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Motion Graphics and Their Role in the Future of Content Marketing
No matter where you go on the Internet, chances are that you will come across a few motion graphics. In the small chance you haven’t here’s a quick refresher of what it is: Motion Graphics are animated representations of data. This is likely an oversimplified explanation but it’s one that works. Whenever you see a bar graph come to life in a TV ad or news report, it’s likely a type of a motion graphic. The kind that is taking over the content marketing world is one that is a little longer and has more creativity behind it.
The most important aspect of a good motion graphic is course accurate data. Ideally, this would be backed up with source links on the same page, effectively constituting sort of a bibliography for your motion graphic. From there, the limit is quite literally your imagination. The best motion graphics tend to use tastefully applied animations to make the information more visually appealing or comprehensible. It’s becoming a great way to express important ideas, create awareness or to call prospective customers to action.
There are several reasons why motion graphics are increasing in popularity all over the web. Let’s take a look at a few of them:
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Why use motion graphics?
Motion graphics are becoming effective at communicating the most information possible in a short amount of time. Content creators and marketers everywhere are embracing the idea of motion graphics to gage the interest of the ever-shortening attention span of Internet users.
A good deal of video content is created and consumed everyday by Internet users. Roughly 72 hours of video content is uploaded to YouTube alone every minute. That’s a low of raw content but many of us can admit to going through longer videos to get to the most relevant portions or quitting altogether if the video goes on a little longer than we’d like. This is exactly where motion graphics come in. They condense a great deal of information into a short and visually appealing presentation. They’re a great way to help decrease the risk that a viewer will miss a call to action because they’ve skipped through portions of a longer video.
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How do motion graphics come to life?
One of the reasons why motion graphics are becoming so popular is because they are easy to make, especially when compared to other types of video content such as a commercial. Animators tend to use one of two methods:
x They build the animation from the ground up (which is more time-consuming and therefore more expensive)
x They begin with a “flat” graphic and animate it from there (the easier and cheaper option)
Starting off with a static graphic and animating it is easier as long as you make the right preparations as you create the design. You should create the flat image(s) in vector format if possible, which means that they can be enlarged without any loss in quality. This allows for better control when it comes to animating.
Starting from scratch will require at least a little bit of forethought and vision. Creating a storyboard, unlike those used in the creation of feature films, is usually a good idea. You don’t want to have to throw out a bunch of hard work
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later on if your vision or the needs of your project change along the way.
The tools to create motion graphics are readily available, although they may cost quite a bit. Adobe After Effects and Apple Motion are some great choices as they make it easier to layer your content and add 3D effects to give the impression of movement. Remember, motion graphics are infinitely more appealing to the average viewer than static content.
Where is Motion Graphics Headed in the Future?
Although trends tend to move faster on the Internet than anywhere else, the growth in popularity of motion graphics may well be here to stay. As video content becomes more popular than ever, motion graphics play to the fact extremely well and might hop on the bandwagon. According to a study by the folks over at Invodo, the average web user watches about 19 hours of Internet video per month. In terms of shopping on the web, 60% of shoppers regularly watch product videos. Doing so makes shoppers an astounding 174% more likely to buy the product in question.
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Motion graphics tend to be the perfect middle ground between overwrought and overproduced live action videos and simple static content. They are short and they communicate their message simply and effectively and they don’t make any great demand of the viewer beyond the goal of getting shared. To sum it up, they’re everything that ideal content marketing should be.
To clarify, it’s more than just information: it’s a brief and singular experience that not only provides information but also tells a story. Content that is both stimulating and shareable will create great word-of-mouth buzz. This means that motion graphics can easily become some of the most viral content out when executed well. Even so, motion graphics aren’t the be-all and end-all solution for marketing. They’re a powerful tool but they aren’t the only option available.