In the State of the Video Marketing Report created by Wyzowl, it’s stated that 65% of people believe that the most successful videos should have a lot of likes, shares, and comments. This is why it’s important to select the most suitable format for bringing your message across.
It will help you create an engaging animated video about your products. According to the latest advertising trends, marketing professionals and business owners often use animated videos for promoting products and services. To learn more about different ways of creating clips, read these useful tips on how to make animated videos and make your marketing campaigns more effective.
Where to Begin?
To create an attention-grabbing clip, make sure to set your goal and select the main message. You need to think through the main idea of your animated video and only then select visual effects, music, and eye-catching visuals.
When launching a marketing campaign, you need to pay attention to the length of a video. It should be no longer than 45-90 seconds. Such videos engage a large audience. When you have a clear understanding of the main idea of your animation and its duration, you can start creating it.
1. Write a Brief and Script of an Animated Video
You need to plan everything to make it easier to work on your project step by step. It’s important to write a detailed script but first, you need to write a brief that describes your main message and states what problem you are going to solve.
Once you have a brief, it will be easier for you to write a script. It might be a difficult task for beginners, however, you can find a lot of examples online that can be used as templates. For instance, on the Biteable platform, you will find plenty of tips that will help you write detailed scripts.
Then, you need to think about the main characters of your video and the roles that they are going to play. Select characters that are similar to your target customer. They will help you reach out to your audience and increase customer loyalty.
A call to action is an important element of a plot. It should be noticeable and easy to understand. Viewers should realize what they should do after watching a clip. For instance, they might buy a product, click on a link, place an order, etc. Think about how you can convey your message with the help of a short story. For instance, you may take a look at the list of the best animated commercials compiled by Breadnbeyond. Analyze what plot lines and what calls of action the creators used.
Take a look at the examples of animated marketing videos created by companies that specialize in this area. By analyzing the examples created by professionals, you will understand what a high-quality result should look like. You will also learn about the recent trends and improve your cultural background, which is important for those who create visual projects. If you need to find some examples, take a look at the projects created by Yum Yum Videos, Demo Duck, Kasra Design, Dot, Gruno Media, Vidico.
2. Create a Visually Streamlined Storyboard
A storyboard allows you to visually display the sequence of scenes that you can use to present your idea to your partners or clients. Besides, it will help you create animations. You can do it either on paper or use digital tools.
If you have never worked with a storyboard before and want to learn how to create it for your animation clip, make sure to visit the site of Dream Farm Studios where you will find a step-by-step tutorial with many examples. Read the articles and select the one that describes the animation style that you are interested in.
Advanced animation software has features for creating storyboards. If you don’t have extensive experience, it’s better to use software with handy templates and automated tools that will help you speed up your workflow. For instance, you may use such software as Animaker, InVideo or Moovly.
3. Select a Suitable Style
According to Insivia, over 90% of users believe that an informative video about a product helps them make an informed decision and drives them to purchase. This is why it’s important to select the right animation style to create effective animated ads.
To decide what animation style suits your needs better, you need to learn more about the main differences between them and the main techniques that are used for creating such animated videos.
There are several animation styles:
- 2D is one of the most popular and widely used styles for creating animated clips. It allows you to create simple and engaging animated visuals. This technique is suitable for telling about the key advantages of your product, its usage, new options, etc. If you want to find some inspiration, take a look at the 2D animation projects created by the Yans Media company.
- Whiteboard animation is mostly suitable for creating explainer videos with minimum effects. It allows you to focus a viewer’s attention on the information that is being explained. The IGW marketing agency specializes in creating whiteboard animated commercials for companies of all sizes.
- Animation with typographic elements is suitable for the cases when you need to illustrate complex important ideas using text for grabbing a viewer’s attention. It allows you to change the look of the text and use a variety of fonts, speeds, and colors for creating various effects. To get inspired, take a look at the clips created by the MotionCue company that uses typographic elements when working on its projects.
- Animated infographic clips are used when one needs to convey complex or boring information and make it more engaging using animated charts, numbers, graphics, and forms. The professionals working for the BuzzFlick agency use a creative approach when employing a variety of animated infographic techniques.
- Handcrafted animation is suitable for explaining your ideas and presenting your company’s values. You can make it look as if the objects in the frame were moved by your hand. This style is suitable for creating various types of advertising clips. Such animations are memorable and attention-grabbing thanks to this unique approach. To see the examples of such animations, take a look at the blog of the AdVids company.
When creating animations, you can use one style or combine elements of different styles. The more experience you have, the easier it will be for you to combine different techniques when working on your project.
4. Bring Your Story to Life
It’s the most creative part of the process of the creation of animated ads. If you paid attention to thorough preparations, you are likely to have an idea about the result that you want to get. Select a suitable animation software for your skills and experience. If you don’t have any experience, use programs that come with templates for creating animated marketing videos of different types, such as InVideo.
Try applying different filters and effects to compare the results and select the most suitable options. However, it’s important not to overdo it since if you apply too many visual effects, your video might become visually unappealing. Because of this, it will be more difficult for your viewers to understand your main message.
If you want to create trendy animations, make sure to learn what clips are the most popular and how to combine a variety of effects to achieve the best results. To learn more about this, you can read such sources as Explain Ninja Blog, LAI Video or JuffBullas. Besides, make sure to subscribe to several YouTube channels to follow the recent animation trends, such as Satori Graphics, Dezine Junkie, Yes I’m a Designer, GSFXMentor, etc.
5. Select Background Music
By selecting the right music tracks, you can get an additional advantage since it will help you evoke strong emotions. Think about what feelings and emotions you want your viewer to experience and select the most suitable genre.
Besides, it’s better to select a track that matches the tastes of your target audience. A selected track should fit the animated image well.
To download music tracks, I recommend you to use stock platforms with royalty-free tracks and sounds. Thanks to it, you won’t face any issues with the law since most music files that can be found online are copyright-protected. Experienced animation creators use such platforms as Musicbed, Pond 5, Artlist, Music Vine, AudioJungle, etc.
6. Record High-Quality Voice-Overs
According to researchers, a poor-quality voice-over might discourage viewers from watching a clip and make advertising less effective. This is why you need to pay attention to creating voice recordings that will tell the story of your animation.
You can either hire a professional voice actor or record your own voice. If you don’t want to hire an in-house professional, you can outsource this task. For instance, you can use such freelance platforms as Upwork or Fiverr, where you can find an expert for working on your project.
If you decided to record your voice, use high-quality multi-functional software or contact a recording studio. Audacity is a great option to consider since it comes with a set of advanced features. Besides, you can use this open-source software without paying a dime. Don’t forget to add subtitles to your animated videos for marketing campaigns. Many users watch video content without sound when scrolling their Instagram or Facebook feeds. If your video contains subtitles, it will be easier for you to grab the attention of your client. To avoid typing the text manually, use special features available in text-to-speech software, such as Dragon, Verbit, Braina, etc.
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