Is a 2D animation ideal for your business or should you use 3D animation

When visiting various businesses on the internet, I have found that the number of 2D animations on sites are increasing. From the explainer videos about a product or service, to the welcoming page which gives a little bit of an introduction to the services of the main site, whiteboard animations are populating the world wide web. As a business, it is important to look at this growing trend and question whether or not utilizing 2D is beneficial to your brand, specifically, should you implement 3D animations and other media? Here are a few considerations to take into account prior to jumping on the whiteboard animation train.

Quality above common

A priority with any site is to present a quality and value within their website. As such, it is paramount that a site picks animations which go beyond the mass-produced templated animations. Granted, these can present a level of user engagement and when paired with the proper voice overs and soundtracks. Yet, for the most part, the feeling that I have gotten from the templated whiteboard animation is that the companies are trying to make a presence on YouTube rather than trying to build their brand through quality animations.  But here is where the templated and mass-produced whiteboards do not help. A company can put on a whiteboard animation on YouTube, but if the animation is the same as all the others which are available, it just gets pushed back into the sea or redundancy.

Should you wish to have a 2D animation then it is important that a custom animation be obtained. By having a customized 2D/Whiteboard animation, you ensure that there is a level of originality. One should take note that Professional whiteboard animations can get costly, especially if the freelancer is drawing the frames by hand or making customizable characters and not utilizing their own personal library of attributes.

3D animation or interactive 3D elements on the page may be desirable over the whiteboard animation. First, the animation is generally cheaper than the 2D animation (so long as the animation does not require models to be constructed but can use purchased models or premade selections). Secondly, the 3D animation is not as overpopulated on the internet than the whiteboard. This gives the business a unique edge over the competition. Finally, re-rendering and tweaks are easier on 3D than on 2D in many cases which results in lower costs (as alterations are charged by fix or by the hour).

Does your business match 2D or 3D elements?

Perhaps one of the key considerations that a site should take into account is the overall brand they are trying to present. If the majority of the elements on the page are 2D and static, then a whiteboard animation may be the thing that the site needs to accent and encourage user interaction. However, if the site is dominated by high end photography, photorealistic models, and interactive elements similar to 3D, than a 3D animation would be more suitable for your site.

It is important that regardless of the 2D or 3D elements on your site, that the video accent your branding. If the video is in competition with your products or your services, then it is to be avoided. The best way to find out what video is appropriate for your site is to look at the competition. Do not copy their marketing, but take note at the sites which are successful and the videos and supporting elements which make the site desirable.

Do not underestimate the audio

Of course, the video of the site will have no effect on the consumer if the message or the audio is faulty. Ensure that you have clear audio, that you storyboard your message to ensure that the product and services that you are describing are to the point and understandable.  If you are using lip syncing, it is critical that the characters and the vocals sync. The last thing that you want is a character who has his mouth shut when he is supposed to be speaking or vice versa.

Determine if you need any video at all

Just because a competitor has video or just because the whiteboard animation is popular now in web design does not mean that it is beneficial for your business. There are alternatives to video which may be more benefiting for your brand including slideshows, interactive flash images, panoramas, augmented reality, and illustrations. Again, ensure that you keep your brand at the forefront of the design of your page and you should do well.

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