Kinetic typography - the magic of motion graphics in marketing

Videos have the potential to drive your marketing efforts in the right direction. After all, videos connect with all types of audiences. Videos are engaging and messages are easier to remember when conveyed through a video. That’s why motion graphics have been continuously in the spotlight in the world of digital marketing.

When we talk about motion graphics there are so many types of videos to explore. Kinetic typography or ‘text-in-motion’, is one of the most versatile options among them.

So, what exactly is kinetic typography?

In most movie trailers or product promos from big brands, have you noticed that the text that introduces the new idea is animated? The text can be moving on a 2D or 3D plane or simply swaying in its place. But there is some motion that draws attention. This is what kinetic typography is all about.

When you have some powerful text content to present to your audience, if you wish to use the high engagement rate of videos to your advantage, animating the text will be a smart way to do it.

Changes in the size or position of the text, transitions in the overall layout, and other effects are used to keep the audience engaged. Creativity knows no bounds when it comes to creating kinetic typography. You will find this technique to be particularly useful, if you want to draw the viewer’s attention to one point or if you wish to highlight a set of words in the conveyed message. And that’s not all. Let’s take a look at the other reasons why kinetic typography is a design style you should consider.

3 facts that make the case for kinetic typography in marketing

1. Create cost-effective video ads

By using videos you can bring down the cost-per-engagement on Twitter by 50%. And using kinetic typography to create short video ads will help you save further by eliminating the need for video shoots for every ad.

2. Make sure that your message gets across

81% of viewers watch their videos muted. So, adding text overlays is one way to get the information across, without the need for a voiceover. And attractive animations just make text overlays look even better.

3. Create scroll-stopping content

When you post on social media, the aim is to get customers to notice your post in their endlessly scrolling feed. Videos have the power to grab attention. Kinetic typography makes your customers stop and take notice of your post. This applies to your existing followers engaging with your posts and new leads stopping by your sponsored posts.

Knowing that kinetic typography has many such benefits, if you do plan to use them, then here are a few ideas to try.

A few creative applications of kinetic typography

1. Make your logo memorable with logo animations

One of the most popular applications of kinetic typography are logo animations. Logo animations work well because:

They make your logo design easier to remember

Animations help highlight the message in your logo

2. Drive traffic to your blogs

If you have in front of you a page-long blog and a video that captures the essence of the blog, which one are you most likely to check out first? Probably the video? Because a short and interactive video that gives you a sneak peek into what you are about to read.

Motion graphics can be used to create introduction videos or summary videos for blog posts. You can then use these videos to promote your blog post and drive traffic through your social media channels.

3. Make statistics easier to read

Numbers speak volumes. Statistics help strengthen your brand’s credibility. But let’s face it, statistics are not always easy to read. That’s when using animated text comes to the rescue. You can combine interesting graphics and appealing text animations to make the presented statistics more interesting for your audience.

4. Introduce something new

When you have to make an announcement to your existing network on social media, you need content that grabs their attention. It can be a new product launch or the introduction of a new feature on your app. A quick and easy video with animated text will be the way to get your customers to notice your message.

5. Give a recap

Marketers love the concept of year-in-review videos and blog posts. They work because they help customers understand what the brand has achieved in the past year. When you have to give such recaps, you might have to use a lot of text to get the information across. And that’s another place where you might find kinetic typography to be effective.

As you can see, you can innovate for your brand and find plenty of interesting applications for kinetic typography. No matter where you plan to use them, below are some ideas to make them look good.

A few easy ways to enhance the aesthetics of kinetic typography

1. Pay attention to other visual elements

Text in videos can be more engaging when you have a visually appealing color palette and other imagery that captures attention. Symbols and other visual elements when combined with text help improve the impact of the video.

2. Animate only the essential part

Just because you can animate text in videos you should not animate all of the text that appears. The whole purpose of animating text is to highlight particular terms or draw your attention to something important that is conveyed. So, a combination of stationary and animated text will also work, especially in short videos.

3. Keep it simple

A clutter-free layout combined with crisp text makes the most impact. With the dwindling attention span of internet users, you need videos that engage and inspire in seconds.

4. Do not ignore branding

The colors and fonts you use as well as the mood of the animations in the video should all be aligned with your brand. If you have particular fonts you use across your social media posts, use the same font even in videos with animated text. Incorporate your brand colors so that customers will share your brand’s flavors along with the video when they share the video with their network.

5. Pay attention to the legibility aspect

As you focus on the aesthetics of animation, do not compromise on the legibility of the text. 90% of video views on Twitter are from mobile devices. When your text-rich videos are viewed on a smaller screen like a smartphone, the scale of the text displayed will be less. This is where you might notice a bigger impact of the font style, size, and contrast you choose for the animated typography.

FAQs

Where can you use kinetic typography?

Anywhere that you share videos. Instagram and Facebook Stories, YouTube Shorts, Reels on Instagram and Facebook, Tweets on Twitter, and posts on LinkedIn are some of the common places where you can use animated text to attract and engage your audience.

Text animations are not just for standalone videos. You can also create GIFs with kinetic typography and use them across your digital channels. If you want to highlight particular sections on your landing page, text animations work well. Another place to use this will be in emails. Kinetic typography can enhance the aesthetics and the engagement rates of your marketing emails.

How long should your videos be?

Like conventional videos, the length entirely depends on the video-sharing platform’s specifications. A rule of thumb is to keep the videos as short and crisp as possible if you have text alone. If there will be other animated objects or if you will use animated text as overlays on real video footage, you can further extend the length without losing your viewer’s interest.

How can you create animated typography for your marketing videos?

There are many free and paid tools online that offer standard templates for animated text. You will have a limited assortment of effects, font styles, and other options to customize your video. Another way to do it will be to work with a video design team.

And if you choose a long-term option like subscription video design services (similar to unlimited graphic design services), you can consistently maintain the theme and mood of your animated text across the videos for all your marketing campaigns. In fact, with a dedicated team taking care of all your video designs, you can make the most of kinetic typography by using custom animations. And thus set a new trend and strengthen your brand identity.