On the heels of touting explainer videos, I thought it would be a good idea to give you some more ideas on how to hold people’s interests once they get to your site. The more congruity there is between your offsite content and that of your company’s website, the better. It follows, then, that if you lead with strong visual content, that’s what should be provided when a prospect clicks through.
I like the idea of whiteboard animation, and I’m not alone. This type of video has a degree of versatility that others don’t. It’s one of the truly customizable, brand-friendly video solutions out there. The visuals can be unique, and the placement of words and pictures is very easy to control and test. Moreover, whiteboard videos are typically longer than an explainer, although there are plenty of explainers out there that use whiteboard animation effectively, too.
Today, I want to give you a basic framework for how to write a good whiteboard script. My hope is that the information will serve you well if you decide to go it alone but also help you develop a quality control checklist should you decide to work with a professional script writer. For the record, I recommend the latter, at least for your first time out. Still, if you prefer the DIY approach, what follows will give your script a winning edge over many of your competitors.
Create a Compelling Narrative
Whiteboard animations rely very heavily on their visuals. The bringing together of the pictures on each frame puts the viewer in the mindset of watching a developing story. What they hear needs to follow suit. This is why, when developing a whiteboard animation script, you want to tell a story with at least three distinct parts: the conflict, rising action, and resolution.
The conflict would be the pain point or problem the product or service solves. The rising action is the journey of the focal character. The perspective can be just like in a book or short story (actually, think in terms of short story here with just enough development to tell the entire story well).
You can use either first or third person to tell the story. A first-person perspective will rely heavily on the visuals, whereas a third-person delivery weighs the words and visuals more equally. Whichever route you choose, you need to create an immersive environment for both the eyes and ears.
Plot Out Your Story
I’m about to tell you to do something that goes contrary to most other types of content here. If you’ve read Beez blog for a while now, you know my strategy for integrating visuals into your content. I’ve told you repeatedly to write the copy around the images, not the other way around. Well, in this case, that’s just not practical. Your artist/production company needs a script to go by before creating visuals. It’s that simple. Why it works in this instance is that the visuals here are 100% original and, therefore, can be made to work well against a preexisting script.
Simply put, you need to go into this with a plan. You need to know the story you’re going to tell, and you need to know how best to tell it to your ideal avatar. As you write, speak directly to your image of the ideal client or customer. Worry about how they will receive it long before applying your own tastes and opinions. Remember that in all things marketing, it’s not about us; it’s about the market. We have a responsibility to consider the customer first if we want to be successful.
Determine the Desired Outcome of Your Video
What do you wish to accomplish with your whiteboard video? Are you trying to generate conversions? Are you trying to elicit a click-through to more content? What you expect your audience to do about their interaction with your brand will determine the flow of information in your story.
I keep saying “story” over and over because it’s important to remember that’s what you’re creating. First and foremost, you’re writing a story. Second, but no less important, is the fact that you want something to happen because of viewing the video. That something has to be communicated subtly but frequently throughout the narrative with a call to action that ties all the instances together in the end.
Get this part right, and people will respond. It’s a simple concept, but it’s not an easy thing to develop. This is why I suggest at least consulting with a few pros before releasing your video into the wild. Make sure the script is poised to accomplish what you want it to before spending the money creating visuals around it.
Final Takeaway: Whiteboard videos are a great idea. Many of the world’s marketing gods agree. The trick is in developing a winning script that adapts well to the visual message you wish to send. No matter what business you’re in, there’s a place for whiteboards somewhere in your marketing plan. If you’ve never tried using one before, now could be the perfect time to see if it can engage your audience in a powerful (and profitable) way.