Last Updated on April 13, 2022
Why do people love animation so much? Animated video is one of the most popular types of film and video today. Even corporate executives and business owners seem to prefer animated video over other forms of video. Why is this?
Is there a psychology to the love of animation? Yes.
A Psychological Experiment
Sparkol.com’s site shows that animated whiteboard videos actually improve learning levels. Perhaps this is due to the similarity between the way that children learn in school while watching a teacher write out information on the board “in real time.”
The guests on this video on the Sparkol site did a split A/B test and psychological experiment on which type of video was the most engaging with a control group. The first video was a traditional “talking head” video about a topic that the person was interested in. The other video was an animated whiteboard video. Dr. Richard Wiseman discovered that people were more likely to share and were more entertained by the motion video than the talking head video.
But the most fascinating (and memorable) part of the video on this page was the fact that memory was improved by 92% from the animated video over the talking head type video.
Animation Increases Learning
This illustrates in a very academic and clinical way just how effective animation is in the learning process. This applies to the business and sales world in that it gives you a sense of power to improve your results with your video and content marketing simply by choosing to do an occasional animated video rather than always sticking to the traditional live talking head videos.
This experiment proves beyond a doubt that there is an actual change in behavior (through greater engagement and sharing) as well as a very real memory recall improvement with videos that included some animation or scribe type whiteboard video.
Think about how you could use this psychological research in your business. By applying the techniques Dr. Wiseman refers to, you will be able to see an almost immediate increase in your engagement levels with your videos and your online content.
Applications to Business
If you haven’t had a chance to watch Dr. Wiseman’s video on his page in which he talks about the experiment he conducted with animated video, please do so. Then think about how you can apply this to your business.
Simply by including an animated video such as a whiteboard video or character animation, you should be able to create a higher level or interest in your brand and your message.
Whiteboard video (also known at scribe video), is an effective way to teach a concept. Schools are using this idea more as they realize the power of whiteboard video to improve memory and recall. Many online schools use whiteboards as the primary method of communication and teaching within their systems.
Here are some examples of great whiteboarding videos that we have created at animatedvideo.com.
You will notice that the audio track is an important part of the whiteboard as well. The timing of the audio message must correlate to what people see on the screen at the precise moment to achieve the greatest impact.
Some whiteboard videos start with music while others start right in with the dialogue.
Either way, it is apparent to the viewer what the message is, and the creator directs the viewer to the specific parts of the video that they want them to see, in the right timing.
This gives you a greater sense of control in the creation process in knowing that you can dictate where the viewer will look in your video as you proceed.
Why Animations are Effective in Your Video Content
In addition to the psychology involved in improving memory recall and engagement, there are also many reasons why you may want to invest in creating an animation for your brand.
- Creativity– Animated video has a great deal of creativity associated with it. You can create original characters similar to some you have seen in your favorite children’s movies. If you use the same characters in all of your videos, people will start looking forward to seeing what your central character will get into next.
- Anything goes– With animation, anything goes. You can create anything you want, and you can make your characters do anything you want to get your point across. If you are using scribe or whiteboard video, you can control the user experience on a higher level, and they get the sense that they are watching it in “real time.”
- Ultimate creative freedom– When you create an animated video, you have ultimate freedom in your creation. You don’t have to be bogged down by the demands of actors or other “real-world” issues. You can just feel free to create your video in any way you choose, using props, talking characters, sound, and motion.
- Sense of nostalgia– Another reason people like animation is that it carries a sense of nostalgia. Everyone remembers a favorite character they watched as a child, and they relate to the character as they go through their adventures. Use this to your advantage in business by making the script one that visitors will remember and cherish.
- Entertainment factor– Even corporate executives admit that they like animations because they are more entertaining. You can tap in on this power by creating an entertaining yet informative video that will win you friends and influence people.
Well, I think you get the “picture.” The animated video is a valuable sales tool and content marketing strategy that should be included in your online ad campaigns and tools. It will increase your engagement, help you focus your audience on your primary message, and improve your bottom line.
Thinking back to the research I did on this blog post, I have to say that I remembered Dr. Wiseman, the psychologist, talking but mostly I remember the animated version and how it illustrated the facts rather than talked about them. I guess I proved Dr. Wiseman’s point! People love animation. This is not to say you shouldn’t include talking head as well. If there are an interesting speaker and topic that your audience relates to, include this too. You can combine both by accentuating your video with impressive animated graphics or Powerpoint slides then go back to the speaker.
But to present a sales pitch, it’s a good idea to use whiteboard videos. They have shown to be the most effective.
However you decide to utilize the power of animation within your video marketing plan, we can help. At animatedvideo.com, we understand and have experience with all of the different types of video and we can show you how you can include them in your web content.
With a little help, you can increase your traffic and engagement, increase shares, and your ROI using the power of animation to get you there.
Visit us online and check out our portfolio of whiteboard videos as well as our other animated videos. Contact us for more information and to get started with an animation video of your own.
