12 resources for promoting your brand with animation
Whenever I’m considering buying a new product, the first place I hit is Google. User reviews, forums, product descriptions and video tutorials combined usually give a pretty comprehensive idea of whether I’ll find the item useful. But when it comes to niche B2B services like corporate animation it can be harder to find such useful information ahead of purchase. What to look for, which style to choose and how to best promote your video once you’ve got it can often remain elusive.
That’s why today we’ve put together an elementary list of online resources to help boost your knowledge during, and after, the purchase of an animated video for your brand. From blog articles to inspiring video examples to promotional tools, this list is designed to help you and your brand get the most out of your corporate animation experience.
10 Types of Explainer Videos (by Yum Yum Videos)
If you’re unsure which animation style is which, if you get your 2D confused with your 2.5D, or if you simply aren’t sure which visual style will best suit your brand, then a quick review of this explainer video types article is just what the metaphorical doctor ordered. This brief article gives video examples of some of the most common styles of corporate animation, along with a short blurb about each style’s intended purpose.
Levitate Media’s Video Statistics
Need some reassurance that your animated business video will pay off? Check out Levitate Media’s page of media statistics, outlining the effects and trends of branded video and social media in relation to consumer responses. Of course, it’s always important to do your research and compare the validity of different sources when it comes to statistics like these: however with such a large amount of useful claims all gathered in one page, this is a great place to start.
Explainer Budget Blog (by Reel SEO)
If you’ve ever tried googling ‘How much does an animated video cost?’ you’ll know there’s a disappointingly large number of blog articles out there that simply refuse to give a solid answer. Eric Hinson’s 2014 article is a shining exception, giving an itemised breakdown of standard budget costs for an animated explainer, a week-by-week explanation of the production process, and an overview of things you might want to pay a little extra for.
A news and industry website regarding all things animation—this is a great resource to visit periodically if you’re interested in utilising the latest technologies in your company’s advertising campaigns. Regular articles also give a good indication of up-and-coming software trends, and what styles of animation you can expect to be popular in the near future.
Unlike the hit-and-miss nature of Youtube, Vimeo is a treasure trove of high quality video from first-hand sources. It’s got a particularly good stock of motion graphics, explainer videos and corporate animation of all kinds, perfect for inspiring your next branded video.
Speaking of inspiration, motiongraphics.nu is a curated video gallery boasting a plethora of motion graphics styles from across the internet. Especially useful if you’re looking for examples of a particular visual style to show your chosen animator / production house.
Hold on tight folks, because it’s time for some shameless self-promotion. As well as hosting a huge portfolio of professional explainer videos, the regular Explanimate blog (yep, that’s this one) is tailored toward business and agency owners, detailing not only how to work with production houses to produce an effective campaign for your brand, but how to best utilise your video once it’s produced. Not sure where to start? Check out our article Do I Really Need An Explainer Video? for a quick lowdown on the pros and cons of developing an explainer video to show off your brand.
Once you post your new corporate video on the internet’s second-biggest search engine, check its popularity using Youtube’s analytics tools. Use the metrics of which demographics are watching your videos and how they’re being led there in the first place to adjust and optimise your viewership.
If you’re looking to hire a freelancer to produce your next corporate animation, need a social media manager to handle the wider campaign, or simply want to check out the credentials of a production house, LinkedIn can provide the same kind of info you’d get from a resume with the added benefit of being able to search through multiple profiles using keywords. A simple status update (either on your individual page or your company profile) allows you to alert your network that you’re hiring and word of mouth to spread.
An opinion blog looking at social and technological trends in modern animation. This is a great blog series to check out if you’re interested in how the cultural trends of animated videos sit in the wider context of society, and where these trends will lead animated characters/plots in the future.
Many animation houses offer music services as part of their production package. However, there may be times when you want to research a stock music library yourself to see what’s available, or to see what might suit an upcoming video campaign. Composer Kevin MacLeod’s website Incompetech.com has become well known as one of the most surprisingly solid-quality royalty-free music libraries freely available on the internet, and is a great source of inspiration for those wanting to explore the kind of stock music available for video production.
Youtube’s Creator Academy
If your business has a Youtube channel or you’re planning to create one to promote your newly made animated videos, it’s worthwhile checking out Youtube’s Creator Academy. These articles offer best practice advice for promoting your channel and creating a community around your video content, and are particularly useful for learning how to utilise Youtube’s branding tools, such as cards, annotations and channel trailers.
conclusion
When it comes to researching a multi-faceted task like brand promotion, it can be difficult to know where to start. Using the above links as jumping-off points, it’s easier to find more comprehensive resources and become confident on how to promote your brand with animation.
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