A step-by-step guide to managing an animated video project for your organisation.
The hard work is done and congratulations your animated video is complete.
Now it's time to distribute the results of your creative team and see the rewards of your hard labour. BUT before you pop the champagne on ice - have you got your distribution strategy agreed and in place?
The distribution strategy is key to the success of meeting your animated video objectives - we all know the expression - "All the gear, no idea!" Well whilst it's great to have a wonderfully finished animated video, unless you share it and distribute it effectively then it is unlikely that your intended audience will see it and then no-one will benefit from its production and you'll be under pressure internally to meet the expected ROI you promised :(
We suggest that the distribution strategy is worked out at the outset of the project ideally - during the creative brief process and certainly not left until post production. The distribution strategy determines some of the design considerations and also ensures that the script will enable still shots to be used in social media and other campaign imagery.
No animated video should be used in isolation unless you have the budget to run multiple videos as part of a larger strategy.
We always encourage reusing content wherever possible - not only does this ensure greater ROI on creative effort but also ensures a joined up solution and greater impact.
We have found huge success with animated video in all sectors but utilising still images from the video and using in print and social platforms can see the video ROI soar to many hundreds of percent as the message is reinforced.
One of our favourite testimonies to date is to hear of the power of sharing an animated video we produced and how it has secured deals previously impossible to secure or inform viewers more effectively than any previous attempt by the client.
We also love it when a video goes viral, however, gaining virality is a tough ask, but using Facebook or Instagram ads might just enable that. Always worth considering a little boost to allow your animated video to rise above the parapet!
Regardless of paid advertising always use your social media platforms fully and embrace your animated content.
Captioning/Subtitles
We do recommend that videos are captioned (subtitles) - not only does it improve effectiveness on social media and mobile phone use where sound may not be appropriate for the viewer - but it is great for improving your SEO. All video hosting platforms allow for multiple language captions/subtitle files - do consider on the outset what you will need - your creative team should cover this in your pre-production process, well we do!
Translation
You may need to consider multi-language options with your animated video. Captions/subtitles can help but you also might wish to have different language voiceovers and have variants on the initial single language animated video. This may also have implications for the content shown on screen - are there words that will need translating further down the line - if so will these need to be inserted digitally so they can be amended more easily for different languages or do you need different language versions full stop?
Tweaks down the line
Like all things - over time, your organisational needs change! And your branding and your message can quite easily change - it is difficult to prevent major changes having an impact on your investment in animated video but it is helpful to consider leaving branding to opening and closing credits for instance so as not require a full reproduction of an animated video and just top and tailing the finished output with new opening and closing credits.
So now you should have a full overview of some of the main things to consider and help you plan and produce your own animated video project.
If you feel that Red Lemon can help you or you would like to have a non obligation chat to see if animated video might help your organisation fulfil its objectives then why not get in touch with us - we'd love to help you share your story.
Get in touch:
e: pip@redlemoncreate.com
w: redlemoncreate.com
t: 0800 999 7170