Marketing in the IT industry can be difficult. Not a lot of people understand the ins and outs of computing or software, and so trying to explain your product to viewers, and get them excited about it at the same time, is a real challenge. In this article, we’re going to look at 10 of the best IT explainer videos of all time to give you some inspiration and hopefully inspire you to make the best explainer video you can for your brand, product or service.
1. AnchorPoint Security
What better way to promote your IT security company than with a full swat team, complete with torpedos, guns, and a helicopter?
With animation, anything is possible, and AnchorPoint Security really took advantage of that. The cyber security market is saturated and also…kinda dry! But AnchorPoint Security’s fun animation presents the struggles of security analysts in a humourous and refreshing way that everyone can enjoy watching.
2. Intel
Intel is a household name, but how many of us know what Intel actually do?
Enter: Jim Parsons.
Intel used The Big Bang Theory actor in their recent explainer videos as a way to draw attention to the work they do behind the scenes, such as powering 98% of the cloud.
The videos are short, snappy, and thanks to the A-list celebrity at the centre of them, shareable.
3. NewVoiceMedia
This video uses just two actors and a small amount of props to explain, in an engaging way, how NewVoiceMedia can deliver more customers for their clients.
The actor speaks directly to the camera, almost in a vlog-format, and this demands more attention and makes the video feel more personal.
The interactions between the actors are funny, and also have a candid feel to them. This strong rapport and the narrative-driven explanation of the product makes this video enjoyable to watch.
4. Vuelio
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Pre-roll videos, the ads that play before your chosen content on YouTube, need to demand attention and get to the point…fast! After all, they only have 30 seconds to peak the viewer’s interest.
Vuelio, much like AnchorPoint Security, took advantage of animation to make their pre-roll explainer video attention-grabbing from the off-set. Their video includes rockets, horses, horses in rockets – what’s not to like?!
5. IT-MAN
A large portion of today’s current workforce belong to the generation that grew up playing video games. So if you want to reach those people, what do you do?
You create an 8-BIT video game-themed explainer video of course!
Panorama9 didn’t just create an explainer video to promote their cloud-based service with enterprise Network management, they created IT-MAN!
Their video is fully-themed, from the storyline, through to the visuals, and even down to the sound effects. This nostalgia-inducing video gets people talking and sharing, and that’s exactly what makes it one of the best IT explainer videos of all time.
6. Disconnect.me
Disconnect.me is a Chrome extension that makes internet browsing more private and more secure. In their explainer video, aptly titled, “Unwanted tracking is not cool” they present the risks of browsing online and the benefits of using their service.
I like this explainer video because the style is quite unique. It begins with a puppet to represent “real-life you” and then transitions to animation to represent “the digital you”. The adorable octopus character also does a good job of evoking emotion in viewers. Add the personable voiceover to that and overall this video is pretty memorable.
7. Softcat
This video by Softcat drops the use of a voiceover and instead utilises text-on-screen to capture the attention of viewers. The video is part videographic style, presenting facts and figures on screen, and also part live-action footage, showing real staff-members in real situations.
The use of statistics and staff members in videos is a great way to show viewers that you are a trustworthy business that cares about the work at hand. Softcat further cements this notion by also including customer testimonials and logos of previous clients in their explainer video.
8. Dropbox
We’ve all seen employee testimonial videos. But, how many have you see that use puppets?!
This video by Dropbox uses puppets that have been customised to look like their employees, right down to the facial expressions. This, teamed with the many visual gags throughout the video, makes it an enjoyable and shareable watch, ultimately increasing exposure for Dropbox.
9. Slack
Slack has a history of making great explainer videos. They usually team a great story, with amazing animation and a catchy soundtrack, and the video above is no exception.
When you’re watching a Slack explainer video, it feels like you’re watching a movie rather than an ad. Their secret is not being too precious about their product. Their product is obviously the crux of the video, but they don’t spend lots of time explaining the benefits, they show it in use.
10. What is Blockchain?
This video isn’t particularly spectacular in a visual sense, but the simple animation acts as an accompaniment to the complicated explanation.
“What is blockchain?” is a very difficult question to answer, and seeing as we are getting closer and closer to living in a wholly digital world, it is also a very important question to answer. This video does just that, in the simplest way possible.
Final thoughts
Videos come in all different shapes and sizes. Some are lengthy and corporate, others are punchy and story-based. Only you know what is going to best suit your brand.
Hopefully the videos in this article have given you some inspiration, and if you need any help creating your explainer video, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.
