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In today’s fast-paced digital world, videos are a key tool in business marketing strategies. Among the various video formats, professional explainer videos stand out as a dynamic and engaging way to introduce your product or service to potential customers. Whether you’re looking to improve brand awareness or educate your audience, an explainer video can work wonders. But how exactly can you create a professional explainer video that resonates with your audience and drives conversions? In this ultimate guide, we’ll take you through the step-by-step process, explore different types of explainer videos, and highlight some key benefits of using this powerful tool in your marketing arsenal.
Why Should Brands Make a Professional Explainer Video?
With the rise of online marketing, businesses are looking for efficient ways to explain their offerings. Explainer videos are incredibly effective at conveying your message quickly and clearly. Here are a few reasons why brands should prioritize creating a professional explainer video:
Enhanced Engagement: People are more likely to engage with a video than a text-based message. 96% of people watch an explainer video to learn about a product or service.
Improved Brand Awareness: Videos can effectively introduce your brand and its offerings. A well-crafted explainer video can bring your company’s identity to life.
Increased Conversion Rates: Studies show that explainer videos on landing pages can boost conversion rates by up to 80%. This makes them a must-have for businesses aiming to increase sales.
Easy to Share: Videos are incredibly shareable across social media platforms, which helps increase your reach and visibility.
What is a Professional Explainer Video?
A professional explainer video is a short video (usually 1 to 3 minutes) that explains a company’s product, service, or idea. These videos simplify complex concepts by breaking them down into digestible and visually appealing segments. The goal is not only to educate the viewer but also to entertain and keep them engaged throughout the video.
Explainer videos typically include a call to action that prompts viewers to take the next step—whether that’s signing up for a newsletter, downloading an app, or making a purchase. The combination of concise messaging and captivating visuals helps businesses create a lasting impression on potential customers.
The Different Types of Explainer Videos
2D Animation Explainer Videos
2D animation is one of the most popular styles used for explainer videos. It features flat graphics and characters moving in a two-dimensional space. This type of video is cost-effective, easy to produce, and ideal for brands that want to create engaging narratives without extensive production budgets.
Best for: Startups, SaaS companies, and educational content.
3D Animation Explainer Videos
3D animation provides depth and realism, making videos more immersive and visually appealing. While 3D videos require more time and resources to produce, they are excellent for businesses looking for high-end, professional-grade animations.
Best for: Product demonstrations, high-tech industries, and luxury brands.
Collage Animation Explainer Videos
Collage animation combines different visual elements such as photographs, illustrations, and cut-outs to create a dynamic and unique effect. This style gives videos a textured, scrapbook-like feel that makes them stand out from traditional animations.
Best for: Artistic brands, creative agencies, and experimental storytelling.
Infographic Explainer Videos
Infographic videos are ideal for presenting data, statistics, and complex information engagingly. They use animated charts, graphs, and icons to simplify information, making it digestible for viewers.
Best for: Corporate reports, financial presentations, and educational content.
Line Art Explainer Videos
Line art animations feature monochrome or minimalistic drawings created using continuous lines. This simplistic approach gives videos an elegant and modern touch while focusing on clear storytelling.
Best for: Minimalist brands, tech companies, and product explainers.
Pop Art Explainer Videos
Inspired by the vibrant and bold visuals of pop art, this style uses bright colors, comic book aesthetics, and exaggerated elements to grab attention. It’s an excellent choice for brands that want to make a bold statement.
Best for: Fashion brands, youth-centric campaigns, and viral content.
Algeria-Style Explainer Videos
This unique style incorporates Algerian cultural elements, traditional motifs, and localized storytelling. Such videos are perfect for brands targeting Algerian audiences or aiming to showcase cultural heritage through animation.
Best for: Cultural storytelling, tourism promotions, and heritage projects.
Stock Footage Explainer Videos
Stock footage videos use pre-existing video clips combined with text overlays, voiceovers, and animations to convey messages. These videos are cost-effective and can be quickly produced, making them a popular choice for businesses on a budget.
Best for: Quick marketing campaigns, corporate videos, and testimonials.
Benefits of Creating a Professional Explainer Video
A professional explainer video brings numerous benefits to businesses, especially in terms of marketing and communication. Here are some of the top reasons why you should consider creating one for your brand:
Simplifies Complex Information: Explainer videos break down complex products or services into simple, easily understandable concepts.
Boosts SEO: Videos are highly shareable and rank well in search engines, improving your site’s visibility. Embedding a video on your website can increase the chances of ranking higher in search engine results.
Improves User Experience: Instead of reading long product descriptions or instructions, customers can watch a short, engaging video to understand what your brand is all about.
Builds Trust: A well-executed explainer video creates an emotional connection with your audience and helps establish credibility and trust.
Step-by-Step Process to Create a Professional Explainer Video
Creating a professional explainer video isn’t just about having great visuals and a catchy script. There’s a process that needs to be followed to ensure that the final video meets your goals. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you craft the perfect explainer video:
Step 1: Define Your Goal and Target Audience
Before you start creating your video, it’s essential to define your objectives. What do you want to achieve with your explainer video? Are you aiming to educate, inform, or convert leads into customers? Understanding your goal will guide the entire process.
You also need to identify your target audience. Knowing who your video is for will help you tailor the message, tone, and style to appeal to them.
Step 2: Write a Clear Script
The script is the foundation of your professional explainer video. It should communicate your brand’s message, highlight the benefits of your product or service, and include a strong call to action. Keep the script short, simple, and engaging, as viewers have limited attention spans.
Step 3: Choose the Right Visual Style
The visual style of your explainer video should align with your brand identity and resonate with your target audience. Whether you choose 2D animation, live-action, or infographics, the visual style should enhance your message and keep viewers interested.
Get the Right Agency to Do the Animation
Finding the right animation agency is crucial for producing high-quality explainer videos that align with your brand vision. Look for agencies with a strong portfolio, positive client reviews, and expertise in the specific animation style you require. A professional animation team can bring your ideas to life with creativity, technical skill, and strategic storytelling.
Tips for Choosing the Right Agency:
- Review their past work and case studies.
- Check client testimonials and industry reputation.
- Ensure they offer customized solutions suited to your needs.
- Discuss timelines, budget, and communication processes upfront.
Investing in the right explainer video style can enhance brand visibility, engage audiences, and simplify complex messages. Whether you’re a startup or an established company, explainer videos can be a game-changer in your marketing strategy.
Some examples of professional explainer videos of software companies
Shopify
Shopify’s video effectively demonstrates how the Selleasy app enhances e-commerce operations on the Shopify platform. Through engaging animations and clear narration, it illustrates the app’s features, such as simplifying upselling and cross-selling with one-click options, and presenting high-converting pre- and post-purchase upsell offers. The video emphasizes how these functionalities can boost the Average Order Value (AOV) by encouraging customers to bundle related products. The use of vibrant visuals and concise messaging makes complex concepts easily digestible, showcasing the app’s value proposition to potential users. This explainer video serves as an excellent example of how animated content can effectively communicate the benefits of Shopify applications to merchants seeking to optimize their online stores.
Capital One
Capital One’s explainer video, What Is a Money Market Account?, effectively simplifies a complex financial topic using engaging 2D animation. The video starts by directly answering the core question before seamlessly transitioning into the key features and benefits of a money market account. With minimal yet stylish visuals—such as a roller coaster symbolizing market fluctuations—the animation keeps viewers engaged while reinforcing key financial concepts in an easily digestible format.
The video maintains a clear and informative tone, making it accessible to a broad audience while subtly guiding viewers toward Capital One’s offerings. It concludes with a strong call to action, encouraging further exploration of money market accounts, and ends with the brand’s signature tagline: What’s in your wallet? This well-structured approach not only educates but also strengthens brand recall, making it an effective marketing tool.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed This animated explainer video, which has garnered over a million views, effectively answers the critical question, What is a coronavirus? By transforming complex scientific concepts into easy-to-understand content, the video keeps viewers engaged through vibrant animations and clear narration. It breaks down the origins of coronaviruses, how they cause diseases like SARS, MERS, and COVID-19, and their impact on public health.
The video also delves into the virus’s transmission, historical significance, and potential treatments, ensuring a well-rounded understanding for the audience. Its visually compelling storytelling and concise explanations make it an invaluable educational resource, simplifying intricate medical information for a broad audience. This engaging and informative approach not only raises awareness but also reinforces the importance of scientific literacy in global health discussions.
Airbnb
Airbnb’s explainer video seamlessly blends live-action and animation to create a visually captivating experience. Designed to feel like a single continuous shot, the video fluidly transitions through dynamic model landscapes, perfectly complementing the smooth voiceover. This innovative approach not only showcases the platform’s global reach but also evokes a sense of adventure and belonging—key elements of the Airbnb experience.
By integrating both live-action and animation, the video effectively captures the essence of travel while maintaining a warm, inviting tone. The transitions between scenes are effortless, mirroring the ease of booking unique stays through Airbnb. This creative storytelling method enhances viewer engagement, making the video both informative and emotionally compelling, ultimately reinforcing Airbnb’s mission to make people feel at home anywhere in the world.
Coast Mental Health
Coast Mental Health This whiteboard animation explainer video effectively follows a classic storytelling structure, first presenting the pressing issue of the mental health crisis among college-aged youth before introducing Coast Mental Health as a solution. The hand-drawn black-and-white illustrations, gradually filled with rich color, create a visually engaging and emotionally resonant experience. This artistic approach not only captures attention but also reinforces the journey from struggle to hope, aligning with the organization’s mission.
The video’s compelling voiceover is strengthened by strong, empathetic writing, culminating in a powerful emotional close: “Those voices in your head, they’re gone now, quieted by the compassion of people like Sarah, who can see your potential, and quieted by your own courage.” This poignant ending leaves a lasting impact, inspiring viewers while emphasizing the importance of support and resilience in overcoming mental health challenges. Through a thoughtful combination of visuals and storytelling, the video effectively conveys its message and drives engagement.
Alpha
Alpha is a cloud-based software company that is revolutionizing the supply chain industry by using AI to optimize shipment configuration for customers and suppliers worldwide. Alpha’s AI technology can help cut logistics costs, reduce emissions, increase efficiency in the supply chain, improve inventory management, and provide automated packing instructions for sellers. With Alpha’s AI-driven solutions, companies can save time and money while ensuring their products reach their destinations safely and on time.
We used isometric animation that uses a combination of 3D elements, branding colors, and 2d animation, to provide viewers with a comprehensive explanation of how this software works and how it can benefit the industry. Through this video, viewers will better understand how AI can be used to optimize shipments, leading to improved efficiency and cost savings for businesses.
Conclusion
A professional explainer video is a powerful tool for any business looking to engage its audience, boost brand awareness, and drive conversions. Whether you’re creating a 2D animated explainer video, a SaaS explainer video, or a custom solution, following the steps outlined in this guide will help ensure you create a video that captures attention and communicates your message effectively. By working with a trusted explainer video company, you can create a video that not only looks great but also drives results for your business.
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