com 20