At Killer Visual Strategies, we design entire visual campaigns that include a variety of content types, from interactive sites to infographics to augmented reality experiences. But we’ve also built our reputation as a motion graphics company because of our custom animation services. The team at our Seattle design agency includes expert motion graphics designers and animators who are constantly pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve for our clients.
We’ve worked with Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations alike across every industry to produce custom content motion graphics and animated videos designed to achieve their goals. This content comprises a variety of styles, lengths, and formats to reach the audiences who matter most on every platform. Explore our portfolio below and learn more about how motion graphics can elevate your brand.
You can also learn more about motion graphics by exploring the articles and projects linked on this page.
Our Motion Graphics Portfolio
![Campaign: JLL Emerald City](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="800" height="600"><rect width="100%" height="100%"><animate attributeName="fill" values="rgba(153,153,153,0.5);rgba(153,153,153,0.1);rgba(153,153,153,0.5)" dur="2s" repeatCount="indefinite" /></rect></svg>)
Motion Graphics: A Definition
Motion graphics are animated videos. They can tell a story, share data visualizations, explain complex processes or topics — or all of the above. While some motion graphics are fully animated, many types of video marketing content combine live-action video with animated elements.
In a well-made motion graphic (sometimes called an animated or motion infographic), animation combines with short-form text, voiceover, an original score, and sound design to form a story. Whether it introduces a new product or service, educates an audience on a critical issue, asks for action, or is just intended to inspire, all of these components need to work harmoniously to create a cohesive experience for the viewer.
Motion graphics can be delivered in a dazzling variety of styles, and have been deployed by companies in every industry. While some can be fun and quirky, others deliver serious-minded B2B content, describe complex concepts, or explain technical processes.
Motion graphics offer many advantages over live-action video in diverse industries and contexts. For instance, some industries — such as software development or pharmaceuticals — don’t lend themselves very well to live-action footage. Instead, they need to explain concepts that are abstract or that exist at microscopic or macroscopic scales. Motion graphics can tell these stories in fluid and illuminating ways, transitioning seamlessly from illustration to data visualization, from up in the clouds to deep in the sea, from galaxy-scale to atom-sized.
Our Motion Graphics Showreel
It can be hard to get a sense of the overall depth and breadth of design capabilities a motion graphics agency might have. You want to know that your creative partner can deliver the design styles you’re looking for and deliver great visual content for a company in your industry — and that’s where a motion graphics showreel can help. Check out our reel below to gain a sense of our motion graphics content creation capabilities in just over a minute.
Why Should Your Company Hire a Motion Graphics Designer or Design Agency?
There are many great reasons to use a video or motion graphic for your organization. Some 87% of businesses are using video in content marketing, which makes sense when you consider that businesses can grow revenue 49% faster with this approach.
Yet motion graphics are also valuable as training tools and other internal collateral. Roughly 90% of the new skills that employees learn at training are lost within the first year. But the combination of visuals with an oral presentation can improve memory. In one study, 3 days after receiving information, audiences remembered 10% of the information from a verbal-only presentation, compared to 65% of the information when the oral presentation was combined with visuals.
Whether for internal or external use, the storytelling power of a video is an undoubtedly powerful way to communicate your message. So what can you use motion graphics to accomplish?
- Create awareness of an issue
- Explain a concept
- Introduce your organization, product, or service
- Train or retrain your team
- Drive audiences to action
- Elevate your home page
- Generate engagement on social media
- Draw attention to your expo booth
- … and more!
Long story short, whatever story your company wants to tell, a motion graphic can tell it — that is, as long as you hire a designer or design agency that can translate your business goals into results-driven content.
The 3 Types of Motion Graphics
When working toward any of the above goals, you have several options for how to frame your story. Is your video centered around your product or service? Is it mostly about your company? Or is it more about an issue that your organization helps to solve? Do you want to drive people to buy from you, or to take another action? Asking these questions will help you identify which of the 3 main types of motion graphics are ideal for you.
- Emotive: Primarily aims to move the audience to feel something
- Explainer: Primarily defines a concept, product, service, or organization
- Promotional: Primarily aids in selling a product or service
You can read more about these motion graphic types by downloading our free ebook.
Motion Graphic and Video F.A.Q.s
At a high level, a motion graphic may be:
- Emotive (used to inspire action or elicit a specific emotion)
- Promotional (used to promote a product/service/initiative)
- Explainer (used to break down a process/product/concept)
Many nuanced details go into determining what type of video you need, as well as executing to achieve the specific goals of each category. When working with our team, we will help you manage all of these details while developing a narrative and aesthetic that keeps your goals and audience top of mind.
For designers, creating a motion graphic isn’t quite as simple as animating a long-scroll web-based or printed infographic. While a visual campaign might include a motion graphic and infographic on the same topic, and they may share some artwork, the goals of each piece vary, as do the layout and technical requirements. We plan for distinct use cases at the outset of a campaign to avoid motion-infographic hybrids that miss the mark.
Motion graphics are a strong choice for many kinds of storytelling. It’s common for clients to approach us knowing they want a video, but it’s important to talk through your goals, audience, and use requirements with your motion graphics agency for any project. A video isn’t necessarily suited to every goal.
How long should my motion graphic be?
While some goals may warrant a variation, the majority of motion graphics should be 90 seconds or less. That’s because audiences love quick, bite-sized content. Once you get much longer than that, attention spans drop off – 120 seconds was found to be the upper threshold in one study. Communicating your message clearly and quickly is the best way to earn their attention and their trust.
What kind of ROI can I expect with a motion graphic?
It’s been written that embedding a video in your landing page can increase conversions by 80%. At Killer, our explainer videos average a 110% increase in conversions. Motion graphics are highly engaging, highly consumable, and highly sharable, so when executed properly, they could be the answer to your visual content needs. With that said, no one piece of visual content can solve every marketing or internal communications challenge! If a motion graphic is on your mind, chat with the Killer team of designers, animators, and producers to ensure it’s the best fit for your goals.
Can Killer Visual Strategies write my motion infographic script?
Absolutely! In fact, we prefer to write your script, but are happy to work with any inspiration you can send our way. With an in-house expert team of researchers, writers, and digital producers, Killer Visual Strategies is ready to help any client put their findings into final written form. You may have a draft and need help with proofing, or you may have key insights and need help making sure the content fits your brand voice and tone. Wherever you are in the content process, Killer will work with you to ensure your content is optimized for a motion graphic script.
Can Killer's motion graphics designers incorporate animated characters into my motion graphic?
We definitely can! With that said, some styles just aren’t made to have your characters wave, walk, jump, etc. This may be because the style is extremely intricate with fine details, but there are many possible reasons why certain styles aren’t intended for animation. We’ll ask about your preferences early in the project, and your project team will clarify with you as to which styles can support this if it’s important to your goals.
My team has an infographic or other artwork that was done in-house or by another motion graphics agency. Can Killer work with that?
If you have the source files in your possession and own the rights to them, it’s possible. With that said, many art styles aren’t optimized for motion — and the goals of your motion graphic might be distinct from the goals of the piece that art was created for. We’d recommend a phone call or in-person meeting with the Killer team to talk through what you’re looking for and figure out the best solution for you.
Does Killer do live-action filming?
We can arrange for on-site filming in your project quote if needed. We also commonly work with customer-provided footage, adding animated overlays such as data visualization or lower-thirds (describing a location, speaker, or other on-screen imagery). Your Killer project team is happy to discuss individual accommodations based on your goals.
