If you’ve ever tried to explain a new product or service and watched eyes glaze over halfway through, you’re not alone. That’s where animated explainer videos come in. These short, engaging videos simplify complex ideas, build trust in your brand, and often lead directly to more clicks, conversions, and customers. In the digital age, explainer videos are especially effective as audiences are constantly bombarded with information and need visually engaging content to capture their attention.
In this guide, we’re breaking down what makes them so effective, showcasing some of the best animated explainer videos out there, and walking you through how to create one that actually delivers results. Commercial explainer videos are often concise and tailored for platforms like Instagram and TikTok, designed to grab attention quickly and convey a message.
What Are Animated Explainer Videos?
Animated explainer videos are short, engaging videos that use animation (like motion graphics or cartoon-style visuals) to clearly explain what your product, service, or idea is all about. They’re designed to make complex ideas easy to understand. They’re visually appealing, easily digestible, and built for modern attention spans. Think of them as elevator pitches, but**way more fun and effective. Explainer video style can vary, including animated, live-action, whiteboard, and screencast formats, allowing you to tailor your message for different audiences and goals.
They’re especially popular for:
- Product explainer videos for launches - Introduce a new product and highlight its key features in a way that’s easy to understand and visually appealing.
- Service overviews - Break down what your service does and how it solves a problem, especially if it’s abstract or technical.
- Customer onboarding for an online platform - Help new users get started quickly by showing them how to use your product or platform.
- Internal training as educational videos - Educate employees on internal tools, company policies, or procedures in a clear and engaging way.
- Marketing videos and social media - Grab attention on websites, landing pages, or social platforms with quick, scroll-stopping videos that explain and convert.
Common formats include motion graphics, cartoon animation, screencast, and whiteboard videos.
What Makes Them So Effective?
They Clearly Explain Your Service or Product
When you’re dealing with a nuanced concept, like how your AI tool works or what makes your loan platform different, animated explainer videos cut through the noise. A well-crafted video demonstrates product features and benefits, allowing viewers to see them in action and understand their value. They are a simple and fun way to educate a wide audience. Many successful brands use animated explainer videos to connect with their audience on a personal level. Product demos are a specific type of explainer video that showcase a product’s features and functionalities, making complex ideas easy to grasp. Dropbox’s original whiteboard video is frequently cited as a classic example of a "problem-solution" script.
Statistics show that 97% of marketers say video is the best way to explain a product. That’s why industries like SaaS, fintech, healthcare, and real estate rely heavily on explainer videos. And a bonus? Almost half the brands that use explainer videos say they had a less customer support calls!
They Boost Engagement, Retention, and Conversions
Animation adds movement, personality, and a storytelling layer that keeps viewers engaged and hooks viewers from the very start, ensuring they stay attentive throughout the video. The best animated explainer videos are typically between 60 and 90 seconds, following a clear narrative arc: they identify a relatable pain point, introduce the solution, and end with a persuasive call-to-action. High-quality animated explainer videos feature a strong, concise script focused on audience pain points, clear visual storytelling with professional graphics, engaging audio, and a strong call-to-action. High-quality audio, including professional voiceovers and sound effects, further enhances the effectiveness of explainer videos. And if you’re wondering why animated explainer videos are such a powerhouse for businesses, the numbers speak for themselves.
Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to just 10% when they read it as text. Landing pages with explainer videos see an 86% boost in conversion rates, and almost 3/4 of businesses say these videos have directly improved their ability to convert leads! Long story short, animated explainers don’t just look good, they get results.
They Elevate Brand Credibility
When someone watches a clean, well-designed animated explainer video, it instantly gives the impression that your brand is professional and knows what it’s doing. An exceptional explainer video can elevate brand credibility by combining engaging visuals, clear narration, and strategic messaging that aligns with your brand goals. High-quality animation shows that you’ve invested in telling your story the right way, and that kind of attention to detail builds trust fast. A well-crafted explainer video starts with talented writing that resonates with the audience's challenges, ensuring your message connects on a deeper level. The best animated explainer videos often feature a unique style, innovative storytelling, and engaging scripts, making them stand out and leave a lasting impression.
On top of that, animation lets you stay on-brand, whether that means using your exact color palette, creating custom characters, or syncing visuals with your brand voice. Having full creative control gives you a video that not only explains what you do but also feels consistent and credible.
Top Animated Explainer Videos to Inspire Your 2026 Projects
Here are some standout examples showcasing diverse animation styles and storytelling techniques:
1. CareAR: Schedule A Demo
This polished video introduces CareAR's augmented reality (AR) platform, showcasing how it enables remote experts to provide real-time visual guidance to on-site technicians.
Why It's Effective: Xerox’s animated explainer video is a great combo of 3D animation, 2D animation, detailed visuals, and clear narration. The style effectively simulates real-world environments, making the demonstration of AR interactions informative and visually compelling. It simplifies a complex technology and illustrates its practical applications in various industries.
2. Digital Ocean: App Platform
This animated explainer introduces DigitalOcean's App Platform, highlighting how it simplifies app deployment and scaling for developers.
Why It's Effective: DigitalOcean’s video effectively communicates the benefits of the App Platform by illustrating how it streamlines the development process, allowing developers to focus on building applications without managing infrastructure. The animation uses smooth transitions, bold iconography, and dynamic layouts to reflect the speed and efficiency of the product itself, keeping viewers visually engaged throughout.
3. SalesForce- World Tour
This bright opener for Salesforce's World Tour takes viewers on a lively global journey, featuring charming characters exploring iconic cities.
Why It's Effective: Salesforce uses this brief video to capture attention with its vibrant, stylized visuals and playful characters, setting an energetic tone for the event. The animation's seamless transitions and dynamic pacing mirror the excitement of the World Tour, engaging viewers from start to finish.
4. Artemetrx: Analytics Overview
This explainer introduces an integrated platform that transforms data into actionable intelligence, enhancing the management of drug spend and trends across pharmacy and medical benefits.
Why It's Effective: The 2D animated video effectively communicates the platform's capabilities by showcasing its comprehensive analytics tools and user-friendly interface. It makes complex data accessible and actionable for healthcare professionals. The animation's clean design and clear visuals help demystify intricate processes, ensuring that viewers can easily grasp the platform's functionalities and benefits.
5. Slack: Email vs Slack
This explainer uses playful 3D animation to compare the chaos of traditional email with the streamlined flow of Slack.
Why It's Effective: Slack uses clean, minimal 3D animation to add a modern and polished feel, making the message easy to follow and fun to watch. The visual contrast between a sea of scattered email "balls" and those same balls moving down smooth Slack channels makes it both relatable and memorable. The result is a quick, engaging video that clearly shows how their product solves a real-world problem.
7. Babylon Finance: What is a Babylon Garden?
This animated explainer demystifies the concept of a "Babylon Garden," illustrating how Babylon Finance's decentralized finance (DeFi) platform enables users to collectively invest and manage assets.
Why It's Effective: This colorful video simplifies complex DeFi concepts by using clear visuals and straightforward narration, making the topic accessible to a broad audience. The animation's engaging style helps demystify the intricacies of decentralized finance, fostering a better understanding among viewers.
8. Allegra: Keep Employees Motivated
This animated explainer showcases how Allegra's platform helps businesses keep employees motivated by streamlining communication and recognition processes.
Why It’s Effective: Allegra’s video effectively illustrates common workplace challenges and how their platform solves them, using relatable scenarios and clear narration to keep the message engaging and easy to follow. Its clean 2D animation, with simple character designs and a consistent color palette, reinforces clarity and keeps the viewer's focus on the core message.
9. Airbnb: One Week A Year | Get Paid
This short explainer video promotes a unique business opportunity, highlighting the potential to earn significant income by dedicating just one week per year to a specific venture.
Why It's Effective: Airbnb's quick animated video captures attention with its engaging narrative and straightforward message, making the concept accessible and appealing. The unique animation's clever visuals and clear storytelling enhance viewer engagement, effectively conveying the opportunity's value.
2D vs 3D Animated Explainer Videos: Which One Is Right for You?
Not all explainer videos are the same, choosing the right explainer video style is crucial for achieving your specific goals and engaging your target audience. For example, Dropbox is known for its simple whiteboard-style videos explaining file syncing with relatable character animation. Choosing between 2D and 3D animation depends on your brand, budget, and goals. When executed well, both styles can be incredibly effective animated explainer videos for business.
2D Animation Pros:
- Cost-effective
- Versatile and fast to produce
- Great for storytelling and flat design lovers
- Offers creative freedom to develop unique visuals and simplify complex ideas
2D Animation Cons:
- Less visual depth or realism
3D Animation Pros:
- High production value
- Great for product modeling and environments
- Striking visuals that capture attention and enhance viewer engagement
3D Animation Cons:
- More time and budget required
Check out this detailed explanation on how to choose between 2D vs 3D animation services.
How to Create an Animated Explainer Video (Step-by-Step)
You’ve seen what’s possible, now here’s how to bring your own explainer to life:
- Define the Purpose and Audience: Who is this video for? What do you want them to understand, feel, or do after watching it? Conduct thorough audience research to ensure your explainer video resonates with your target viewers.
- Write a Clear and Short Script: Focus on one main idea. Keep it under 90 seconds (150-180 words). Avoid jargon. Common mistakes to avoid when creating explainer videos include using overly technical language and neglecting to include a clear call-to-action.
- Choose Your Style (2D, 3D, Whiteboard, Kinetic): Match the style with your brand personality and the subject matter. Not sure? That’s where a video production partner like Levitate can help. Many brands also turn to the best explainer video companies or specialized explainer video companies for expert guidance and high-quality results.
- Create a Storyboard: This is your visual blueprint. It shows what will be on screen during each line of the script.
- Animate and Add Voiceover: This is where the magic happens. Professional animators play a key role in creating engaging animated explainer videos, using techniques like 2D animation and integrating real imagery. Levitate offers full explainer video production, from voiceovers to motion graphics and animation.
- Add Music, Polish, and Publish: Sound design, final edits, and proper formatting make sure your explainer looks and sounds great on every platform. By 2026, vertical (9:16) format will be the primary choice for many brands to accommodate mobile-dominant viewing, accounting for roughly 88% of consumption.
Tip: When creating explainer videos, focus on visual storytelling, animation, and professional production to effectively communicate complex ideas and improve business outcomes.
How Levitate Can Help You Make Explainer Videos That Convert
As one of the top explainer video companies, Levitate specializes in explainer video production that’s tailored to your brand and your audience, with a focus on crafting compelling stories that engage and convert. Our services include:
- Custom scriptwriting and concept development
- 2D and 3D animation, motion graphics, isometric animation
- Voiceovers, branding, and post-production polish
- Experience in tech, healthcare, real estate, and more
We draw inspiration from other leading companies in the field, such as Yum Yum Videos, known for their creative and strategic storytelling, and Certainly.io, which uses creative hand-drawn animation and sound effects to highlight customer pain points in the shopping experience.
Whether you’re launching a new app or refreshing your company’s messaging, we’ll help you bring it to life with a video that converts.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes an explainer video truly effective for B2B or B2C audiences?Clarity, brevity, and strong visual storytelling are key. The best explainer videos simplify complex ideas in under 90 seconds. Understanding your target audience is essential, tailoring the message, tone, and visuals to their needs and preferences increases engagement and conversion. For expert support, check out Levitate’s Explainer Video Services.
- What’s the difference between animated and live-action explainer videos?Animated videos offer more flexibility for abstract concepts, while live-action can humanize a brand. For mixed formats, explore Levitate’s Mixed Media Services.
- Where can I see standout examples of mixed-media explainer content?Levitate breaks down trends and top-performing styles in this blog on Best Mixed Media Animation Videos. For more animated explainer video examples, look at how Acast tells a compelling story primarily through expressive visuals and symbols with minimal text or narration, and how Headspace uses a minimalist aesthetic and slow pacing to mirror its product’s calming effect.
- Are there companies using explainer videos to communicate technical topics?Yes, Qventus used animation and voiceover to simplify its AI-driven healthcare platform. See how in the Qventus case study.
- How do explainer videos fit into a marketing strategy?Explainer videos can be strategically placed at different stages of the customer journey, raising awareness, educating prospects, and driving conversions, by addressing specific questions and needs at each point.
Final Thoughts
The best animated explainer videos aren't just pretty, they're purposeful. They simplify, connect, and convert. If you've been thinking about creating one, there's no better time. Use the examples above as creative fuel, and when you're ready to make yours, reach out to a partner who can bring your message to life the right way.
Want to turn your ideas into animated magic? Let Levitate Media bring your story to life with custom animated explainer videos that captivate and convert. Get in touch today and let's create something unforgettable!
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