What is a Graphic Video and Why Would I Want One?
We all understand the importance of video in marketing and advertising. It’s undeniable that producing great video content can be a game-changing or even life-changing scenario in today’s digital world.
Just consider the impact and countless millions of views from these video sources:
● Vloggers (video bloggers) such as Casey Neistat
● Marketing thought leaders such as Gary Vaynerchuck
● Major YouTube creators like Mr. Beast
● Instagram influencers like Zach King
● Twitch streamers like Ninja
However, engaging, memorable content isn’t limited to vlogging and entertainment. Video can be used to spread brand awareness, inform consumers about your product or service, or deliver a message about a movement or a concept.
You can create content that informs, educates, and entertains your viewers while demonstrating an idea or delivering a narrative by the use of graphics and motion.
Motion graphics combine illustrations, graphic design, color, typography, and audio to deliver an experience that grabs a viewer’s attention, keeping them interested enough to consume your content within the noisy digital realm and encouraging them to share that experience.
This article will give you a better understanding of why you might need a graphic video.
Branding Opportunities
A motion graphic is the perfect opportunity to integrate your brand identity into your video strategies. Graphic videos visually illustrate the message you’re trying to deliver. What better way to showcase what your brand is all about and increase awareness? It can also help your brand stand out amongst competitors and allows you to set trends within your industry.
Take a look at how Oreo delivered its brand messaging in this playful, energetic, and colorful motion graphics video.
Effective Storytelling
Videos are an incredible medium for telling a good story. A glance at the movie industry and the amount of time we spend binge-watching videos on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu can confirm that.
When you use motion graphics to deliver a narrative, rather than live-action, you’re able to impart information through the clever combination of graphics (to illustrate ideas and concepts), music (to evoke certain emotions), and accompanying voice-over tracks (to explain and enhance the message you’re trying to convey).
This video explainer from Adobe promoting their CMO-focused resource hub is a stellar example of combining all of these elements into a simple, minimalistic, and informative explanation of what the service is and who it was built for.
Quick Engagement
We’re all busy and our time is valuable. And the internet is a noisy place saturated with content that makes discovering and consuming things within your own realm of interest more challenging than ever. One of the greatest benefits of motion graphics is their ability to grab someone's attention and hold it long enough to for them to absorb and retain your message.
Studies show that people retain 95% of the information presented in a video compared to only 10% retention when reading the same message within the text of an article. We rely on our senses to understand things, and seeing a concept come to life helps us comprehend and empathize with ideas more effectively.
This next video is a great example of how illustrating ideas while simultaneously talking to the viewer can help them absorb information much faster than reading an article about the topic.
The Mobile Experience
Another benefit of using motion graphics for video messaging is the ability to reach viewers who aren’t able to watch a video with the sound on. For example, when you scroll through your Facebook feed, videos are typically muted until you click on them. Your video needs to capture someone's attention and inform them without any cues from an audio source, just in case sound is not an option.
The #NoFoodWasted video earlier is a great example of this. Go back and watch it again with the audio muted. Are you still able to understand what’s going on? There is always a chance that some information might get lost without the audio to back it up, but that can be remedied by adding keywords or short phrases to help the viewer comprehend the message.
Increased SEO Effectiveness
Embedding any type of video or motion graphics on your website can increase the effectiveness of your SEO strategy. Visitors are more likely to stick around a little longer to see what else you have to offer if they have watched an informative video. This leads to more page visits, longer browsing times, and decreased bounce rates.
Inserting targeted keywords into your titles and descriptions on YouTube can also provide a healthy boost to your SEO efforts. When someone searches for something on YouTube, they are presented with autocomplete suggestions based on keywords that other users with similar interests have searched for.
For example, typing ‘keto’ into the search bar will yield suggestions such as keto diet, keto meal prep, keto recipes, and the keto lifestyle. Not only can this help viewers discover your content, but it also provides value by potentially leading them to other relevant content that might inform them enough to come back to you for a purchase.
All of these things can contribute to a better ranking with search engine algorithms, which can build a bridge to more leads and more sales!
Let's Go Viral!
A well-produced, engaging, and informative video has the potential to provide something of value to the viewer. Whenever someone feels like a video provides value, they are likely to share that video with friends, family, or even colleagues and peers. They want to extend that value to other people who might also find it to be valuable or relevant content.
Motion graphics shared on social media are exponentially more likely to be shared than simple text and static images. In addition, videos on social platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube see billions of views every single day. Kickstarter, the leading crowdfunding service, encourages its creators to focus on creating engaging, fun, and informative videos to promote their products, because projects with solid intro videos are more likely to become fully funded than those without them.
Think back to a video you watched a long time ago that you still remember today. What was the thing that stuck with you? What was it that left an impression on you? Odds are there were many factors involved, but I’d bet some of it was a creative use of imagery and motion to capture your imagination.
Disclaimer
You’re not always going to save time and money with a motion graphic, but you will have fewer roadblocks in the way of getting started. This article is not meant to dissuade you from using live-action messaging to reach your customers. Rather, it’s a guide to explain some of the possible benefits that motion graphics can bring to the table.
Video is a powerful and increasingly important method of engaging with your audience today, regardless of what kind of video you choose to produce. Both motion graphics and live-action videos are effective and can be used to provide value to your viewers, and each comes with its own list of pros and cons.
Closing Thoughts
There is no doubt that a video is a powerful tool. Whether it’s an infographic brought to life, an advertisement for a major shoe company, an explainer video for your product or service, or influencer product reviews on YouTube or TikTok, video is one of the best methods for delivering a message to your viewers.
Thinking outside of the box and coming up with creative ways to reach your audience using various forms of visual storytelling can definitely bring you one step closer to more engagement, brand awareness, or even that next sale.
Don't hesitate to give us a shout and tell us about that crazy idea you have for an amazing motion graphic video. We can't wait to hear about it and help you to make it happen!
In closing, I’ll leave you with this final example from Apple. It shows how simple text, shapes, and sound effects combined with subtle music can be used to craft a beautiful and elegant experience that taps into the viewer's emotions while delivering a valuable, impactful message.
