At Exaltus, we’re always looking for ways to help our clients stay ahead of the curve when it comes to creating engaging content and reaching a wider audience.
That’s why we decided to conduct an experiment to see if vertical animations could help us achieve our goals. In this blog post, we’ll share the results of our experiment and explore the benefits of vertical animation for social media.
The experiment
We repurposed one of our most-watched whiteboard animations, “How to Explain Complicated Things in a Simple and Effective Way,” into a series of 13 vertical videos, and placed them on four social platforms: YouTube shorts, Instagram reels, TikTok, and Pinterest.
To see an example of how we repurposed one of our most-watched videos into a whiteboard-animated series of vertical shorts, check out our series here.
The result
The results were impressive: after just one month, the vertical videos had received over 4,500 views across all platforms. By contrast, even though the original video has now reached more than 36,000 views, it had received only about 100 views in its first month.
Note
Why Vertical Animation Matters for Social Media
Mobile devices are everywhere
Mobile devices have become a ubiquitous part of modern life, with most people using their smartphones to access the internet and social media platforms. As a result, content consumption habits have shifted towards mobile devices, with vertical videos being the preferred format for many users. This trend has been particularly pronounced on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, which have all adopted a vertical format for their content.
Social media
Social media platforms have become a crucial part of modern marketing strategies, with brands using them to reach new audiences, engage with their customers, and promote their products and services. However, to be successful on social media, brands need to create content that resonates with their audience and stands out from the crowd. Vertical animation is one way to achieve this, as it allows brands to create engaging, visually appealing content that is optimized for mobile devices.
Why animations?
Live-action videos are ubiquitous on social media, but animation can offer a fresh and creative alternative that delivers many benefits.
Animated videos can be more engaging and memorable than live-action videos, as they allow for greater creative freedom in design and storytelling.
Additionally, animations can help brands stand out in a crowded marketplace by creating a unique visual identity that resonates with their target audience.
Animation over video
If you don’t want to choose between live-action video and animation, consider a hybrid.
Check out this video, where we explored layering animation over video.
Benefits of Vertical Animation for Social Media
There are significant benefits to whiteboard animation, which has been statistically proven to increase viewers’ knowledge, confidence and motivation to act. While most animations are designed horizontally, there are distinct advantages to creating vertical animated shorts.
Give a boost to timeless videos
One of the benefits of vertical animation is that it can give a new lease of life to your existing videos. It can be used to break down longer, more complex videos into shorter, more engaging clips, allowing you to highlight specific features or benefits of your products or services. This makes it easier for viewers to understand and remember the key messages of your video, and increases the likelihood of them sharing your content with their network.
Create engaging ads
Vertical animation is also an effective way to create engaging ads for social media platforms. By using visually appealing animations and eye-catching graphics, brands can create ads that stand out from the crowd and capture the attention of their target audience. Additionally, because vertical videos are optimized for mobile devices, they are more likely to be viewed and engaged with by users who are scrolling through their social media feeds on their smartphones.
Reach a younger audience
Brands that target younger consumers can benefit from using vertical animation, as younger audiences are more likely to engage with content that is visually appealing and optimized for mobile devices. By creating engaging, visually appealing content that is optimized for social media platforms, brands can establish long-lasting customer relationships with younger consumers, who are more likely to become advocates for the brand and promote it to their peers and future generations.
How to Create Vertical Animations for Social Media
Creating vertical animations for social media platforms requires a slightly different approach than creating animations for other platforms. Here are some tips to help you get started:
Keep it short
Social media users have short attention spans, so it’s important to keep your animations short and to the point. Aim for a maximum length of 30 seconds, and try to communicate your key message as quickly and clearly as possible.
Use eye-catching visuals
To stand out from the crowd on social media, your animations need to be visually appealing and eye-catching. Use bright colors, bold typography, and engaging graphics to capture your audience’s attention and keep them engaged.
Optimize for mobile devices
Because most social media users access these platforms on their mobile devices, it’s important to optimize your animations for mobile viewing. Use a vertical format, and make sure your animations are easy to view on smaller screens.
Be creative
Finally, don’t be afraid to get creative with your animations. Social media platforms are all about creativity and self-expression, so use your animations to showcase your brand’s personality and engage with your audience in new and exciting ways.
Create an emotional connection with your key stakeholders
Find out which eight organizational stories you can tell to emotionally connect with your key stakeholders, inspire them, and motivate them to act.
Using Vertical Animation for Your Brand
If you’re looking to use vertical animation for your brand, there are several ways you can get started:
Repurpose your existing content
If you already have explainer videos or other content that could be repurposed into shorter vertical animations, start there. This will save you time and money while allowing you to reach new audiences on social media platforms.
Hire a professional
If you don’t have the skills or resources to create your own animations, consider hiring a professional animation studio or freelancer. They can help you create engaging, visually appealing content that is optimized for social media.
Invest in animation software
Finally, if you have the time and resources to create your own animations, consider investing in animation software like Videoscribe or Adobe After Effects. These programs can help you create professional-quality animations that are optimized for social media platforms.
In Closing
While our experiment showed that vertical animation can give a significant boost to social media engagement, it’s important to remember that these videos may not continue to grow in views after the initial publication. However, using vertical animation to repurpose your existing content or create engaging ads can still be an effective way to reach new audiences and give a big burst of attention to more timeless videos.
If you’re interested in trying your hand at vertical animations for social media, contact Exaltus to learn more about how we can help you connect with your audience and take your social media presence to the next level. And be sure to check out more of the whiteboard animation examples in our portfolio. If you enjoyed this post and want to receive the next one in your inbox, please sign up for our email list.
