If you’re like most people, you probably think of explainer videos as those cheesy animations that are all the rage on internet marketing blogs. It’s in a good way, don’t you worry.
And while it’s true that there are a lot of cartoony videos out there, that’s changing.
Commercial-like explainer videos (the ones with real people in it) are becoming more and more popular because they’re an effective way to communicate complex ideas quickly and easily.
We’ve asked around and founders and marketers agreed.
Alok Jha, Head Startup Coordinator at ICIB, said, “People do not relate much to animated videos unless edited beautiful with a nice story.”
Charlie Patel, CEO of RocketHub & 99 Robots, made the same point. “I’ve found that whereas SaaS companies keep asking for animated explainers, they should really be asking for explainer and overview videos that include faces of people that look like their target user.
Adding real life imagery and clips humanizes the brand and creates an association for the watcher that the brand/product is meant for them. A cartoon sketch doesn’t work as well to achieve that connection.”
In this blog post, we’ll discuss what makes this kind of SaaS video explainers so powerful, why you should create one like right now, and how these big SaaS brands are adapting this style.
What is an explainer video?
Explainer videos are short videos that describe what a company does and how they work. They can be used to introduce a new product or service, or to help simplify complex concepts or processes. As their name suggests, they’re particularly useful in explaining things in a clear and concise way.
The great thing about explainer videos is that they’re versatile — you can use them on your website, social media channels, or even in paid advertising. They are a good way for SaaS creators to generate leads by detailing how their product works in an engaging and concise format.
If you’re reading this post, most likely you already came across the term while surfing the web or have heard it from someone you know. And because it found its way to you, it only means one thing: it’s already on the rise.
Now, you may be wondering who the heck started it or how it all began.
Hit the rewind button and checkout this explainer video evolution below:
Looking at this SaaS explainer timeline, it’s safe to say that animated explainer videos are already behind the times (they were born 10 years ago).
If you’re looking for explainer videos fresh from the oven, you might want to take a peek at some SaaS explainer videos below to find out what’s hot in 2022:
The new look of SaaS explainer videos
eggcrate
Why it works:
Ever watched a 45-second explainer and understood it completely?
eggcrate does exactly just that, short and punchy explainer videos. It captures the viewer’s attention and gets them engaged. Then it guides them to understand the service and its key features.
One by one, a list of key words used to describe their service gets emphasized. This gives viewers a sense of what they do — all in under a minute.
The pauses in the video give the viewer a chance to breathe and not be overwhelmed by the speed. It’s compact with just enough information, delivered in one fluid motion.
Another factor that makes eggcrate’s SaaS video work is that it directly talks to the prospects inside. It shows these people’s reactions whenever the narrator talks about leads and conversions. These make it feel like everyone’s speaking the same language. It also showcases things that people do everyday like doing the laundry or getting supermarket errands, which makes everything appear plausible.
Descript
Why it works:
Descript hooks viewers to not only watch their SaaS explainer but to take a closer look at their product as well.
Even non tech savvies and techno sceptics’ dormant tech selves would get awakened by the simplicity of the program and how an Average Joe could easily master it.
This means one thing: they showcase the product in such a convenient manner, they get people to think about the impossible. By highlighting their USP, they lead viewers to think creatively about computers replacing people in the future and AI’s supernatural powers.
As part of the SaaS video, the company presents potential characters that might be included in the Personality Map, underscoring that these users are real people requiring solutions that are realistic and doable.
Grammarly
Why it works:
“My job is to make college easier because students have a lot on their (frisbee crashing) – plates.”
Grammarly’s explainer for SaaS works wonders because it draws the audience in from its first seven seconds.
The importance of hitting the bull’s eye in your audience’s pain points chart is imperative in making successful SaaS explainer videos. A good SaaS explainer has the ability to alleviate the prospects’ matter of life and death burden. In Grammarly’s case it’s the piles of college paperwork.
To make your SaaS explainer a success, it is paramount that you not only focus on showing them what they want, but also why it will solve their problems and how your solution can help meet those needs.
Choosing a coach as the lead character of the video is also an excellent idea since a college team coach symbolizes a cheerleader, a guide, and an ally. It’s important because the lead in an explainer should embody rapport and trust with the viewers.
ClickUp
Why it works:
Admit it or not, when people talk about software engineering, stereotypes like complicated, bland, and boring pop into your head, which is why this SaaS explainer for ClickUp works.
More than reiterating how easy to use the app is and how you can have the work done all in one place, it captures the rawest emotions that software engineers undergo.
Yep, they toss tables and slap coffee cups, (or at least might be on the verge of doing so because computers are expensive AF). They’re not shown as robots, which makes the ClickUp SaaS explainer relatable.
Put simply, the SaaS video shows that if you want your software engineering life to look easy peasy (at least on the surface), just use ClickUp.
Why it works
In this explainer video, LinkedIn redefined the word professional.
Admit it or not, the professional circle is full of pretensions. People modify themselves in order to fit the concept of professionalization. LinkedIn’s empowering message in this campaign encourages everyone to explore themselves and their identities at work rather than hiding them.
The SaaS explainer is successful because it allows people to embrace differences and diversity, and show up at work as they are.
LinkedIn is a platform that allows professionals to create profiles, post their resumes and showcase specific sections of expertise, so using real people as examples in the explainer is most effective.
Rise of Kingdoms
Why it works
SaaS explainers used in mobile games are usually animated, for a very obvious reason – to bring a fantasy world to life. They use animated SaaS videos to portray scenes that would be impossible for actors to portray in a real-life setting. Only animated explainers would give justice to an animated game– or not.
The explainer for Rise of Kings, an MMO real-time strategy game based on historical figures , was depicted in another angle by highlighting the players of the game more than the fictional characters.
By doing this, it provided a refreshing perspective of an animated game. It’s certain that players of Rise of Kingdom can relate to the players’/actors’ enthusiasm for the game. Moreover, showing such excitement while talking about the strategic match would definitely entice viewers of the explainer to try RoK out, leading them to the CTA
Jump into this SaaS explainer video trend before it’s too late
The days of cartoony characters like Mr. Tangerine Man talking about how great your product is might be behind us. People want more personalized content that makes them feel like the explainer is tailor-fit to what they need.
The videos above have one common thread — they used professional actors to make their SaaS explainers more relatable. And this makes the information easier for viewers to understand. These explainers provide a human element to the viewers, further clarifying their message.
We’ve seen the trend of explainer videos change lately, and it’s important to keep up with what your customers are looking for. Have a feeling that you’ve missed the bus? Hit us up at eggcrate. It’s exactly what we do for SaaS teams like you.
Our team at eggcrate uses human actors when making videos — we know you care about authenticity as much as we do!
If you’re ready to make a switch from cartoon-based marketing techniques and would like to reach customers effectively through humanized communications, give us a call today.
Our pool of experts are more than ready to guide you through the process so that you’ll never have to worry about a thing. Let’s get crackin’!
