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How To Use Video Marketing to Communicate Complicated Subjects

Most organizations don't need to hire writers for the content in their advertisements, since the bulk of the messaging lies with the company. Insiders possess intimate familiarity with their organization and clients. That said, if those personnel aren’t dedicated writers, they may struggle to package the messaging.

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In order to ensure effective messaging, it helps to hire a professional ad-copy writer. The cost is minimal compared to the power of engaging viewers and effectively communicating your core concepts. If, however, you can’t spend a few hundred dollars on a writer, and you are struggling to distill a complex concept into an elegant video message, here are a few steps you can take to make your Ad Copy for video effective.

1) Are your decision makers targeted?

If your audience is a targeted group of decision makers, then you probably don’t need to change language or messaging. Your viewers are already assimilated with your industry and product. They will quickly process industry-specific concepts and jargon foreign to non-specialists. You may need to make your script conversational (for video) but narrowing your audience will allow you to use messaging unique to specific domains of expertise. 

2) Are your decision makers the general public?

If decisions makers are the general public, then you must develop simple messaging which resonates with the masses. Stick with generic and general terms, and refrain from using low frequency vocabulary which has a low probability of being immediately recognized by the average viewer.

3) Are your decision makers a targeted group AND the general public?

If decisions makers you are targeting are both industry specialists AND the general public, then it is best to be both complex and simple. The easiest way to accomplish this is to split the project into a two--one message for the targeted group and another for the general public. Since current video / animation costs today are comparable to the cost of designing and sending postcards, this is often an economically feasible option. The studio you will work will likely repurpose the same materials for both videos, which would reduce the costs even more. If however, you are confined by strict budget limitations, continue reading! 

4) Find a Through-line

A through-line is the spine of your message which allows a general audience to understand a concept AND a specialist audience to acquire deeper levels of meaning. The most common form of a through-line is a character journey. This allows e.g. sixth graders to be engaged in the characters’ actions AND engages philosophers in debate over the story’s deeper meaning. 


5) Create a diagram

Sometimes assigning character journeys to messaging doesn’t make sense, but a diagram does. A few popular diagrams are --timelines, production cycles, pipelines, maps, physical objects, funnels, or intersecting spheres. In this instance, the diagram is the through-line, allowing you to convey messages on a high level while still keeping the general public in the loop.

6) Use a metaphor 

Like diagrams, metaphors can also be a through-line for your message. A few common metaphors are -- sports, institutions (churches, universities, etc.), events, or structures (castles, theaters, airplanes, etc.). You may have already thought of a metaphor, but don’t want to use it because you consider to be too trite. While this may be the case, the fact that a metaphor may be a common thought for an industry or message is also its power. If many people are thinking the same thought, you can harness this group-thinking for your message. 

7) Icons and cartoons

If a character journey, diagram or metaphor won’t work then icons and cartoon characters may help. Icons and cartoons allow viewers to think conceptually instead of literally. You can also add the deeper levels of meaning through footnotes and asides throughout the video. That said, too many footnotes and asides can confuse or distract an audience. This may cause a video to collapse on its purpose -- to convey a memorable message in only a few minutes. 

8) Distill a concept down to its essence

Write out bullet points or circle keywords in a paragraph or sentence. This may change the way you perceive your material. While this is obvious, sometimes people forget just that.


Takeaway: 

In summary, a through-line could also be referred to as a video’s concept. It is the most memorable part of the video and the reason why a company sets out to make a one in the first place. It is also the part where a good copywriter or a production studio will really shine! If you would like to hire a writer or need advice on your script Contact Us or email us at whiteboardanimation@gmail.com A simple solution may only be a phone call away. 


 

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