I’ve been asked a lot recently whether explainer videos help conversion rates. My simple answer is yes, explainer videos absolutely help to increase conversions — but only when they are done right.

The internet is full of distractions

It’s no secret that web surfers have a hard time concentrating. With dozens of ads on every page and sidebars filled with dancing cats, it’s no wonder online advertising is overwhelmingly one-sided. Shoparity recently published an infographic that illustrates while the average user sees 1,707 ads per month, click-through rates below 0.1% are the norm and 99% of every ad dollar is wasted. Those are sad numbers considering studies that suggest Americans spend 100 hours on average surfing the Internet for leisure daily.

This study by Nielson Norman Group says the average page visit lasts a little less than a minute. But don’t be discouraged. It also says that while users often leave web pages in 10-20 seconds, pages with a clear value proposition can hold people’s attention for much longer. This is where having an animated explainer video can give your website a real leg-up on the competition and why an increasing number of businesses are hiring professional explainer video production companies to capture the attention of website visitors.

Why explainer videos help make the most of every website visitor

When Bill Gates said, “Content is king,” he opened a floodgate where internet marketers and businesses would become content creators pumping out better and better content every day. Now internet surfers have a different kind of problem in regard to content: so many great articles, not enough time.

For this reason people have less and less patience when researching websites and products. They want to understand what your product is and how it can make their life easier, and they want the information right now – not after being forced to read through pages and pages on your website. This is why explainer videos have become one of the most effective forms of content that brands can publish.

  • Simplify your message and tell your story.
  • Show off your product features.
  • Boost engagement and conversion.
  • Put a fun, interesting spin on even the most boring of topics.

Besides the fact that a great explainer video can do all of this about a minute and a half, the truth is that on the whole videos generate more interest than written text or even photos.

A study published by MyCustomer.com said consumers are 39% more likely to share and 56% more likely to ‘like’ online video than text articles. Furthermore, shoppers are more than 27 times more likely to click on an online video ad than standard banners and nearly 12 times more likely to click on video ads than rich media.

Just to illustrate, explainer video production company DemoFlick.com recently published a press release that tells how the following explainer video helped Steamwire increase click-through rates by 200%.

As you can see, a well-crafted explainer video converts visitors because it helps explain a business’ value proposition while making the message simple, relatable and easy to understand. And because animated explainer videos usually have a lively, upbeat approach, they are fun to watch and keep people interested the whole way through. An explainer video can become the backbone of your marketing plan, helping you reach your target prospect, address their objections, capture your viewer quickly and compel them to take action — all in 90 seconds or less.