How valuable are SaaS explainer videos? In a word, very.
Before we throw you a bunch of explainer video stats that say so too, let’s explore the psychology of who you want to watch your video.
1. Why are they your ideal client?
2. What’s their biggest frustration that your product solves?
3. What solution do they think they need (before they’ve discovered you)?
4. How will they know when they’ve found what they’re looking for?
5. And finally, when they land on your website, what’s their intention?
Before we get into the nuts and bolts of how to approach your SaaS explainer video, it's worth spending a moment to consider why they hold so much value as part of your web user experience. Fix your ideal client in your mind, and step into their user journey.
However they got there (e.g. search, email link, social post etc), your potential client has now landed on your website. They're presented with a compelling headline, a video and a set of product features.
Chances are you answered the question "what's their intention?" with something like "to find out if what we offer is what they need". No doubt time is short, so the next question is: where do they go first for this answer? People view video as the best means to understand a product or service, so this is likely to be their first port of call.
If your user's intent is to find out (in the quickest way possible) if your SaaS is right for them, then design your video with this in mind. So many SaaS brands fall into the trap of thinking their video needs to say more than it does. However, if your explainer video is too long, or doesn't quickly align with what your audience are looking for, you are working against their intention, and your video will be less effective.
The sweet spot is around 60-90 seconds, which equates to around a 140-200 word script. First, we relate to the problem (or opportunity) your audience are trying to solve. Second, we give them a high level promise statement (the solution). Third, we give credence to the promise statement - or in other words, we prove the promise statement to be true. And fourth, we give a strong CTA.
This third section can be the hardest because it requires us to have a good grasp on what features/benefits will pique your audiences interest, whilst giving enough credibility to the product overall.
Here is a little more meat on the bone and some questions to consider. A good agency will guide you through this process and develop the script with you.
In the first 15-20 seconds, you’re going to want to show you really do understand who you’re talking to. What are their frustrations? What do they want to achieve? If your viewer feels understood, they’re far more likely to trust you have the solution too.
Here’s an example from MMI Analytics (beauty industry).
"The landscape of our industry has irrevocably changed.
We’ve seen online shopping dominating sales,
and a huge increase in sites being used as research before purchase,
whether in-store or online.
The digitisation of the customer journey means it can be hard to know what consumers are seeing,
or missing out on."
A promise statement is simply a line that summarises how your product solves their problem. Essentially it describes the value you’ll deliver to your client. Usually, emotive promise statements pack more of a punch. The goal here isn’t to convince the audience your solution is best, rather it’s to relate to the outcome they want to achieve. Also, we're not yet saying how this is achieved, but rather selling the promise it will be achieved.
Here’s an example from Vodeno (banking industry).
"Brands can now brand their own financial products.
Keep their customers within their brand ecosystem.
And learn more about their customer’s spending behaviour."
We should be around ⅓ to ½ way through the video by this point. The second half is all about instilling trust and credibility. But we don’t want to go overboard. As we mentioned earlier, optimum length for a SaaS explainer video is around 60-90 seconds. That’s a mere 140-200 word script. So we need to curate the benefits and only present ones that will excite the audience the most. Remember, the goal of your video isn’t to give a blow-by-blow account of the benefits, rather it’s to pique interest and increase time on site.
Here’s an example from Mulberry Risk (finance industry).
View your actuarially projected portfolio.
Slice and dice your data.
Customise your reports.
And quiz our experts on the detail.
And finally, we’ll want to think about what action we want the viewer to take. This could be “sign-up today”, it could be “explore more”, or “request a demo”. There’s no right or wrong answer to this, it simply comes down to what will lead to the highest conversions.
It needs to be clear and strong, but can be as simple as this example from Applied (recruitment industry).
"To learn more about how Applied can help you, get in touch."
So there you have it. Kick those shoes off, put your feet up and get your thinking cap on. Or alternatively, grab a cuppa and book a Discovery call with us, because there’s nothing quite like bouncing creative ideas off someone.
Oh, and we promised you some stats at the start, so without further ado here are 68 video facts marketers need to know.
