In today’s fast-paced digital world, capturing your audience's attention is more challenging than ever. With endless content competing for focus and shrinking attention spans, businesses must use innovative methods to communicate their message effectively. Explainer videos are powerful tools in explainer video marketing, engaging viewers, simplifying complex ideas, and driving measurable success.
A clear messaging strategy aligned with goals like brand awareness, lead generation, or customer education is essential. These videos educate and connect with potential customers in a compelling way.
This article covers the best explainer video types, their benefits, and best practices for creating engaging content that resonates and boosts your marketing.
What Are Explainer Videos?

Explainer videos are concise, visually appealing videos designed to explain a product, service, or concept clearly and compellingly. Typically ranging from one to three minutes, they are strategically placed on websites, landing pages, or social media platforms to capture and maintain viewer interest.
Most explainer videos are crafted to be concise and engaging, simplifying complex ideas through a combination of visuals, animation, and storytelling. This approach helps businesses communicate key messages quickly, enhancing customer engagement and boosting conversion rates.
Popular Types of Explainer Videos
Choosing the right explainer video type is crucial to connect with your target audience and convey your message effectively. Here are some of the most effective explainer video formats:
- Custom Animated Explainer Videos: These videos offer unlimited creative freedom to bring abstract or complicated concepts to life. Animation allows you to create a unique visual style that reflects your brand identity and keeps viewers engaged with smooth, impressive animation. They are especially effective for simplifying technical processes and are among the best explainer video examples for driving engagement.
- Live Action Explainer Videos: Featuring real people and environments, live action videos add authenticity and build trust. They are ideal when showcasing physical products, authentic customer testimonials, or real-life scenarios. The personal touch of live action videos helps foster emotional connections with viewers.
- Screencast Explainer Videos: Commonly used by SaaS companies and tech platforms, screencasts show your product in action by recording the computer screen. These videos provide clear, step-by-step demonstrations that improve onboarding, reduce support requests, and help potential customers understand product functionality easily.
- Whiteboard Animations: Combining hand-drawn illustrations with narration, whiteboard videos guide viewers through processes or ideas in a simple and memorable way. Their charm lies in visually unfolding complex topics, keeping the audience guessing what will appear next, which increases engagement and retention.
- Testimonial Explainer Videos: Featuring satisfied customers sharing their experiences, testimonial videos build credibility and trust. Real success stories help prospects envision their own customer journey with your product or service, making them highly persuasive marketing videos.
Matching your explainer video type to your message and audience ensures your content is not only informative but also highly engaging and effective.
Key Benefits of Explainer Videos

Explainer videos offer numerous advantages, making them a vital component of any video production process and marketing video strategy.
- Boost Customer Understanding: Explainer videos engage both visual and auditory senses, making it easier for viewers to grasp complex information quickly. Research shows that the human brain processes visuals up to 60,000 times faster than text, making explainer videos an ideal medium to communicate your value proposition clearly and memorably.
- Increase Conversion Rates: According to Wyzowl, 84% of people have been convinced to purchase a product or service after watching a brand’s video. Explainer videos build trust and clearly demonstrate benefits, encouraging viewers to take action—whether signing up, purchasing, or requesting more information.
- Enhance SEO Performance: Videos increase the time visitors spend on your site, reduce bounce rates, and improve engagement metrics—all factors that positively influence search rankings. Embedding explainer videos on landing pages and sharing them on platforms like YouTube can significantly boost your brand’s visibility and organic reach.
- Create Shareable, Engaging Content: Social media platforms prioritize video content, making explainer videos highly shareable. Videos that are entertaining, informative, or emotionally appealing tend to be shared widely, expanding your audience organically. Incorporating elements like humor or storytelling can turn your video into a fun video that resonates and spreads quickly.
- Versatility Across Marketing Channels: Explainer videos are adaptable and can be used across various marketing touchpoints—from your homepage and email campaigns to social media, presentations, and sales funnels. Producing multiple videos tailored to different platforms and goals enhances the overall impact of your video strategy.
Best Practices for Creating Explainer Videos

Craft a concise video script that highlights the problem your product or service solves, how it addresses it, and the benefits for the viewer. Keep the script focused, using simple language that resonates with your target audience. An engaging script is essential to hook viewers and maintain their attention throughout the video.
- Keep It Short and Concise: Aim for a concise video length of 60 to 90 seconds to maintain viewer interest. Use simple animations, engaging narratives, and an upbeat soundtrack to captivate your audience from start to finish.
- Focus on Benefits, Not Just Features: Viewers want to understand how your offering improves their lives. Emphasize the key benefits and use real-world examples, testimonials, or case studies to illustrate your product’s positive impact.
- Maintain Brand Consistency: Ensure your explainer video aligns with your brand’s visual identity, tone, and messaging. Consistent colors, fonts, and style reinforce brand recognition and professionalism, making your video a high quality explainer video that supports your brand image.
- Incorporate a Strong Call to Action (CTA): End your video with a clear and compelling CTA that directs viewers to the next step—whether visiting your website, signing up for a free trial, or contacting sales. The CTA should be visible long enough to be absorbed and reinforced by the voiceover.
- Use Professional Voiceover and Audio: High-quality audio enhances credibility. Select professional voiceover talent that fits your brand’s personality and complement the video with background music or sound effects to improve viewer engagement.
- Optimize for SEO: Use relevant keywords in your video title, description, and tags to boost search visibility. Embedding videos on relevant landing pages and promoting them across channels further improves SEO and drives traffic. Learn how video SEO services can help maximize your results.
- Test, Measure, and Refine: Analyze engagement metrics such as view duration, click-through rates, and conversion data to understand what resonates with your audience. Use these insights to optimize future videos and refine your video strategy.
Real-World Success Stories

Here are examples showcasing how explainer videos drive results across industries:
- A leading tech company released a series of animated explainer videos to simplify complex software features. This approach increased website engagement and reduced customer support requests significantly.
- Startups have boosted conversions by over 20% using live action explainer videos that showcase products in real-life scenarios, building authenticity and trust.
- SaaS companies use screencast explainer videos to streamline onboarding and improve customer satisfaction, leading to higher retention rates.
- Educational institutions employ whiteboard animations to enhance learning outcomes by making content interactive and easy to digest.
These success stories highlight the power of effective explainer videos tailored to audience needs and marketing goals.
Getting Started with Explainer Video Marketing
To begin, define your marketing goals and conduct thorough audience research to understand your viewers’ needs and preferences. Collaborate with experienced animation studios or creative partners to develop custom animated explainer videos and other formats that align with your brand and objectives.
A successful explainer video marketing strategy combines clear messaging, engaging visuals, and continuous optimization to connect with your audience and boost conversions.
Start creating your own explainer videos today to simplify complex ideas, engage your viewers, and elevate your marketing performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What industries benefit most from explainer videos?
Industries such as SaaS, healthcare, finance, and manufacturing benefit greatly from explainer videos by simplifying complex offerings. For example, Qventus used animated explainer videos to clarify AI-powered healthcare solutions, driving engagement and conversions.
How long should an explainer video be?
The ideal length is between 60 and 90 seconds, balancing message delivery and viewer retention.
Can explainer videos improve SEO and lead generation?
Yes. Videos increase time on site and engagement, which positively impacts SEO. Embedding explainer videos on landing pages also helps convert visitors into leads.
Ready to elevate your marketing strategy with high-quality, engaging explainer videos? Partner with experts to create compelling content that connects with your audience and drives real results.