Why use an explainer video? and the scientific reason why it’ll boost engagement
Why Are They So Effective?
1. It uses the dual-coding method
Explainer videos are so effective because they combine audio and visual stimulus to explain a concept in a simple and understandable way. Instead of just providing text or audio, they use both, which is proven to increase message retention.
Andrew Angus, author of “60 seconds: How to tell your company’s story & the brain science that makes it stick” cites a principle called dual-coding that reveals when auditory senses alone are stimulated, people retain about 10% of what they’re told, but when both visual and auditory senses are stimulated, that number goes up to 68%. That’s a 580% increase in retention!
Adding visuals to a verbal description can make the presented ideas more concrete, and provides two ways of understanding the presented ideas. Dual coding is about more than just adding pictures. Instead, the visuals should be meaningful.
Moreover, according to Ekaterina Walter and Jessica Gioglio, the authors of “The Power of Visual Storytelling”, your brain processes images faster than it does text, some 60,000 times faster!
This is because the human brain has processed images to understand the world for much longer than it has grappled with the written word, a relatively new phenomenon at least on an evolutionary scale .
Images too have a more direct effect on our emotional state. For instance, consider how you feel when you read the word “girl” and when you look at a picture of a smiling girl. While the word is benign, the photo may trigger an emotional response.
This knowledge should guide your use of explainer videos!
2. It is the best way to tell a story. Remember that people love stories!
The human brain is programmed to respond to narratives, particularly ones that engage with ideas that are familiar to them. By mixing unfamiliar ideas with familiar ones, stories told through video help introduce viewers to new concepts. An explainer video gives consumers a reason to care about a business.
Stories can give us the ability to empathize with characters by “transporting” us into their brains. Research shows that when we are really sucked into a story, our attitudes and beliefs are more susceptible to change.
According to David Hoffeld, the author of “The Science of Selling”, there’s a scientific concept called “narrative paradigm”; this psychological phenomenon refers to your brain’s natural tendency to be swayed more easily by stories than by plain facts.
A compelling story can bypass your critical thinking faculties and tap directly into the emotional part of your mind. So, the best way to present your offering is through an explainer video with a narrative framework. Rather than just giving a dry list of details, introduce a character, a conflict, and a resolution.
Over 2,000 years ago, the poet Aristotle came up with the three-act story structure. The beginning sets the scene by explaining the characters and situation; the middle provides obstacles for the characters and a means of resolution; and the end shows the climax and conclusion.
Using this basic structure to create stories within your explainer video, will make your products and services memorable!
“Visual storytelling” are two words that when combined create a POWERFUL method for a company to successfully market its brand – if used in the right way.
3. It is the best way to give your audience all the information they need to buy.
David Hoffeld, points out in his book “The Science of Selling”, that the decision of buying a product is the final outcome of a series of six choices:
Why change?
Why now?
Why your industry?
Why your company?
Why your product?
Why spend the money?
Your job is to help consumers through the process of answering these questions. And the best way to do it is with an explainer video where you will be able to explain everything they need to know in a concise and effective and in a short time.
So, using an explainer video is the best way to demonstrate the value of your product or service as well!.
4. We are in the digital age. Online presence is more important than ever.
According to Google, 97% of consumers use the web to search for local businesses – and if the vast majority of your potential customers are online, you should be, too. Having a strong online presence is a crucial component of your marketing strategy, no matter what size your business is or what industry it belongs to.
An online presence is important for outbound marketing because it reinforces your brand and what you offer to your target market. Once you’ve communicated with your audience, you’ll need to have a web presence that helps portray why your product or service is so great – because that’s the next stop for the majority of your potential customers.
It’s also vital for inbound marketing because quality online content will help attract customers even if they haven’t heard of your brand.
Visual storytelling is essential marketing in the digital world. That’s because effective visuals are key to grabbing the attention of customers and securing their engagement both online and offline.
Both in the private and the business sector, there is a significant increase in the use of explainer videos because they effectively convey complex facts to a target group within a very short time.
So, what are you waiting to start working on your explainer video??
If you are not convinced yet, here are a few more stats from Andrew Angus’s book that should get you even more excited about explainer videos:
People who view a web video are 64% more likely to make a purchase.
Retail site visitors who view video stay two minutes longer on average.
52% of consumers say that watching product videos makes them more confident in their online purchase decisions.
59% of senior executives prefer to watch video instead of reading text, if both are available on the same page.
60% of respondents to a Forbes survey said they would watch video previous to reading text on the same web page.
Do you need more reasons???
We use storytelling and behavioural psychology techniques to create even more effective explainer animations. We tell your story so that customers have all the information and persuasion they need to make a purchase.
Get in touch for your free project proposal.