Left (old thumbnail), Right (redesigned thumbnail)

Mineral's existing brand guidelines was a great starting point. Ever since I first saw the website, the fun abstract shapes and playfulness of the colors was something I knew I had to animate, and it became the foundation of the video motion graphics and thumbnail designs.

 

In addition to weaving the branding more into the videos, I also wanted to incorporate computer and laptop screens, as well as screenshots to make it apparent what each video was about and which page it coincided with, something I think is important to build trust with users. (What you see is what you get.) And, I feel like it adds a bit of tech appeal to a software service company.

This project was immensely rewarding to work on. I enjoyed collaborating with the team to push their videos forward focusing on a style that best suited this company. I was especially happy to stretch my graphic design skills with this project, and I hope to continue taking on projects that utilize my educational how-to background and my video and design background. 

 

Project outcomes:

  • Increased user engagement and watch time, 140% increase with 15% increased engagement
  • Updated library with over 70+ new and refreshed videos

 

 

Additional thumbnail designs:

By far one of my favorite parts of this project. I've always had an eye for graphic design, and thumbnails are a recent curiosity of mine. What makes a thumbnail click-worthy and what elements will help direct a viewer's eye?

 

The process for thumbnails was straightforward. For most videos, I created two designs to test out different iconography and arrangements while maintaining brand guidelines.

 

Here's two examples of two different videos, the selected winners are the ones on the left.

Something I strive for is a clean house. Whether that's creating a visually pleasing spreadsheet to keep track of the video library or maintaining strict folder structures on my computer, it's one of the first things I make sure I plan. After the initial set up, comes the tweaking, and revising to implement different pieces of content that needs to be tracked or when videos have been updated. 

 

I also enjoy color-coding my folders to let me know which projects are in progress, which are complete, and which ones have been backed up to the cloud. 

One of my favorite videos I updated was the welcome video. We started by throwing out the old script, focusing on bringing examples and a bit of story into the video as to why and when you should use each element of the website. The original lacked focus and direction, and this new script walked a client through the platform with a more tailored approach.

 

After rewriting the script, it was reviewed by the different product SME's and different stakeholders before the video was produced.  After being reviewed, I incorporated the changes to make a more complete platform walkthrough with better wording and marketing hooks. (Feedback is a gift!) 

Mineral is an HR company that makes compliance simple. Initially. I signed on as a video consultant to help update their intros and outros after a logo rebrand, but the project turned into something much more exciting—a library overhaul! 

 

My main objectives were:

  • Advise on best practices for video creation from script to production
  • Redesign video thumbnails and create a new, modern look and feel for the videos
  • Make video easier to digest and navigate by adding chapters and example of use cases 
  • Promote self-service and learning by adding in-video calls to action to relevant articles and videos


My responsibilities: 

  • Write and revise scripts, testing and tweaking the process to enhance viewer experience
  • Produce videos through screen recordings, adding motion graphics and callouts to guide viewers through how-to videos
  • Create eye-catching designs for thumbnails and update the existing look of videos to create a more modern design
     

One of the ways I keep project organized and tidy (my file structure on the left)

New platform welcome video with custom table of contents

Examples of two abstract background designs I created in adherence to the brand guidelines

Screenshots showing the before and after of the welcome video

File Management

 

The Redesign Phase

Welcome Video Redesign

 

Conclusion

 

Thumbnail Redesign

 

Case Study

 

Noelle Nichols