Clicky

Explainer Videos - why are they important?

Every brand needs an explainer video at some point.  Explainers not only define a product or service, they also show why it’s needed in the world.  The delivery may vary, but the message is the same: this product or service is unique and better than others and it will improve your life like nothing else before.  Your brand needs to grab attention by the throat.  Not only that, your video needs to drive sales.  Explainers really do matter.  

To that end, the quality level of these videos is highly important.  If the message is that your brand is different, then your video shouldn’t be cookie-cutter.  The style and delivery of the video should complement your message.  Sometimes it means using animation.  Other times, it will be live action.  Customization is important and that’s where Picturelab comes in.

We’re not just a corporate video production company that shoots and edits.  We are creatives with years of experience working with brands, marketers and all types of industries from technology to service.  We will listen to your messaging, deep-dive into your product, and design a successful video.  We've done it for a dozen years for dozens of companies including startups like these.

A significant part of our process is listening to you and understanding how your product works.  We will ask for demos, decks, and mock presentations.  Our kickoff meetings will be all about you and your product.  We will ask about competitors, your vision, your company character, what your employees eat for lunch every day….  Every frame, every word, and every sound of your explainer video will reflect your brand and product.

Our work speaks for itself.  Below are examples of the different types of explainers we’ve produced over the last decade. Our Mint explainer started the big explainer craze, and everyone in the world has since copied it.  We’ve also done dozens of of live action explainers.  We’ve used humor, narratives, special and visual effects, 3D, 2D, etc, etc.

We are experts when it comes to explainer videos.  Contact Picturelab to learn how we can help.

Digital_Science - (900pxW)

Explainer Video Production

Explainer videos are assets used as marketing videos that highlight a company’s product, service, or business idea in a compelling way. These videos are often featured on websites, YouTube, and communication mediums such as email.

Choosing the right video production partner to create content across a variety of styles goes a long way in making sure your explainer video production experience is a positive one.

Whether you're looking for animated explainer videos or live-action educational videos, be sure to choose a partner well-versed in the principles of effective explainer videos.

What is an Explainer Video?

Trusted video production companies should produce high-quality explainer clips with customer engagement at the forefront. Every well-made and effective explainer video has four things in common.

  • Short in length: Explainer videos are typically under three minutes, allowing them to be effective in a short amount of time.
  • Focused on solving a problem: Explainer videos are focused on addressing a specific problem and positioning their product as a solution. They must also cover the benefits of the product.
  • A strong call to action (CTA): The most effective explainer videos have a clear call-to-action and make the CTA a priority throughout brand videos.
  • High quality: Explainer videos need to be high quality, both in quality of production and quality of content, to effectively communicate a brand’s value proposition.

How do explainer videos remain effective while keeping their content short and to the point? They all follow a similar structure that promotes brevity.

  • What: What’s the audience’s problem?
  • How: How will your product or service fix it?
  • Why: Why should the audience choose you?
vacant cafe
Brazen

Types of Explainer Video Services

In some cases, to be more effective, an explainer video calls for animation effects. Other times, it calls for a live-action production.  Customization is important in conveying your message. These video types may be further broken down into three categories:

  • Company overview
  • Product/Service overview
  • Hybrid meet-the-team

While the company overview is the most common type of explainer video, each is worth exploring to find the right fit for your unique needs.

Picturelab is an award-winning video production company that provides the best marketing and explainer videos. Whether you're looking for animated video production or a great video for that next product demo, Picturelab has you covered.

Benefits of an Explainer Video Production

The production process can make or break your explainer video. To make sure that it will convey the intended message to your target audience, it's recommended to work with an experienced company that knows your brand's values and goals.

When done right, explainer videos offer many benefits to your brand or company. Here are some of the benefits of a well-crafted explainer video.

  1. Explainer Videos Are Time Savers
    Your audiences' attention is a valuable asset in marketing. What's more difficult than catching their attention is keeping it. Explainer videos bridge the gap and allow you a platform to reach your intended audience in a timely manner. By shortening your videos, you also reap the rewards of a shorter sales process.

    It's also a fact that consumers prefer video over text content. As a result, making the investment in a quality explainer video production company will make all the difference in connecting with prospective consumers.

  2. Explainer Videos Can Be Shared Everywhere
    Explainer videos are meant to engage your target audience to choose your business over a competitor. It's important that you strategically place this content where your customers spend most of their time. Social media is the platform of choice for many.

    These videos may be placed online, on social media channels, and may even be included in product demos and presentations.

  3. Explainer Videos Build Recognition and Trust
    Quality explainer video production presents a great opportunity to build brand recognition. Even though they're short and don't take up too much time for your consumers, they have the capability to leave a lasting impression.

    Research shows people prefer to buy from familiar brands, and one way for consumers to get to know you is through the marketing content you provide.

    These videos are designed to be personalized. Ideally, they should be a reflection of who you are as a company, and are best used to showcase your brand’s unique qualities and help attract the right customer.

checkpoints
WatchSkins
cantaloupe systems
dropcam tabs

What Type of Video Should I Make?

There are many types of video content, and each has merit as marketing videos. Whether you're looking to make animated videos or you're looking to use live-action videos, they each work for different purposes. Consulting with video production companies is a great way to determine what makes the most sense for your business and goals.

Animated video production is a great way to go for those looking to make the most of their investment. Live-action is great for those who want to make their content relatable to their specific industries.

Explainer Videos - Why Are They Important?

Every brand needs an explainer video at some point.  Explainers not only define a product or service but also show its purpose.  The delivery may vary, but the message is the same: this product or service is unique and better than others and it will improve your life like nothing else before.

Your brand needs explainer videos that grab attention by the throat.  Not only that, but your video also needs to drive sales.

To that end, the quality level of these videos is highly important.  If the message is that your brand is different, then your video shouldn’t be cookie-cutter.  The style and delivery of the video should complement your message.

groupme_experiences
google_mapmaker

Why Choose Picturelab?

We’re not just a corporate video production company that shoots and edits clips.  We are creatives with over a dozen years of experience working with brands, marketers, and all types of industries from technology to service.

We will listen to your vision, deep-dive into your product, and design an engaging video that matches the personality of your brand.  We've done it for a dozen years for dozens of companies including successful startups like these.

A significant part of our process is listening to you and understanding how your product works.  We will ask for demos, decks, and mock presentations.  Our kickoff meetings will be all about you and your product.  We will ask about competitors, your vision, and your company's character. Every frame, every word, and every sound of your explainer video will reflect your brand and product.

Explainer Video Production Services in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley and Orange County

Our work speaks for itself.  Below are examples of the different types of explainers we’ve produced over the last decade. Our Mint explainer started the big explainer craze, and other companies followed suit.

We have also done dozens of live-action explainers with the help of our animation studio specialists.  We’ve used humor, narratives, special and visual effects, 3D, and 2D effects.

We offer services in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Orange County. Let's get started on your incredible ideas! Reach out to Picturelab today for more details.

mst liveoffice

Let's make something incredible.

Creative video production for every stage of your product, brand, and journey.

Dominik B.

CEO, stealth startup

Extremely fast communication, very direct, understood our needs well, no B.S.

Justin K.

Director of Development

We hired Picturelab to create two explainer videos for our launch at CES, and we could not be happier with the outcome! Everything about the process was simple, well thought out smooth. The team was very friendly, communicated effectively and produced fantastic work. Thank you Picturelab!!!

Joe M.

VP for Marketing, Brazen

They were able to portray our software in the best light.

Vivian A.

VP Marketing

We had a short turnaround time for the demo video we wanted to produce and Alex and his Picturelab team delivered! We are very happy with the final product.

Lisa M.

"I've had such a wonderful experience with PictureLab! They've done a great job at helping us capture, create, edit, and finalize customer video testimonials."

WHO WE WORKED WITH

google - logo-min
gong - logo-min
samsung logo
PagerDuty - Logo (greenBG)V2.2
autodesk - logo
intuit - logo
box - logo
Synology - logo

Our Process

SecurityPal_05.00_00_42_05.Still010
  • Discussing Clients' Vision and Goals

    Before we even meet, we’ll do our homework and learn as much as we can about your product, audience, and impact.  During our initial meetings, we’ll discuss in detail your brand, your goals, your vision, and your idea for a perfect video.  From there, we’ll get to work.

  • Coming up With Creative Concepts

    Give us about a week and we’ll come back with ideas, recommendations, and some really deep life-changing wisdom. As a creative agency, it's also our job to show you endless concepts for your business needs. You’ll tell us what you think.  And then we’ll tell you what we think.  And we’ll keep cooking until it’s super-delicious for everyone.

  • Shooting or Animating the Video

    Once we have the winning concept and script, we’ll start production.  If it’s live-action, we’ll cast actors, source locations, round up the crew, and shoot the video.  The shoot usually takes a day or two for a 60-90 second video.  What’s special about our process is that every shot is customized to fit the brand and vision.  For this reason, we welcome our clients’ presence and input during the shoot. 

    The process is similar to animation projects.  We present style frames, animatics, voice talent selects, and animated cuts to our clients at each milestone to make sure every frame serves the vision.  We love involving our clients at every stage of the process – no surprises.

  • Post Production and Final Delivery

    After the shoot, we enter post-production, which includes editing, graphics, audio mixes, and color treatment.  Our goal is to deliver a final video that wows.  So we don’t count the number of revisions within each stage – we’ll do it until it’s right.  When the video is approved, we’ll deliver the final video and if you want us to, we’ll help share it with the world.

Our Portfolio

Gong - live action explainer video
Gong
c1dc8a_5de92e291b784fc492c3eda334ac1b90_mv2_d_2560_1440_s_2
Mint: Quest for Credit
740358463-19942092967e2f28dbe2edcc2be92296603b64ad568c5e55fda61bd4b7b53e1c-d
Picturelab Demo Reel 2020

Frequently Asked Questions

Explainer videos are basically your elevator pitch. In 90 seconds or less, it needs to explain what it is your company, product or service does and what solutions you provide. Whether it’s animated or live action, it needs to be snappy, memorable, and most of all, clear.

The concept is the first step. It needs to be an original idea. But the idea alone is ineffective unless you have a strong delivery. As a full-production agency, Picturelab does everything - from concept to final delivery. We’ll come up with strong memorable ideas and then put it all together in a tight, impactful video.

Explainer videos show the world who you are and what you do.  It provides an overview of your brand’s uniqueness and how you will improve everyone’s lives.  For that reason, the explainer needs to be impactful and well-produced.  After all, you only have a few chances to make a strong first impression.  That’s where Picturelab comes in.  We’ve been producing memorable explainer videos for over fifteen years.

An explainer video takes somewhere between four to eight weeks to produce.  The production time depends on the scope of the project.  A few of the factors that affect timing are whether a video is live action or animated, 2D or 3D, and the overall production value.

Scroll to Top