Say it more simply with video.

Almost 80 percent of internet users in the U.S. watch videos online¹ these days. So with its fast-growing popularity, digital video is more than ever a powerful and effective way to communicate your message. Which is why more and more companies are now using digital video to help explain otherwise-complex processes or projects in simple yet visually pleasing ways.

Take our 25-Hour Workday video. We created a piece of communication that explains how we celebrated our 25th anniversary by donating an entire marketing campaign to a local startup through a contest, and aimed to complete the work in just 25 hours. We created a shiny new brand and tons of social media attention for ourselves. Not bad for a video that’s three minutes and thirty seconds long.

Check it out:

So how did this video effectively simplify a potentially complex contest/marketing campaign in a way that is comprehensible to the general public? Some might say it takes a great writer and a talented animator – which is true. Digging deeper though, I would ask: Would you be able to learn the same information in the same amount of time from reading a brochure or a book?

Video assists in the learning process by giving the viewer visual cues – things your brain can hold onto and retain when your mind starts to wander. Think back to the 25-Hour Workday video when it starts to explain what You and Who does. Text pops up that says, “and for every shirt they sell, they give another to someone in need.” Visually you are reading the text, but what you’re also seeing in the graphics is one shirt splitting into two. This type of visual cue is entertaining, puts you in an exaggerated situation, and allows you to see explicitly and instantly what the You and Who business is all about.

Music helps, too. When you’re listening to an upbeat, quirky, or happy song, you might be motivated to continue watching and just experience the rhythm of the music. This is especially important because, in a time when 20 percent of viewers will click away from a video in 10 seconds or less, it’s critical to keep an audience’s attention. Think back to the intro sequence of the 25-Hour Workday video. The music starts with a drumroll and ticking that presents the title and gets you ready for the next scene once the beat drops. These types of stimulations are a necessity when keeping your audience focused, motivated, and engaged in your content.

The fact is, there are audio and visual cues only videos can display that tell stories, create emotional connections, and, in this case, simplify an in-depth topic. Oh yeah, and it works. Diode Digital found that video is 600 percent more effective than print and direct mail combined. And before reading any text, 60 percent of website visitors will watch a video if available.² So there just might be something to the trending medium after all.

1. http://www.statista.com/statistics/272835/share-of-internet-users-who-watch-online-videos/
2. http://singlegrain.com/video-marketing/just-stats-science-video-engagement/