The great thing about explainer videos is that they make something that is extremely complicated look so simple. The part that most people don’t undertand is the amount of time and cost that involved in making them.
So how much should one of these videos cost? Excellent question…
Explainer videos are all about brevity and levity. Their brevity keeps people engaged while the entertainment value stops the message feeling outright sales-y. That means you’ve got to take a complex message and make it short and engaging.
That’s not easy. It takes a surprising amount of time, skill and resources to condense a company’s value proposition into 60-90 seconds. It’s harder still to then present that message in an way that is entertaining and enhances brand image – without looking like clip-art. It requires talented people.
With that said, a project will normally involve at least 4 people: a script writer, a producer, a voice over artist and an animator.
All these people have a lot of experience in what is the fairly new advertising medium of animated explainers. They’ve seen what works and most importantly what doesn’t. They have an excellent idea of how to keep things fresh and engaging. Their skills and expertise are well worth the investment.
This is where seeing explainer videos for what they are truly worth comes in to play.
A better option is to invest an appropriate amount that will help you make a significant return
As with anything, you can cheap out, but you normally get what you pay for. A better option is to dedicate an appropriate amount that will help you make a significant return – the same as you would for staff, a website, equipment or advertising.
Of course, it depends on quality and style etc., but a video that is actually going to get results and improve your brand image should cost between $5-10k.
An explainer video can significantly increase customer engagement and lead generation, so don’t just see it as an expensive placeholder on your website, recognize it’s vital significance in promoting your brand and improving your bottom line.
Plus there’s tons of authoritative and compelling research full of big words (such as authoritative and compelling) to prove how they really are worth it. By increasing visitor engagement and generate leads.
So remember don’t think of an explainer video as a gimmick to be classed with home videos about kittens or dancing babies – start thinking of them as what they are – an essential and central part of any online marketing campaign.
Embrace the brevity and levity, otherwise the joke’s going to be on you.
P.S.
Check out these links if you want to see what is involved in producing a video, and the importance of each element. Also, if you’re interested in seeing a breakdown of how these costs can add up, check out this article by Miguel over at Grumo Media.
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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.
