Explainer Videos vs. Product Demos: Which Is Right for Your Business?

Videos are gradually becoming more used by companies for the most effective presentation of the product or service to their potential customers because they are engaging as well as visual. Explainer videos and product demos are two of the most commonly applied forms of videos by businesses, and each has its strengths in different aspects. The decision of which one to use depends on your objectives, audience, and the type of product or service you offer. In this article, we will compare the effectiveness of explainer videos and product demos in helping you make an informed choice about whether one or the other option might be better for your business.

What Are Explainer Videos?

Such videos are short, exciting, and entertaining presentations that take a story-like approach to your business value proposition, process, or solution. These typically include animations, graphics, and voiceovers to create an easily understandable idea about the complex notion behind it. This video is perfect for introducing your product or service, its benefits, and why customers should care about the product being presented.

Explainer videos are good attention-grabbers, which can be delivered in such a short time and still provide a clear message. They are widely used for landing pages, social media, and even email campaigns to engage and convert people. If you want to make an explainer video, numerous tools, and platforms will make it easier for you to produce professional videos without any technical knowledge. To get a more detailed guide on making successful videos, look here at how to make a video on this same website.

What Are Product Demos?

Product demos, on the other hand, are those videos that give a detailed view of how features work, how functionality is conducted, and how things are done. They are often much longer than explainers the focus is on presenting step-by-step how the product might solve a specific problem or function in a certain process. Product demos are especially useful when you have a highly complicated product, where certain details have to be explained in detail, or when you want to explain certain features that make your product special.

These videos are usually watched by a buyer when his journey toward the goal is well advanced, and the interest in your product has been already created, and now he wishes to know more about your product. You might find a demo product on product pages and YouTube channels or directly share it with your potential clients as a part of your sales pitch.

Explainer Videos vs. Product Demos

Both explainer videos and product demos are kinds of helpful videos but cater to different needs at different stages of the customer journey. Here, we’re going to compare these two types based on some criteria, so you will know which might be the better choice for your business.

1. Purpose and Audience

Explainer videos: Explainer videos, mainly, are used for creating awareness and interest. They are best suited for potential customers who are new to your product or service and require a brief, engaging overview. Explainer videos are well-suited for top-of-the-funnel content, so it is easily one of the best lead-generation and brand-awareness tools.

Product Demos: Product demos are more effective for prospects who already know your business and have a serious interest in your product. That said, they’re designed to help a prospect understand your product at a higher level, which can assist them in determining whether it will fit the bill. Product demos shine at the middle to bottom of the funnel, assisting in driving conversions and closing sales.

2. Content and Structure

Explainer videos: Explainer videos are usually between 60 seconds and 2 minutes in length. Problem-solving explainer videos are driven by stories, where you explain the problem that the product or service can help the viewer solve. This makes them great for publishing on social media or embedded on landing pages. An explainer video maker simplifies the production process if your business is trying to streamline the creation process, allowing you to create engaging videos with minimal effort.

Product Demos: Product demos, however, are more of the features and functionalities of the product. Usually, they are longer in time, somewhere between 3 to 10 minutes or even more depending on the complexity of the product. It is an outline kind of thing, but the underlying idea is basically to see the product and then see it in detail. This kind of engagement and reach related to a type of buyer makes product demos the right choice for people who get a feel before buying.

3. Engagement and Reach

Explainer videos: Explainer videos are excellent as they are very short and engaging; hence, they will easily capture the attention and keep people interested. They can easily be shared on different websites, which increases their reach and makes them more visible. Businesses use these explainer videos as part of a full-fledged marketing strategy to get the most social media engagement or in terms of a website’s conversion.

Product Demos: Although product demos may not have the same viral capacity as an explainer video, they present greater involvement for those who are already interested in your product. A high-quality product demo can answer specific customer questions and objections, thus making it easier for prospects to advance their purchase decision. Such videos are very effective in one-on-one sales pitches or in-depth presentations.

4. Production Time and Cost

Explainer Videos: Generally, the explainer video requires a well-thought script, animation, as well as voiceover, which in most cases is more time-consuming to produce. Yet, for those businesses who could avail the use of tools, such as an explainer video maker, they could minimize the time and cost it takes to produce it. These tools offer pre-made templates and some pretty user-friendly interfaces, and that way, quality videos are produced even without the help of a professional animator.

Product Demos: If the product in question is not that complicated, product demos are more than often easier to shoot on camera. They tend to have less scripting and might be made using a screen recording program or camera. For complex products, editing is more time-consuming and one might need to ensure the video is comprehensive yet concise.

Which One Should You Choose?

The choice between explainer videos and product demos will depend on the type of product or service you are offering, as well as the needs of your target audience. Here are some scenarios where each video type might be more suitable:

Choose Explainer Videos If:

• You have a new product or service coming into the market.
• You need to communicate your value proposition to a broad audience quickly.
• Your goal is to build brand awareness, and you capture the prospect leads.
• It is a video that can be distributed seamlessly through social media platforms.

Choose Product Demos If:

• Your product is very complex, and it requires a long description.
• The audience is familiar with your brand, and they are studying your product.
• You are talking about particular pain points or objections a customer has.
• You want to target those prospects who are close to making up their mind.

Conclusion

The two critical building blocks of a complete video marketing strategy are explainers and product demos. Explainers are fantastic tools for generating the top-of-funnel interest and awareness that leads to many a first engagement. On the other hand, product demos provide the level of depth needed for closing deals, plus inform the customer exactly what you are offering.

Bottom line: most businesses succeed with a combination of both. Explainer videos attract new customers, and product demos sell it to them. The knowledge of your audience’s position in the buyer’s journey will help you determine which format of video is best suited for your business.