Capturing an audience’s attention can feel like an uphill battle.
Enter: whiteboard videos (also known as whiteboard animation or whiteboard explainer videos).
These dynamic visuals, where drawings seemingly come to life, have become a powerful tool for capturing attention. They help businesses, educators, and anyone seeking to communicate complex ideas in an engaging and memorable way.
But the question remains: how much information is too much?
While whiteboard videos offer a compelling canvas for storytelling, finding the sweet spot between content and length is crucial for their effectiveness. After creating thousands of videos for clients during our decade plus in the animation biz – we’ve got some advice on how to pick the perfect length for your whiteboard video.
Let’s explore their benefits and the optimal content length for achieving your specific goals.
The Power of Whiteboard Videos
Before we dive into understanding ideal length for your videos, let’s revisit the basics.
The whiteboard video has revolutionized the way businesses communicate complex ideas, serving as engaging and visually appealing tools across various industries.
What are some of the specific benefits of whiteboard videos?
Engagement and Visual Appeal: Whiteboard animations captivate audiences with their dynamic visuals, drawing viewers into the narrative and keeping them engaged throughout the presentation.
Improved Information Retention: Studies have shown that visual storytelling, as seen in whiteboard videos, enhances information retention by making concepts more memorable and easier to understand.
Clear Explanation of Complex Concepts: Whiteboard videos excel at breaking down intricate topics into digestible, easy-to-follow narratives, making them ideal for simplifying complex information.
Cost-Effectiveness and Versatility: Compared to live-action videos or traditional presentations, a whiteboard animation is often more cost-effective to produce and can be utilized for various purposes, from marketing to training.
Research and data overwhelmingly support the effectiveness of whiteboard videos in engaging audiences and conveying messages effectively.
Studies have even indicated higher viewer engagement rates and better information retention compared to traditional forms of communication. We’ve even made – you guessed it – an explainer video about this topic!
Finding the Sweet Spot: Content and Length
We’ve got over a decade of experience creating whiteboard videos for a variety of purposes – from fundraising to internal training to sales.
So, how do we support our clients to determine the best length for their video?
Several factors influence the ideal length of a whiteboard video, including:
- Complexity: the depth of information and level of detail required in the video’s content can significantly impact its length.
- Detail: Consideration of how much information needs to be conveyed to achieve the video’s objectives.
- Budget and Resources: The available resources, including time and budget, play a crucial role in determining the length of the video.
Over time, we’ve found that our whiteboard videos tend to fall into three categories: Short & Sweet, Deeper Dives, and what we like to call the ‘Golden Minute.’
Check out these examples of explainers at different lengths and discover more about how we feel each length is best utilized:
Additional Tips for Whiteboard Content
You didn’t think that was all the behind-the-scenes info we had for you, did you?
Now you’ve got a handle on how to choose the right length for your explainer. Before you go, consider our quick tips to further enhance your whiteboard video content:
Tip #1: Leverage Engaging Storytelling and Visuals!
Storytelling not only connects with viewers on an emotional level but also makes the information more memorable. To maximize the impact of your whiteboard video, incorporate compelling narratives and visually captivating illustrations.
Creative animations and illustrations further enhance understanding and retention. Our in-house illustration team prides itself on designing characters for our clients that represent the community they aim to reach – because we know that leads to a more impactful message.
Tip #2: Know Your Audience
As mentioned above, tailoring the content and message of your whiteboard video to resonate with the specific needs and interests of your target audience is an excellent way to ensure a message resonates.
Understanding their preferences and pain points allows you to create content that effectively addresses their concerns and captures their attention.
Tip #3: Leave Viewers Wanting More
End your whiteboard video on a high note, leaving viewers intrigued and eager for more. Check out the exciting call to action in this example video we created with the Brooklyn Public Library: it engages the viewer and offers them several paths to get active with their local library as a way to “never be done learning”!
Whether it’s directing them to your website for additional resources or encouraging them to follow up with your team, a prompt towards action can help convert viewers into engaged customers or clients.
Feel free to dive further into animated explainer videos in general via these resources:
https://www.wyzowl.com/explainer-video-length/
https://stellarvideos.medium.com/7-tips-for-creating-engaging-whiteboard-animation-videos-20fb4ec03e4c
