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The origin and history of explanatory videos

The origin and history of explanatory videos

A concept-based marketing tool that is an explainer video is well known to everyone. Any make without having at least one explainer video is like having a delicious biryani without the raita, it just doesn’t make the mark. According to reports, only 12 percent of online businesses do not have an explainer video. It is obvious that they are quite popular and many of these videos have had an impactful presence. But when and how did they come into existence? There is a lot to learn and know about these interactive videos. They have their own origin story and a very interesting one too!

Journey from PowerPoint to YouTube

The renaissance of “narrative combined with PowerPoint presentation,” now known as explainer videos, was not discovered at the time of ‘Eureka!’ but they were a natural progression. It was in the 1990s that PowerPoint began to emerge as the ultimate “explanation tool” and became a one-of-a-kind offering. Right around this time, we witnessed an internet boom, where YouTube made its first appearance. People started getting excited about the idea of ​​watching stories instead of hearing or reading them. People found it to be a simpler yet engaging platform, as watching a one-minute video was easier compared to reading a long document. They introduced the concept of “what to do” and “how to” videos, where people could find tutorials and learn new things just a click away.

The driving forces behind such videos were the dynamic duo from Common Craft, who came up with the idea of ​​using hands, markers, and paper cutouts to tell a story, with the camera pointed at the blackboard on the floor. What started as a travel video blog soon turned into a learning based platform. “RSS in Plain English” was his first video tutorial, which was uploaded on April 23, 2007. It gained amazing popularity! Soon, they started receiving requests from various companies to make custom videos. Their second client was Google and they produced a “Google Docs in Plain English” video for them. Common Craft was at the forefront in making these types of videos. They struck gold when they made a video explaining how Twitter works. It was so good that Twitter posted it on their home page!

The formula that became the marketing mantra

It took over a year and a half and millions of views after the first tutorial video, that the term “How To Video” was coined. The phrase became so popular that it was on the tip of every marketer’s tongue and that’s when it was no longer limited to an Internet trend. It became a prerequisite for any business. The rage was such that all the companies started creating a website and posting these videos on their websites.

The concept started to become an integral part of every company’s marketing strategy, many companies started creating these videos internally and their success stories were also shaped by these explainer videos. The best explainer video story was from Groupon when they posted a similar video on their website and soon their sales increased. The impact was such that it made Groupon the billion dollar company it is today.

The future of explainer videos

Since then, the concepts have evolved and the requirements have become more stringent, making explainer videos perfect for a profitable business model. Even the key perspective and focus has changed, today every explainer video begins with a strong script. Also, the emphasis these days has shifted towards the “core message” rather than images. Marketers have realized that flashy images without a story won’t add much value to your brand.

All this together with a pinch of “innovation”, make up the perfect strategy and ensure unchanging growth. The future has a lot to offer, with the digital transformation that is happening today, they can be published on various platforms and through various media. Currently, the trending variations of these videos are: animated explainer videos, infographics, interactive videos and many more…

The best explainer video companies are taking advantage of this ever-evolving trend, as professional help has become essential when animation companies are creating their own attractive models to perfection. People are increasingly turning to these creative indulgences, and the future is as digital as it gets.

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