You’ve decided to produce a video to show off your company and what it has to offer. Great! The benefits of whiteboard videos are endless. If you need convincing, check out the eye-popping whiteboard animation statistics that resulted from a third-party study of our own videos.

But a high-impact explainer video doesn’t just happen. There are important questions you’ll need to ponder and decisions you’ll need to make before you begin the process.

In this post, I’ll share a checklist of the 7 most important questions you should consider before you produce your explainer video.

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1. What are your objectives for your explainer video?

The first thing you need to decide before you start your video project is what you want your video to accomplish. There are many outstanding uses for whiteboard animated videos, and explainer videos in general. For example, you could use videos to share information, to persuade your viewers to act, to simplify complex data, to tell your origin story, and to promote your product or service.

Whichever type of video you produce, you should be very clear on your main objectives. Are there conclusions you want your viewers to draw? Is there a way you want them to feel about your company? Are there any popular myths you want to bust with your video? If so, make sure to discuss your objectives with your animation company so that they can deliver on your expectations.

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2. Who is your audience?

This one should come as no surprise. When you generate your content ideas – whether it’s your explainer video or a blog post, presentation, or website — you should do always have your audience squarely in mind.

Who are your viewers? What makes them tick? What problems keep them up at night? What are their main objectives? What information do you need to share with them for the video to hit its mark? Share your insights with the folks who are creating your explainer video, so that they can craft a video that truly resonates with your target audience.

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3. Is there a great story in your company’s beginnings?

Telling your origin story is an effective way to make your company more relatable and to communicate what you’re really about.

If you’re planning an explainer video about your company, scour your corporate history for engaging details that will resonate with your audience. For example:

  • Were there any defining events or “Aha!” moments that influenced your direction?
  • Were there moments of adversity that you had to overcome?
  • Is the original founder of the company still around, involved and visible?

This is valuable information to share with your video production company.

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4. What are your unique strengths?

No explainer video is complete without shining the light on what makes you special. For example:

  • What are your unique strengths?
  • Why are you the best company to serve your customers’ needs or to solve their problems?

Make sure your video shows that you understand the reality your audience faces and that your company is uniquely positioned to help them meet their objectives.

5. Do you have content you can repurpose?

Unless you’re a brand-new startup, there’s a good chance that someone has already produced content about your company and your offerings.

Here are just a few places you could look for content to repurpose:

  • The About page on your website
  • Your company’s social profiles
  • Introductions written for industry conferences
  • Your corporate deck

Gather everything you can find. If you already have content that articulates your key messages well, you can save time and ensure consistency by sharing them with your video producer.

6. What is your brand identity?

If your company has taken the time to establish brand guidelines, be sure to share them with the company that is producing your explainer video.

Let them know:

  • which logo treatments are considered acceptable
  • what your tagline is
  • which colours can be used
  • what your brand personality is, and so on

You’ll want to publish your video everywhere. Make sure that it’s a good representation of your brand.

7. How will the project be managed?

As you embark on your video, ask your production company to outline the various project milestones and what the approval process will be.

(Click here, for example, to see the process Exaltus follows when we create a whiteboard video.)

Internally, you’ll need to decide on which key stakeholders will lend their input, and who will be the main point of contact with the company producing your explainer video.

Need a Hand?

If you are planning to create an explainer video but you feel overwhelmed by the task at hand, you may want to consult with an expert. Exaltus has been producing whiteboard videos since 2014, and we’d love to tell your story.

Find out more about our whiteboard animation service, or contact us to schedule a consultation and get a personalized quote. Also, be sure to check out more of the whiteboard animation examples in our portfolio