What is an Explainer Video? 8 Tips to Create a Killer Explainer Video

In a content-saturated world, grabbing and holding audience attention is the ultimate challenge. Potential customers are bombarded with information, making complex ideas difficult to communicate and easy to ignore. This is precisely where the power of an explainer video comes into play. So, what is an explainer video? It’s a short, engaging animated or live-action video that simplifies a complex product, service, or concept into a digestible and memorable format.

It's not just a marketing tool; it's a strategic asset designed to clarify your value proposition, build trust, and drive action. But creating one that truly connects and converts, a killer explainer video, requires more than just flashy animation. It demands a thoughtful approach that blends sharp storytelling, customer psychology, and intentional design.

This guide moves beyond generic advice to provide 8 tips to create a killer explainer video. We'll demystify the process and break down the essential, actionable insights you need to transform your concept into a high-impact video that captures hearts, minds, and ultimately, customers. We will cover everything from scripting and pacing to animation and audio, ensuring your final product is not just seen, but remembered and acted upon.

1. Keep It Short and Focused (60-90 Seconds)

In the world of explainer videos, brevity is your greatest asset. The ideal length for a high-impact explainer video is between 60 and 90 seconds. This duration strikes a perfect balance, giving you enough time to convey your core message without losing your audience's notoriously short attention span. Viewer engagement studies consistently show a significant drop-off after the two-minute mark, with many viewers making a snap judgment within the first 30 seconds.

This concise format forces you to distill your value proposition down to its most essential elements: one primary problem and one clear solution. Dollar Shave Club’s viral 90-second launch video is a masterclass in this approach. It didn't list every feature of their razors; instead, it focused on the core problem (overpriced, inconvenient razors) and presented a simple, compelling solution. This strategy helped them build a billion-dollar company.

How to Implement This Tip

To keep your video tight and effective, follow a structured approach to your scriptwriting and editing.

• Write and Time Your Script: Aim for a script between 150-240 words. Read it aloud at a natural, conversational pace to ensure it fits within the 90-second window.
• Front-load Critical Information: Capture attention immediately. Your first 15 seconds should clearly state the problem you solve and hint at the solution. Don't save the best for last.
• Focus on the "Rule of Three": Structure your narrative around three key acts:
  1. Problem: Introduce the viewer's pain point.
  2. Solution: Present your product or service as the hero.
  3. Call to Action: Tell the viewer exactly what to do next.
• Be Ruthless in Editing: If a sentence, phrase, or graphic doesn't directly support your core message, cut it. Every second counts.

By adhering to this timeframe, you create a powerful asset that respects the viewer's time and delivers a message that sticks. For a deeper dive into finding the perfect runtime for your project, you can learn more about the optimal length for an explainer video.

2. Start With a Compelling Hook

The first 5-10 seconds of your explainer video are your only chance to make a first impression. In an environment saturated with content, a compelling hook is non-negotiable; it's the element that stops a viewer from scrolling and earns you their attention. An effective hook immediately connects with your target audience by presenting a relatable problem, asking a provocative question, or making a bold statement that resonates with their specific pain points.

This initial moment isn't about being clever; it's about instantly demonstrating that you understand the viewer's challenges and have something valuable to offer. Slack’s famous explainer video hook, "Email is breaking our brains," immediately identifies a universal workplace frustration. Similarly, Airbnb’s "Don't go there, live there" challenges a conventional mindset and piques curiosity. The goal is to create an emotional or intellectual connection that compels them to keep watching.

How to Implement This Tip

Crafting a powerful hook requires a deep understanding of your audience and a direct, benefit-oriented approach.

• Start with a Question or Statistic: Open with a question your audience would likely answer "yes" to, such as Headspace’s, "What if you could change your life in just 10 minutes a day?" Alternatively, use a surprising statistic that highlights the problem your product solves.
• Address the Viewer Directly: Use "you" and "your" to make the video feel personal and directly address the viewer's world. This simple language shift fosters an immediate connection.
• Lead with the Problem: Clearly and concisely state the pain point. This shows empathy and establishes your brand as a potential solution provider from the very first frame.
• Avoid Generic Openings: Skip introductions like "Welcome to our video" or "We are a company that..." These phrases waste precious seconds and fail to capture interest. Get straight to the point.

By front-loading your video with a powerful, relevant hook, you dramatically increase the chances of viewer retention. For those looking to master this crucial first step, you can find more ideas on how to create video hooks that stop scrolling in seconds.

3. Focus on the Problem First, Then the Solution

One of the most effective storytelling structures for any killer explainer video is the Problem-Agitate-Solution (PAS) framework. Before you ever showcase your product's amazing features, you must first connect with your audience by demonstrating that you deeply understand their pain points. This approach establishes empathy and credibility, making viewers more receptive to what you have to offer. People are motivated to move away from pain, and they need to feel understood before they will trust your solution.

Spend the first 20-30% of your video clearly articulating the problem in a way that makes your target audience nod along in agreement. For instance, early Uber videos didn't lead with app screenshots; they showed the universal frustration of trying to hail a cab in the rain. Similarly, Square demonstrated small business owners losing sales by not accepting credit cards before ever showing their revolutionary card reader. This groundwork is what makes the final reveal of the solution so powerful and resonant.

How to Implement This Tip

To effectively leverage the PAS framework, build your script around the viewer's experience before introducing your brand as the hero.

• Dedicate Script Time: Devote the first 20 to 30 seconds of your script to vividly describing the problem. Use language your audience uses to talk about their struggles.
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals to depict relatable scenarios. Show the chaos of disorganized team projects before introducing a tool like Trello, or illustrate the frustration of scattered notes before presenting Evernote.
• Agitate with Consequences: Briefly highlight the negative impact of the problem. This could be quantified in terms of money lost, time wasted, or opportunities missed. This step amplifies the need for a solution.
• Create a Seamless Transition: Ensure the pivot from the problem to your solution feels like a natural and logical "aha!" moment for the viewer. Your product should appear as the perfect answer to the pain you've just established.

By grounding your video in a problem your audience genuinely faces, you transform it from a simple advertisement into a compelling story with a satisfying resolution.

4. Choose the Right Animation Style for Your Brand

The visual style of your explainer video is not just decoration; it's a critical component of your brand's communication. The right animation style reinforces your message, resonates with your target audience, and aligns perfectly with your brand identity. Choosing the wrong one can create a disconnect, undermine your credibility, or simply fail to capture attention. Different styles convey distinct tones and are better suited for specific industries and levels of message complexity.

For instance, Slack’s use of colorful, modern 2D animation perfectly matches its playful and collaborative brand ethos. In contrast, a company like IBM utilizes sophisticated motion graphics to reflect its high-tech, data-driven, and enterprise-focused positioning. The key is to select a style that supports your narrative and feels like a natural extension of your brand, not a distraction from it. This strategic choice is a fundamental part of crafting a killer explainer video that truly connects with viewers.

How to Implement This Tip

Selecting the right animation requires a strategic approach that balances your brand, audience, message, and budget.

• Analyze Your Brand and Audience: Is your brand playful and creative like Mailchimp, or sophisticated and technical? Your animation style should be a direct reflection. Consider your audience's industry, age, and sophistication level to ensure the visuals resonate.
• Match Style to Message Complexity:
  1. Whiteboard Animation: Ideal for breaking down complex educational or technical concepts in a simple, step-by-step manner.
  2. 2D Animation: A versatile and cost-effective choice for most B2B and SaaS products, balancing character-driven stories with abstract concepts.
  3. Motion Graphics: Perfect for data-heavy or abstract services, bringing charts, icons, and text to life dynamically.
  4. 3D/Live-Action: Use 3D for a high-end, premium feel when showcasing physical products. Live-action builds human connection and trust.
• Create a Mood Board: Before production begins, gather visual references, color palettes, and examples of styles you like. This aligns your team's vision and provides a clear direction for animators.
• Budget for Quality: Remember that poor-quality animation can do more harm to your brand than simple, well-executed animation. Allocate your budget to a style you can produce to a high standard.

By carefully considering these factors, you ensure your video’s visual language amplifies your message and strengthens your brand identity. To explore a wider range of options, you can discover more about the world of animated business videos.

5. Write a Conversational, Benefit-Focused Script

The script is the soul of your explainer video. A killer video starts with a script that speaks directly to the viewer in a natural, conversational tone, as if you're having a one-on-one chat. It's crucial to avoid corporate jargon and technical feature lists that can alienate your audience. Instead, focus on the benefits and outcomes. Show viewers how their life will improve after using your product or service.

This benefit-first approach resonates far more effectively than a simple list of features. The Dropbox launch video script is a prime example: "Dropbox helps you bring all your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily." It doesn't detail cloud storage protocols; it focuses on the universal benefit of easy access and sharing. Similarly, Basecamp hooks viewers by articulating a relatable problem: "Projects don't fail for a lack of charts and graphs. They fail when you can't keep track of who's doing what by when." This conversational and problem-oriented scripting makes the solution feel essential.

How to Implement This Tip

Crafting a script that connects requires a deliberate focus on clarity, tone, and empathy.

• Speak Their Language: Write your script at an 8th-grade reading level for maximum accessibility. Use contractions like "you're" and "it's" to sound more human and less like a formal document.
• Focus on "You": Frame your script around the viewer. Use "you" and "your" frequently to center the narrative on their problems and the benefits they will receive, rather than on "we" and "our" company.
• Read It Aloud: Your script is meant to be spoken, not read silently. Read it aloud multiple times to catch awkward phrasing, long sentences, and unnatural language. If a line makes you stumble, rewrite it until it flows smoothly.
• Structure for Impact: Follow a proven narrative structure: hook the viewer, present their problem, introduce your solution, explain how it works simply, highlight the key benefits, and end with a single, clear call to action.

By prioritizing a conversational, benefit-focused script, you're not just explaining what your product does; you're showing what it does for them. For a comprehensive guide on scripting, you can find more details on how to write a script for an explainer video.

6. Invest in Professional Voiceover

Your video's audio is just as crucial as its visuals, and a professional voiceover can make or break the entire production. A skilled voice actor brings credibility, emotional depth, and precise pacing that an amateur recording simply cannot match. This is a critical element when defining what an explainer video is meant to achieve: clear, professional communication that builds trust. The right voice should be an extension of your brand, whether that's authoritative, friendly, energetic, or calm.

Top brands understand this power. Apple’s product videos, for instance, consistently use calm, confident voiceovers that convey sophistication and reliability. Similarly, the Calm app leverages soothing, meditative voices perfectly aligned with its wellness positioning. A professional ensures every word is clear, key points are emphasized naturally, and the final audio is clean and broadcast-quality, elevating your video from good to great.

How to Implement This Tip

Finding and directing the right voice talent is a straightforward process when you know the steps.

• Source Professional Talent: Use dedicated platforms like Voices.com, Voice123, or even vetted professionals on Fiverr to find a wide range of voice actors. These sites allow you to filter by gender, accent, language, and tone.
• Request a Custom Audition: Don't just rely on generic demo reels. Provide a short, 2-3 sentence excerpt from your actual script and ask potential actors to record it. This lets you hear exactly how they will sound delivering your message.
• Provide Clear Direction: Create a brief for your chosen actor. Include details on the desired tone (e.g., "upbeat and inspiring," "calm and reassuring"), pacing, and any difficult-to-pronounce brand or technical terms. Providing a reference video can also be extremely helpful.
• Record a Scratch Track: Before hiring a professional, record the voiceover yourself. This "scratch track" isn't for public use; it's a vital tool to lock down the timing of your script and ensure the animation syncs up perfectly with the final professional audio.

7. Add Strategic Sound Design and Music

Sound is the unsung hero of a killer explainer video. While visuals capture attention, strategic sound design and music are what create emotion, build trust, and make your message memorable. A well-chosen soundtrack sets the emotional tone, while subtle sound effects like clicks, swooshes, and chimes reinforce on-screen actions, making the animation feel more tangible and professional. These auditory cues guide the viewer's focus and significantly enhance the overall impact.

Without thoughtful audio, even the best animation can feel flat and lifeless. The right music can make your brand feel innovative and exciting, like the modern, energetic tracks Slack uses to convey efficiency. Conversely, the calm, meditative music in Headspace’s videos perfectly aligns with their wellness brand, creating a cohesive and immersive experience. Audio isn’t just background noise; it's a critical layer of communication that shapes how your audience perceives your brand.

How to Implement This Tip

To elevate your explainer video with professional-grade audio, integrate sound design and music from the beginning of the production process.

• Select Brand-Aligned Music: Choose a track that matches your brand's personality and the video's emotional arc. An upbeat, quirky tune works for a playful brand like Mailchimp, while a sophisticated, clean soundscape is better for a brand like Dropbox.
• Balance Your Audio Mix: The voiceover must always be the star. Keep your background music mixed about 20-25 decibels lower than the voiceover to ensure every word is heard clearly. Use "ducking" to automatically lower the music volume during key vocal moments.
• Incorporate Meaningful Sound Effects (SFX): Add subtle sound effects to punctuate key moments. Use them for on-screen text reveals, character actions, transitions, and to highlight the introduction of the solution. This small detail makes a huge difference in production quality.
• License Everything Correctly: Always use properly licensed audio for commercial use. This protects your brand from legal issues down the line. To simplify this process, you can explore various platforms to find the best non-copyright music sites that offer extensive royalty-free libraries.
• Test on Multiple Devices: Check your final audio mix on laptop speakers, headphones, and a mobile phone to ensure it sounds balanced and professional across all common viewing experiences.

8. End With a Clear and Compelling Call-to-Action

Your explainer video has successfully captured attention, explained a problem, and presented your solution. Now comes the most critical part: converting that engagement into action. The final 5-10 seconds of your video are where you must guide the viewer on what to do next. A vague or missing call-to-action (CTA) wastes the entire effort, leaving your audience interested but directionless.

An effective CTA is specific, direct, and compelling. It removes ambiguity and tells the viewer exactly what they will gain by taking the next step. For example, instead of a passive "Visit our website," a powerful CTA like Shopify’s "Start your free 14-day trial, no credit card required" is far more effective. It clearly states the action, specifies the benefit (a free trial), and removes a common point of friction (providing payment details).

How to Implement This Tip

To craft a CTA that drives results, integrate it both audibly and visually and ensure it aligns with your campaign goals.

• Use Strong Action Verbs: Begin your CTA with a command that incites action. Words like Start, Join, Get, Sign Up, or Download are direct and leave no room for interpretation.
• Communicate the Benefit: Answer the viewer's silent question: "What's in it for me?" Frame the action with the value they will receive. A great example is HubSpot’s "Get started with your free CRM." The action is "get started," and the benefit is a "free CRM."
• Make It Visually Prominent: Don't rely solely on the voiceover. Display the CTA on-screen with clean text, a button graphic, or your website URL. Keep this visual on screen for at least 3-5 seconds after the voiceover ends to give viewers time to process and act.
• Remove Friction and Risk: Lower the barrier to entry by highlighting risk-free elements. Phrases like "no credit card required," "free forever," or "cancel anytime" can significantly boost conversion rates.
• Align the CTA with the Buyer's Journey: Tailor your ask to the audience's awareness level. An early-stage viewer might respond better to "Download Our Free Guide," while a decision-stage viewer is ready for "Schedule a Demo" or "Buy Now."

Beyond the immediate call-to-action, continue guiding your audience by leveraging videos on thank you pages to provide further instructions or value, creating a seamless post-conversion experience.

8 Tips Comparison Guide for Explainer Videos

Bringing It All Together: Your Next Steps to a Killer Video

Creating a powerful explainer video is a journey, not a single task. It's about transforming a complex idea into a simple, engaging, and persuasive narrative that connects with your audience on an emotional level. By now, you understand that this isn't just about animation; it's a strategic blend of storytelling, psychology, and design.

We've explored the essential framework for success, breaking down what it takes to produce a video that doesn't just get views, but gets results. From the foundational rule of keeping it a concise 60-90 seconds to the critical importance of a clear and compelling call-to-action, each of the eight tips serves as a vital pillar in your video's construction.

Your Roadmap to a High-Impact Explainer

Let's quickly recap the core principles that will guide you from concept to completion:

• Brevity and Focus: Respect your audience's time. A short, sharp video forces you to distill your message to its most potent form.
• Problem-First Storytelling: Don't lead with your product's features. Hook viewers by articulating their problem first, making them feel seen and understood before you introduce your brand as the hero of their story.
• Strategic Audio: Never underestimate the power of sound. A professional voiceover and deliberate sound design can elevate a good video to a great one, building trust and adding emotional depth.
• Clear Direction: Your video must have a purpose. Ending with a specific, actionable CTA ensures your audience knows exactly what to do next, turning passive viewers into active leads or customers.

Mastering these elements is what separates a forgettable piece of content from a valuable business asset. The process demands a blend of creative vision and technical execution. For teams ready to move forward, the next step involves assembling the right resources. Once you have your script, voiceover, and visual ideas ready, you'll need the right tools to bring it all to life. Explore some of the best video editing software available to find a platform that matches your team's skill level and project complexity.

The journey to creating a killer explainer video is an investment in clarity, connection, and conversion. The insights from this guide provide a blueprint, but the real magic happens when you infuse your brand's unique personality into this proven structure. Start by defining your single most important message, identify the problem you solve better than anyone else, and use these tips as your guide. Your next great marketing tool is waiting to be created.