This article shares why explainer video production is essential for marketing and sales. We also tell you how to start with your explainer video dedicated to the audience in your niche. You discover how to create good explainer videos that will lower the distance with your target audience by facilitating visual communication about your services and products. We also pay huge attention to telling you about the techniques to create such video material and the tremendous benefits of making explainer videos. You can find out where to distribute your video and which channels are the best for which kind of video content. Shortly, we'll show you how to create industry relevant and cool explainer videos. 

An explainer video is a short animated or live action video that clearly explains a business concept, tells us how the business works, and explains what product or service is being offered. An explainer video is an engaging and easy-to-understand material that the audience can absorb in various ways and through different media channels.

These videos typically use clear language and visual elements to convey marketing messages. In B2B, explainer videos convey complex concepts or processes in a simplified way. 

Here is where explainer videos are often used in B2B:

• Websites
• Social media platforms
• Business presentations

You may find various ways that companies are making their video materials. Mostly based on the industry's character, explainer videos can vary in style, from animated characters to whiteboard animations, but their main purpose remains to educate and inform audiences about a specific topic or solution.

The explainer video for business in B2B we want to talk about is specially made for industrial companies. It provides an overview of what the business does, its mission, and its products or services. It's supposed to increase engagement and conversion rates as these videos can capture the audience's attention of buyer personas and keep them engaged, ultimately leading to higher conversion rates and sales.

To be clear from the very beginning, we're not going to talk about video material production for the retail market but strictly for the B2B market in various industries. Although the techniques for creating videos for retail and B2B might be similar, the main difference is about the targeted audience.

In the B2B industrial market, certain business processes prevent companies from making immediate purchases. This is a fundamental difference from retail, or, if you prefer, the difference between B2C and B2B. It is because the buying process is more complex in B2B. It is the main factor you should consider when creating video explainers for B2B companies.

When creating an explainer video, it's crucial to avoid the notion of short-term and quick benefits. You cannot promise your audience they will immediately benefit from your product or service within a few days.

For example, consider selling machinery for agricultural production. The procurement process for such machines for large farms is far more complex, and from the initial call to the time they are utilized on the farms, it can take months, if not years.

A similar situation arises in the logistics industry when attempting to sell fulfillment services, cross-border shipping, or distribution and warehousing services. No company will commit to these services long-term without further carrier evaluation and checking the reliability of the logistics service provider (LSP). The complexity of logistics marketing is far more diverse, and making logistics videos also requires special attention to the targeted market. 

What does this mean in the context of video production? It means you need to present your business in a way that will engage the audience. It must be clear that there is no sense of urgency in such industries. You cannot push buyer personas to make fast decisions based solely on limited resource availability. In B2B, no one will make purchases strictly because you're almost out of stock or anything similar. Of course, more critical factors need to be avoided while creating B2B explainer videos. 

Here is what to avoid while creating an explanation video: 

What you want to achieve with your video explainer is as important as preparing other marketing materials, such as blogs and email campaigns. So, the scenario of your video plays a crucial role here. Don't make the video footage excessively complicated by telling people how difficult it is. Your role is to not forget that many buyers persons in B2B are not always technically keen. The explained video should be easy to consume but don't make the mistake that you'll combine animations native to cartoons for five-year-old children. It is a common mistake in B2B video production, and I see it happening everywhere. But I'll discuss it later in the article.

If you've outlined your core message, you must think about how to create this video. You can use different techniques, such as animations, to create an animated explainer video. You can also make a whiteboard explainer video (which is also animated). If you're a technology company, you can create a 3D explainer video with embedded graphics from AutoCAD software (widely used by industries in High-tech). You can make a live video recorded in 4K resolution or simply interview your colleagues. The possibilities are much broader and will be explored further in other articles.

When you have already planned your video and know industry specifics and buyer persona along with the required technology, don't forget that each video explainer can be dedicated to different channels. Short videos might be better for social media such as LinkedIn and Twitter, while slightly longer ones may be more suitable for YouTube. Each video should include consistent messaging suitable for the channel where it will be distributed. Don't forget to consider how people are using certain media channels and where they are using them. Therefore, not only video length is counting. 

We've discussed a lot about what to avoid in making explainer videos from the perspective of the B2B market and it touched also the problematic side of brand awareness building. So, in fact, all of these elements are crucial for public relations in long term. You need to outline these before making an explainer video.

Is it important to find a good company to help you create your explainer video? Absolutely. Quality camera equipment is expensive, and the key to producing a good video is to start with good equipment. 

Your business cannot afford to invest in video equipment by making short-sighted decisions and plans for having video production in-house. Even purchasing video equipment in-house requires a lot of knowledge about choosing suitable equipment for your video explainer production. Later comes the issue of skills in using it properly.

Don't be naive to think you can make a good video on your iPhone because it has 4K resolution. In that case, the lens and many other little things matter. There are also techniques for making a good video and skills for making motion graphics, explainer videos, and others.

Another challenge to tackle is finding a technologically savvy company with relevant knowledge about your industry. Most companies involved in video production are more marketing-oriented than industry-oriented. With poorly chosen video makers, you'll end up with an explainer video full of animations suitable for 5-year-old children. Why is that so? Because these companies have more experience with retail, which means B2C. They don't understand the way they need to communicate with your customers.

Example 1

I'll now give two examples of bad tech explainer videos. One company from Switzerland sells equipment for warehouse workers, such as lifting accessories and complex belt systems that make lifting heavy boxes easier. They created a video marketing campaign showcasing their equipment. The video featured elaborately dressed workers (resembling characters from the Star Wars movie) wearing lifting accessories and carrying boxes in an empty warehouse space with dark lighting and shadowing. The video included cinematic shots reminiscent of advertisements for luxury watches and cars and a message implying the necessity of using their equipment. 

The main mistake of this video was creating the impression that the equipment was a premium product. The sublime camera shots also conveyed a sense of high cost, which is misleading because this equipment is intended for warehouse workers and distribution operations and delivery services, contrary to the images depicted in the video. It should state that it is easily accessible for distribution centers, etc.

Perhaps the problem was that this company's marketing manager was an ex-BMW marketing employee. So,  they approached video production using the same style to promote expensive BMW car models? 

Example 2

I hope you understand my thoughts now. Let's look at another example. I attended a conference where companies presented their businesses. An industrial company involved in manufacturing and construction presented a video featuring young individuals moving through construction sites and performing parkour jumps. In the background, electronic music was very awkward, which is characteristic of the younger generation. I watched the video until the end before figuring out what the company was about (they placed the title and logo at the end, which was a well-known brand, so then it was clear to me who they are and what they are doing).

I noticed that most of the audience, including managers and directors who were nearly 50 years old or older, seemed confused while watching the video. I asked many people from the audience what they thought about it. As I expected, none of them liked it, and they were all perplexed by the music and the scenes. Overall, it was very strange.

So, I investigated who made that video. It was a team of enthusiastic marketers who perceived the industry innovation, which they wanted to convey to the audience. Their primary experience comes from retail and B2C industries. But the construction industry is firmly on the ground and the decision-making process in costruction business is cautious, without taking any risky leaps, jumps. I hope, its clear. 

Now you can see why choosing a good, industry-oriented company to help you with video production is essential.

Now, I'll give you an excellent example of an explainer video. This one comes from an IT company, Novacura, based in Sweden, which is deploying an innovative low-code platform offered in a SaaS model (Software as a Service). The video is concise, with industrial content, and effectively conveys the message that it clearly explains the complexity of the low-code platform as a business solution to a broader audience. Watch this product explainer video for the low-code platform on their YouTube channel. You can also analyze the shots and other added elements to get a clearer picture of what is essential in B2B.

The costs of explainer videos are different. So, depending on length and resource, price can vary. The price can be higher if you decide to get more outdoor shots in your video, and others, such special video tehnique in use, which may required more specialized equipment.

Here are the elements that influence the overall price while making a video:

Animations, 3D graphics, and graphics are particularly effective for illustrating processes, showcasing product features, and simplifying technical information. Animations excel in these areas, offering dynamic visualizations, while 3D graphics provide depth and realism, enabling viewers to interact with products and environments more effectively.

Short and simple videos may not require many cameras; usually, two cameras suffice to produce quality videos. However, selecting different types and quantities of cameras, lights, etc., can increase the company's costs.

Depending on whether you want interviews or real voice-overs in your video, more personnel can be involved from the video maker's company and also from your site. It will translate into more hours required to finalize the project. Consider the internal organization necessary for this and the hours your colleagues from the office need to spend preparing the video.

Simply, a longer video can take more time. Therefore, duration is crucial here in defuncting final prices because it will convert into more hours to correctly complete the job. 

Outdoor shoots offer a unique opportunity to capture dynamic and authentic visuals that resonate with audiences. Whether showcasing a product in its natural environment, capturing the essence of a location, or highlighting real-life interactions, outdoor shoots provide versatility and visual interest.

Other factors that influence overall video costs are related to post-production montage and changes that you may require afterward. Sometimes, your vision is not precisely comprehended, so the video can vary in the end. There are various ways of contracting video services. We could say that the best way is to avoid individual video makers contracted at short notice. You'll get only the best results in long-term cooperation with companies with relevant industrial experience.