Set Your Message Free Blog

Getting Past "Mission Statement" Jargon towards Authenticity

Eric Oakland — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 17:23:00 GMT

First off, It was a fantastic experience for our whole team to create a whiteboard video with Al Yankovic. While it may seem like he's just poking fun at corporate lingo, he's actually doing us a favor. He's pointing out a pitfall any of us could fall into.

Jargon is an important part of any culture. Jargon lets you know who’s a part of your circle and who’s not. When people within a group use slang, nicknames, and acronyms, it makes them more familiar to each other. Jargon is a very good thing...for those inside the circle.

In our whiteboard videos, familiar words allow us to say a lot of things in succinct ways. Instead of going on and on for sentences about the how we need to find ways to make the work I do and the work you do work together and resonate as a whole...we can say “Synergy”. There’s even more economy when we can draw an image that says a thousand words.

Jargon is only an issue when the viewer can’t see any authenticity behind it. It doesn’t matter what you say or what words you use if the authenticity isn’t apparent. It’s important to us that our videos we create express as much authenticity as possible.

Here are a few things to consider in being authentic in your messaging.

1. Be Concise. Your best first step is to tell your story simply. Use exactly the number of words you need to get your idea across. Respect the viewers’ time, but don’t skimp on story, or the information they want.

2. Cut out the flash. Being clever and getting a laugh is fun. Entertainment and excitement can work too. But when we put too much makeup on your message too often, your audience may think you’re trying to cover up blemishes.

3. Speak their language, not your own. Jargon seems inauthentic to someone outside your circle. Don’t start out speaking in a different language--start by learning theirs. Their language is also jargon, by the way.

4. Align with their pride or their pain. A bird can mimic language, but mimicry is not authenticity. Don’t just use their language, show that you understand their point of view. Solve the frustration and viewers will trust your intention.

5. Prove it. Be transparent about how you’ve done what you say you can do. This key to this point is literally “be authentic”. Give them a low barrier for trusting your words.

It’s hard to show authenticity where there is none; it’s easy to destroy authenticity even when its real.

We hope you enjoyed Weird Al's Whiteboard Video "Mission Statement" which you can watch again here. Read about how it was made here.

How Learning Solution Con Attendees Could Win a Free TruScribe Video

Jonathan Surdo — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 12:18:00 GMT

We're attending the Learning Solutions 2014 Conference and Expo in Orlando FL from the 18th to the 20th. To get our team and your team psyched up to attend we want to hand out a few free TruScribe whiteboard videos.

There will be 2 chances to receive a video. The first opportunity will be leading up to the conference. The second will be on the 19th during the conference. These videos will be playing at our booth #308 during the expo, AND if you are one of the 20-40 lucky winners we will get ahold of you after the show and send you your video so you can share it with your team.

We are just ecstatic about exhibiting at LSCon 2014 for the first time!

Here's how you can win your own FREE TruScribe Vid:

1. Follow us @TruScribeVideos to keep up on details.

2. Whittle your education, team, company or product message down to its concise essentials.

2. Tweet your message using the hashtag #LSConTru

3. Tweet @TruScribeVideos to let us know you're coming to the show

On Monday, March 17th we will randomly select 20 qualifying tweets which will be created and playing at our Booth #308 at the expo. On the 19th you can tweet at us or stop by our booth to submit your message. If you stop by the booth to submit you actually get 10 more characters because you don't need the hashtag.

We will be updating through @TruScribeVideos and in this post. So keep watching and we will see you at the Expo!

Announcing Scribe For

Jonathan Surdo — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 18:30:00 GMT

In 2013, the team here at TruScribe really stepped up our game in terms of acquiring new business, meeting project goals, and making a unique product that impresses and astounds. And in the spirit of these successes, we were happy to provide whiteboard video messages for a number of nonprofit organizations, work that was completed pro bono.

Most recently, these projects included Magazine Literacy, which uses periodicals to promote reading skills in all ages, and Things of My Very Own, Inc., a service donating provisions to children recently free of an abusive situation.

For 2014, we are establishing a new program for nonprofits that we’re calling Scribe For™, and we need your help getting the word out. We will be awarding full service productions, and we’ll select up to four qualified nonprofits to receive a whiteboard video for promotion, information, or program enrichment.

One area we have been committed to in the past is Education. We’re constantly striving to learn more, from each other, from our clients, and with this program, from a small but dedicated group of people committed to their cause.

We like to think our whiteboard videos produce “brain candy,” the neurological rewards of new information presented in a unique way. And while this is a feature our clients certainly enjoy, we wanted the chance to provide this powerful tool to some of the organizations that could really use it, but maybe don’t have a budget for it.

So if you’re involved in a nonprofit that promotes education, consider applying. Our whiteboard videos are produced by a dedicated team of professional writers, voice talent and expert artists, which provides a unique opportunity for nonprofits to share their message.

Please visit the Scribe For page for more information on rules and applying.

Dispatches from the Front - Debriefing the 2013 MobCon Experience

Jonathan Surdo — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 23:00:00 GMT

MobCon 2013 recently came and went. TruScribe was thrilled to have a presence at the conference.

The second annual Mobile Conference, based in Minneapolis, is dedicated to the development and promotion of the emerging mobile industry. Presentations and vendors were there to help attendees understand the landscape as well as optimize their business offerings for mobile users and developers.

Our business development team was on the scene, presenting a content solution. This is one of the main themes of the conference. Once you’ve got a mobile application for your business, what do you do with it next? How do you drive sales, or encourage users to flock to your landing page and click the download button? We’re maybe a little biased, but we believe scribed videos are a fitting solution. We are positioned to fill some of the massive needs mobile developers and businesses have for content, and we were really excited for the chance to network and interact with this burgeoning market.

MobCon itself was filled with fantastic presenters, and it quickly became apparent a just how ubiquitous mobile has become. Mark Renshaw, Patrick Venetucci, and Dean DeBiase had a tremendous panel on how the mobile age is about putting people first and tech second. This talk highlighted some of the pervasiveness of mobile and how can lend itself to misapplication. Those three had a great message about not forgetting the human element as mobile explodes onto the scene.

Overall, we were extremely pleased with the experience, and as co-sponsors of MobCon 2013, we couldn’t have been more excited for the turnout. Our booth garnered a lot of foot traffic, and the uniqueness of our offering was a huge advantage for us.

In the near future, we should be able to integrate the mobile technologies of some vendors in our collateral: a huge plus for the MobCon experience, and it provided a level of synergy by indicating how mobile technology and user interface is the future of the market. By using Storyworks OnDemand app, we had out content delivery mechanism to present TruScribe videos to potential clients, boosting the appeal of both services to industry leaders. The app itself is considered a digital briefcase, using cloud-based storage for business meetings and transactions. We use it because it’s faster than loading YouTube every time we want to share one of our videos in a sales meeting. In a cool twist of synergy, Storyworks showcased our videos to demonstrate their app.

While we appreciate all these key demos MobCon neatly hit, it would have been nice if certain conversations were more geared toward content and its generation. All the technology, platforms, and applications are wonderful, and we liked having this forum to explore and connect with next generation developers and great thinkers. But for us, the content is the whole point of all the technological advancement. A conversation on content would have fit right into our wheelhouse.

TruScribe is a whiteboard video company that uses Scribology™ - applies research from neuroscience and behavioral psychology - to create content that captures attention and boosts retention for marketing, sales, internal messaging and training.

Whiteboard Videos - Meth - Breaking Bad

Jonathan Surdo — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 14:55:00 GMT

Dopamine! It’s not just for breakfast anymore. Technically, you eat it with every meal. You invite it along when you go shopping, it’s with you when you’re having sex, when you’re handing in a completed project, and it plays a supporting role in the hit AMC series, Breaking Bad. 4-(2-aminoethyl)benzene-1,2-diol (as the kids are most certainly not calling it these days) is a neurotransmitter often linked with learning and rewarding behaviors. It’s also one of the elements that makes TruScribe whiteboard animation videos so fun to watch.

So here’s how it works in TruScribe videos. When you see the hand moving across the white screen, it begins to draw … something. In the time between when the first line appears and the image is completed, your brain is trying to anticipate what the final form is going to be. When the final form is revealed the brain experiences SURPRISE and releases dopamine. *pop* Experiencing the unexpected increases the levels of dopamine in the brain, which is a pleasure chemical and in turn increases the engagement of the viewer, making our videos pleasing to watch and effective at transferring your message.

So how does that connect to Breaking Bad? Well, meth works by amplifying the effects of dopamine in the brains of the addict. Meth (or Blue Sky, as it’s coined in the show) is a stimulant which has a number of practical applications, like if you need to dig a hole in your front yard for some reason or if you don’t want to sleep for the rest of the week. The use of meth is extremely rewarding to the users and keeps them coming back for more. But unlike TruScribe Videos, its effects on the body are mostly disastrous, including the destruction of tissues and blood vessels, making the body unable to heal itself, and the loss of elasticity of the skin, causing users to appear much older than they are. With all the marks in the negativity, it astounds and amazes the sober among us that anyone would run the gambit of risks for the benefits of the experience. And yet the benefits are right there in the dopamine receptors. Meth floods the system with the stuff, and the user feels a surge of pleasure and a prolonged sense of euphoria.

Here’s a better way to connect TruScribe whiteboard videos with this currently popular show. While Breaking Bad explores the ramifications of a quiet milquetoast suburbanite father and husband deciding to veer off the path of civility and human kindness into the drug trade and its many dangers, the show itself delivers this same dopamine response through its narrative. It’s a show built around surprises: surprises in plot, in the development of character, in all its twists and turns. The writers have a knack for painting their leads into a corner, and they do this not knowing at the outset what will save their protagonists from jail, or torture, or an awful death at the end of a silvery axe. When those surprises come in frequent and unexpected ways, the dopamine comes with it, pleasurable, euphoric and in the case of Breaking Bad, relentless heartbreaking.

And it’s all over at the end of September. The withdrawal is going to be intense, and prolonged. You’ll have to start watching more TruScribe videos.

Video Scribing Success Story: Human Factors International

Eric Oakland — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:22:00 GMT

Many people are not aware that the user experience is a central part of the design of a successful product. That experience involves the science and art of designing a product so that it is easy to use, meets expectations and business goals. There is an entire methodology behind designing a user experience.

We’ve teamed up with Human Factors International to show you why it’s critical to calculate the Return on Investment (ROI) of user experience. Human Factors International partnered with Truscribe Whiteboard Videos to add the visual element to Dr. Susan Weinschenk’s testimony of why it’s critical to invest time and resources in the user experience in order to save money long term.

The ROI of the User Experience

In an effort to show how user experience affects ROI, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) released a report about why software fails. The report estimates the amount of money spent on worldwide information technology is $1 trillion per year. Yet the percentage of projects that are abandoned each year because they are deemed inadequate is 15%. The report also states that three of the 12 reasons new projects fail center around user experience.

Dr. Weinschenk goes on to give an example of how ROI changes if user experience is tested. She used the example of a micro lending company, which is a nonprofit organization that looks to people for donations and then takes that money to fund other small businesses. This is a business where people donate on the website. It is estimated that 50 customers will abandon the effort to donate money because the searching and donating part of the website is too difficult to navigate.

Yet if the micro lending company invested $100,000 to fix the user experience and the back-end coding, it would take just over a month (approximately 40 days) to recoup the investment. Other ways that improving user experience impacts ROI is through reduced training requirements and fewer calls to a help desk.

Finally Dr. Weinschenk uses the following quote from Albert Eintstein to illustrate Human Factors International’s philosophy.

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.” -- Albert Einstein

Video Scribing Success Story: Blank on Blank and U2's Bono

Eric Oakland — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 14:08:00 GMT

One of the toughest life stages a person faces is when a family member is ailing. Yet those times also can provide memorable interactions and stories that beg to be remembered.

We’ve teamed up Blank on Blank to show you how a precious moment with a loved one can be captured through the process of video scribing. In this case, Bono, the world-renowned musician from the band U2, reflected upon his father’s final days. Blank on Blank partnered with TruScribe Whiteboard Videos to add the visual element to Bono’s story so listeners can literally see what is being said.

Remembering a Father

In late 2001, Anthony Bozza, journalist for Rolling Stone magazine, was writing a story looking back at the year’s memorable moments. As part of his research, he recorded a conversation with Bono of U2. They talked about performing in America just days after September 11. And when asked what his most memorable personal encounter of the year was, Bono said it was sitting by his father’s bedside the days and hours before he died.

Bono describes the conversations he had with his father, and how he went into the hospital room armed with a pint of Guinness and a chaser because he didn’t want his father to be alone at night. He describes a personal epiphany he had while sitting with his dying father. He describes that all he wanted for his father was to keep his dignity. Yet he wasn’t able to do that because cancer is not a dignified disease.

Bono states that as he sat holding his father’s hand, he realized the two most important events of one’s life - birth and death - are actually very messy. The insight was that perhaps dignity is, in fact, a human construct. And that it is humility that is the eye of the needle that all people must pass through.

Beyond Listening

TruScribe knows just how important listening is. But just like how experiencing the loss of a loved one is not an easy task, listening isn’t enough when it comes to retaining information. That’s why we combine audio and video messaging. And by doing so, the retention rate is increased by 65%, more than six times more effective than audio alone.

By using drawings that illustrate those last few days and conversations between Bono and his father, the viewer can actually see what precious moments were had in these days and hours. And during a time where photographs are rarely taken, coupling a personal narrative with video scribing is a way to memorialize the loved one for years to come.

4 Video Circumstances that Whiteboard Animation May NOT Work For

Eric Oakland — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 13:35:00 GMT

These days, nearly every successful business has integrated video into its website presence. Obviously we love creating video that helps our clients drive traffic, engage viewers, and share their message. While whiteboard animation video and our Scribology™ can be highly effective for a wide-variety of content types, there are a few video styles that work better for some content.

Software Demos - Screen Capture

If you are a software or SaaS company you've probably created quite a few screen capture videos that highlight the design and function of your product. It's hard to imagine doing a video about your product, without showing your actual product. We have created a lot of software sales videos, but in this case of showing off the actual interface we recommend Screen Capture.

Personal Introductions - Talking Head

Whenever Apple creates a new product video, they show the experts behind it. When you need to give your product or service more 'humanity', talking head videos are great. When you have a someone in your team who is charismatic and can really show the personal side of your business, it's a shame NOT to use them. Talking heads work best when you can show people from the waist up and they can be highly emotive with their hands and body. We use real hands and hand-drawn images to achieve this 'humanity' effect that

“Day in the Life” and Behind the Scenes

It is human nature for people to be voyeurs into other people’s lives. (Why do you think reality television is so popular?) Use this concept to your advantage by creating a “day in the life” video that take customers behind the scenes of your business. Use video footage to introduce your employees, show a storeroom, or highlight a brainstorming session. We did a realy quick one of these for a local newspaper event. It can be great for getting 'regular staff' involved.

Event Highlights

Events are visual, providing great potential for video footage. If your company participates in or hosts events, take advantage of this opportunity by creating quick and easy videos of your presence. For example, shoot some video of your company reps at a booth talking with customers. Or if a company representative speaks at an event, include some footage of the presentation as well. Then be sure to post the video on your website and YouTube channel. This strategy provides the added benefit of people searching for the event and finding your company’s site.

Integrating video into your website and marketing strategy is one of the best ways to increase search traffic and engagement on your business website. If you're interested in whiteboard animation we'd love to work with you to create videos that are really effective for a majority of your content. However, if you have software demos or need to show real people doing real things, there are some alternatives you've probably already thought about.

If you think there's another type of video content you think whiteboard animation would be less suited for, make a comment below.

5 Tips for Video Sharing on Pinterest

Eric Oakland — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:52:00 GMT

In not very much time, Pinterest became the third most popular social network. And over the last year, the social media giant took a big leap forward by integrating video sharing capability to its platform. In other words, you can now pin YouTube and Vimeo videos to Pinterest boards.

As a marketing professional for your company, you cannot afford to ignore the power of Pinterest. Social media critics note that this platform is driving more traffic to websites than Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Google Plus combined. Video integration will have great appeal to web users who like sharing more artistically designed content, which mirrors Pinterest’s visually inclined user base. Here are five tips to help your company get the most out of video sharing on Pinterest.

1. Make videos specifically for Pinterest

One of the most unique aspects of Pinterest is its unique brand and image. Don’t simply pin all your YouTube videos to Pinterest (although you can). Many brands are developing video campaigns to encourage users to follow them on Pinterest and pin their items. Create specific videos for Pinterest and consider a Pinterest-only campaign for your company.

2. Create pinboards for video.

Don’t make the mistake several companies have made by placing all of your videos on a single pinboard and then entitling it, “videos.” Be specific in your boards and descriptions, and look for ways to pair themed videos with like boards and use keyword-rich descriptors.

3. Use an appealing thumbnail image.

Pinterest is all about the appeal of a visual image. Create an eye-catching image to go with your video to increase the likelihood of pins and click-throughs.

4. Make it easy to pin and repin.

When you have video on your website or YouTube channel, always include a “pin this” social sharing button along with each video. Another idea to encourage pinning is to include the words “pin this video to Pinterest” at the end of each video.

5. Repin other videos

Remember it’s all about social sharing and the way to build momentum and pins on Pinterest is to repin others. Just as you would with appealing images, repin other companies’ videos.

Pinterest had more than 23 million unique visitors and more than 1. 7 billion monthly page views in July 2012. Video allows you to tell a compelling visual story and Pinterest gives you the ability to share that story with millions. If your company is not yet using Pinterest for video, you are missing out on what is one of the best ways to share your story and drive traffic to your company website.

3 Tips for Video Script Writing

Eric Oakland — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 12:47:00 GMT

The process of writing a video script can be intimidating. However if you follow a few guidelines, the scripting process does not need to be complicated. Here are three tips for creating a compelling video script.

1. Think About Your Messaging and Tone

Once your script length and structure have been determined, it’s time to look at the message and tone you want to send viewers. To best understand the tone, jot down answers to the following questions before writing.

Who are you telling the story to?
Will the tone be personal and conversational, or informative using an expert?
What is the overall message you want to convey?
What kind of content are you providing? You content or Them content?
What makes your company different from competitors?

Once the questions are answered, shorten the word length to capture as much of the important details as possible. Then use these written points to help determine the structure you will develop in Tip #2.

2. Determine Your Script Structure

You will want to know from the beginning—before you start writing—the approximate length of your video and how you will break down each component. For example, if your video will be longer than five minutes, consider breaking the script into two or three key segments. Developing an outline, before you draft it, will allow you to develop a stronger, more meaningful message for your audience.

Remember: If the message you deliver is mostly about you, a shorter video tends to work better. If the message is more entertaining or highly valuable to your audience, you can often go longer. Consider 160 words a minute as a general guide. Determining the video length and number of segments helps tremendously before you write the script.

3. Know Your Call to Action

Every marketing piece you create should include a call to action. This includes any video you produce. Always state the call to action clearly at the end of your video. Call-to-action messages do not have to ask for thousands of dollars. A call to action includes lines such as, “Register today,” “Contact us,” or “Like our Facebook page.” Even if the goal of your video is not to sell, it’s important to include some type of call to action in order to measure your video’s success.

Writing a video script does not have to be a daunting process. First, answer a few basic questions about the content to determine the Message and Tone. Then, determine the length and develop an outline before you create your first draft. And finally clearly articulatethe action you would like your viewers to take once they have finished watching. Once those three steps are taken, you will have a script draft ready for review.

TruScribe Explains How to Cut Message-Trapping Strings

Eric Oakland — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:48:00 GMT

We’ve all seen it: A friend, family member or colleague has a genius start-up idea for a product, service or cause, but the idea falters before ever making an impact. Why? Your connection failed to reach his target audiences in a compelling, memorable manner.

To succeed in a competitive marketplace where consumers are growing increasingly annoyed by intrusive advertising, your message needs to reach your target audiences and inspire them to respond in some way. You need your target audiences to do more than see or hear your message – you need them to pay attention, understand, remember and take action.

But your message can easily become tied down by message-trapping strings, holding it back from its full potential. In our recent “5 Strings” series, we identified and expanded upon the five message-trapping strings, which is also clearly explained through our homepage video. Take a look at the video below and discover why your message is not being received or retained by your audience.

Here, we revisit the five strings again, providing bite size tips for cutting the strings and getting your message to your target audience.

Your message is trapped in the wrong medium. Too many messages are trapped in a medium that are harder for people to consume in a deep and memorable way. Eighty-three percent of learning occurs visually and 11 percent occurs audibly; combining audio and video increases retention to 65 percent. TruScribe’s whiteboard videos are 50 times more likely to receive a high search engine ranking than traditional text pages.
Your message is too short. A common belief about video is that all videos must be kept short (no longer than 90 seconds), lest you risk losing viewers with short attention spans. But short videos are often guilty of cramming too much information (product benefits, features, value propositions, et cetera) into a small space. TruScribe’s whiteboard animations use hand-drawn illustrations to tell stories, keeping viewers’ attention longer.
Your message is tangled in a format that’s hard to process. If your product, service or cause is difficult to explain, you want to present it in as much detail as possible, ensuring your competitive advantage is clearly represented. However, stacks of facts and figures and never-ending PowerPoint presentations is hard (and likely boring) for your audience to process. Sharing information in a story format is a much more engaging alternative.
Your message is trapped in “development hell.” When you choose to take advantage of the benefits of video, but don’t have the skills necessary for production, you’re at the mercy of a video production company that may never deliver on time or within the budget. We’re the most experienced video scribing company on earth because we’ve delivered more than 166 whiteboard animation videos than anyone else.
Your video just isn’t working. You’ve overcome the other message-trapping strings to create an attention-grabbing video and feel like it should be soaring, but you don’t see the invisible threads of how often and how long people are engaged with your message. Sites like YouTube offer free video hosting and analytics functions, while dedicated video hosting sites like Vidyard or Wistia provide even more tools that can be used to understand how your audience is engaging with each of your video clips.

Do any (or all) of these message-trapping strings seem too familiar to you? Learn how we apply our Scribology method of video scribing to set your message free! Get in touch by clicking the banner below and filling out our contact form. We’ll walk you through our video production process and let you know exactly what to expect as we work together.

Video Scribing Success Story: EZLaw

Eric Oakland — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:46:00 GMT

Nobody wants to worry about legal issues and finding the right attorney. But there are times when it’s a necessary part of life. And it’s during those periods that you need the easiest and most cost-effective way to obtain legal advice.

We teamed up with EZLaw.com to create a Whiteboard Animation explaining just how simple finding a lawyer can really be if you know what resource to use. Here is what WE learned:

Researching Lawyers is Time Consuming & Hard

Dealing with legal issues can be overwhelming and finding the right attorney is not an easy (or inexpensive) task. When you’re in the midst of legal trouble - or just need an attorney for general advice of consultation - the last thing you want to do is countless hours of research to find the right lawyer.

Find Legal Advice Like You Find Everything Else - Online

EZLaw is an online service that pairs clients with real attorneys at your convenience. It’s a simple process in which you answer a few questions and the service connects you with experienced legal experts in your state. The lawyer then walks you through the legal processes, answers your questions, and creates the document you need. All you do is download the document, press the “print” button, sign the paper, and you’re done!

EZLaw Has Major Cred

EZLaw is backed by one of the most reputable names in the legal industry, Lexis-Nexis Martindale-Hubbell, the legal authority that has been rating attorneys for more than 130 years.

It Was Our Pleasure

We really enjoyed working with EZLaw for the duration of the production process and are proud of the whiteboard animation we created together. Since the launch of this video we have been asked to develop half a dozen more videos for Lexis-Nexis and for Lawyers.com. It's relationships like these that drive us to put our best into the video scribing we do.

How to Select the Best Voice Talent for your Whiteboard Animation

Eric Oakland — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 16:00:00 GMT

When you are creating a whiteboard animation video to promote a product or teach a demonstration, finding the right voiceover talent is critical. In fact, research shows that using the right voice can cause a 35% increase in conversion. Are you wondering how to find the perfect talent for your next piece? Use the following five tips to ensure you find the best voice talent for your video.

1. Identify High Quality Voices

Do your homework and search for the highest-quality voiceover talent. Websites such as Voice Talent Productions and Voice Archive are a great starting place for locating talent online (and typically the work can be done from anywhere). Referrals are also a good way to find quality voice talent. Always ask for more than one sample recording from your talent prospects.

2. Use a Voice That Fits Your Audience and Brand

Be sure to keep your audience in mind when you select voice talent. For example, would a male or female voice be more persuasive? Is an accent required? If the video is geared toward children, you may want a voice that is higher and more enthusiastic compared to a sophisticated sound for high-end clientele.

3. Pay Attention to Subtle Voice Qualities

Don’t just listen to the talent for the sound of his voice. Pay attention to the qualities of his voice. Is the pitch and tone clear? Is he enunciating words clearly? Does the speaking rhythm flow? Is there something about his voice that is unique? A memorable voice will help people remember and identify the voice with your video/product.

4. Ask About Equipment

A voiceover professional should have his own studio equipment. This includes a studio-quality microphone. The right equipment is critical because the quality of the recording is what will make the difference in your video. The voice may be pitch-perfect, but if the recording has pops or sounds hollow, you have a problem.

5. Don’t Forget the Business Details

You may have identified a great voice talent, but be sure to always ask the important questions. For example, what is the turn-around time, and does it fit within your production schedule? In addition, always ask about a edit policy. If you need to change a part of the recording - even if it’s just a word or two - there is likely to be a edit charge. Know this ahead of time so you can plan your budget accordingly.

6. Never Say Never You

We usually recommend hiring professional talent. It's simply the easiest and fastest way to get the best results. However, there may be occassions where you want to draw from talent in your own company. For instance, you might have a sales rep who just knows the material and can deliver it with ease. Or maybe your have a subject expert in your midst and since the material is based in her research, her voice would lend a lot of credibility. In these cases we never recommend recording on a laptop. Find someone who has some quality equipment, or get into a studio.

As you embark on your next video project, keep the above tips in mind as you select your voiceover talent. Remember the voice is equally as important as the content itself. The voice helps persuade, inform and build rapport with the audience. Do not ignore this critical part of your whiteboard animation or you may end up reducing the effectiveness of your efforts.

Video Scribing Sets Messages Free: “That Good Feeling” Isn’t Enough

Eric Oakland — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:41:00 GMT

So, you’ve got a new web video for use in disseminating your company’s message. The narration sounds great and the images are certainly compelling – so why aren’t people engaging with your new content in the way you expected?

The final string in the “5 strings” process is the importance of video analytics. No matter how good your message “feels,” being unaware of how often and how long people are interacting with your video prevents your corporate story from ever truly being set free.

Video Analysis

Fortunately, snipping this string is easy, using any of the number of video analytics programs on the market today. Sites like YouTube offer free video hosting and analytics functions, while dedicated video hosting sites like Vidyard or Wistia provide even more tools that can be used to understand how your audience is engaging with each of your video clips.

From the information that these analytics programs provide, you’ll be able to account for a number of different factors, including:

The differences in engagement that exist between separate video placements. Whenever you release a new whiteboard scribing video, you may post it in several different places, including your homepage, your YouTube channel and any other video sharing website. Without analytics, you won’t be able to determine which audiences your message resonates most strongly with – preventing you from tailoring related content materials to the demonstrated needs of these separate viewer groups.
Whether or not your video traffic is well qualified. If your analytics programs reveal that most viewers only tune into your videos for a few seconds before clicking away, it’s possible that you aren’t targeting the right types of traffic for your company. In this case, having this data available will make it easier to see which traffic sources are engaging with your videos, and which ones should be ignored in order to focus on better qualified visitors.
How compelling your message is for your audience members. In general, whiteboard scribing videos are created with an action in mind – whether that’s requesting more information about a product, signing a petition or taking some other dedicated action. But if your video analytics reveal viewers sitting through to the end of your clip and then failing to take action, you’ve got a conversion problem. In these cases, you may need to rework your videos in order to achieve better overall results.

The great thing about TruScribe’s whiteboard scribing videos is that your message isn’t set in stone. If you find that some aspect of your video isn’t working for your audience, it’s easy to change certain elements and roll new clips out again for further testing.

If any of these individual strings have struck a nerve or hit a little too closely to home, shoot our staff an email at GetStarted@Truscribe.com. We’ll walk you through our video production process and let you know exactly what to expect as we work together in order to set your company’s message free once and for all.

Video Scribing Sets Messages Free: End Delays Hindering Your Message

Eric Oakland — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 14:43:00 GMT

While most companies are quickly catching on to the potential that online video holds for attracting and engaging potential customers, the process of developing these compelling content pieces often goes awry. What starts out as a great idea quickly becomes trapped in a production queue, waiting on a team that ultimately won’t be able to deliver your product on time and within your budget.

At TruScribe, we call this String #4 – the tendency of your message to be trapped in “development hell,” never to see the light of day.

Whether you’re planning to produce sales videos in-house or through external consultants, the process is typically the same. You’ll hear, “Yes, we can do that,” but then find yourself twiddling your thumbs, waiting on a production team that’s suddenly become less communicative.

The TruScribe Experience

So what’s a customer who wants to leverage the power of online video suppose to do? Well, for starters, why not work with the best?!

We at TruScribe don’t always like to toot our own horns; we do believe that there are a few key differentiating factors that set us apart from our competitors:

Our team knows how to connect with your audience. We’re constantly studying online video trends, consumer psychology and a wealth of other topics in order to make our videos as engaging as possible. By understanding exactly what it is that holds a viewer’s attention, we’re able to craft high quality videos, ensuring that our customers get the biggest bang for their marketing bucks.
Our team knows how to produce videos for the web. Too many internal teams take on the daunting task of video production without understanding the equipment or resources needed to make high-quality, effective video. Instead, using our extensive experience in the field, the TruScribe staff is able to turn around everything from web-ready video clips to 1080p HD video files that will look good in any sales situation.
Our team uses a proven process to guide video production. We know how to avoid production delays, simply because our system is so well-established that it's easy to stay on task and on deadline! When you need a web video finished on a tight schedule, don’t leave it to chance – leave it to the people who have perfected the process of supplying Fortune500 companies with the materials they need to set their messages free.

Our team’s commitment to turning out consistently high-quality videos hasn’t gone unnoticed. Though our company is still young, we’ve had the chance to work with some major industry players – including Walmart, Microsoft, HP, Cargill and Paypal. These titans of industry know that they can rely on TruScribe – and you can bet that we’ll provide your company with the same level of service and attention when it comes to getting your whiteboard scribing video project finished on time and within your stated budget.

Video Scribing Sets Messages Free: Audiences Processing Your Message?

Eric Oakland — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 14:41:00 GMT

In this third installment of our “5 Strings” series of blog posts, we’re going to cover another common cause of trapped messaging. But rather than simply state the issue that’s at the base of this string, I’m going to illustrate the problem with an example…

Think back to the worst PowerPoint presentation you’ve ever had to sit through. I’m talking about drab slides, poorly-chosen animations and – worst of all – slide after slide of dry, boring bullet points. Remember exactly how it felt to sit and listen to the speaker’s monotone, trying to keep your feet from fidgeting and your fingers from straying to your smartphone.

If you think that there’s got to be a better way to convey your company’s message, you’re absolutely right!

Tell a Story

Too often, your message becomes tangled up in a format that’s hard for audiences to process. Although it’s certainly important to convey information about your competitive advantage and the specific benefits and features your product offers, detailing your value proposition through slide after slide of buzzwords and bullet points isn’t doing your message any favors.

So what’s the solution? If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you won’t be surprised to hear that the process of sharing information in story format is a much more engaging alternative.

Our brains are conditioned to hone in on stories, which means that your listeners will be better able to process and understand your company’s message if it resembles this type of pattern.

Now, I’m not saying that you need to start out every sales presentation using a tacky, “Meet Bob” approach. While that might work in some situations, corporate or B2B sales isn’t usually one of them. Instead, you’ll want to capture some of the elements that make storytelling so effective in your business presentations in order to set your message free.

Here’s how to do it:

Focus on the relationships between ideas and how these ideas impact your listeners. Doing so gives listeners the impression that they’re hearing an engaging and compelling story without any cutesy gimmicks.
Break your content up into easily digestible chunks. Think about books, which are structured by chapters and then broken down even further by paragraphs. This implicit hierarchy gives the brain a break and allows it to process information at its own pace – making it much more likely that your message will be retained by listeners.
Tailor your story to your clients’ experiences. Stop focusing so closely on what your product can do and use your sales presentation to actually show clients how you can heal what's ailing them!

Transforming your Message

Obviously, if you’re working with traditional presentation methods, your ability to create engaging, story-style sales pitches will be limited. That’s one of the reasons we’re so passionate about the potential whiteboard scribing videos hold for sales message delivery.

Using our Scribology video format, we’re able to transform your dated, bullet point-riddled PowerPoint slides into compelling videos that make use of simple images, refined colors and focused framing in order to un-trap your message and deliver your corporate story in a way your audience can process and enjoy. To find out more, give us a call at 888.684.4944 to get started with the TruScribe process today!

Video Scribing Sets Messages Free: The Myth of Short Attention Spans

Eric Oakland — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 15:42:00 GMT

In our last blog post on the five strings that are holding back your message, we looked at how the video scribing format can be used to correct some of the weaknesses held by stories conveyed entirely by text or audio. And while we’re never shy to sing the praises of online video, there are a few popular misconceptions that we’d like to clear up.

First of all, how often have you heard someone say, “Well, you’ve got to keep your ads short – after all, people’s attention spans are so short these days!”?

Let’s just go ahead and burst that bubble right now! If you’ve bought into this myth in the past, you might be surprised to learn that the average online viewer commits 6.8 minutes to a typical video. This isn’t even an upper limit – viewers are increasingly focusing their attention on long-form video content, which makes the use of whiteboard scribing videos all the more appealing when it comes to conveying your company’s message in an effective way.

Cutting String #2

However, the fact that this myth still hangs around leads us to String #2 that keeps your message tied down – the idea that videos can be no longer than 30-90 seconds, lest you risk losing viewers.

The result of this common myth is marketing videos that focus too heavily on “You” content. Because they have so little time to get your message across, these videos must cram your product’s benefits, features and value propositions into a snippet of time. As a consequence, these short videos pack too much information into a small space – trapping your message by being unable to provide any really valuable content.

So if 30-90 seconds seems too short to share all this information (and believe me, it really is!), just imagine what you could do if you were given the full 6+ minutes that online video viewers are already committing to content pieces that hold their interest?!

Creating "Them" Content

When you’re able to free your message using longer video clips, your company can transition away from this damaging “You” content and into more valuable “Them” content. “Them” content uses your message to both educate and entertain customers through the use of storylines that focus on the things your customers care about.

The use of the hand-drawn illustrations found in TruScribe’s whiteboard scribing videos take these benefits even further by adding a certain amount of warmth and authenticity to your message. As a result, you’re no longer cramming a quick sales pitch down your customers’ throats with your online videos – you’re instead telling stories, providing viewer valued content that will hold their attention for 5, 10 or even 15 minutes while sharing your company’s message in a safe and non-threatening way.

If that all sounds good for you, give us a call today at 888.684.4944. Using our extensive experience transforming hundreds of messages into engaging online video files, we’ll help you to snap this string by giving your customers valuable “Them” content through the use of our Scribology method of Whiteboard Animation.

Video Scribing Sets Messages Free: Text and Audio Alone Trap Messages

Eric Oakland — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:53:00 GMT

At TruScribe, our primary goal is to help you and your organization to “set your message free” through the use of engaging whiteboard animation. However, in order to understand why this is so important, we must first look at what exactly is holding your company’s story back from being heard and retained by your audience members.

We call these limitations “strings,” and over the next few posts on this blog, we’ll be going into more detail on the top five strings that trap your message from being fully realized by your audience.

Today, we’ll start with string #1 – the fact that most messages are trapped in mediums (typically text or audio content) that are harder for people to consume.

While it might seem strange to think of video as an ideal format for message delivery – especially considering that the rise of internet video is still somewhat in its infancy – the reality is that this particular medium represents one of the best ways to share your messages with your audience.

In fact, according to recent studies, pairing the vocal delivery of your information with video imagery results in two times more message retention than conveying information via video alone – and nearly six times the retention achieved using audio files alone. As a result, if you’re serious about getting your message out to your audience members, consider that the combination of voice and video found in whiteboard scribing videos may be the ideal way to bring about this result!

It’s also important to note that there’s never been a better time to share your message using online video services. Here’s why:

Online video viewing habits continue to skyrocket, with the average online viewer consuming 20 hours of video footage each month. And increasingly, users are viewing longer and longer videos at a time – meaning that they’ve already been conditioned to receive your message in this way.
Video files offer significantly better SEO results than text alone. Both search users and the search engines love to see video files in the natural search result listings, making your video files as much as 50 times more likely to be ranked for your target keywords than standard text pages.
YouTube is already the third most-viewed website in the world. The popular video sharing service is a search engine in its own right, with tons of traffic from interested online viewers. As there’s no end in sight to the upward trend of video viewership, you’ve got every reason in the world to position your company as a leader in online video now.

To learn more about how you can cut the string of message-trapping mediums, email TruScribe today at GetStarted@TruScribe.com. Using our proven whiteboard scribing processes, we’ll help you to create engaging videos from any message that can be launched online to both entertain and educate your audience members in a way that resonates with them!

Using a Whiteboard Scribing Video to Improve Website Conversions

Eric Oakland — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 14:30:00 GMT

These days, websites don’t get to just sit around and look pretty! Businesses put up websites because they expect these digital platforms to provide them with some sort of tangible results. Maybe you’re using your website to sell products or maybe you’re employing your digital content to generate interest and potential sales leads – but either way, you’re expecting some sort of business benefit to occur as the result of viewer engagement with your website.

Buzzword Burnout

Unfortunately, encouraging these conversions can be a challenging process. Today’s digital consumers are burned out on advertisements and marketing buzzwords – and even if your sales language presents your company’s value proposition in a seemingly reasonable way, website visitors may dismiss your benefit statements without ever giving them a fair shake.

But while this behavior may seem reasonable when we’re the ones slogging through digital promotion after digital promotion, it’s quite a bit more irritating when it’s your company’s success or failure on the line!

In these situations, you need something that cuts through the digital clutter in order to regain visitor attention and increase your likelihood of scoring the website conversions you’re so hoping for. You need whiteboard animation videos!

Utilize Whiteboard Animation Videos

Although video scribing can be used in practically any circumstance in order to increase on-site conversions, let’s look at just a few possibilities in order to reveal the full potential of this engaging advertising medium. Whiteboard scribing videos can be used:

When selling products. If your company retails high-value or highly-technical products on its website, whiteboard scribing videos can help to bridge the gap between text-based product descriptions and actual user experiences. Using our Scribology process to illustrate exactly what kind of a difference your products can make in your consumers’ lives can go a long way towards eliminating the fear that comes along with making big-ticket purchases online.
When generating leads. As another example, if your company runs an email marketing newsletter, getting customers to voluntarily give away their email addresses can be a challenge. No matter how many flashing arrow graphics you use or how many bullet point lists of benefits you provide, it can be difficult for consumers to see enough value in your offering to make the tradeoff between signing up and enjoying the benefits you’ll provide. Again, whiteboard scribing videos can be used to make this process of persuasion more personable, increasing this particular type of website conversion.
When prompting action. Alternatively, if your organization seeks to inform website visitors about a cause and encourage their action on issues that are particularly meaningful to you, there’s simply no better way to do it than with whiteboard videos. Whiteboard videos make excellent use of the visual storytelling process, which allows you to draw viewers into your organization’s story and share why exactly their action is so important to you. It’s also a great way to break complex issues down into easily understood concepts, making whiteboard scribing videos an ideal solution for motivating action on issues at any end of the complexity spectrum.

Time and time again, the videos we’ve produced for our customers have proven effective when it comes to breaking through the noise online in order to compel website visitors to action.

If you’d like to learn more about how Truscribe’s proprietary Scribology method can be used to set your company’s message free in order to increase website conversions, download our latest whitepaper, “The 5 Strings Holding Your Message Back from Reaching Your Audience” today!

Integrating Whiteboard Scribing Videos into Power Point Presentations

Eric Oakland — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 15:13:00 GMT

We’ve discussed the potential that whiteboard scribing videos hold in terms of educating and persuading consumers to purchase your products or services several times already on this blog – but don’t think that’s the only place they have value!

In fact, whiteboarding videos can be used anywhere that traditional Power Point presentations can be found, whether that includes internal sales enablement trainings, conference seminars and other demonstrations.

However, if you’re used to delivering your materials via Power Point, your biggest concern with the process will likely be how to integrate the two in a way that complements your message. The last thing you want is to find yourself standing at the podium, fiddling with your laptop and trying to get these two different technologies to play nice together.

Fortunately, you have a number of different options for integrating whiteboard scribing videos with Power Point presentations. The solution that’s right for you will depend on your presentation style, your technological savvy and the audience you’re delivering your message to.

The following are a few of the solutions you’ll want to consider:

Option #1 – Get rid of Power Point entirely

This option might sound scary (I almost didn't lead with it), it’s only because business people today have been conditioned to use Power Point like a crutch. Instead of familiarizing ourselves with the message being delivered, we rely on boring slides filled with uninspired text, which we can click through and read out loud – rather than truly engage with our audience members.

The result of this standard presentation style isn’t surprising. Instead of an attentive, focused audience, you’ll wind up facing a room full of attendees who are either daydreaming about what they’ll do after your session or trying to sneakily check their mobile devices for any possible distraction! Either way, it’s not an ideal system for message understanding and retention.

If this scenario sounds all too familiar, you may benefit from eliminating Power Point entirely. Instead of throwing together yet another set of slides, set your message free with a whiteboard scribing video that conveys all the same information in a much more fun and exciting way.

Option #2 – Switch back and forth between the two

If you aren’t able to get away from Power Point entirely (either because you aren’t comfortable with this change or because the length/scope of your message makes whiteboarding the entire thing impractical), you can always alternate between both technologies.

For example, you could record an introductory message via whiteboarding video that will be played before the bulk of your Power Point presentation, as well as a video closing that’s played afterwards. Giving your presentation in this way will capture your audience’s attention initially, and then provide a compelling recap of your main points that’s more likely to stick with attendees than a traditional Power Point wrap-up.

Option #3 – Embed whiteboard videos within your Power Point presentation

Alternatively, if you’d like to break things up even further, consider embedding short whiteboarding presentations inside of your Power Point. If your presentation has several different objectives or sections, producing a short whiteboard video to complement each part of your speech may help to keep audiences attentive through the entire thing.

To do this, you’ll need to host your whiteboard videos online – either on your own website or on a separate video hosting account. Then, you’ll take a screen capture of each of your videos, embed it into the Power Point presentation and link out from the slide to the video. You’ll need to have an active internet connection to present in this way, but as long as this is the case, you’ll be able to switch between the two technologies without the hassle of loading separate video files every time.

If you’re interested in exploring which of these options is right for your unique situation, give us a call at 888-684-4944. We’ll walk you through the process of whiteboard video creation and show you exactly how this fascinating technology can be effectively integrated into your existing presentations.

Showcase Your Value Proposition with a Whiteboard Video

Eric Oakland — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:30:00 GMT

Whether you’re a small company or a multinational conglomerate, a self-employed professional or a marketing director in charge of hundreds of products, your business brings something special to the world. But unfortunately, unless you can adequately convey that value proposition to the world, you’ll ultimately find your company’s growth to be slow to non-existent.

The reality of today’s sales and marketing world is that there are plenty of different elements that hold back your value proposition from reaching your intended audience, including:

Format – Messages that are delivered via text or audio alone simply don’t engage the brain the same way that videos do. As a result, information and value propositions conveyed through traditional print or radio advertisements may not have the “stickiness” of content being shared through whiteboard videos.
Message competition – Fascinating new data released by IT management service DOMO indicates that every minute of every day, Facebook users share 684,487 pieces of content, Twitter users publish 100,000 tweets and YouTube users upload 48 hours of video footage. Add in the compounding effect of the sales messages that filter into every aspect of our lives through both traditional and web advertising mediums, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster when it comes to getting your value propositions and sales messages noticed through all this noise!
Attention spans – There's a lot competition for consumer attention, and most of the content being pushed out there isn't adding value to the viewer. So it’s no surprise that consumer attention spans are at an all-time low. If you want to break through these barriers and captivate your target audience members, you’ll need something special to get the job done.

That “something special” can be whiteboard animation!

Whiteboard video scribing helps to cut through many of the limitations described above, providing enhanced message delivery, comprehension and retention when compared to text campaigns, radio spots and even traditional, character-driven videos. The use of engaging story lines and professionally-deployed psychological cues (for example, the density and simplicity of the imagery used) make this medium memorable, giving you a great opportunity to showcase your company’s value proposition.

To learn more about how these techniques can be used to disseminate your message more effectively than ever, contact Truscribe today by emailing GetStarted@Truscribe.com. Our extensive industry experience allows us to hone in on the specific elements that are holding your value proposition back in order to find ways to set your message free!

The Business Benefits of Whiteboard Animation

Eric Oakland — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:05:00 GMT

Sure, there’s no arguing with the fact that whiteboard animations look pretty and are fun to watch. However, this unique medium has so much more to offer than strict entertainment value. In fact, there are a number of circumstances in which the use of whiteboard animation style videos provides significant business benefits to organizations of any size.

The following are just a few possibilities to get your creative juices flowing!

Whiteboard animations on your homepage

When new visitors arrive on your page, what do they see first? Do they encounter an intimidating-looking block of text describing your company’s product and service offerings, or do they see a welcoming, engaging whiteboard animation message sharing the same information in a fun way?

If you’re concerned that your text-intensive website may be resulting in on-site visitor confusion or frustration, replacing text blocks with 60-90 second, “you focused” whiteboard videos telling your company story or explaining your business philosophy may provide a better jumping off point for your website.

Whiteboard animations instead of whitepapers

Though you may have used whitepapers in the past to convey detailed or highly-technical information, sharing this same content in a whiteboard scribing format can be much more engaging! To accomplish this, you’ll want to focus your video on “them information” – that is, on the content that your target audience will find most useful. Try incorporating industry trends, new data or other “insider” information to turn your new “whiteboarding whitepaper” into a valuable content marketing tool.

Whiteboard animations in your training library

Many websites offer tutorial videos and other training resources on their websites – but too often, these materials are dull and uninspiring. And while it may not make sense to scribe your software interface instead of screen capture videos, whiteboard videos can be used in most situations to visualize your training materials and connect on a deeper level with product users.

Whiteboard animations as information graphic

Today, the hottest type of content in the digital marketing world is the infographic – a graphically-oriented image that visualizes data in new and exciting ways. But while these graphics can be useful tools for attracting new website visitors, they’re still static. This means that viewers must determine on their own how to engage with and interpret your data.

To remedy this situation, try creating an infoMOTION™ graphic using TruScribes unique process, which will help viewers to better understand your content, while also encouraging the type of viral sharing for which infographics have become so popular.

Whiteboard animations as a sales tool

In addition, one of the most effective uses of whiteboard animation videos is as a vehicle for sales message delivery. In fact, giving sales pitches via video offers a number of different advantages compared to standard, “stand and deliver” style Power Point presentations.

On the one hand, whiteboard animation videos can go where salespeople sometimes can’t. Because these videos can be distributed digitally, they can be deployed on the web or via email in situations where an in-person meeting isn’t possible or practical. In this way, they can help increase sales where traditional presentation methods would have failed.

Whiteboard animations in the sales enablement process

Whiteboard animation videos can also be useful tools when it comes to sales enablement – particularly when used by large organizations with multiple sales channels.

Instead of emailing out Power Point presentations and hoping that division leads convey the enclosed information appropriately, training employees on updated company procedures or messaging via whiteboard animation videos is a much better way to ensure that new information is passed on in an engaging and consistent way.

Whiteboard animations to communicate a message

The organic, intriguing style of whiteboard animation videos can be used for much more than just business sales and messaging. In addition, whiteboarding can be an especially effective tool in spurring innovation and advocacy.

Whether you want to educate viewers on an issue that’s near and dear to your heart or to motivate and inspire users to bring about a change in their environments, whiteboard scribing can be particularly useful when it comes to illustrating information that exists only in your imagination.

To see an example of how one such message was brought to life through the use of whiteboard scribing videos, take a look at the animation we created for the British Airline Pilots Association in support of their ongoing pursuit of airline safety. Or, to learn more about how your own message can be set free in such a compelling way, contact us today at GetStarted@TruScribe.com.

Understanding Online Video Viewing Habits

Eric Oakland — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:55:00 GMT

While there’s no doubt that online video viewing has increased substantially over the past few years, smart businesses are asking themselves what these trends mean for their overall marketing strategies. To answer a few of these questions regarding how current online video viewing trends could influence digital marketing best practices, we turned to comScore’s recent “2012 US Digital Future in Focus” whitepaper to identify the trends shaping future video consumption.

The following are a few of the interesting statistics we found, as well as the potential implications that businesses must consider:

Video Views per Day

“In 2011, more than 100 million Americans watched online video content on an average day, representing a 43-percent increase versus a year ago.”

More Americans watching videos means that more target audiences are now engaging with this medium online. In contrast to the past – when video viewing was carried out primarily by young, tech-savvy audiences – this newly video-optimized environment presents more opportunities than ever for companies to reach their desired prospective customers.

As a result, if you’ve ruled out video advertisements or video message delivery in the past due to low interest, it may be time to reevaluate the potential this medium holds within your unique marketplace niche.

Minutes per Video

“The average number of minutes per video view rose from 5.0 minutes to 5.8 minutes by the end of 2011, due in large part to the increasing adoption of long-form video content viewing.”

In addition to the number of video views increasing, the industry has seen a shift in terms of average viewing length. And while the move from 5.0 to 5.8 minutes might not seem significant, it’s worth considering that this increase stems primarily from the viewing of online television shows and movies.

What this says to business owners is that online video attention spans are increasing. What was once a medium composed primarily of throwaway video clip views now represents something that captures much more of the public’s attention. As a result, viewers may be more amenable to serious information or sales pitches delivered via video, simply because of the increasing presence online video holds in our lives.

Videos and Video Ads Published

“The volume of video ads streamed across the internet increased 20% versus the previous year, but the ratio of the number of video ads to total videos grew at a somewhat more muted rate, from 12.8% to 14.1%.”

Interestingly, although the number of video ads streamed online in 2011 increased significantly, the ratio of videos to ads changed only slightly – obviously due to the overall increase in videos published online.

And while this trend may not offer much substantive information on its own, it’s a trend that’s worth following. While video ads – especially those that make use of the highly effective whiteboard scribing style – may represent a profitable message delivery channel in the future, it will be important for businesses to watch for the point of saturation at which video ads become tuned out and irrelevant.

With these statistics in mind, we want to hear from you. Are you ramping up video production and dissemination in light of the trend toward higher online viewership? Are you seeing an increase in audience retention throughout your videos due to longer online video viewing averages? Or are you experiencing a change in video ad effectiveness, given the influx of new advertisers shown above?

Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Complex Topics Made Easy to Understand With Whiteboard Videos

Eric Oakland — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 14:53:00 GMT

If they say a picture is worth a thousand words, just how much information do you think you could convey by pairing hundreds of individual, instructional images with compelling audio content in a whiteboard scribing video?

In fact, studies have found that the amount of information transferred and retained when conveyed via video format is significantly higher than the amount of learning that occurs when topics are described using either audio or text-based methods alone!

As a result, whiteboard videos represent a great opportunity for conveying complex topics in a way that’s intuitive and easy-to-understand. Here’s how the process works:

Message identification – The first step in any TruScribe whiteboarding project is to identify and clarify the message that will be delivered in your video. You can do this on your own, or we can match you up with an experienced copywriter – either way, we won’t move ahead with graphics creation until you’re satisfied that your message has been structured appropriately.
Concept sketching – Once we’ve identified the key points that need to be made in your video, we’ll start the process of illustrating these topics with compelling imagery. At TruScribe, we don’t just use pretty pictures in your video animations – the graphics we develop are steeped with additional layers of information and make use of psychological cues to ensure that important points are understood and remembered by your audience.
Audio recording – Again, you can either record your own vocal delivery of your message at our state-of-the-art sound system, or we can bring in a talented voice artist to ensure the tone of your video’s audio track sounds just right.
Video production – After you’ve signed off on our illustration concepts, we get to work on bringing your video vision to life. Throughout this process, we’ll film “live action” versions of your graphics, sync them up with your audio recording and integrate whatever video stylizations suit your brand and message best.
Production wrap-up – Once our initial video recording is complete, we’ll edit your video content, making sure that any custom intro/outro slides are added and that any calls to action you’ve set up will be highly visible in your finished product.
Launch – After all of these steps have been completed, your message is ready to be set free! To assist you, we provide a variety of video files to suit your needs, including everything from compressed web files to portable Thumbdrive versions to full 1080 HD recordings that are suitable for the big screen.

Once you sign off on your unique whiteboard scribing video, it’s yours to use in whatever venue or capacity you deem appropriate. A few examples of situations in which the whiteboard scribing process could be especially useful in communicating complex topics include:

In scientific presentations – Whether you’re presenting scientific data to fellow researchers, investors or students, whiteboard scribing is a great way to detail these technical topics in an engaging fashion.
Within technical sales – If the product or service you’re selling involves highly-technical components that must be discussed and understood as part of the sales process, the use of whiteboard videos can keep your presentation light without compromising its informative value.
When sharing detailed information with the public – Occasionally, it’s necessary to convey messages to the public that can’t be summed up in a simple press release or article. In these cases, whiteboard videos may offer a more engaging medium for public and private organizations.

To see an example of how whiteboard videos can be used to convey complex topics, take a look at the “Integrated Oil Recovery from TIORCO” video in our whiteboard video gallery. Although the process of advanced oil reclamation isn’t necessarily an easy one to understand, the use of engaging graphics and an informative script makes even this highly-technical subject easily understood.