The 7 Key Ingredients of an Engaging Explainer Video

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KEY INGREDIENTS OF AN ENGAGING EXPLAINER VIDEO

Tell me a fact and I’ll learn, Tell me a truth and I’ll believe Tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.

Native American Proverb

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CONTENTS

Don’t take shortcuts

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Great Script

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It’s not about you!

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No jargon, just plain talkin’

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Size Does Matter

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Humour is Contagious

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Production Quality Counts

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Introduction There has never been a better time to turn your company messages, products and services into video. Experts predict that online video users are expected to double to 1.5 billion in 2016 (Cisco) and 52% of consumers say that watching product videos makes them more confident in online purchase decisions. Today, your customers are inundated with information and are seeking ways to ‘cut through’ all the noise to get to the central message and to have their problems solved. Video is superb at doing this because it: Converts more prospects into customers than most other marketing strategies Is memorable, engaging and develops an emotional response Is easily shared across personal and professional networks Demonstrates authenticity of your brand Cuts through the noise as it reduces the time it takes to consume information In a nutshell, it is the best, most effective marketing strategy available today!

This booklet has been written to help you produce great videos.

If you combine our 7 ingredients we believe you will have a recipe for success.

Enjoy Jules Blundell Director, VideoBuzz

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Don’t take short cuts

Match your messages to your customers buying cycles. One size does not fit all when it comes to videos. They need to make the viewer feel like it was produced just for them.

Here are some ideas: SUSPECTS – • Problem Solving • Video Blogs • Case Studies • Educational – Answer Questions • FAQ

PROSPECTS –

LEADS – • How product/service works • Instructional – How-To • Interviews • Testimonials • Outcomes/Feelings • Webinars

CUSTOMERS – • Engaging Videos– Thank You, Freebies, “But wait there’s more” • New product/service launches • Training Videos • Celebrations/Key Dates/Events • Incentives/Referrals

• Promotional Videos • Product/Service Overview (Features/Benefits) • Brochure • Demonstrations

7 Key Ingredients of an Engaging Video – ©VideoBuzz & Jules Blundell

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Great Script

A powerful, well-crafted script is the foundation of an awesome explainer video. It takes time to write and needs to be ‘approved’ before anything else can start to happen.

With only 10 seconds to grab your viewers’ attention, the beginning must go KAPOW but also keep them enthralled for a further 60-90 seconds.

Do’s Always try to add a bit of humour Challenge people’s thinking - astound, amaze and engage them Find a hook that resonates with your target audience

Don’ts Don’t ramble on, be clear and concise Don’t jam the video with too many messages

NEVER, ever default to your sales pitch.

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7 Key Ingredients of an Engaging Video – ©VideoBuzz & Jules Blundell

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It’s not about you

Another really important part of creating an awesome explainer video is to remember that viewers don’t really care about you and your company. What they want is either a solution to their problems and for you to demonstrate ‘what’s in it for them’.

Do’s Talk directly to your viewer using the words ‘you’ & ‘your’ Address their problems and demonstrate that you understand their pain Craft an amazing message so the viewers don’t even realise they are being sold to

Don’ts Avoid the use of the word ‘we’ Avoid talking in detail about your company

7 Key Ingredients of an Engaging Video – ©VideoBuzz & Jules Blundell

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No Jargon, just plain talking!

Every industry has its own jargon, but not every viewer will know what you are talking about. So, it is really important when producing your video that you use language that is targeted at the reading ability of a 15 year old. Do this and every viewer will understand your message clearly.

Do’s Avoid industry jargon Avoid the use of acronyms Speak to your target audience, use their language, their rules

Don’ts Don’t use flowery, complicated words that bamboozle the viewers Don’t explain difficult concepts using words, use the visuals to do this for you

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Size Does Matter

Consumers’ attention spans are shrinking. The ideal video length is reported to be around 60 seconds and viewer retention tends to drop off around 90 seconds to 2-minute mark. The current trend it to try and stick around the 2-minute mark. But you need to entertain, get your message across and have a ‘call to action’ - that’s the bit where you tell the viewer how to act on what you have explained to them.

Do’s Remember - the video is an overview, not a lengthy description Make the visuals tell the story for you Keep it short - the shorter the better Leave them wanting more

Don’ts Don’t create long videos, break your video into short, sharp segments that can be watched separately

7 Key Ingredients of an Engaging Video – ©VideoBuzz & Jules Blundell

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Must trigger an emotional response

Eliciting an emotional response should be part of all strong marketing campaigns and it is no different for video. People are more likely to share content when they are engaged emotionally and it drives purchasing decisions, triggers action and helps to form beliefs.

Sharing online content is an integral part of modern life and research has shown that content that arouses positive responses, such as awe, are shared more often.

Do’s Give your viewers something unexpected - push the boundaries Trigger surprise, joy, laughter, fear, sadness, or outrage Be brave - make your videos astonishing and breath-taking

Don’t Be boring or bland - you will have wasted your money Don’t create a video without knowing what your customers’ emotional triggers are Don’t focus on your video going viral - focus on getting an emotional response

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Production Quality Counts

Everyone has been watching movies and television for years. We know what a good production versus a poor production looks like.

Wobbling cameras, poor lighting, jerky motion graphics, and dated illustrations can destroy the quality of your video and your viewers won’t watch for more than a couple of seconds.

Do’s Research what the latest styles and trends are in production and know what style video you would like to create Shop around, there are hundreds of video production houses available, but their prices vary considerably, so do your homework Work with a professional company who can help you to craft a great script and produce a high-quality video

Don’ts Don’t use off-shore freelancing sites unless absolutely necessary.

Yes, they’re cheap but more often than not the quality is just not there and your viewers will know Don’t create a video without knowing how you are going to promote it Don’t create poor quality videos, it will do more damage to your brand than a poor customer review 7 Key Ingredients of an Engaging Video – ©VideoBuzz & Jules Blundell

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7 Ways to surprise people through video: Challenge common assumptions and prove them wrong Use startling facts and research Confuse then unravel their thoughts Ask provocative questions Be bold… ‘go where no other have dared to go’ Present the unexpected Show new ideas, new ways of doing things ‘anything unexpected carries an element of surprise’

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7 Key Ingredients of an Engaging Video – ©VideoBuzz & Jules Blundell

About VideoBuzz VideoBuzz takes company messages and turns them into fun and engaging videos.

We work with you from beginning to end to produce a video that resonates with your customers and delivers a great return on your investment.

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Check out my portfolio: www.videobuzz.com.au or https://vimeo.com/julesblundell/videos

“After seeing their excellent portfolio and having been quoted a very competitive price, we placed our trust with Jules and her team and we were not disappointed.

We’ll definitely be using VideoBuzz again in the near future!”

Brad Curnow – Director @ FreePlay

“Jules and the team at Video Buzz were great to deal with, helped us through from start to finish and we were delighted with the 6 videos they made for us. Highly recommended!”

Alex Butera – Director @ National IT Solutions

“Getting a video done by VideoBuzz was easy, quick and well-priced. The finished product looks fantastic, so we are very pleased and would definitely work with VideoBuzz again” Marcus Nicholls – Director @ Akuna Pets

Trying to find the “right” company to create an amazing video is a minefield. There are so many companies offering so many services that it can become incredibly difficult and very frustrating.

Luckily I came across VideoBuzz. The skill, expertise and professionalism of Jules and her team was fantastic! From the initial briefing to concept and finally completion Jules has done an incredible job and I am so happy with the finished product.

I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Jules and her team for any project big or small. Trust me you wont be disappointed!

Bradley Stiles – Director @ Social Transport

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7 Key Ingredients of an Engaging Video – ©VideoBuzz & Jules Blundell

TALK TO US 1300 820 108

jules@videobuzz.com.au

7 Key Ingredients of an Engaging Video – ©VideoBuzz & Jules Blundell

www.videobuzz.com.au

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