Have you ever seen video clips that appear like anyone is drawing a story on a whiteboard while explaining something? This type of video is called “whiteboard animation,” and if you don’t know its potential, you’re in for a treat!
Whiteboard animation videos are works that imitate an artist drawing on a whiteboard in front of a camera. In the beginning, used actual whiteboards and markers, but nowadays, this is done chiefly with digital animations, which makes the process cleaner and more efficient.
But what makes this type of video so effective? Whiteboard animations make messages simpler to understand and remember. They are said to have high educational potential, which makes them ideal for communicating complex ideas to your audience. And yes, this is true for your marketing message as well.
This format has proven helpful for companies that need to explain highly technical products or services. It’s also convenient when you need to convey a lot of information in a short amount of time.
While they appeal to businesses for their educational benefits, you should know a few things before you start doodling on whiteboards. Your video will be much better as a result! So take a few minutes and read through the following tips.
1. Never start without a script
The initial step in creating an animated film is writing a script. The script is the backbone of any video and makes all subsequent steps (storyboard, illustration, animation) much more manageable.
Your script should have a solid structure (a beginning, a middle, and an end), and information should be strategically distributed. A great rule of thumb is to assign the three essential parts of the narrative to the questions of what, how, and why.
- What: Clarify to your audience what problem your product solves.
- How: Describe how it solves the problem.
- Why: Explain why your product is the best alternative on the market.
When writing a whiteboard video script, ensure it’s educational. You are explaining and teaching rather than just selling. What makes whiteboard videos unique is that you can break down complex concepts into bite-sized chunks that are easier to process.
2. Then comes the storyboard
After you’re done with your script, it’s time to create your storyboard.
A storyboard should show all the essential scenes of your video to make the process easier for illustrators, animators, voice actors (and anyone else involved in the project).
You can think about it as a blueprint for the illustrations, or you can design the screens and connect each one to the appropriate part of the script. Choose the best way with your animation team, but never leave out the storyboard!
3. Remember the three characteristics of a whiteboard video
The magic of whiteboard animation videos comes from combining the three main elements: the whiteboard, a continuous drawing, and the drawing hand.
The white space on the whiteboard is essential for the message to come across well, so don’t try to use different backgrounds. If you must use a different background, try using a different format, such as an animated explainer video!
When the drawings are connected, your audience can follow the visual narrative better while reinforcing the idea that they are an artist doodling on a whiteboard. That makes your story continuous and coherent.
No drawing (or whiteboard animation) is complete without a drawing hand! If you don’t include a drawing hand, your video is just a regular animated video, not a whiteboard video. It simply puts everything together.
Of course, there are many other things you can innovate with. You can get creative with your drawing style, create characters that look like your audience, and even (strategically) add some color to your black-and-white drawing. But the three elements above are essential for a good whiteboard animation.
4. Include elements that build brand awareness
Does your whiteboard animation have to be black and white, with a classic structure and nothing else? Not necessarily! Of course, you need to follow some aesthetic rules, but you can also have fun with it.
Use the visual elements that make your brand recognizable – your brand colors, logo, or even your sounds! If your fun elements are aimed at increasing your brand awareness, add some color to the mix!
5. make your target audience feel connected to your brand
Including your target audience in your narrative is a great trick to make animated marketing videos work exceptionally well. And it can come in handy when you want to add extra customization to your whiteboard animated videos.
An excellent method is to create characters inspired by your customers’ personas and represent your audience so they can recognize themselves in your video.
When you create characters that visually represent your audience, you help your message resonate with your viewers, which gives your finished video more impact.
6. Make it short and sweet
Online users typically have short attention spans and are constantly multitasking. Look at your screen: How many open tabs or apps do you have? Are you simultaneously watching your messages, emails, social media accounts, and the article you’re reading (this one, I assume)?
Chances are you can’t focus on everything at once. That’s why capturing your audience’s attention from the beginning and holding it until the end is essential.
If you create a short whiteboard video, there’s a better chance you’ll be able to keep your audience’s attention until the end. It’s best to keep the length of your video between 60 and 90 seconds. That is enough to convey a compelling message and keep your viewers’ undivided attention.
However, remember that people will only watch the first 10 to 15 seconds of your whiteboard video before choosing whether or not to watch the entire piece. For this reason, you should forgo suspense (leave that to Hollywood!) and deliver the most important message right at the beginning. And try to convey it in a way that makes them want to know more!
7. Focus on quality
Marketing videos, no matter what kind, are the best way to get your brand’s messages out to the world. They represent your brand’s interests, so they must always be focused on the highest quality.
It may sound harsh, but in customers’ perception, poor quality content equals poor quality products or brands. On the other hand, a brand that sets high standards for its content is considered reliable and trustworthy.
That’s science. Behavioral science.
So make sure you’re creating high-quality whiteboard illustrations and animations for your business. If you don’t have the skills, that’s not a problem either – many tools and companies can help you create animations and videos.
Are you ready to create your whiteboard video?
Let’s get to it! Whiteboard animations are great if you want to inform your audience because they help convey messages and are visually attractive.
- These videos help convey any concept, no matter how complex it is
- They use the power of storytelling, paired with unconventional graphics to make them visually appealing
- They use animated characters modeled after your buyer personas to unify the story and give the video a uniquely human touch.
If you want to be successful at making videos, you need to care about them. You need to enjoy creating them. And you need to know why you’re doing it.
For the best video ideas contact us at WhiteboardVideoAnimationService.com today.