Every single successful explainer video and marketing video has one thing in common:
A Crystal Clear Message.
There it is – secret revealed, or is it?.
Before you click away, disgusted and let down by my pitiful SEO knowledge, stick with me for a moment and you’ll learn something that 95% of video marketers don’t know (although they think they do).
The Dangers of “The 90 Second Rule”
Many video marketers are mesmerized by the magic “90 second rule”. Popular knowledge says that most viewers watch a online video for 90 seconds before clicking away. But this is just downright wrong.
It is true that by ~90 seconds about 80% of your viewers will have moved own, but you’ll have lost 60% by the ~60 second mark. Fact is, you’re losing viewers every second of your video, so the shorter the better. I’ve found 50-70 seconds to be the best. By 90 seconds your viewer numbers have dropped so low that there’s little point in making the video longer. But there’s more.
The real danger of the “90 second rule” is the temptation to cram it full of information, believing that people will absorb everything in that 90 second window. They won’t. Listing too many features and benefits swamps people with information which either confuses them, bores them or scares them off. Obviously none of these outcomes is good, so what’s the alternative?
The Importance of a Clear Message for your explainer video
You need one crystal clear message. Your video should then make that message clear and strengthen it, not hide it behind needless detail. You need to work out “What do I want people to feel like after watching this video?”. And don’t think of generic answers like “I want them to buy my product” or “I want them to visit my website”.
Be more specific, for example the BMW car company might want viewers to think “Driving a BMW would make me feel successful”, Apple might want viewers to think “Owning an Iphone would make me feel fashionable”. The message of “success” and “popularity” would be the key messages of these videos.
Once you have your key message defined, it’s easy to make a script that communicates and strengthens that single idea. No, it won’t tell viewers everything about your company or product, it might even leave out some features you feel are important – but it will get people interested. More importantly it will give them a reason to find out more, and you can always give them all the details then – but now you are dealing with a motivated lead.
How to Define Your Message
Of course it can sometimes be tricky to pin down your messaging and that’s where a messaging document can help you. A messaging document is a simple spreadsheet that identifies your main message and then the information your clients need to hear to accept it. What differentiates you from competitors? What benefits do you offer them? How can you prove you are qualified to offer them this service / product?
Here at ExplanatoryVideos.com, the first thing we do is work out your message, we produce a messaging document for you that you can use for other marketing initiatives.
Of course, if you’d like to do your own research, there is a great article on messaging by Cindy Kennaugh from On The Mark that discusses messaging documents and will give some great tips.
Taking the time to work out your message is well worth it. Remember that marketing videos are like highway billboards. You could fill all that space with detailed text, but you wouldn’t because no one would remember anything from it. You’d work out one simple message and then illustrate and strengthen it with color and images.
Videos are just like those billboards, keep them fun and simple and you’ll see the benefits to your explainer video production.
Kenny Simpson
Connect with Kenny on Google+ Kenny Simpson is a Creative Producer at ExplanatoryVideos.com If you would like to have an explainer video produced or would like more information, click here to drop us a line and get a FREE CONSULTATION and QUOTE.
