Humans are visual creatures. We tend to retain information better when it is shown to us. While I don't want to get into the "movies vs books" debate (I'm team books), you have to agree that films are much easier to consume. 

That’s what makes video marketing indispensable for your SaaS business. Videos can be viewed anytime, on any device, and on any screen size, making them highly accessible to your customers and clients. They can also help with a lot of business KPIs, from search to social media.

What’s an Explainer Video and How It Can Help Your SaaS grow 

The name gives it away but to put it simply, an explainer video is the one where you dive deep into the features your SaaS has to offer. They are usually 60-120 seconds long 
Imagine a situation where you buy a beautiful coffee table online. When it gets delivered to your house, all you receive are individual pieces that YOU have to put together. Would you be able to arrange them by only 'reading' the instructions? Unless you are a furniture expert, it's safe to assume that your answer is no. 

Now let's say you have images along with the written instructions. Much better, right? But is it enough? How about a step-by-step video tutorial?

Explaining the workings of your SaaS forces you to think like your customers. The benefit of creating an explainer video is two-fold: 
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1. As a business, you get a better perspective of your customer’s needs, and in turn, 

2. Your customers get a better understanding of what your product is all about. 

We call it a win-win.

Tutorials on how to use your product effectively can answer questions, eliminate confusion (if any) and overall turn a 'maybe' into a 'yes'. Moreover, they help you achieve two fundamental goals -

1. Creating a Strong Brand Identity 

Producing video content for your SaaS product can help create and maintain a brand identity. From Airtable to Webflow, Yoast to RankWatch- all have a dedicated YouTube account with thousands of subscribers. Take Hubspot as an example. With over 150 thousand subscribers, Hubspot uses its YouTube account to talk about new features and provide valuable content around email marketing in general. 

2. Increasing Sales

Video Marketing emerged as a powerful sales tool in recent years. A survey by Wyzowl suggests that 86% of marketers believe video has helped them generate leads and 81% say it helped them drive sales. 
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If this isn’t convincing enough, let us throw out some more numbers from the customer’s point of view. 96% of customers watch an explainer video to learn more about a product or service, and 88% say watching a brand’s video convinced them to buy a product or service. 

TL;DR: Well-produced videos = More customers 
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Related: Video Marketing for SaaS sales

Best Tips for Creating Explainer Video Scripts for SaaS Businesses 

Producing an explainer video for your SaaS takes some planning. From picking up a feature, recording, editing, and posting- there are multiple steps involved. 

Here are things you need to keep in mind while writing a script for an explainer video for your B2B SaaS Product: 

1. Capitalize on the SEO Opportunity 

Consumption of videos increases every day, making them a goldmine for your SEO strategy. Videos are used for educational, informative, and entertainment purposes. According to studies, "The number of digital video viewers worldwide amounted to over 2.6 billion viewers in 2019, and is projected to reach over 3.1 billion by 2023." 

Adding video content to your website will draw visitors and encourage them to spend more time on your website. Since videos are easy to share, you have ample opportunity to tap into a new audience. 

Keeping the SEO potential in mind is crucial while writing your video script. It would be best if you were thorough with your keyword research. Make sure you include the right keywords in the video title, meta description, thumbnail, and URL.  

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2. Align Visuals With the Audio 

Coming back to the point I made initially; humans are visual creatures. Your brain needs both visual and audible queues. Images or graphics are a great way to break the monotony and make your content appealing. 

Here's an excellent example from SEMRush. The video is only 57 seconds long but packs everything you need to know (and they want to convey) about one of their best features-  position tracking. The animation is on-point and the visuals go well with the voiceover. 

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Another example of how to effectively use text within your explainer video is from Slack.

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You may argue, "But isn't this the same as adding subtitles?" A lot of important information might be lost in the sea of subtitles. This is a much more convenient and accessible way to disseminate information.  

Tip: A good practice to follow while writing your video script is to have a separate column for the visuals you will eventually add. It will:
A) Make the life of your editor easy
B) Help you estimate the length of your video. 

3. Keep the Time Constraint in Mind

One of the purposes of marketing videos is to make your content easy to consume for your audience. To engage your audience and not put them to sleep, or worse, close the browser, your video script must be crisp and clear. You cannot afford to take 40 minutes to explain a single product feature. 

It is precisely for this reason that you need to have a pre-production script ready. Writing a script will give you a good idea of the length of your final video. Instead of uploading a 40-minute monologue with no structure and coherence, treat your video script like any other blog piece. Write down everything you need to communicate and edit edit edit. 

4. Address the Viewer Directly 

Creating a rapport with the viewer is essential to keep them hooked to any piece of content. Every viewer knows they are not the only person watching your video, but it is your job to make them feel like they are. One of the reasons why social media influencers are able to 'influence' their audience is because of the connection they form with their viewers. 

While writing your explainer video script, make sure you address your audience directly. Instead of using generic terms like "a product manager", use personal pronouns like "you" and "your". 

5. Have a CTA

Do not leave your viewers hanging. Always end your video with a Call-to-Action (CTA). After all, the whole objective here is to convince your potential customer to subscribe to your service. Are you really going to let them leave without reminding them one last time? Really? 

Say Hello to the Video

Video is an essential marketing tool for any SaaS business, whether a startup or a well-established company. It builds trust with customers and helps deliver your business's key messages. As our digital world becomes more visual, video is emerging as the most powerful marketing tool of the 21st century. 

Read next: Are You a SaaS Business Looking to Grow? Here’s Why Sales Qualification Matters

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