When was the last time a YouTube ad or a social media post caught your attention?
What was it about the content or information that stopped you from skipping the post on your feed or clicking the Skip ad button?
If you’re wondering whether our attention spans have shortened as often reported, the jury’s still out. Some say that equating our attention span to that of a goldfish is a myth.
One thing’s for sure, though – the way we’re processing information online is changing.
YouTube UK industry manager Paddy Collins writes that our attention span is like a muscle. With the deluge of data and information, our attention span muscles have developed this reflex of diverting itself elsewhere if it knows what will happen next and doesn’t like it.
In short, your audience has learned to shut off their attention muscle if your information is irrelevant to them.
A survey from Salesforce Research also supports this idea. According to the survey, 80 percent of customers say that the experience a brand provides during marketing and sales interactions is just as important as its products or services. In short, low-quality content could kill your chances of getting new customers.
The good thing is there are motion graphics!
Keep reading to learn why you should start using motion graphics in your content marketing efforts pronto and the different ways you can integrate them into your existing content.
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Why use motion graphics in content marketing
Motion graphics, in a nutshell, are animated graphic elements.
Motion designers create rich and vivid images with movement to catch people’s attention. Whether it’s for explainer videos or a Twitter gif, motion graphics make your visual feel more life-like, which engages and delights your audience.
Ryan McLeod writes in Invision’s Animation Handbook that animation is like umami in creating tasty, nourishing food. While a dash of umami can transform bland food into a delicious meal, motion graphics transform content into a more satisfying experience.
Here are 5 reasons you should start using motion graphics as umami for your existing (or new!) content marketing efforts.
1. Motion graphics make your content memorable
As a marketer, you want people to engage with you and share your content. It could be a challenge if you have a lackluster brand recall.
When you see a video that resonates with you, you share it with your friends. It’s human nature.
Adding motion to your visual content aids in information retention and brand recall.
With motion graphics, you can grab your audience’s attention and make it easier for them to recall more details about a topic, a product, an event, or even a brand. As a result, the motion graphics in your content can help prospects consider your product or services.
2. Motion graphics highlight the most important parts of your content
Adding motion graphics to your content marketing arsenal can help highlight your unique value proposition.
Catching your reader’s eyes with animated graphics can also help potential customers decide whether or not your business or service is precisely what they’re looking for.
3. Motion graphics make your content entertaining and easy to understand.
It’s one thing to catch someone’s attention, but it’s another for the person to look at your content and stay interested.
With motion graphics, animators can tell a story in the quickest, most straightforward way possible. The digestible chunks format of motion graphics can pique reader interest, which can lead to more engagement.
4. Motion graphics are versatile pieces of content
Another benefit of using motion graphics is that they’re versatile. Use them in an explainer video to highlight your product’s benefits or use them on social media and encourage people to share your content. From serious, academic topics to fun, lighthearted beats, motion graphics always bring out the best in your content.
5. They can be used more than once
Motion graphics are easy to repurpose. You can cut an explainer video into 10-second gifs or transform an animated infographic into a static infographic.
How to use motion graphics in content marketing
Now that you’re aware of the motion graphics benefits to your marketing campaigns, here are 5 ways you can use them. Give them a try and watch your engagement soar in the next few months!
1. Logo animations
Adding motion in logos is a great way to spruce up your branding materials, event booths, and email signatures. An animated logo will not only pique your audience’s interest, but it’s also a great brand awareness tool. Spotify Live’s animated logo below is a great example!
Source: Michael Brekka
2. Social media GIFs
GIFs, or animated images, have become a huge part of social media and popular culture and it would make perfect sense to add them to your content marketing arsenal.
Not only do they capture attention, but they also come in a form that most people recognize and enjoy. Plus, animated gifs help your brand seem more approachable, relatable, and memorable!
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3. Explainer videos
Do you want to share the origin story of your business? Or would you like to highlight how your products are manufactured? You should consider explainer videos!
Whether you want to upload it on your YouTube channel or have your sales team use it every time they’re interacting with a potential customer, explainer videos translate complex ideas in a fun, more engaging way.
4. Facebook ads
Instead of paying thousands for a full-length video that you can feature on social media such as Facebook, motion graphics for your Facebook ads are a good alternative. The good news is that video content can bypass the text amount restriction on Facebook ads because only the thumbnail image counts.
5. Animated infographics
An infographic is already a great way to present various types of information, but adding motion and movement creates a whole new content experience.
An animated infographic’s moving elements will draw the reader’s eyes to details that need the most attention. Plus, animated infographics are inexpensive to produce in contrast to videos.
The takeaway
From banners to Twitter GIFs to explainer videos to animated infographics, motion graphics in your content are the perfect tool to share an exciting brand story, communicate product value in less than a minute, and engage your audience. Most of all, thoughtful movement and motion in your graphics makes your content more human, authentic, and relatable.
TIP: If you are too busy, you can always hire a motion graphics expert or a freelancer on Fiverr.
Guest author: Kai Tomboc is currently taking care of content at Piktochart, an easy-to-use design tool that helps you tell your story with the visual impact it deserves. She has written for various SaaS brands and publications like G2. When not engrossed in a book, she’s most likely taming tardigrades.