What content delivers the most ROI in 2023?
When it comes to creating content with high ROI on a budget, short videos are the way to go. According to Demand Sage, videos that are under one minute in length are the highest-returning digital asset working for marketers and brands in 2023. It’s not surprising, given where consumers spend their time (smartphones, social media), and our dwindling attention spans. Humans are hard-wired to spot motion and to pay attention to it; so why leave your marketing sitting in a proverbial haystack when you could cut through the noise?
That’s why while basic static images may be faster and cheaper to produce, they aren’t going to give you the best return. And same for those super cheap dollar store flip flops; you wouldn’t want to run a race in those, right? So why are you cutting corners on your marketing assets? One really great short video could result in more return than one hundred static images.
Our marketing team recently did our own test on Facebook, comparing an ad that was animated to the same ad that did not have animations. We tested a few varieties of this, and on average, all of the ads with motion performed about 43% better. Not a single ad set had a static winner; and in one case, one of the winners out-performed its static counterpart by over 200%.
Once you take into consideration the cost of the asset, this is where most brands and creative teams bow out. Motion artists that are talented are expensive (and hard to find and retain). So are video editors, and great illustrators. That’s why having a partner like Design Pickle is so helpful – you can keep your costs flat and predictable, no matter how many assets you dream up that month.
How to get started with high impact assets
There are three main types of short videos for brands to consider: promotional, informational and entertainment. Promotional videos share more about your company’s brand, values, mission and offerings; while informational videos provide helpful content or resources for customers; and entertainment videos make people smile and laugh.
As yourself (and your team), what are you trying to accomplish? Is there a desired outcome you want your prospect or customer to achieve or do, or are you establishing thought leadership, offering instructions, a promotion, or something else?
Animated videos are a great way to quickly produce engaging content without breaking the bank. These types of explainer videos can be used in a variety of ways including tutorials, product demonstrations, customer testimonials, and more. They might look more involved and complex, but they can be simple story boards brought to life by an illustrator and a motion graphics artist. Add some live action video frames, and your brand will be sure to stand out from the competition.
No matter what type of video you choose, having a solid content strategy is key. Knowing who your target audience is, what they respond to and how you want them to feel (as well as the action you want them to take) are key benchmarks for success. With these in mind, short videos are a great way to create high impact content on a budget.
Looking for a gut-check on turnaround times? We’ve got a whole blog dedicated to helping you gauge asset speed against industry turnaround times as well as Design Pickle’s average turnaround times. Take a look to see how long you can expect to wait.
Where to put your high impact assets
Investing in motion graphics for platforms like social media has proven bigger returns for brands. Animated videos fit perfectly into the small window of time that people are scrolling through their feeds. They grab attention quickly and can convey a lot of information in a matter of seconds.
It’s also important to leverage all of your channels. Place these videos on both your website and other owned digital media channels, so potential customers have multiple ways to find them. You can also include motion graphics with emails or gamify their experience by using video in online quizzes and video-based contests that reward winners with discounts or free products/services.
If you’re looking to create content specifically for YouTube or Google Ads, motion graphics are also a great option. For YouTube, make sure your video is more than just an animated slideshow. You can incorporate some live action frames for a more compelling story that will hold viewers’ attention longer. (Which is important when you’re serving this content on platforms with longer dwell time, as opposed to social media.)
Measure Success of Motion Assets and Iterate to Scale
Measuring your content’s impact is like measuring any other content’s impact – work with the KPIs that best tell the story of what you’re trying to accomplish. Important KPIs to consider when measuring motion assets include:
- Viewing metrics:
- Average watch time or percentage watched
- Drop off rate and where drop-offs occurred
- Total views
- Vanity & engagement metrics:
- Likes and shares
- Impressions
- RAOS metrics:
- Clicks
- Cost per view or cost per click
- Click through rate (CTR)
These metrics can help you identify how well your motion graphics resonated with your audience. Through this data, you can iterate and refine future content for better ROI and scale up what works for success.
How much do motion graphics cost?
The cost of creating motion graphics can vary greatly, depending largely on the approach you take. If you hire a freelancer or a design agency, you’re likely to be invoiced per project. This could range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the complexity and length of the video, the experience of the creator, and other factors.
On the other hand, you might consider bringing an in-house motion graphics artist onto your team. The advantage here is that you have someone dedicated to your projects, who understands your brand inside out. However, you’ll need to factor in their salary, benefits, and other overheads.
Then there’s the third option, a flat-rate creative service like Design Pickle. With this model, you pay a flat monthly fee, and in return, you get unlimited graphic design and custom illustrations, including motion graphics. This can be an excellent solution for businesses looking for high-quality, budget-friendly motion graphics. You won’t have to worry about the cost of hiring a freelancer or the overheads of an in-house staff member. Plus, you’ll have the flexibility to request as many revisions as you need until you’re happy with the result.
Design Pickle’s most cost-effective plan that includes motion graphics and animations is our Premium Plan, starting at $1695 USD/month. Think of this subscription like your Spotify playlist – you can have an unlimited number of design requests in your queue, and we’ll work on one at a time, as long as you have an active subscription. If you have a lot of low complexity requests, chances are you can get back quite a few designs in a month. If you have more complex motion graphics requests, the results will be somewhat slower. Stacking another subscription allows you to have two concurrent projects being worked on. Once you get to 3 concurrent motion assets, we’ve got Power Plans to handle that volume.
Pick the Right Partner for Your High Return Assets
With a little investment and the right partner, you can create motion graphics that will engage your target audience and drive ROI. It’s not always easy or cheap – but it is worth it. Invest in a partner like Design Pickle to get the best bang for your buck!
That’s why choosing the right partner, whether in-house or outsourced, can help you create the high ROI content fast on a budget. With Design Pickle’s flat-rate pricing, you get access to experienced motion graphics artists and illustrators at an affordable cost. This allows you to experiment with different types of motion assets and test how they perform in the market without worrying about your budget going up in smoke, allowing you to create the best content for your brand and maximize ROI.
So what are you waiting for? Sign up with Design Pickle today and start creating high quality, impactful motion graphics that will make your business stand out! With the right motion asset partner and a few high quality motion assets, you can unlock a new world of possibilities – all with a fixed, predictable budget.
