Whether you’re communicating a big idea like general relativity or just trying to help a friend connect a printer to the Wi-Fi over the phone (no mean feat, trust us), explaining a concept can be a tricky business. It’s full of challenges, like tackling abstract ideas, working out a frame of reference that will make sense, and keeping people engaged all the way through. 

Whiteboard videos and animated explainer videos are great at overcoming these obstacles. Whether you're an educator striving to make lessons memorable or a business professional aiming to simplify intricate concepts, harnessing the power of explainer videos can be a game-changer.

How do whiteboard videos explain concepts?

At the heart of every whiteboard video is storytelling, through both visuals and words. Humans have told stories since the dawn of our species. You can see some of the earliest in the form of cave paintings. Our brains are wired to take in and learn from stories, and whiteboard videos use this to explain complex concepts and engage audiences in messages. The creatives behind these videos use a diverse toolkit to make concepts memorable, accessible and impactful. 

Crafting a Compelling Script

Before the markers hit the whiteboard or the animation begins, a well-crafted script is your guiding star. Define the core message, outline key points, and structure the narrative in a logical flow. The script is the backbone of your video, ensuring coherence and preventing the audience from getting lost in the complexities of the subject.

Visual thinking

Whiteboard videos and explainer videos are known for their simplicity and effectiveness in breaking down complex subjects. Leverage the power of hand-drawn illustrations to create a visual journey that mirrors the simplicity of your message. Whether it's illustrating a process, diagramming a concept, or sketching out data, let the whiteboard be your canvas for visual storytelling.

Relatability and References

Whether it’s in the voiceover or the visual thinking, using references and being relatable to audiences helps to make a concept accessible and memorable. Depending on the subject matter, this might be through the use of humour or a cultural reference. Understanding your audience is key. Relatable references can improve the explanatory power of your whiteboard video, win viewers over and improve engagement in your whiteboard video. 

Whiteboard Video uses

All these tools have another advantage; they combine to give your whiteboard videos four separate information streams: 

• visual

• auditory

• written

• animation

This is great when it comes to explaining complex concepts. By using multiple streams, you can say a lot quickly and make your whiteboard video more impactful. This makes explainer videos an ideal way to share complex or abstract concepts with audiences and gives them many potential uses from sales and onboarding videos to quarterly results explainers and book trailers. There’s more on these whiteboard video uses here, but among types of messages and concepts whiteboard videos are perfect for are:

Messages and concepts that need precision and detail

Because every good whiteboard video is created from scratch to the exact needs of your message, you can choose the illustration style. This can range from cartoony to hyperrealistic in style. By using this hyperrealistic style, a creative team can capture critical technical or scientific details in an accurate and useable way. This is great for explaining concepts in a way that relates strongly to real-world uses and gives viewers what they need to use the information you are providing. 

Abstract ideas

Thanks to tools such as storytelling and visual metaphors, whiteboard videos are a very effective way to share and explain abstract ideas. The creative freedom offered by whiteboard animation allows your creative team to frame your visuals perfectly, making any abstract idea accessible and engaging. 

Dry, detail-heavy messages

Not every message is naturally exciting or engaging; take workplace policies, for example. Nevertheless, these messages are still important, and audiences need to take them on board. In situations like this, whiteboard videos are here to help. By making your message feel entertaining and relatable, whiteboard videos hold a viewer’s attention and help them to stay focused on what you’re sharing. 

Whiteboard Video Research

So, whiteboard videos are great at explaining concepts, but how do audiences respond to them? Well, the research is in and the response is positive!

We worked with Richard Wiseman, Professor of the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, comparing how viewers reacted to a ‘talking head’ video and a whiteboard video that used the same voiceover. The results were clear:

• Viewers were 66% more likely to share the whiteboard animation.

• The whiteboard animation resulted in a 15% increase in information retention.

• The whiteboard animation was 33% more entertaining.

Research from the Chinese University of Hong Kong also showed the positive impact of whiteboard videos on their students, improving their knowledge and understanding. The Chinese University of Hong Kong found that:

• An average of 59.9% of students watched the videos before tutorials and, in general, they did better than those who hadn’t. The research paper we linked to above has information on grade differences.

• 92.1% of students who watched the videos said they were helpful in gaining knowledge.

• 92.7% of students said the videos were helpful in understanding texts and clarifying concepts.

• 86.8% of students said the videos were helpful in tutorial studies.

In the realm of digital communication, the art of explaining complex concepts has evolved into a captivating dance between simplicity and sophistication. Whiteboard videos and animated explainer videos stand as a testament to the power of visual storytelling. So, whether you're sketching on a whiteboard or orchestrating animated magic, embrace the tools at your disposal to unravel the mysteries of complex subjects. Let your creativity flow, and watch as your concepts come to life in a way that resonates, educates, and leaves a lasting impression.

We’re always here to answer your questions and discuss how a whiteboard video could work for you. Book a 30 minute slot to talk us or send us your question today!