Put Some Motion in Your Ocean
How many times have you seen a brief animation or video on your social media feed or a company website? Probably quite a bit. Admit it: you might even watch a few seconds. It can’t be helped. Our brains are wired to seek out visual stimulation, particularly motion, and the more entertaining and engaging the content, the better. These days, businesses are going beyond the television commercial to deliver messages in creative ways across platforms using motion graphics. The goal: more eyes on a message in the online advertising ocean. Call it the high sees.
What makes them so special? Motion graphics can be treasure chests of information for people to discover. They allow you to tell your customers about your company, recent news, promotions, and more in a single source. Essentially, they are miniature commercials, offering an economical alternative to filming a full-blown video production. Don’t get me wrong: a high-quality video production complete with the works is a great way to get a message across. In consideration of those on a budget—and the camera-shy—a high-end, polished video with talent, voiceovers, and editing might be going overboard.
It doesn’t have to be elaborate to be effective.
Here are a few suggestions for including motion graphics in your marketing arsenal:
● Enhance your social media posts with simple yet dynamic animations. Combining eye-catching graphics with animations can lure your followers into watching for a few seconds or more; the first few seconds are essential in netting longer views, providing the opportunity for viewers to learn something about your message. Whether your goal is to get a laugh or to tug on heartstrings, even a few seconds of entertaining viewing can be an effective way to convey your company’s personality to raise brand awareness.
● Create mini commercials for services and products you provide. Your customers are visual learners; a short, stylish infographic animations can be entertaining and digestible. Not to be salty, but if you’re like me, you watch the Super Bowl for the ads, not the football. Quick, bite-sized, unexpected message delivery is what brings me back year after year. And maybe the snacks.
● Animate your company story. Tell your unique story by wrapping it in authentic messaging. Use existing branded video content or images. Include stock video footage to reduce costs. Talk about your company’s industry journey. Taking what you know and telling everyone who doesn’t know is sometimes the simplest starting point…
● …so keep it simple and quick. Your audience’s attention span is shorter than ever. Delivery of frequent motion graphics can capture attention on social media. Twenty to thirty-second videos are a perfect duration to deliver messages, and you can go even shorter with looping animations at around ten seconds. There is still a place for longer animations or videos—save those for your website or Youtube channel where the customers who do want to learn more can learn more.
Whether you want to make a splash or make waves, motion graphics are a nice addition to your visual marketing strategies to keep you afloat on your brand-building journey.
