The Role of Explainer Videos in Modern Marketing: Are They Worth the Spend?

Last Updated: 

August 16, 2024

In the fast-paced world of today, where everything is digital, it is harder than ever to keep people interested in what you have to say – or sell. Along comes the explainer video: a short, snappy piece designed to both explain difficult things and promote products or services. But with budgets tight and every penny spent on marketing needing to show results, there’s one question many people ask: are these videos actually worth it? 

To answer this, let’s delve into their role in modern marketing and examine the costs involved. For a detailed breakdown of what you can expect to spend on these videos, checking out an explainer video pricing guide is a great starting point.

Key Takeaways on the Marketing Power of Explainer Videos

  1. Explainer Videos Simplify Complex Ideas: They break down complicated concepts into easily digestible content, making it easier for audiences to understand products or services.
  2. Enhanced Engagement: By combining visuals, narration, and animation, explainer videos cater to different learning styles, capturing and holding audience interest effectively.
  3. Boost in Conversion Rates: These videos can concisely highlight product benefits and address potential customer concerns, leading to increased conversion rates and sales.
  4. Improved SEO Performance: Hosting explainer videos on your website can increase visitor engagement and time spent on the page, positively impacting SEO rankings.
  5. Versatile Marketing Tool: Explainer videos can be used across various platforms and at different stages of the buyer's journey, making them a flexible addition to marketing strategies.
  6. Evaluating Cost vs. Benefits: While high-quality explainer videos may require a substantial investment, their ability to drive engagement, conversions, and long-term brand visibility can offer a strong return on investment.
  7. Long-Term Value: Even though the initial cost might be high, the ongoing benefits of increased brand visibility and sustained audience engagement can make explainer videos a worthwhile investment.
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What Are Explainer Videos?

Explainer videos are brief and engaging, geared towards holding interest for just a short time in order to get across one main point. Their goal is to simplify complex ideas, demonstrate a product or get across a brand message. Usually around 1-1. 5 minutes long, explainer videos use visuals and animation along with narration to present information in an easy-to-understand way.

Why Explainer Videos Matter

Increased Engagement

Explainer videos are a great way to engage an audience. By using both visuals and sound, they appeal to different learning styles – making information easier to understand and remember afterwards.

Enhanced Conversion Rates

Explainer videos greatly increase conversion rates. By concisely stating a product or service’s advantages and possibly solving problems that could hold viewers back, these videos can be very persuasive and encourage people to take a desired action.

Improved SEO Performance

Search engines like content that is interesting and applicable. Having an explainer video on your website may make people stay longer and view more pages, two important ranking signals for SEO purposes. Furthermore, if you do it right, videos can meaningfully impact your rankings on search results.

Simplified Communication

Describing complex ideas or technical products with just text can be difficult. Explainer videos break down complicated concepts into easily understandable explanations, making it easier for viewers to grasp the value of what you’re offering.

Versatile Marketing Tool

Marketers can use explainer videos on different platforms, such as social media, email marketing, landing pages and more. Because they can be used at various points in the buyer’s journey, they are a versatile tool for any marketer and worth considering adding to your arsenal.

Evaluating the Cost vs. Benefits

To determine whether investing in an explainer video is worthwhile, consider the advantages it can bring. Although top-notch videos of this kind may have a substantial cost, they often provide a good return on investment. Below are ways to assess whether the expense is justified:

  1. Define Your Goals: Clearly outline what you hope to achieve with your explainer video. Are you aiming to increase brand awareness, drive sales, or improve user understanding of your product? Knowing this will help you figure out how much time and money you should put into it.
  2. Understand the Pricing Structure: Explainer video prices can differ significantly depending on factors such as duration, complexity, and quality of production. It’s important to know exactly what you’re getting for your money and how well it meets your goals. 
  3. Measure the ROI: Keep an eye on how well your explainer video is doing by measuring its performance. Look at metrics like engagement rates, conversion rates and overall return on investment to see if it’s having the desired effect – and whether this justifies the amount you’ve spent on it.
  4. Consider Long-Term Value: While the initial investment might be substantial, high-quality explainer videos can provide long-term value through increased brand visibility, ongoing engagement, and sustained conversion rates.

Explainer videos are a key part of today's marketing mix: they make complex messages simple, boost engagement – and could help clinch that sale. While there may be a significant initial outlay, the potential for massive ROI means they’re worth thinking about seriously.

If you want to know whether explainer videos are a valuable addition to your marketing strategy, you’ll need to understand their cost – and assess how well they work.

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