When our clients approach us about producing a whiteboard video for them, they usually have a particular objective in mind — for example, they may want to tell their origin story, or to promote a new product.
And these clients often know exactly how they want to distribute their new video. For example, they may plan to publish it on their website or to send it out by email.
In reality, there are countless benefits of whiteboard videos. They are innovative and versatile marketing assets that can help you meet many different marketing objectives and be distributed in many different ways to reach multiple audiences.
In this post, I’ll share some ideas you may not have considered for your whiteboard video distribution, along with concrete examples from our very own whiteboard video clients.
1
Embed your whiteboard video on your website
One of the most popular whiteboard video distribution ideas is to publish it on your website. For example, if your whiteboard video tells your origin story, you can display it on your home page or on your About page (as I do on the About Exaltus page).
Or if your whiteboard video showcases a particular product or service, you could embed it on your sales page for that product.
For example. Reading Rewards used the whiteboard we created to explain what Reading Rewards is about and how teachers and librarians can use their School plan to get their students reading.
2
Add a whiteboard video to your blog post
By now, you probably understand why content marketing is so important, and you’re hopefully creating your own quality content. But are you sticking mostly to writing blog posts or are you dabbling in other content formats?
Consider including whiteboards in your blog posts to appeal to audiences who prefer video, to expand your reach to video channels like YouTube, and to reap the other benefits of visual marketing.
That’s what we were doing for REC Media, when we embedded a whiteboard-animated infographic, chock-full of Canadian demographic statistics, in this post about the modern Canadian family.
3
Distribute your whiteboard videos on social media
Include whiteboard videos in your social posts to get more engagement and earn more social traffic. HubSpot says that social media posts with videos in them boost views by 48% and that visual content on Facebook specifically increases engagement by 65%.
When political think tank Berggruen Institute hired us to create a video scribe, timed to coincide with the 2016 US Primaries, their goal was to expose the cost on democracy of populism and demagoguery. The video, which they shared on their facebook page, earned 27,000 views and elicited passionate comments.
4
Play your whiteboard videos at events
Whiteboard videos are very effective for bolstering your presence at conferences, trade shows, and other important events.
If you’re planning an important speaking engagement, consider using a whiteboard video as an introduction to your presentation or speech. Like the warm-up act in a rock concert, a whiteboard video can be used to build up your audience’s excitement and receptiveness to the main attraction.
At business events, whiteboard videos deliver the added benefit of pre-selling your credibility before you speak.
Leading up to their 50th anniversary, Canadian employment agency Quantum decided to invest in a whiteboard video to showcase their wide range of recruitment services and to demonstrate what makes working with Quantum so unique. Working together, we produced this video:
“Everyone went crazy! They loved it! “
Bonus points for Quantum!
Of all our clients, Quantum wins the prize for using their whiteboard video to its fullest potential. In the words of Erin Virus, Quantum’s director of communication:
“We have used the video in countless ways (…) including a warm way to touch base with existing clients, email marketing for new prospects, online promotion on our social media platforms and website, and integration in our training packages for new hires. Because it’s so versatile, we’re now also adding a link to the video on our official company email signatures.”
Learn to explain complicated things in a simple way
Find out how to explain complicated things in a simple way that attracts and holds attention, builds trust, engages your audience, and moves them to act.
5
Distribute your whiteboard videos out by email
If you’re trying to get better results from your email marketing efforts, consider integrating video in your mailings.
According to Campaign Monitor, using video in your emails can:
- Boost open rates by 19%.
- Increase click-through rates by 65%.
- Decrease unsubscribes by 26%.
Several of our clients (including Quantum, above) have sent their videos out by email to prospects and clients. For tips on how to use video in your email marketing campaigns, check out this article.
6
Embed your whiteboard videos in your presentations
By and large, presentations can be an effective means of communication. But when you need to explain a detailed and complicated concept, traditional presentations can occasionally fall short. In these cases, a whiteboard video can be a powerful addition.
We faced one such situation when we were developing a conference presentation for Dr. Oommen from Cardiogenix Medical Centre, a Montreal-based private medical clinic that provides a full spectrum of medical care and preventive medicine.
The presentation was rich in visuals and powerful videos that complimented Dr. Oommen’s leading-edge content and dynamic delivery.
But there was a portion of Dr. Oommen’s content that was much more challenging to explain: CRISPR/CAS9 technology. It was a topic so new and complex that we were struggling to explain it in a simple but compelling way.
That’s when I suggested that we produce a short whiteboard video to visually illustrate the concept. Cardiogenix was immediately on board. Together, we produced this video:
The conference attendees loved the video. Afterward, Mohammad Abdul-Halem, Manager of the Private Healthcare Division, had this to say:
“The whiteboard video took our presentation to the next level by turning this topic into a compelling informational and educational story, giving it a fresh new perspective.”
7
Build an online training program around your whiteboard videos
Because whiteboard videos deliver 15% increase in the rate retention of information vs. talking head videos, it’s no surprise that they’re an effective training tool. We’ve already seen examples of companies that use video scribing to train their new employees. But whiteboard videos can also form a key part of more elaborate and formal online training programs.
The Canadian Deprescribing Network (CaDeN) is a group of healthcare leaders, clinicians, decision-makers, academic researchers and patient advocates who have joined forces to promote the deprescribing of medication that may no longer benefit or that may cause harm.
We worked with CaDeN to produce an animated video series to provide an overview of deprescribing, to outline the reasons why clinicians should consider deprescribing different medications, and to share tips for how to go about it.
According to Dr. Justin Turner, CaDeN’s Senior Advisor, Science Strategy:
“The videos are being very well received, and from what I can tell from those who have seen them, the videos are producing an improvement in knowledge and self efficacy.”
When asked why he thought that the whiteboard videos had produced a positive impact, Dr. Turner said:
“The videos were skillfully created to present clinical “pearls” and to summarize years of research data into a whiteboard video that was both entertaining and quick to watch. This definitely improved the engagement with busy front line health care professionals.”
8
Integrate whiteboard videos in your onboarding process
Everywhere you turn, people are talking about the importance of providing a stellar customer experience, and we’re no exception. That’s because happy customers are loyal customers, and acquiring a new customer can cost up to 25 times more than retaining an existing customer.
One of the best ways to delight your customers and to ensure their success is to optimize your onboarding process. That means making sure that your customers get value from your product as quickly as possible.
Whiteboard videos can be instrumental in your onboarding process. For example, you can welcome new clients aboard by sending them a personalized whiteboard animated thank you note, along with tips for making the best use of your offering.
At Exaltus, we now create a custom whiteboard video for every new customer that signs on. Want to see it? I guess you’ll just need to become a client! 😉
If you’d like Exaltus to create your killer whiteboard video, please contact us today. And if you enjoyed this post, please let us know by signing up to our email list.
I hope this post has given you some ideas. Please check out our portfolio for more whiteboard animation examples. And if you’d like us to help you produce your own whiteboard video, please contact Exaltus today. Our award-winning whiteboard animation is evidence backed by an independent study. You can also sign up to our email list to receive fresh communication and storytelling tips in your inbox every month.
