How To Make An Explainer Video In 5 Simple Steps (With Examples)

You've likely heard of the phrase, A picture is worth a thousand words. Well, the statistic leaps to around 1.8 million words regarding explainer videos. This means that a clear, engaging explainer video can communicate information faster and more effectively than text alone. No wonder businesses have turned to explainer videos to boost conversions, engage audiences, and simplify complex topics. You may have many questions if you want to create an explainer video. This article will answer those questions by breaking down how to make an explainer video.

As you read on, you’ll learn about the different types of explainer videos and how to pick the right one for your business. We’ll also cover tips for writing scripts and storyboards and how to produce and promote your video once it’s complete. Moonb's explainer video production services can help you easily tackle this project. 

What is an Explainer Video?

An explainer video is a short-form video usually used for marketing or sales purposes that compellingly and efficiently highlights a company’s product, service, or business idea. Most businesses host explainer videos on their landing pages or feature them on their website. 

Some even use these videos to advertise their product or service on Facebook or other social media websites. It’s short, snappy, engaging, and can transform how people connect with a product or service. That’s the power of explainer videos and why they are one of the most effective forms of video marketing content. It’s a success that’s based on real-world results.

A 2020 study into the effectiveness of marketing video strategies found that 84% of consumers said an explainer video convinced them to buy a product or service. Embedding a compelling explainer video into a company website has boosted conversion rates by up to 80%. This helps explain why explainer videos are now the most popular form of marketing video, the number one choice for nearly three-quarters (73%) of marketers.

What Type of Explainer Video Should You Make?

Animated explainer videos dominate the explainer video landscape. This is because they are affordable and flexible, appealing to businesses and organizations of all sizes.  Animated explainer videos range in style, and some popular types include: 

Infographic Videos

These use charts, graphs, and clever iconography to emulate an infographic style while explaining your business's key features. They’re great for breaking down complex information into digestible visual chunks. 

Chalkboard Videos

An overused but popular style of animated explainer video, this style features writing on a chalkboard or whiteboard and is popular because it is easy to make. 

Product Simulation Videos

This style features actual screencast footage of your product in action and is most useful as a high-level overview of a software or digital platform. 

Character-Driven Videos

This explainer video uses cute cartoon figures that should represent your prospective customer to tell the story of your product or service and how it can solve your customer’s problems. 

Motion Graphic Videos

Usually 3D-animated, this type of explainer video aims to tell your product or company’s story using representational objects to incite your audience’s imagination with pictures instead of words.

An external production company typically handles the animation work. But tools also exist, such as Powtoon, that allow simple videos to be created in-house. The bigger the budget, the more options you have, and the better the quality will be. 

The Classic Appeal of Live-Action Explainer Videos

Live-action explainer videos are another popular type of explainer video. This is a more traditional approach, with filmed videos using real people, objects, and locations. This could be as simple as somebody talking to the camera and demonstrating a product or service, or it can be something more creative that uses humor or a particular movie or theme to get the message across.

The benefit of a live-action approach is that it delivers that emotive, human connection by using real people. With so many animated explainer videos, it’s a way to have your brand stand out from the crowd. While there are more limits on what’s possible, a creative and simple approach can make a live-action approach an extremely cost-effective option. 

Screencast Videos: Ideal for Software Demos

Screencast videos are ideal for showing software in action. This is a powerful method if you aim to give people a clear look at a product before they try or buy it. 

The Unique Benefits of Whiteboard Drawing Explainer Videos

A good explainer video keeps your attention throughout the video. And there’s a certain appeal 

to having content created right before your eyes through video animation. Use whiteboard drawings when you need to communicate a bigger topic within the context of its smaller parts. The ability to zoom out at the end of a whiteboard drawing to show everything within context is a powerful tool. 

Related Reading

• What is an Explainer Video
• What is the Purpose of a Storyboard
• Animation vs Live Action
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• How Long Should an Explainer Video Be
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• Explainer Video Types

How to Make an Explainer Video in 5 Simple Steps

1. Define Your Video’s Purpose

Almost every good explainer video starts with this question: what am I trying to achieve? Do you plan to embed it on a landing page in the hopes that it boosts conversions? Will you distribute it internally as a way to train new hires? You may plan to post it on social media.

Explainer videos work for all of these purposes. You have to determine what your goals are at the very beginning so that you can adequately craft your video script. Speaking of scripts.

2. Write Your Video Script

This is arguably the most essential part of your explainer video. Without a quality script, you don’t have anything. If you’ve ever gone to the theater and seen a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster full of top acting talent and special effects, only to leave disappointed afterward, you know this to be true.

Special effects and quality voice-overs won’t be able to hide a subpar explainer video script. Fortunately, if you apply these tips to your videos, you won’t have to hide anything! 

Here are two bulletproof script templates you can use:

To Sell a Product or Service

• The Overview: Give your viewers a quick overview of your product. Briefly describe what it does and how it works.
• The Problem: Next, introduce the problem that your product solves. For example, if you were creating an explainer video to sell an affordable gym membership, you might start this section by asking, “Are you tired of paying $100 a month to work out?”
• The Solution: It’s time to position your product as the solution to the problem you mentioned in the previous section. “Well, now you don’t have to! Our gym memberships only cost $20 monthly, including 24/7 access, free group classes, and a sauna.”
• The Call to Action: At this point in the video, it’s time to ask your viewer to do something — purchase a product, sign up for a free trial, etc.
• Credibility Boosters: You’ll want to include some credibility boosters to let viewers know your product can be trusted. Well-known clients, awards you’ve won, or sparkling reviews all work.

But what if your goal isn’t to sell but to educate? This script can be modified for in-house training videos as well that explain company processes:

• The Overview: Quickly explain what you’ll be teaching viewers. Is it a company process? Do you share the principles of the code of conduct? Let viewers know at the start.
• The Problem: Briefly explain why the viewer needs to know this information. For example, “We developed this workflow because too many errors were made on the warehouse floor. These errors resulted in thousands of lost dollars.”
• The Solution: It’s time to explain the process, workflow, code of conduct principles, etc., you must share with viewers. “First, unpack new shipments and place the contents of the boxes in the loading bay. Second…”
• Credibility Boosters: At this point in the video, you can share any results or successes your company has achieved because of the new process, workflow, etc., that your explainer video educates viewers on. “Since we began implementing this workflow, mistakes have decreased by 85%.”
• The Call to Action: What do you want viewers to do next? Should they watch another video? Fill out a form. Do something else? If you have any further directions for viewers, state them at this point in your explainer video.
  

These scripts can also be adapted for other purposes. The key is to get creative and structure your video in a way that makes sense. You should be fine if your explainer videos are short, focused, and engaging.

3. Record or Shoot Your Explainer Video

This step depends on the type of explainer video you want to create and your chosen production method. If you outsource the production and editing, your main job will be to oversee the project to ensure it meets all the requirements and guidelines you laid out above.

If you’re recording your video, however, you’ve got a fair amount of work left to do. At a high level, here are the basic steps required to create an explainer video on your own:

• Create a Storyboard: If your video will have multiple scenes and formats, it can help to sketch out a basic storyboard to visualize what will be on screen during your narration. 
• Record your Voice-Over: Now, you can take your script and start recording that narration. Gather your visual assets: If you’re simply making a screencast explainer video, you can simultaneously record your screen and script. Otherwise, now is the time to bring in any graphics or product videos you may need.
• Edit Your Video: You can build your video using a template or starting from scratch.
  Add music and sound effects. Many explainers include a soundtrack in the background to keep the audience engaged throughout the video.

4. Review, Edit, and Finalize

Creating professional marketing videos involves multiple moving parts, from brainstorming and recording to polishing and final edits. Use ClickUp’s built-in tools to:

• Assign editing tasks
• Gather real-time feedback
• Track revisions
  

For instance, organize every part of the creation, editing, and review process. It’s designed for everyone, from large production studios to internal content creators, ensuring your workflow remains smooth from start to finish.

Here’s why a quick overview of how it helps you:

• Move from pre-production to post-production with a structured process that keeps your video project on track.
• Manage tasks, deadlines, and revisions—all in one platform.
• Centralize every aspect of video production to avoid bottlenecks and miscommunication.
• Ensure consistency, clarity, and professionalism in every frame.

5. Distribute Your Explainer Video‍ 

Congratulations, your explainer video is done! It’s time to market and distribute your masterpiece to the world. So upload it to your company’s website, share it on YouTube and Facebook, or add it to your internal training library. Use the video for its intended use.

Measure Your Video's Success

But don’t forget to measure its performance! If your explainer video was created for the public, measure engagement (views, watch time, click-throughs, etc.) and assess what’s working well and what isn’t. You can use this information to either improve your current video or to help you create more effective videos in the future.

If your explainer video was created for internal use (i.e., it’s a training video, for example), get feedback from your viewers. Does it convey information? Is there anything I can do to improve the video? Again, use this information to make any necessary changes.

What Makes a Good Explainer Video?

Nothing turns off an audience faster than a long video. Studies show that the longer the video, the fewer viewers will reach the end. Explainer videos are no different. While aiming for under three minutes is good, the best explainer videos are often under two minutes. Why? Because two minutes is just enough time to grab a viewer’s attention, explain a topic, and give your audience direction on what to do next—all without boring them. 

The longer an explainer video is, the less effective it is at communicating a message.  Instead of focusing on the video’s length, aim to cover the video’s key points as quickly as possible. Then, edit the content down to the essentials to improve the video’s overall quality and effectiveness. 

What Does Your Audience Need to Do Next? 

Every compelling explainer video aims to get the audience to take action. And the best way to do that is to include a clear call to action (CTA) that tells viewers exactly what to do next. 

CTAs help to predict an audience’s behavior. In explainer videos, this means showing your viewers how to solve their problems.  After watching your video, viewers should know exactly what your product does, how it can help them, and what to do next to get it. 

Problem Solving: Explainer Videos Are Focused on Solutions

What’s your audience’s biggest pain point? Before making an explainer video, specify the problem you’re trying to solve. Next, research your target audience to understand better their needs, preferences, and how they might respond to your product. Finally, create a compelling video script that addresses your audience’s problem upfront, explains how your product or service solves it, and communicates why your solution is the best choice. 

Style and Tone: Match Your Brand with Your Explainer Video

Explainer videos can be fun and quirky or severe and professional. The key to a good explainer video is to make sure its style and tone match both your brand and the audience you are trying to reach. For example, if you’re a software company targeting other businesses, you’ll want to create a video that looks and sounds professional. 

Tailor Your Video to Your Audience

Instead of using funny characters and silly animations, focus on high-quality graphics and a serious tone that conveys how your product improves productivity and solves complex problems. On the other hand, if you’re creating a video for a product that targets kids, you’ll want to make the explainer video as fun and engaging as possible. 

High Quality: Production Value Matters

No one wants to watch a boring, low-quality video. The negative perception of poor-quality content can extend to the products and services being promoted. Aim to make high-quality explainer videos that are visually appealing and rich with valuable information.

To do this, invest in good video production equipment or hire professionals to help.  Next, create detailed outlines and storyboards to follow during video production. This will help you stay organized and ensure a polished final product. 

Don’t forget to edit your video to perfection. Cut out any unnecessary information, and add engaging visuals, background music, and voiceovers to improve your explainer video’s overall quality.

Related Reading

• B2B Explainer Videos
• Tech Explainer Videos
• Motion Graphics Explainer Videos
• Healthcare Explainer Videos
• Video Production Checklist
• Saas Explainer Videos
• Benefits of Explainer Videos
• Explainer Video Examples
• Explainer Video Characters
• Startup Explainer Video

7 Examples of Great Explainer Videos To Copy From

1. Animated Explainer Videos by Moonb

Moonb, a video marketing agency, specializes in creating animated explainer videos. Its team comprises senior motion designers, video editors, illustrators, and creative directors who use animations to help businesses better explain their product offerings and relate to the audience. 

Moonb's explainer videos stand out because they use animations to make complex software products simple and engaging.

2. Airtable’s Explainer Video

Airtable’s explainer video features a combination of screen recordings and animations that show how to use the software. While the concept is simple, the execution is impressive. The video keeps you engaged by incorporating different visual elements and music to create a dynamic viewing experience.

3. Blue Buffalo’s App Explainer Video

Blue Buffalo’s explainer video for their mobile application is another example of a video that proves you don’t need a voiceover to make an explainer video work. Instead, the video relies on music, on-screen text, and visuals to explain how the app works. 

4. Feels’ Animated Explainer Video

This animated explainer video is for a company called Feels. The video explains how users can add meaning to the gifts they give others by linking them to charitable causes. The animation is colorful and fun to watch, making it engaging for viewers. The narrator has a friendly yet heartfelt way of speaking that sounds more like a conversation with a friend and less like a marketing video. 

5. Walmart’s Whiteboard Explainer Video

This whiteboard explainer video is for a Walmart Yard Management System (YMS) and explains how the system works and why it is needed. Though the video is longer, its whiteboard style allows the animation to follow along and illustrate everything the narrator says as she speaks. 

This creates a cohesive, well-paced, easy-to-follow video that keeps viewers engaged for 2 minutes and 25 seconds. 

6. Inventory Ahead’s Screencast Explainer

This explainer video for Inventory Ahead is an example of a screencast explainer. The video is presented in the first person and shows how users can navigate the platform to track inventory. Viewers can easily see how the company’s website and tools work thanks to the screen recording. 

7. Grammarly’s YouTube Short

This YouTube Short by Grammarly explains three features from its business version that users can use to improve their writing and productivity. The spokesperson immediately explains the purpose of the explainer at the very beginning. She also uses a conversational tone and explains each feature in plain language.

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We’re the ideal partner for companies aiming to enhance their marketing and educational efforts through powerful video content.

Start a 3-day free trial with our explainer video production services to take your content to the next level.

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