Has anyone noticed how explainer videos have taken over ample space in the marketing world? Virtually non-existent 15 years ago, they were not salesy but cost-effective short videos that get people to spend more time on a website and are incredibly effective at increasing conversions. With this comprehensive guide to explainer videos, you can identify and understand the different types used most often by voice over artists.
Voice Over and Explainer Videos
Animated videos can speak directly to an audience throughout the entire recording or use live-action voiceover that incorporates sound effects, visual cues, and on-screen text. The idea is to create an immersive experience for viewers, and most videos about a product or service are explainers. There are various types of animated explainer videos, including:
- Traditional Animation Explainer Videos: Exactly what it sounds like, a traditional animated explainer video explains things through animated examples paired with voice over narration.
- 2D Animation Explainer Videos: 2D character animations are the most widely used form of explainer video and are often used to simulate a potential customer interaction.
- 2.5 Animation Explainer Videos: 2.5 animation explainers combine the affordability of 2D animations with the added depth of 3D layering.
- 2D Animation Explainer Videos with 3D Elements: Similar to 2.5 animated explainer videos, 2D animation explainers with 3D elements make it affordable to incorporate 3D into your project without breaking the bank.
Guide to Explainer Videos and Motion Graphics
Typically used for corporate explainers and app demonstrations, motion graphic explainer videos are created using dynamic images and computer-rendered animations.
White Board Explainer Videos
A whiteboard explainer video is simple and to the point – it combines storytelling and video captured over a whiteboard. The animations are usually hand-drawn, and there’s almost always text accompanying the video voiceover.
Stop-Motion Explainer Videos
If you’ve ever seen an old Christmas movie where all the characters are made from clay, that’s claymation, and the models move with stop-motion. A stop-motion explainer video works by photographing a subject over multiple frames and making slight changes between them to simulate movement.
Screencast Explainer Videos
Typically used for app demonstrations and software how-to’s, screencast explainers combine voice over audio with a video recording of a device screen. Because no animation or expensive filming equipment is required, it’s one of the most accessible ways to create an explainer on a budget – and it can be done with a basic video editor app.
Explainer Videos with Stock Footage
While live-action and animated explainers can get expensive, explainer videos that use stock footage make it simple for anyone to find video content and images that fit the intent of their voice over script. More and more companies are opting for this kind of explainer video because of the affordability and quick turnaround times on production.
Why Explainer Videos Work
With a script designed to spark viewers’ interest, and content meant to pique their curiosities, explainer videos work so well for more than a few reasons. They make it possible to transfer knowledge quickly and efficiently to get people to care about a new product or service.
How It’s Made is one example of how effective a live-action explainer video can be. The voiceovers describe the production process while showing live-action video sequences of making the products. The series is relatable and displays the human elements that go into creating a product. There’s been on the air for 32 seasons.
An Explainer Video Helps People Understand Things
People want to understand things, or at the very least get them to work, and a great voice over artist knows how to make that happen quickly. Professional voice artists take a script and transform it into an endearing encounter that everyone can relate to. They’ll often create an immersive experience to explain things in a way that makes sense to people. They hit every niche and hobby and connect with every audience. Marketing experts use explainer video content to give consumers an inside look at how to make a product or the care that goes into service.
Explainer Videos Create a Sense of Brevity
Explainer videos create a sense of brevity between brands and the audience they want to attract. It’s a transfer of knowledge that makes people care about what goes into a product or even makes them change their minds about it. A lot of companies like to use explainer videos.
In terms of marketing, video explainer content is your best bet to build brand trust and awareness because they’re informative, versatile, and easily heard by a target audience that already wants to know more about a product or service. Because they explain the subject to viewers in a way that’s easy to understand and gets them excited about the message behind the on-screen action, they also make for the best marketing videos. Beyond adding additional context to several elements of a production process, an explainer video breaks down complicated subjects that might confuse people.
Benefits of Using This Guide to Explainer Videos
Why should your audience care? What does your explainer video hope to accomplish once it’s finished? Does it tell people about a new process your company has pioneered or compliment your existing marketing videos? Whatever the purpose of your recording, it boils down to having the ability to capture the right tone that resonates with the target audience.
Video and Animations
If you don’t have the budget to go all out with a live-action explainer video, that’s ok – the beauty of an explainer is flexibility. This type of content focuses on the voice, and a great explainer video doesn’t have to rely on fancy footage, just a comprehensive script that offers a quick and complete guide to the subject being explained and a voice that fits the tone you’re trying to express.
It’s become increasingly common for people to use stock video footage, a simple whiteboard, or even screen-casting to accompany their voiceovers. You don’t need to use fantastic video elements and 3D renderings to make a great explainer video; you just need to avoid using lousy footage for your voiceovers.
Sound Effects and Music
Sound effects and music can be a considerable part of an explainer video, and it’s hard to tell because we focus on the visual details. Sound effects can offer viewers audio cues about the process when incorporated into explainer videos. The same goes for music. It can keep content from getting monotonous and facilitate speaking points or compliment the story. Music and voice over go hand-in-hand with the story itself.
Focus on Good Audio Quality & Voice Overs
Your explainer video won’t do well without good audio and high-quality voice over. Pristine audio clarity is an absolute must for content. A great example of what not to do is to let bad audio slip into your explainer videos. When you use great voice over and professional audio recording, it’s a seamless bridge that connects people to the point of curiosity. It enhances and engages and doesn’t distract or annoy. You can opt for a male artist or a female one. Just be sure that their vocal tone reaches people the way you need it to and that voices remain faithful to the script. If the content is geared towards a local community, try and use someone who can portray the regional accent of a native speaker and adjust the levels of their voice acting accordingly.
With a quality script, explainer videos can teach most subjects in under three minutes and become bite-sized portions of knowledge, leaving the listeners feeling like they’ve gained something.
Poor Audio Ensures Your Audience Won’t Listen
On the other side of the coin, consumers can always tell when something is crudely stitched together with a DIY audio recording and bad voice over in a video. People expect quality from their audio and won’t listen to the voices if they can barely hear the recording or if distortion or anything is annoying to the ear.
The message can get lost in translation whenever an explainer video is not done with professional equipment or audio software (or a pro voice actor, for that matter). If you have a good voice and practice your script aloud every day to perfection, then there’s no problem. A simple test recording will show if your audio clarity is less than ideal and will probably distract people. It’s best to avoid taking any chances with your brand and leave it up to a professional to create the audio file for you.
An effective home recording studio has:
- Sound booth with noise-canceling panels
- A broadcast quality microphone
- Modern monitors and other accessories
- Access to a digital audio Workstation or equivalent software
If you still plan on recording voice over yourself, be mindful of the audio levels and try to secure a quiet space with minimal potential disturbances. Still, the most straightforward solution is to hire a professional voice actor to handle it for you. You may be surprised at the quality results you get for a small investment.
Hire a Professional Voice Talent & Use This Guide to Explainer Videos
Like anything else, voice over is an art form, and it takes a voice over artist to do it. A professional voice actor doesn’t just know how to speak to an audience. They know how to take a script and transform it into the ultimate guide for anyone who needs it. As a female voice actor in the industry for 30 years, I can say that anyone worth their salt will be dedicated to honing their skills to fit your exact needs and understanding different audiences. They know how to explain things in a way that makes sense, no matter who is listening, and do it in a way that sounds fluid and natural.
Beyond contributing flawless audio to your explainer video, pro voice over actors have access to the equipment and skills the average person doesn’t. Tools essential to producing crystal clear audio files with consistent quality strike a tone with the audience you’re trying to reach. A professional will save you the trouble of test recording your script on repeat until you find something that works.