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Animated vs Real Videos

by PaulintheSticks
21 replies
I'm considering creating a promotional video for my local marketing services and have looked at the animated videos like this one: After Effects Project Files - Corporate E-Promo with Inkman | VideoHive

I really like these types of videos but I wonder if a professionally produced personal video of me telling the prospect about my company and services would be much more powerful in terms of really letting the prospect get to know me.

The animated videos are cool and look professional but when I see one, I think to myself that's cool but show me something real about the company - names, faces, voices, pictures of their office...something!

Any thoughts?
#animated #real #videos
  • Profile picture of the author BrianMcLeod
    Why is this an either or question?

    Cute animated titles and short explainers are fine for grabbing attention.

    Emotional documentary style live action videos are great for telling your story and creating rapport.

    Screencast style slideshow videos are great for detailed sales presentations.

    They're not mutually exclusive - in fact, they work better together than individually.

    Brian
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  • Profile picture of the author PaulintheSticks
    Ok, so use them in a sequence. I assume you wouldn't use an animated video on your site but more as a way to drive traffic to your site. Then give them a live video with value added.
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    • Profile picture of the author TheBigBee
      Paul,

      The video you are referencing is terrible. The violated the seven second rule - there was clearly no coherent storyboard. This video doesn't convert.

      Video as a medium does convert. The form factor is relative to your offering. For instance - lawyers shouldn't be doing animated promo vids.

      Short on time now, but will expound on all this stuff soon.
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  • Profile picture of the author socialentry
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    Most people are ugly so they should consider the animated video.

    I`m only half kidding.
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  • Profile picture of the author KingOfContentMarketing
    If you have PowerPoint, here is an inexpensive group of templates. (no connection)
    http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...ed-videos.html

    One thing good about these templates is you can create unlimited videos for yourself or or for your clients for the same license fee.


    Also check out:

    Muvizu.com
    Powtoon.com
    Wideo.com
    CommonCraft.com
    Prezi.com
    Magisto.com
    Bunkr.com
    http://techcrunch.com/2013/08/22/bun...n-waiting-for/
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      I use both animated and live videos for my own businesses, andmy client's business.

      The live videos convert far better, and they help build a personality for the business.

      I use the animated videos to link to the live videos, to get the live videos ranked higher. Usually, the live video will rank highest, and a few animated videos will follow.

      The only time I use solely animated videos, is when the client is not local, or I haven't seen them in person. But the live videos always convert the best, and you can do product demonstrations, business walkthroughs, answer customer questions...really make the client the "Go to guy". Harder to do with animated videos.


      If I can get live videos, it's always my choice. And for the client's website a "Welcome video" from the owner is preferred.

      But I use both. My animated videos are scripted cartoons using goanimate.com, with voice actors. They look pretty good.

      My experience when getting Google listings, is that any video listed on Google, gets clicked more than any website (or directory listing). The thumbnails draw the eye.

      Animated videos get clicked more often, if there are both animated and live videos on the same page. Live videos actually get phone calls or sales at a higher rate.

      But these are videos we do, it may not be universal.
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  • Profile picture of the author tolaskool
    Personally animated videos especially good whiteboard animations really inspire me and get my imagination to kick on overdrive
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  • Profile picture of the author zenxseo
    its not about animated videos or Live video
    its all about Powerful and Converting Video script
    if Script is Powerful , Animation is good and you are using right call of action then traffic will convert
    About The Google Ranking any video can rank if you do right youtube seo things, more chance to rank is if you are providing Value and Video is entertaining then people love to watch and share the video so easy to rank at youtube .
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    • Profile picture of the author Marty S
      Originally Posted by PaulintheSticks View Post

      I really like these types of videos but I wonder if a professionally produced personal video of me telling the prospect about my company and services would be much more powerful in terms of really letting the prospect get to know me.
      Hi Paul. I understand your concern. The production value of the example video is high, but it does lack a personal connection. The problem I see with these template videos now is that it allows for the people behind it to hide from their public.

      One of the KEY advantages SBs have is the potential for a personal connection that is much harder to find in a franchise or corporate environment. I stress that difference to local clients I work with and create a marketing plan for them that with that in mind. It's about real people and being authentic, so this video - even with the great production values it does have - would not fit in well with me.

      You could however, use part of it as an intro/outro, but I would def have a real person in there to add some honesty to the production.


      Originally Posted by TheBigBee View Post

      Paul,

      The video you are referencing is terrible. The violated the seven second rule - there was clearly no coherent storyboard. This video doesn't convert.
      It is NOT terrible. It is very professional and useable in a lot of situations. There most def was a story board, but if you aren't familiar with templates, you are able to edit and inject your own content into it. It is a template for sale that has actually converted 162 sales so far, so... there's that.

      Originally Posted by TheBigBee View Post

      Video as a medium does convert. The form factor is relative to your offering. For instance - lawyers shouldn't be doing animated promo vids.
      ANY medium can convert, and a lot of lawyers are converting on YouTube right now.

      Originally Posted by TheBigBee View Post

      Short on time now, but will expound on all this stuff soon.
      OMG, I can hardly wait for expounding.
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  • Profile picture of the author KingOfContentMarketing
    Use this new product for your animation. They had a goal of 30k on kickstarter and raised millions!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQWyhezIze4#t=58

    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...d-printing-pen

    http://www.the3doodler.com/
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  • Profile picture of the author CageyVet
    Animated and whiteboard videos are great for engagement, attractive attention and explaining services/products visually. I think of these as moving infographics in most cases.

    Real Person videos are best for conversions, connecting with viewers and showing brand personality. I think of these as educational videos or commercials, depending on how you approach the subject matter. Either way, people are more accustom to this type of video when being sold to since they are similar in nature as a TV commercial. While animated videos are similar to entertainment cartoon shows that are not meant to sell but maintain viewership.

    Each has their own uses and benefits, so it is more important to understand what you want to get out of the video before deciding which type to produce.

    No matter what video type you create, it is more important to understand the aspects of a good story board, the emotional connection behind the subject matter, the desired response by the viewer and the the clear representation of the call to action. The most professional looking animated or real person video will not get many views or conversions if all the rest is done incorrectly. To the same point, non-professional looking videos done correctly can easily be more beneficial for a business.
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  • Profile picture of the author ATAC
    I think it is a good idea and I would test it to see which preforms better and then go with that ... but I feel that real person videos are best for conversions I am with
    CageyVet on this one...
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    • Profile picture of the author david980john
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      • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
        Originally Posted by david980john View Post

        i prefer animated videos for my business. it strange but true that animated videos will attract more customer to your business.
        Based on what?
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      • Profile picture of the author PaulintheSticks
        Originally Posted by david980john View Post

        i prefer animated videos for my business. it strange but true that animated videos will attract more customer to your business.
        Well I guess it must be true if you said it
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      • Profile picture of the author CageyVet
        Originally Posted by david980john View Post

        i prefer animated videos for my business. it strange but true that animated videos will attract more customer to your business.
        I guess if you have a video animation business, this might totally be true...
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  • Profile picture of the author CPAPJason
    Your video could also be an infographic using slides with a voice over.
    This would create a video that is informative as well as giving you the ability to give emphasis at the points that you want.
    You have a huge number of options available when making vids, so creating several and doing the split testing on what works for you and your business, whether fully animated, semi animated, a voice over infographic, an office/newsroom set up with a green screened series of infographics, etc....
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  • Profile picture of the author Bayo
    Forget about you for a moment...Do you know what your type of target client or people in that industry respond to most?

    This reminds me of a local Chiropractor that I worked with not too long ago. She wasn't getting traction from her marketing with videos and what could be considered as really 'classy' marketing.

    Why?

    Well she was using the wrong method. Her target market was senior women. When we did some research it was clear that the people she wanted to reach out to would lookup details in the local paper as opposed to go online and watch a snazzy video or any type of video for that matter, when seeking information.

    So what I'm saying is you need to know your audience first and what they respond to, then plan from there.
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  • Profile picture of the author sebski22
    What a great Thread. This is something I have personally being struggling with for the past 12 months. I create a good amount of videos and have recently come to the conclusion that Animation Videos are kinda getting over done now.

    I like to see a face I can Identify with.

    Bayo raises a great point, you need to know your market. I'm not sure professional people buying professional services are really going to be sold by a pretty average looking "Whiteboard" Animation.

    I personally don't think you can beat a well scripted and well executed presentation video. As the old saying goes "People buy for People!" so I think it is much easier to relate to a person onscreen than an Animation.

    But I am kinda byass because that is the way my business is turning.
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  • Profile picture of the author Charles Harper
    As I understand it, you could test a combination in YouTube. You would use the YouTube editor. For example, perhaps you could do an "animated" video at the start and ad on a personal video at the end.

    I think that the combinations could be very interesting when you consider using

    1.) Hangout Videos
    2.) Live Streaming Videos

    And then combining them with animated intros and outtros already in your YouTube channel. Here is how you combine using the editor:


    Here is how you create a Live Stream video (you need 100 subscribers):

    https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2474026?hl=en

    Everyone probably already knows how to create a Google Hangout video. I wont link to that.

    CT
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  • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
    I think real videos for your business. You're selling you and your knowledge as a consultant. Then, probably power point type for some additional video educational marketing points you want to make.

    If you were a company that sells web hosting, for example, then animated videos might work fine. But you're selling a one person consulting firm.
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