What is a Doodle Video?

If you have been looking for effective ways to attract people’s attention to your business for a long time, then creating a doodle video may be a good option. They are easy to create, but they are very efficient in terms of conversions. We want to tell you how this animation can be a tool for rapid change.

Back in 2009, Dropbox used doodle videos at the startup stage, which cost them about $50,000. As it turned out, it was a good investment because these videos were a huge success and helped them earn $48,000,000.

This is an example of one of the trends that have been proving its effectiveness for many years. Even though the marketing industry is constantly changing and new trends are emerging. Today, it is difficult to find a person who would not see at least one doodle video. These fast, entertaining videos are everywhere and are still used for marketing purposes or as training materials for employees.

In this article, we will talk about what doodle videos are and why they are so effective. We will also look at how such videos can help you improve your business.

Definition of Doodle Video

A doodle is a small and simple drawing someone makes while their attention is elsewhere. Doodles can be concrete and reflect familiar shapes or meaningless and consist of random and abstract lines. Today, the word doodle is usually used to mean a certain style of illustration or animation; this is a common phenomenon in marketing.

Doodle Video

Doodle videos are also called whiteboard animations because they often depict hand-drawn illustrations. This is a specific type of animation when the desired message of the narrator is simultaneously drawn by hand. Thus, the combination of audio and visual significantly enhances the story and the desired effect and helps viewers quickly absorb the necessary information.

That’s why doodle videos are often used for explanatory videos. And since video marketing is still a growing field today, using video doodles is a simple and creative advertising tool for you. In particular, there are quite a few different types of doodle videos that you can produce with software. Next, we will tell you about those different types and their applications.

Types of Doodle Videos

There are many different types of video doodles. For example, these are the already mentioned whiteboard videos, but there are also blackboard and many other -board videos. They all have their advantages and disadvantages and can be used depending on the overall style of the advertising campaign. Below we will dwell on each in a little more detail:

Whiteboard Animation

The name of this and other styles of video creation speaks for itself. Usually, all the necessary elements of the plot are drawn on a completely white background. This is the most common style, which is available in most doodle video software. Just look at Doodly video examples to understand what it looks like. Other software for creating such animations are VideoScribe, Animaker, and many others. Just choose the program that suits you, find a style, and start adding characters, items, and music.

Blackboard Animation

This style is familiar to us because it is very similar to the school board. A dark background is used to create an explanatory doodle video in this style. Because this background is familiar to everyone from childhood, such videos will make complex messages simple, regardless of your industry.

Of course, as in the previous version, the main thing is to properly combine the props with the characters and text or graphics. It is important to select musicians according to the script or topic. This style is best presented in the following software: CreateStudio, DoodleMaker, Vyond, etc.

Glassboard Animation

This style of video doodles is very similar to drawing on glass. In the video, all objects and characters will be displayed as if on the back of the glass surface. Doodles in this style are quite specific and can be used to give a special effect. For example, to draw graphics or to enhance the effect of the author’s presence.

This style is best represented in the following software: Doodly, Animaker, or DoodleMaker.

Notepad Video

This style of doodle video involves drawing as if in a notebook. Also a very popular type because of the sense of the reality of the drawn. One of the best software for creating Notepad Video is Animaker. As in other editors, you have the opportunity to choose items and characters, as well as add music.

Stitchboard Animation

Stitchboard style is also available in Animaker. The background of the drawings has the effect of sewn clothes and therefore stands out among the much more popular styles. This allows you to use it when creating a doodle video with any characters, movements, and objects that contrast well with the background. And that will be enough to get a stunning effect.

When to Use Doodle Videos

The truth is that the use of video for marketing purposes for many reasons is highly recommended. This is obviously not a panacea in all possible cases, but often doodle video is the most effective way to spend money. Let’s consider all the pros and cons of using whiteboard animation:

Pros

• Very specific. Doodles are created to convey a specific message and solve a specific goal. At the end of a well-made video, the viewer must be very clear about the topic. A clear message will be remembered faster, which will lead to better conversion.
• Fun & engaging. The very fact that a message is drawn in front of the viewer by the hand strongly distinguishes doodles from other animation styles and attracts attention. Interesting videos are more likely to be shared and thus increase conversions.
• Complex messages became easy. One of the main advantages of doodle animation is its ability to simplify complex ideas and messages. A well-written script allows you to form the perfect communication channel, regardless of your industry.
• Cheap and easy to edit. Doodle animation is not drawn by hand. To create doodle videos, one uses software to improve animation quality. Therefore, such videos are easy to edit at work. It also significantly reduces the cost of each video.

Cons

• May be visually ineffective. The most common type of doodle video is black pictures on a white background. If the script is poorly written or the video is too long, it can make the viewer bored. Use a variety of techniques to increase interest in video.
• High dependence on script and voice acting. As you can see, it’s the great script that makes the doodle video really interesting. The same goes for voice actors. Because the visual tools are quite simple, it is the script and voice acting that should influence the audience’s emotions.
• Not character-driven. Most types of video content use characters to communicate and interact with the audience. Doodle animations often do not have a clearly defined character with whom the viewer can associate, and the story is told behind the scenes voice.

How can Doodle Videos Improve Your Business?

We all perceive visual content much better. 90% of all information people receive through the eyes. But in the information age, when visuals surround us from everywhere, it is a shame to attract people’s attention with boring images. Doodle videos allow you to create meaningful and interesting videos in various styles.

That is why it is important for today’s business to invest in visual content focused on both external and internal customers. Let’s take a closer look.

Doodle Videos Are a One-Size-Fits-All Solution

Whatever the area of your business, doodle videos are effective for disseminating and explaining any information because of their simplicity. Also, as already mentioned, doodle videos cover any business goals: marketing, training, branding, advertising, and more. And most importantly, all this can be easily created with software, not necessarily hiring expensive illustrators.

Doodle Videos Can Make Your Audience Curios

If you have been creating video content for a long time without the desired effect, it is the doodles that can change the situation. It is good to use the effect of a hand that writes or draws. Also important are the voice-over and well-chosen music. The brain is automatically interested in what the hand will write, watching what will happen next. This increases engagement and gives more views.

Doodle Videos Increase Retention

If a message is delivered through a video doodle, it is likely to remain in the audience’s memory for a long time due to the use of images and background music. After all, 65% of people learn through visual images. In other words, you can use doodle videos to promote marketing brands, as well as teach and motivate your audience to take action.

How to Make a Doodle Video?

There are three main ways to create doodle videos for your business. Each of these methods has its pros and cons, which we want to show you in detail. Let’s start:

Hire an Expert Animated Video Production Company

Such companies are specialized agencies that produce a video to order business. These may be even top 3D animation companies, as usually, such agencies have teams of experienced specialists for all formats. For you, as a business owner, such agencies expect a clear explanation of the concept of the video you need and other requirements. Once reconciled, they create the video themselves, allowing you to follow the process.

Pros:

• Video is created by experienced professionals
• High quality of the final product

Cons:

• You have fewer opportunities to change everything on the go
• This requires an investment of money
• This can take a long time

Hire Freelancer Animator

Freelancers are always available on the relevant online exchanges. They often work with payment by the hour, and some take payment for each video created. In general, every freelancer is a kind of mini-agency, so the procedure is similar: you explain the concept and requirements, and they do the job.

Pros:

• This option is much cheaper than agencies
• You can always choose an experienced author
• High quality of the final product

Cons:

• Any extra hours of editing and editing cost money
• One freelancer cannot make several videos at the same time
• It is freelancers who choose a convenient work schedule

Create Doodle Videos By Yourself

There is a lot of software with ready-made sets of objects and characters that allow you to create high-quality doodle animation.

Pros:

• It is not necessary to have design experience
• Software costs only
• You are in complete control of the process

Cons:

• You and your competitors may have the same video style
• You need to have some experience in storytelling
• Requires software experience
• The high quality of the final product is not guaranteed

Doodle Video Examples

Examples can demonstrate the effectiveness of doodle animation in explanatory videos. So here are five videos that demonstrate the very idea of this tool:

1. The classic whiteboard video from Elevations Credit Union tells about the current topic of rising energy costs. The video is made so well that homeowners around the world can understand all the information.

2. A video that helps us understand where good ideas come from. This doodle video is a bit longer than most such materials but still interesting and holds your attention. It is a good example of how even a video longer than three minutes can be effective. 

3. A marketing explainer that encourages audiences to visit a housing search site. After all, finding a new place to live in big cities can be a lot of trouble. This message is clear and interestingly conveyed in a very original doodle video.

4. Often, only two colors are used in doodle videos: white and black. This animation demonstrates how to handle different colors throughout the video to display your brand. Despite a large number of colors, the video remains clear and easy.

5. Long, but still interesting and very popular material about how people learn. This video doodle is very well written, and the information provided is thought-provoking. It has over a million views, which allows you to appreciate the effectiveness of the doodle style even in such long videos.

Conclusion

Even if you have never thought about using doodle videos to promote your business, now you have food for thought. Doodle videos are fairly simple, quick to create, and have been effective tools for increasing business success for many years. The variety of styles and tools allows you to choose the most convenient and most suitable way for you to create marketing materials.

Contact us at Explain Ninja if you are looking for a studio of professionals to create advertising animations and explanatory videos.