10 things you can do with animated videos
7 March 2023 Video production tips and best practices

10 things you can do with animated videos

Discover the beautiful versatility of animated videos. From engaging marketing content to educational training videos, see how they can simplify complex concepts, tell compelling stories, and more.

These days, animated video production has become an increasingly popular content form for businesses, educators, and creators to engage their audience and convey complex ideas in a fun and engaging way.

They're not only wildly entertaining but also informative, and their versatility makes them valuable assets for loads of different purposes.

Let's explore 10 of those purposes.

1. Explain a concept or process

Animated videos are an excellent way to explain complex concepts or processes that may be difficult to visualise. Through animation, you can bring abstract concepts to life and make them easier to understand.

They do this by using visuals and animations that make the material more understandable and less intimidating, simplifying information by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable pieces, and making it easier for viewers to grasp the material.

Animated videos also engage viewers through the use of humour, storytelling, and interactive elements, making them more likely to hold the viewer's attention. They also provide a consistent way of delivering information to viewers, ensuring that everyone receives the same information in the same way.  

2. Educate

Whether you're onboarding and retaining customers, presenting at a trade show or convention, or creating an online course, animated videos are awesome for educating your audience.

Animated training videos can help learners grasp difficult concepts, and their engaging nature makes them a popular choice for retaining important info.

3. Market your business

You can use animation to explain your products or services, showcase your brand, or promote special offers or events.

They're sort of like the party animal of marketing - they know how to grab attention and keep the crowd engaged. With bright colours, eye-catching graphics, and fun animations, they can make even the most boring topics seem exciting.

But it's not just about the looks. Animated videos also simplify complex messages by breaking them down into bite-sized pieces. They help viewers retain information better, which is crucial when it comes to marketing your product or service. Plus, they can evoke emotions and create a positive association with your brand, whether it's through a funny story or a heartwarming message.

And the best part? Animated videos are versatile and cost-effective. They can be used in a variety of marketing campaigns, from social media to email marketing.

4. Showcase your products

You can use animation to highlight the features and benefits of your products and show them in action.

They can visually demonstrate the unique features and benefits of the product in a captivating way. By showing the product from different angles, zooming in on specific details, and demonstrating it in action, animated videos can provide viewers with a more complete understanding of the product and how it can help them.

Animated videos can also simplify complex technical details or processes, making them easier for viewers to comprehend. By breaking down complicated information into easy-to-follow steps, animated videos can eliminate confusion or hesitation that potential customers might have.

Plus, they can help create an emotional connection with viewers through storytelling, humour, or relatable scenarios. By demonstrating how the product can improve someone's life, viewers are more likely to see themselves using the product and become interested in making a purchase.

Finally, animated videos are easily shareable across multiple platforms such as social media, email, and websites. This can help reach a wider audience and generate more interest in the product. So, whether you're showcasing a new tech gadget or a gourmet food item, animated videos might be the best way to take your marketing efforts to new heights.

5. Tell a story

Through the use of animation, characters and environments can be created that might be difficult or expensive to produce in live-action footage.

And really, the sky's the limit with animations. Stories that were once deemed impossible to tell on a limited budget can now be brought to life in a visually stunning way. This allows you the freedom to be more creative and expressive, leading to much more interesting and memorable stories.

Another reason why animated videos are great for storytelling is that they allow for greater control over the narrative. Because everything is created in the digital realm, storytellers have complete control over the pacing, framing, and overall aesthetic of the story. This means that you can use animation to emphasise certain aspects of the story, whether it's through the use of colour, sound, or motion.

You can also easily make changes to the story during the production process without the need for reshoots or additional filming. This flexibility allows for more experimentation and creative freedom, leading to more engaging and impactful stories.

6. Provide customer support

Animated videos can be a valuable tool for providing customer support. You can use animation to explain how to use your products or troubleshoot common issues, providing a visual reference for your customers.

As they can be accessed at any time and from any device, these videos become a convenient resource for customers who need quick answers to their questions. They can be easily shared through social media, email, or embedded on a website, providing customers with easy access to support resources.

Not only that, but animated videos can demonstrate how to use a product or service, which can be particularly helpful for customers who are visual learners. They can show step-by-step instructions and highlight important features, making it easier for customers to understand how to use the product or service.

7. Train employees

If you're running a business, animated videos can be a great way to train your employees. You can use animation to demonstrate procedures or safety protocols, providing a visual aid that can help employees understand and remember the information.

By using visuals to explain complex concepts or ideas, you're allowing allows trainers to illustrate difficult-to-understand concepts or scenarios, making them way easier for your employees to grasp. 

Plus, animated videos are engaging and hold your viewer's attention. They can use humour, storytelling, and interactive elements to keep learners interested and engaged throughout the training process. This can help learners to increase retention and understanding of whatever it is you're teaching them.

8. Create engaging social media content

Animated videos can be a valuable asset for social media marketing. They can be used to create short, engaging videos that capture your audience's attention and promote your brand.

This is partly because they often use vibrant colours, creative designs, and unique animations to capture the viewer's attention. They have a way of standing out in crowded social media feeds, making it more likely that users will stop and take notice of your content.

They're also short, concise, and easy to understand, using visuals to explain complex ideas or concepts in a way that is easy for viewers to grasp quickly. This makes them an ideal format for social media, where users have very limited attention spans.

9. Make your presentations more engaging

Animated videos are an excellent way to make presentations more engaging because, again, they can bring complex concepts to life in a visually compelling way. Instead of relying solely on text and static images, animated videos can use animation and sound effects to illustrate key points and capture your audience's attention.

They can also simplify complicated information by breaking it down into more manageable pieces, which can help your audience to better understand your material and retain the information for longer periods. This use of animation and storytelling can also help to make the material more relatable and memorable, increasing the likelihood that your audience will remember what you said long after the presentation is over.

10. Create video ads

Animation is a great format for creating video advertisements because it allows for a high degree of creativity and flexibility.

Animators can create you visually stunning and attention-grabbing imagery that's difficult to achieve with live-action video. This allows you to tell your brand story in a unique and memorable way, which can help to differentiate your business from your competitors.

And because they're far easier to edit than live-action footage, animated videos can also be easily tailored to different target audiences, making them an ideal choice for digital advertising.

They can be optimised for different platforms, such as social media or mobile devices, and can be customised to reflect the interests and preferences of your specific audiences. This makes them a highly effective tool if your business is looking to reach a broad audience and achieve your marketing goals.

 

To sum up...

Animation is a versatile video format that can be used in loads of different ways. From explaining complex concepts to marketing your business, animation can help you capture your audience's attention and convey your message in a way that's engaging and memorable. So, if you're looking for a way to spice up your content, consider using animation in your next project!

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Emily Malone

Written by Emily Malone Marketing Manager for Venture — a full-service video production agency that specialises in producing creative videos & campaigns that get real results.

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