On-screen, a woman is walking down a busy Manhattan sidewalk. A line appears above her head, getting longer. Words appear above the line, telling us her name. Then the words zip into an open door, disappearing. What just happened? What was that? Animation? Special Effects? Graphic Design? Yes. And more. Here is just one short example of motion graphics. This captivating technique can add information to your videos or be used on its own to illustrate ideas dynamically. Done well, it can even turn a simple voiceover into eye candy. 

To figure out exactly what motion graphics is and isn’t, think of it as graphic design brought to life. It’s text and shapes that move. It’s essential to understand the distinction between motion graphics and animation to avoid confusion when talking with your creative team. 

Why use motion graphics?

It’s a great way to grab attention. Pretend, for a moment, that you own a food truck. You’ve just added a new burger to the menu, and you want to tell everyone on social media. You could use a killer photo alone, or you could overlay moving text onto that photo for a more significant impact and stop their scroll for a minute. You’ve just turned the same-same burger photo into something a lot more interesting. 

It’s shareable. Unique and interesting content gets shared. Combine that with content that is relevant to your audience, and you’ve greatly increased the odds that people will tag their friends or share your post. 

It increases brand awareness. A short video of moving text and graphics can introduce and explain a product quickly and engagingly to appeal to our ultra-short online attention spans. It will also help you stand out a bit, as motion graphics are less common than live video. But they’re both forms of video, and video definitely works to raise brand awareness and attract new customers.

When to use motion graphics

There are times when adding a bit of moving text and graphics can really take your video to the next level or be that extra bit of eye candy you need to grab your viewer’s attention and engage in your content. Here are some instances of when using motion graphics can enhance your messaging. 

Animated logos. Adding motion to your logo is a great way to update your branding and enhance brand awareness. It’s also a great way to create branded messages to mark special days or highlight significant announcements.  

Social media. When you have an important message to get across, presenting it visually is a great way to ensure people pay attention. Internet viewers are far more likely to watch a video than read a block of text. Compelling visuals are effective both as a short (3-5 seconds) shareable social media GIF or as a longer video. Creating a visually entertaining message is also a great way to increase your chances of having it shared on social media. 

Cost-effective

Because these videos typically utilize voiceover with accompanying animated elements rather than live-action, it can be far easier to make changes post-production. Let’s say, for instance, that you need to change an element of the video; you can re-record the short bit of audio, drop it in, and then change the graphics. Compared to bringing in on-screen talent and a camera crew to film the segment over again, this can be far more cost-effective and efficient. 

Ready to craft a message that leaves an impact? That’s our specialty at Dream It Reel. Let’s get started on your next project today.