18 Popular Types of Motion Graphics for Creating Moving Designs

When creating an explainer video, it can be hard to know where to begin. There are countless decisions to make before you even start writing the script. What tone should you take? How long should it be? What should the visuals look like? These decisions can quickly feel overwhelming. One of your most important choices is picking the right type of motion graphics to use. So, how to make an explainer video? First, learn about the popular types of motion graphics for creating moving designs to find the right fit for your project. This article will help you do just that.

Moonb produces custom motion graphic explainer videos that simplify any topic into digestible, engaging content. Our detailed process helps eliminate the stress of creating these videos alone. Let us help you bring your vision to life to create a product that meets your goals and speaks to your audience. 

What is Motion Graphics?

Motion graphics means graphics in movement. It’s the most straightforward definition possible. Motion graphics is often called motion design, making the relationship between movement and design elements easier to understand. 

Motion graphics bring design knowledge to new mediums by adding the elements of time and space, thereby creating movement. But bringing design elements to life isn’t a simple task. 

Crafting Motion Design: Bringing Life to Abstract Elements

Unlike other animation fields, you don’t have a pre-defined or “natural” way of animating things or objects.  For example, in traditional cel animation (think Disney movies), you can use endless natural references to animate a human figure or animal. But in motion design, there’s no natural reference to how shapes, typography, and grids move. 

For this reason, motion designers study all types of:

• Movements
• Accelerations
• Speeds

By putting all those variables together, they can bring life to design elements in a more humanized way and capable of connecting with viewers. 

The Evolution of Motion Graphics: Where Did They Come From?

Before motion graphics existed, graphic design pieces only worked in a flat, unmoving format. Moving images were equal to the traditional Walt Disney cartoons. However, motion design emerged with advances in the film industry, such as the widespread use of opening titles.  

Motion graphics was officially born in the 1940s, thanks to the experimental work of Oskar Fischinger and Norman McLaren. In the 1950s, equally amazing designers, such as:

• Saul Bass
• Maurice Binder
• Pablo Ferro

Brought motion graphics more squarely into the public eye. The films these artists worked on are still major points of reference and inspiration to many motion graphics designers and cinema experts. Their work represented an unexpected and creative approach to setting the mood for spectators, creating excitement, and introducing technical information about the movie, such as the production company, film director, actors, etc. 

Crafting Motion Design: Bringing Life to Abstract Elements

This new way of playing with words and graphic elements that people had never seen before was the entrance point for motion graphics’ increasing popularity, reaching the movies and then mainstream television. Motion graphics are extremely connected with technological advances, so naturally, their evolution is intertwined.

In recent years, design and animation software advancement has made motion graphics much more accessible for those willing to learn or produce. At the same time, the ubiquity of screens has also created more opportunities to design and subsequently animate content. From cars to billboards, smart fridges to phones, everything nowadays uses motion graphics.

The Evolution and Ubiquity of Motion Graphics

The development of technology and screens on multiple devices in our lives have expanded the full range of motion graphics usage. What was once used simply to introduce technical information and set the mood for a story now serves many purposes. 

On television, motion design is used in the opening of shows, as the video brand of the channel, and to introduce information with bumpers and lower thirds. It’s also built into the forecast screen and in virtual backgrounds on the news. 

The Versatile Role of Motion Graphics Across Industries

TV has been using motion since the early days, and it has become an integral part of its identity, helping make a channel or show memorable. With the advances in websites and apps, motion has played a significant role in helping build better interface experiences through the niche area of UX motion design. 

When it comes to advertising, especially social media, motion graphics shine in everything from complex, story-driven ads to simple animated Instagram posts. It’s a great tool for helping companies stand out from the crowd. Other uses for motion graphics include everything from animated menus at fast-food chains to projected signs at airports and events. Motion is used everywhere, and each situation explores its potential differently.

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18 Popular Types of Motion Graphics for Creating Moving Designs

1. Explainer Videos: Business Communication Made Easy  

Do you want to talk to your customers about your product, service, or a unique value proposition? Wondering what an interesting way to do it is? Of course, the universe comes at you with all the video suggestions. But what if you are looking for an easier option? Explainer videos with simple animations are what you need. 

Explainer videos can be used for anything, such as explaining a product feature, applying your product/service, detailing a new offer, and so on. With motion graphics, you can animate the slides & text you already have at hand with attractive music and transitions to make them more engaging. 

Some common design elements of motion graphics explainer videos are: 

• Static images 
• Animated text
• Transitioning slides 
• An animated audiogram 
• Simple illustrations 

2. How-to Videos: The Art of Educating Your Audience  

Educational content is the hot favorite on the internet right now, after music videos and trending dances. Even on recreational platforms like TikTok, educational content is huge and has a dedicated hashtag called EduTok. How-to videos also see high searches and help customers decide in favor/against a particular product. 

Every brand needs this as part of their marketing campaigns. Even post-purchase, how-to videos come in handy. 

What do you prefer as a customer: 

Instruction manuals or a quick how-to video? Of course, the video is much better. However, not every brand can afford to shoot a video. And that is why we recommend employing motion graphics techniques to create a how-to video. You can use techniques such as:

• Transitions
• GIFs
• Simple animations
• Animated text
• Other effects

If you create cool how-to videos, your social media profiles will blow up in seconds, we guarantee! 

3. UI Animations: Enhancing User Experience  

This is similar to a product demo but specifically for brands developing a website, e-commerce store, or app. Improving user experience is and must be one of the most important goals of any organization. Similar to how-to videos, you can substitute your step-by-step guide with a simple UI animation. As we always say, showing is so much better than telling. Customers are also more likely to remember the details from a demo video than the instructions they read. 

Animating how the UI works and the steps for a particular action also leaves no doubt in the customers’ minds. Creating a UI animation also has the benefit of showing the customer your product without making them sign up and building trust immediately. Motion graphics can make your UI animation look as real as a screen recording that solves all your customers’ queries. 

4. Logo Animation: Elevating Your Brand Identity  

You have a cool animated introduction slide, an animated video for your products, and even an animated icon set. But what about your company's most important branding element? Yes, we are speaking about your logo. You need something more than a static logo design to stand out in today's competitive world. 

You can animate it whenever you animate your video, but you need a consistent branding experience for your audience. Animating your logo is now easier than ever. You can create a logo animation with the most straightforward motion graphics techniques and create something unique and meaningful to your brand.

5. Infographics: Making Data Visualizations Interesting  

Do you know what customers on the internet share the most after videos? GIFs and infographics. GIFs are easy to understand (more on this in the next section), but infographics? Yes, people love information, and infographics' visual representation is unmatched. But sometimes, infographics can be too complex and may not capture the audience’s attention as they should. This is especially true for those you want to post on social media. The good news is you can change this situation by simply incorporating motion graphics into your infographics. 

Make the data move and ensure that customers hungrily take in everything you give them. Remember the attractive graphs you see on TV during an election season or a spectacular thunderstorm? They’re all animated infographics designed to make data enjoyable. As a brand, you can leverage this to improve your social media engagement rates and push your content ahead on SEO. 

6. GIFs: The Internet’s Favorite Visuals  

People love GIFs. Nobody can deny this. Most of us have a dedicated GIF keyboard and use it extensively when we chat or interact online. Brands must get in on this to build brand awareness for their products. As complicated as they look, GIFs are easy to make if you have a clear vision. 

Like the Kimp Graphics teams, a skilled team can create as many GIFs as you want with the most straightforward motion graphic techniques. GIFs are usually less than 3 seconds in length and best suited for integration on blogs, social media stories, and so on.

7. Presentations: Captivating Your Audience With Motion Graphics  

We all know that corporate life is about making presentations, and we want to impress our investors, clients, and vendors with our cool slides. And presentations have even higher stakes for startups, given how their business depends on them. They must quickly capture the investors’ attention and get your point across. 

Why use old static images and preloaded transition effects for your brand’s most important asset? Ditch them and upgrade to presentations enhanced with motion graphics. 

With motion graphics, you can: 

• Animate slide transitions
• Animate text 
• Include animated content instead of static images 

As you can see, even the simplest slides can go higher with motion graphics. 

8. Animated Ads: Capturing Attention for Your Brand  

Can you create ads with motion graphics? Don’t customers want to see real people in ads? As long as the script is tight, customers will happily watch an engaging animated video ad instead of a boring recorded one. 

Animated video ads are also perfect to create for short-term campaigns and something that has to go out instantly. And if the offering is just a simple one-time discount, why record it when you can animate it? Animating video ads also gives you higher control of color scheme, lighting, text placements, and quality than recording one at short notice. You can create the best hype videos for your product with motion graphics, so the sky is truly the limit.

9. Transitions: The Unsung Heroes of Visual Storytelling  

Even the split-second transitions between scenes play an important role in visual storytelling, where transition effect motion graphics come in. Transitions help establish mood and tone from scene to scene, with examples including hard cuts, dissolves, and glitch effects. 

Video projects that effectively utilize transitions will lead the viewer through your narrative more naturally. In contrast, the wrong transitions can be jarring or displeasing to the eye, which can get in the way of conveying your story. Be sure the transition effects you’re using work with the general flow of your video, not against it. A fade-out/fade-in transition visually cues the audience that a scene has ended. It primes their eyes and minds for something different and new coming up in the next scene. A cross-fade transition, in which the next scene slowly fades into view, can imply the passage of time or lead into a flashback sequence.

10. Typography: Making Your Text Move  

Animated typography, sometimes called kinetic typography, is simply text in motion. It’s commonly used in brief, punchy visuals meant to convey a specific message about a service or brand quickly, primarily using text. 

A typical real-world example of animated typography is the on-screen lyrics that help karaoke singers follow along to the words or what you may see in a lyric video. You may also want kinetic typography to emphasize a quote in a video interview or a keynote speech recording.

11. Advanced VFX: Taking Animation to the Next Level  

The motion graphic types we’ve discussed so far are on the simpler side of the animation spectrum, but visual effects (VFX) crank creativity up a notch. These feature eye-popping cinematic elements, but they’re also a little more complicated to create because they’re generated by advanced computer software requiring a higher skill level. 

Advanced VFX elements add complex and visually arresting imagery, often merging the real world with something fantastical for an engaging and exciting presentation. Storyblocks offers a wide assortment of royalty-free VFX video clips to ensure your next video will turn some heads. 

12. Animated Titles: Enhancing Your Video with Text  

Animated titles place text over video to emphasize a point or convey additional information to the viewer. A typical example of these is chyrons, the motion graphics often seen in lower thirds on news broadcasts.

13. Character Animation: Adding Personality to Your Videos  

Development of both simple and complex characters using illustration or minimalist graphics. Integrate them into motion graphics design or 2D animation by placing them in various:

• Contexts
• Everyday actions
• Entirely original scenarios according

To the storytelling needs. The only limits are those of our imagination.

14. Mixed Media Motion Graphics (or video collage)  

We’re the masters of fusion, blending animation techniques with diverse content sources like:

• Photos
• Moving images
• Drawings
• Videos
• Graphic elements

Real-life footage intertwines with motion graphic animation, creating a dazzling spectacle that educates, entertains, and enthralls.

15. Flat Design Motion Graphics Animation  

Simple geometric shapes and clean movements elegantly and minimally tell a story in flat design motion graphics. Smooth transitions, camera movements, and very subtle visual effects create a sense of motion and energy for static elements such as logos or illustrations. This style, also called flat motion design, is meticulously crafted and allows us to tell complex stories while maintaining simplicity in motion graphics animation.

16. Whiteboard Animations: An Engaging and Timeless Approach  

Whiteboard animation is a type of animation that features the illustrator physically drawing the artwork on a whiteboard or other surface using pens and markers. This animation style became popular shortly after the launch of YouTube in 2005. 

Even then, brands were attracted to the way whiteboard animation lets viewers see the story come to life before their eyes, and they’ve kept coming back to this timeless approach ever since. For three great examples, check out the videos we’ve included below, which show the potential of whiteboard animation to wow an audience and tell a story simultaneously.

17. Clay Animation (Claymation): A Unique Stop-Motion Style  

Clay animation is a type of stop-motion animation that’s been around for many decades but retains a timeless appeal. It has a unique, distinct look that can’t be found in other forms of animated video. Readers in the UK (and perhaps further afield) may be most familiar with beloved Aardman characters Wallace & Gromit as the most notable examples of clay animation. 

Clay animation is relatively simple to create – if you have the right skills in-house! – and the stop-motion process can result in an enduringly beautiful end product with an outstanding, tactile quality. On the downside, there’s no getting around it: clay animation is incredibly time-consuming and requires a lot of patience. Creating smooth movements can be challenging, resulting in choppiness that detracts from the overall effect.

18. Icons: Small but Mighty Motion Graphic Elements  

Animated icons are small, dynamic visual elements that add a touch of interactivity and engagement to your digital content. These icons can enhance user experience, draw attention to specific features, or add a bit of personality to your projects. 

By incorporating motion graphics, animated icons can effectively communicate ideas, actions, or statuses in a way that static icons cannot. 

Examples: 

• Loading icons that show progress and keep users informed
• Interactive icons that respond to user actions such as clicks or hovers
• Notification icons that draw attention to alerts or messages.

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Benefits Of Using Motion Graphics For Videos

1. Instantly Capture Attention with Motion Graphics

Digital content consumption has shortened the human attention span to less than that of a goldfish: 8 seconds, according to a study by Microsoft. Marketers need to hook viewers and condense the insights from an in-depth article into a concise video that’s only 30 seconds to one minute long. 

How do you grab that fleeting attention? With motion graphics. The animated visual elements stimulate your brain and make you want to watch more. Videos could be just what brands need to breathe new life into their content marketing efforts. 

2. Increased Conversations and Engagement

Whether your audience comprises visual or auditory learners, the best motion graphics will appeal to both through great visuals, the right music or speaker, and engaging text. Brands need videos on a page to breathe new life into their content marketing efforts. 

Videos lead to a 157% increase in organic traffic, increasing CTR drastically. More importantly, viewers can remember 95% of a message if they view it in a video compared to reading it in written form. The stats don’t lie: if you want to see real results, this is the way to go. 

3. Emphasizing a Point

Motion graphics illustrate your message in a way that strengthens the idea you’re trying to convey in the text. A picture is worth a thousand words; a video is worth a million.  

4. Simplify Complex Information

Businesses, organizations, or groups offering complex services can use motion graphics advertising to break it down and make it easier to understand. Motion graphic videos are excellent visual aids that make learning much easier. 

5. Cost-Effective

This video style tends to be more visually interesting and better at catching viewers’ attention than other animated advertisement styles. The high ROI makes it one of the most cost-effective explainer videos available. 

6. Highly-Shareable

Social platforms favor video content, place it in front of its users, and encourage them to share it with friends. This can help increase your reach exponentially. 

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Moonb is a superior alternative to:

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Our flexible, subscription-based model, combined with our expertise in creating compelling video content, positions us as the ideal partner for companies looking to elevate their marketing and educational initiatives through the power of video. Start a 3-day free trial with our product demo video service to take your content to the next level.

What is The Best Type of Motion Graphics For Your Video?

Every video has a goal, and understanding this objective is crucial to selecting the right type of motion graphics. For instance, educational content explainer videos benefit from infographic motion graphics to:

• Present data
• Statistic
• Processes clearly and visually engagingly

If you’re creating a promotional video, opt for cinematic motion graphics with polished animations, effects, and transitions to create a professional and impactful look. Story-driven videos can also use motion graphics, but you’ll want to choose character-based graphics to convey narratives or emotional stories with relatable animated personas.

Understand Your Audience

Your video's best motion graphic style might differ depending on your audience. Clean and minimalistic motion graphics, such as corporate animations, work best for a business or professional audience. 

If your audience is younger or more creative, they’ll likely prefer bold, vibrant styles like kinetic typography or abstract animations to capture their attention.

Consider Your Brand Identity

Your choice of motion graphics should align with your brand's visual identity. Consider your:

• Colors
• Fonts
• Overall tone

A tech company might use 3D motion graphics to highlight innovation, while an eco-conscious brand might prefer organic shapes and hand-drawn animations. 

Analyze the Message

The complexity of your message dictates the type of motion graphics you use. Simple messages benefit from flat motion graphics for clarity and speed.

Complex concepts need more elaborate visual support, so employ isometric motion graphics or 3D animations to provide depth and detailed explanations.

Evaluate the Desired Aesthetic

Decide whether your video should have a modern, minimal, playful, or sophisticated feel. Kinetic typography adds dynamic energy to text-heavy content, while hand-drawn motion graphics lend an artistic, personal touch.

Assess Technical Requirements

Consider any technical requirements that might affect your choice of motion graphics. For example, live-action integration can affect the look of your animation. 

If your video features live footage, choose motion graphics that blend seamlessly, such as overlay animations or compositing. Virtual environments can also affect your choice of animation. Consider AR/VR-compatible motion graphics or 3D simulations for futuristic or immersive content.

Account for Budget and Resources

Budget and resources will also impact your choice of motion graphics. For instance, 2D motion graphics are more cost-effective and quicker to produce, making them suitable for tight budgets. 3D motion graphics have a higher production value but require more time and resources. Using stock motion graphics or pre-made assets can save time and costs for simpler projects.

Choose Based on Engagement Goals

Your goals for user engagement can also dictate the type of motion graphics you choose. Use interactive motion graphics to create an explainer video where user engagement is critical. Create looping or micro animations for social media to grab attention quickly.

Testing and Iteration

Before finalizing the type of motion graphics, test a small section of your video to ensure it resonates with your audience and aligns with your objectives. This iterative approach can save time and resources in the long run.

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Motion graphics use video footage or animation technology to create the illusion of motion or rotation. They can be elaborate or simple, 2D or 3D. Unlike traditional animation, which tells a story through a sequence of images, motion graphics are animated graphic design elements that create the illusion of movement. 

They can be very effective for various practical applications, such as enhancing user experience, conveying complex ideas, and grabbing audience attention. 

The Different Types of Motion Graphics Explained 

There are two main types of motion graphics: 

• 2D
• 3D

Within these categories, several specific types of motion graphics can be effective for different purposes. Here’s a closer look at these types. 

2D Motion Graphics 

2D motion graphics are the most common type. They consist of animated graphic design elements that move in a two-dimensional space. While 2D motion graphics can create the illusion of depth and perspective, they do not have volume and cannot be rotated like 3D objects. The following types of 2D motion graphics are commonly used in explainer videos: 

Animated Logos 

Also known as logo opens or stings, animated logos bring a company’s static logo to life. These short, engaging animations can serve as a video’s introduction or conclusion, helping to establish or reinforce brand identity. 

Kinetic Typography 

Kinetic typography is moving text. This type of motion graphic animates the presentation of written content to make it more engaging. Kinetic typography can be particularly effective for conveying complex information in explainer videos. 

Infographics 

Infographics combine visuals and text to tell a story or convey information. Motion graphic infographics animate this process to help capture an audience’s attention and keep it engaged. The animation can enhance storytelling, making the information easier to understand and remember. 

Character Animation 

Character animation brings illustrated or digitally created people or animals to life. In explainer videos, these animated characters can represent real-life scenarios, helping audiences relate to the content. 

Object Animation 

Object animation takes existing graphic design elements and animates them to create the illusion of movement. While object animation can be used independently, it is often used in explainer videos to enhance storytelling and illustrate complex concepts. 

3D Motion Graphics 

3D motion graphics consist of computer-generated animated objects that have depth, can be rotated, and can move in three-dimensional space. This type of motion graphic can create incredibly realistic animations that mimic the appearance of real-life objects. 

3D motion graphics typically require more resources to create than 2D graphics. They may only be as effective for some applications. The following types of 3D motion graphics can be used to create stunning explainer videos: 

3D Logo Animation 

Similar to 2D animated logos, 3D logo animations take a company’s existing logo and create a visually appealing animated version. The process can add depth and realism to a logo, making it more engaging for viewers. 

3D Object Animation 

3D object animations create animated versions of existing computer-generated objects or models. In explainer videos, these animations can help illustrate complex concepts, especially those related to scientific or technical processes. 

Motion Graphics in Video Production

Motion graphics can enhance your video’s visual appeal and help convey your message more effectively. By understanding the different types of motion graphics and their applications, you can choose the right animations to meet your goals and engage your audience.

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