What is a Whiteboard Animation?

If you recall the time that you were in school or college, whiteboard was a ubiquitous object that you would see in most classrooms. Teachers and lecturers used markers to write and to illustrate things on whiteboards, so students like you, who were unfamiliar with a particular subject, could understand things better.

Whiteboard animation is called different names such as animated doodling, whiteboard explainer, video scribing or whiteboard video. Basically, they are all the same thing. They present or explain ideas in a simple and direct manner using something practical and familiar to most – a whiteboard but in an animated form. A great tool in your digital marketing arsenal. 

When whiteboard animation was first introduced, it was usually in the style of stop motion where a camera captured the action of an artist illustrating ideas and text on whiteboard. Today, most whiteboard animations are created using computer software. It has opened the doors to more creative presentations. Instead of just black and white, we see more colors and different elements in the new modern-day animations. 

Why Whiteboard Animation Videos?

Whiteboard animations are engaging to watch, with visuals that are easy on the eyes. The combination of aesthetically pleasing visuals and text being drawn on whiteboard makes explaining something complex much easier to digest. It also helps to create a longer lasting impression in viewers’ minds. 

Let’s just face it. It is scientifically proven that humans are visual beings. The human brains process images 60,000 faster than text, and 90% of information sent to the brain is visual. Whiteboard animation helps to convey information in just a few minutes. You can help your sales team by condensing their sales conversation into a short whiteboard animation, so they can focus on actually closing the deals.

Who Should Use a Whiteboard Animation?

Brands and businesses from a myriad of industries can make use of whiteboard animation to convey complex information in a simple manner, such as healthcare, financial, tech, corporate, e-learning and so on. It can even be used by non-profits and thought leaders to educate people on their causes.

Due to its simplistic style and broad appeal, whiteboard animation can be adapted or customized to suit the requirements of many different industries.

When You Should Opt for a Whiteboard Animation.

While whiteboard animation might not be suitable for every topic and industry, here are some instances where a whiteboard animation might come in handy. If whiteboard style seems too static for your audience, you can opt for line art explainer video instead. 

First, if you have a complex idea that is very difficult to explain by words or text, or your product and services are highly technical. A whiteboard animation is your go-to choice as you can present your ideas in simple illustrations, complemented by on-screen texts as well as narration. 

Whiteboard animation is also suitable for those who want to convey a lot of information. The dynamic unravelling of information, bit by bit, in front of the viewers tend to hold their attention better, keeping them interested to watch more. Whiteboard animation helps to simplify and condense long, hard-to-process information so viewers can understand it better.

What Not To Do When Creating a Whiteboard Animation

While there are no hard and fast rules to this, there are a few things that you should keep in mind if you want to produce a whiteboard animation.

Changing the background to another color

Changing the background color defeats the purpose of creating a whiteboard animation. The white background gives emphasis on the illustrations that are being presented. After all, what is a whiteboard animation, without a whiteboard?  

Removing the drawing hand

One thing that makes whiteboard animation stands out is the drawing hand. It gives the feeling that the visuals are being presented by someone, and it adds a human element to the animation. Removing the drawing will be a mistake as the animation will not have the same dynamism of a whiteboard animation.

Using illustrations without outline

The hand drawn illustrations give the vibe that the visuals are being drawn by the drawing hand. Changing the style to vector form without outline will not go well with the concept of whiteboard animation.

Static animation

What is an animation without movement? In fact, it is more important to animate whiteboard style videos properly as the animation will make it more engaging to watch, rather than a static piece of illustrated PowerPoint.

How to Choose a Whiteboard Video Company That Suits You

If making a whiteboard animation is on your to-do list, the next thing that you should keep in mind is how to pick the animation studio that can do the magic for you. Here are a few things to consider before you make your decision.

Quality and past examples

Your video quality speaks for your brand. It’s important that you check out the work quality of the studios that you would like to engage. Take a look at their portfolio, and what previous clients have to say.

Budget

This is the most pertinent factor for most companies. Do a market research and get an overall idea of how much animation studios charge for whiteboard animation production. Then, identify the studios that you would like to work with by comparing the portfolios. Find one that best fits your budget and quality requirements.

Customization

Whiteboard animation can end up looking mundane if it looks like other whiteboard animations produced by other companies. It’s even more futile if your video looks exactly like your competitor’s video. Hence, our suggestion is that you should look for a studio that produces customized animations so you can be sure that your video will represent your brand and stands out from your competition.

Communication

 The success of your video lies in the collaboration between you and the studio, so communication is key. Look for a studio that has a straightforward workflow, provides timely response and proper project management. 

Wrapping Up

To sum it up, there are a lot of considerations to make before you go ahead to produce your whiteboard animated video. If you’re looking for results, you should not only look for a company that can produce quality graphics, you must also look for one that can create customized videos in order to give your video a competitive edge.