What to Look For in an Animated Video Marketing Producer

This post is Part 2 of our 4-part blog series, “What to Expect When You’re Explaining.” You can read Part 1: “How much does an explainer video cost”

If you were to ask some variation of the question “Who are the top video ‘explainer’ production houses?” on Quora, the response compiled for you would list nearly 100 explainer video companies. This means that, if you wanted to make an explainer video for your company, you would have at least 100 companies to choose from – and that doesn’t even include the countless other companies who didn’t make the cut! And each of these companies has its own website, it’s own portfolio, and it’s own pricing.

So how do you choose one?

Sifting through the overwhelming mass of explainer video companies might seem daunting; however, if you know what you’re looking for, you can easily and confidently separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff. The following are a few criteria to keep in mind in order to help you find the best production company for you.

1) Choose a company that matches your budget.

In my last post about the cost of explainer videos, we learned that you should expect to spend between $5,000 and $10,000 for a 60-second video. Remember, you’re paying for a process that takes a highly skilled creative team weeks to complete – and all of that costs money. Be sure not to skimp on your budget, or you’ll certainly be skimping on video quality!

That said, you do want to have a clear budget in mind when approaching an explainer video company. If you have a tight budget, the company can work with you to create a short, simple video that is still visually appealing and compelling. If you’ve got a bit more money, you can make a video with longer run time, more complex animation, and more bells and whistles than a lower-budget video.

2) Choose a company that cares about you.

When you first get in touch with an explainer video production house – whether by e-mail or by phone – pay attention to how they talk to you. Are they personable and attentive? Do they display a legitimate interest in learning more about your company’s services and faithfully telling your story? Look for a production company that will approach your project on its own terms, rather than treating yours as just another in a long line of sales leads.

Check out each company’s portfolio. Is each video unique? Does the company make videos that are perfectly tailored to each client, or do they use stock images and template scripts regardless of content? There are so many explainer videos floating around in cyberspace at this point, the last thing you want is a video that gets lost in the crowd. Look for a company that’s into making innovative, ground-breaking videos. They’ll bring tons of creativity to the table and look to tell your business’s story in a way that will grab your audience’s attention and make a real impact.

3) Choose a company with some street cred.

While there are certainly brand-new explainer video companies who are already making some really great work, there are solid reasons for choosing a production house with a couple of years of experience under their belt. A company with experience has had time to develop its own flavor of explainer video, have learned the ins and outs of effective storytelling, and have likely streamlined the production process to make working with them a pleasant and organized experience.

Take another look at a company’s portfolio. What clients have they worked with? Have you heard of any of them? Sure, if a production company has made an explainer video for Pizza Hut or the NFL, they’re probably charging more for their videos. But it also likely means that they’ve been making some seriously quality explainers that are attracting big-name national and international clients.

4) Choose a company that gets good feedback.

If an explainer video company is getting a lot of positive reactions to their work, they’re probably going to let you know. Many explainer company websites feature testimonials from some of their happiest clients. Listen to what these clients have to say. Did they enjoy working with the company? Does the company have a reputation for finishing projects on budget and on time? Best of all, are the company’s videos getting results (boosting conversion and sales)? Look for explainer companies who are making clients happy. And if the company is featured on a list like this one – so much the better!

There are a ton of production companies out there. Use these tips to help you narrow the field as you look for the best company to tell your business’ story!