More than ever before, businesses are making use of whiteboard animation software. Choosing the right software can be difficult considering how many different programs there are, however. As a business owner it is essential that you find the software right for you; to do so you need to consider different things from price to reviews and features.
Rather than naming specific programs this post will tell you everything you need to know about finding the right application for your business; you will learn about the most important features you need to be on the lookout for and what makes a good whiteboard animation program.
1. Pricing Plans
One of the very first things you need to think about when you are looking for animation software is an affordable pricing plan. Unfortunately, the software isn’t cheap these days. Some whiteboard animation providers are realizing this and are offering affordable pricing plans allowing individuals on budgets to access their programs. One platform, DoodleMaker, has reduced its price so much that it is now affordable to more or less everyone. Consider budget, pricing plans, and how much you can reasonably afford to spend when searching for software to use.
2. Online Reviews
A whiteboard animation program’s reviews can help you to determine whether or not it is worth using; those new to buying software often make the mistake of overlooking reviews. If you have never had experience with a specific developer before then reading their reviews can be a good way of learning about the quality of their offerings. In addition to reading reviews, it is also a good idea to try and research them. If a developer is truly worth working with, they will have accrued a lot of chatter and talk online.
3. Available Features
Features are of course something that you need to think about. When you are buying animation software you need the best features you can get. The quality of your animations will have a lot of influence over how much enjoyment people get out of them. Bad animations can reflect poorly upon your company, making you look unprofessional and untrained. A good program can help even the most inexperienced animators to create animations bound to impress even the pickiest viewer; you can learn about a program’s features by reading guides and tutorials.
4. Editing Animations
Some platforms will not allow you to edit animations that you have created using other developers’ software. You should try to find a program that is going to let you do this, especially if you are switching software. Editing earlier animations using new software will help you to improve them, learn new skills, and re-release and update popular animations. To find out whether or not a program is going to let you edit animations you have created using other programs, reach out to their customer support team; a program’s support team will be able to answer any queries, concerns, or questions that you have.
5. Regular Updates
When you are investing in software it’s always good to find one that is in a constant state of flux. In other words, find a program that is always been redeveloped and updated. A program that has been made, released, and is never updated cannot keep itself relevant. Regular updates help software developers to ensure that their programs have the latest features; they also help them to reduce and fix errors. A program’s update frequency can give you a good idea of how much care has gone into developing it, too.
6. Customer Support
Customer support is essential. Unless the program you are planning on using has a dedicated support team, shop elsewhere. A platform’s customer support team will be able to answer queries or concerns that you have and help you work through any issues. Even if you have a wealth of experience in animating there will be times when you encounter difficulties and problems. In such situations, customer support comes in handy. A program’s customer support team will be able to help you out, offer solutions and fixes and tell you where you are going wrong. You will also be able to report issues and flaws to them.
7. Online Community
One of the good things about animation is that it is not just something that people do to make money, a lot of people genuinely enjoy it and consider it their hobby. If animation’s a passion of yours then you will be pleased to know that there are massive online communities you can join. Try to find a program that has its own online community. An online community dedicated to using a specific animation application gives you the ability to communicate and network with other animators, as well as get support and advice.
8. Total Ownership
Try to find a program that gives you total ownership. A lot of modern animation apps are only available on subscription bases, meaning people can never totally own them. The inability to own a program means that even if you have spent thousands of dollars on it if you do not keep up with monthly or yearly payments you can have it taken away from you. Having it taken away from you essentially just means the program’s developer will cut you off, locking you out and putting the program back behind a paywall so you cannot use it until you pay for it again.
9. Use Frequency
How often do you plan on using the program that you are going to invest in? If the answer to that question is not a lot then do not spend a fortune. Animation software is not cheap. If you buy one that’s very expensive and never use it, it is a waste of money. Money is short for most people right now. Assuming you are not extremely wealthy then you should try to save as much money as you can. In addition to only buying an expensive program if you are going to get a lot of use out of it, try to use discount codes.
Animation can be a great way of having fun and even making money. Before you can take it up as a hobby or a job, however, you need to find the program that’s right for you. To do that consider the information given here in this post. Using the tips outlined here will help you to make the best purchase decision.
