Benefits of Explainer Videos: Boost Engagement & Growth

At their core, explainer videos are about three things: boosting conversions, simplifying complex ideas, and grabbing your audience's attention. In a world of fleeting attention spans, a quick 90-second video can communicate your value so much more powerfully than walls of text. It's a must-have tool in any modern marketing kit.

Why Explainer Videos Are Your Ultimate Translator

Have you ever tried to explain a brilliant but complicated idea, only to be met with blank stares? It’s a common frustration for businesses. Your product or service could be a total game-changer, but if potential customers don't "get it" fast, they'll just click away. Let's face it, text-heavy websites and long-winded white papers just don't cut it in those first few critical seconds.

This is where an explainer video really shines. Don’t just think of it as another marketing asset; see it as your ultimate translator. It takes all your specialized knowledge, intricate features, and unique selling points and spins them into a simple, engaging story that anyone can follow. You're not just showing, you're building instant trust and clarity by bridging that communication gap.

Turning Complexity into Clarity

The real magic of an explainer video is how it blends visuals, sound, and storytelling to make abstract ideas feel concrete. Instead of just reading about how your software works, your audience can actually see it in action. Rather than being told your service solves a problem, they get to watch the solution unfold right before their eyes.

This isn't about "dumbing down" your message. It's about making it accessible and, more importantly, memorable. When a customer truly understands what you do and why it matters to them, the journey to becoming a paying customer gets a whole lot shorter. This newfound clarity drives real business results:

• Higher Engagement: Visuals are sticky. They keep people on your page longer and slash bounce rates.
• Better Brand Recall: A great story sticks in someone's head long after they've closed the browser tab.
• Smoother Sales Process: When prospects are already educated on your value, they're far easier to convert.

Proving the Impact with Real Data

This isn't just talk; the results are measurable. It's all about strategic placement. Take Rypple (now Work.com), for instance. When they added an explainer video to their homepage, they saw a 20% jump in conversion rates. A solid 30% of their visitors watched the video, and half of those viewers stuck around for the entire thing. That's proof of its power to hold attention and drive action.

For SaaS companies, diving into dedicated SaaS video marketing strategies can crank these results up even further. When you invest in a clear, compelling explainer, you’re not just making a video—you’re creating understanding. To see how this fits into a bigger picture, check out our guide on the overall benefits of explainer videos.

How Explainer Videos Drive Conversions and Sales

While simplifying complicated ideas is a huge plus, let's talk about what really matters: how explainer videos impact your bottom line. These aren't just fancy educational clips. They're hardworking sales tools built to turn curious lookers into committed customers by building a bridge of trust and clarity right when it counts.

Picture this: a potential customer lands on your pricing page. They're interested, but maybe a little unsure. A great explainer video right at that moment acts like your best salesperson. It quickly shows off the value, answers questions before they're even asked, and demonstrates your solution in action, clearing away any doubt or hesitation. It just makes the path to purchase feel natural and smart.

From Understanding To Action

The jump from "I get it" to "I'll buy it" is a psychological one. An explainer video is perfectly suited to walk a viewer through that journey. It doesn't just rattle off a list of features; it tells a story about a problem your customer is actually dealing with, forging an emotional connection.

By showing instead of just telling, the video makes your solution feel real and tangible. This visual proof is incredibly powerful for building credibility. When people can see for themselves how your product solves their problem, their confidence skyrockets, and the urge to take the next step gets a lot stronger.

The Numbers Don't Lie

The data backs this up completely. A staggering 87% of marketers have seen a direct increase in sales from using video. For a real-world example, look no further than Dropbox. Their simple explainer video on the homepage led to a 10% increase in conversions. That translated to thousands of new sign-ups every single day.

A better customer experience almost always leads to more sales. For more on this, check out these great tips on enhancing the video customer experience.

A great explainer video works because it aligns perfectly with the modern buyer's mindset. It delivers critical information quickly, answers key questions visually, and builds the confidence needed to click "buy now" or "sign up."

This efficiency is exactly why companies see such a big lift. The video keeps people on your most important pages longer and clarifies value at the precise moment of decision.

Real-World Impact of Explainer Videos on Key Metrics

It's one thing to talk about potential, but it's another to see the results in black and white. Here are a few examples of how adding a simple explainer video made a massive difference for some well-known companies.

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These examples show that a short, clear video can have an outsized impact on critical business goals, from user acquisition to revenue growth.

How a Short Video Drives Big Sales

So, how does a simple video pull this off? It all comes down to a few key psychological triggers that inspire people to act.

• Reduces Purchase Anxiety: Seeing a product or service in action takes the mystery out of it. This clarity dials down the fear of making a bad investment, which is a major hurdle in online sales.
• Builds Trust Through Transparency: A video that openly explains how you deliver value makes your brand feel honest and confident. That's the foundation of trust needed for any transaction.
• Creates a Sense of Urgency: By clearly laying out a problem and then presenting your product as the immediate solution, a video can motivate viewers to solve their issue now instead of putting it off.
• Guides Viewers to the Next Step: Every solid explainer video wraps up with a strong call-to-action (CTA). It tells the viewer exactly what to do next, whether that’s starting a trial, booking a demo, or making a purchase.

Boost Your SEO and Search Visibility with Video

Beyond just getting a viewer to click "buy," one of the most powerful, often overlooked perks of explainer videos is how much they can boost your search engine performance. Think of Google as a librarian who wants to point people to the most helpful resources. When it sees visitors spending a lot of time on a specific page, it takes that as a strong hint that the content is top-notch and starts recommending it more often.

Putting a video on your page is one of the best ways to get people to stick around. As soon as someone hits "play," they're no longer just scanning—they're actively engaged. This dramatically increases their time on your page, a critical signal known as dwell time. This tells Google your page is a valuable resource, which can reward you with better search rankings.

How Video Keeps People on Your Page Longer

It's simple: pages with video are just "stickier." Research shows that people spend 2.6x more time on pages that include video compared to those with only text. That extended visit is basically a vote of confidence in your content, and search engines pay close attention.

A longer dwell time sends a direct signal that your page is successfully answering the searcher's question. This tells engines like Google that your page is a high-quality result, which can bump you up in the rankings for your most important keywords.

A well-made explainer video doesn't just get your message across more effectively. It also tells Google loud and clear that your page is worth showing to more people.

This kicks off a powerful cycle. Higher rankings bring in more organic traffic. That new traffic leads to more people watching your video, which further solidifies your page's authority and ranking. It's a win-win.

Double Your Chances of Being Found with YouTube

When you host your explainer video on a platform like YouTube, you're not just creating one asset; you're opening up a whole second channel for people to find you. YouTube is the second-largest search engine on the planet, and a little optimization there can double your online visibility.

By giving your YouTube video a solid title, a keyword-rich description, and the right tags, you create an opportunity to show up in two key places:

• Google Search: Your webpage, with the video embedded, can rank in the main search results.
• YouTube Search: The video itself can appear in YouTube’s search results and as a suggested video for relevant topics.

This two-pronged strategy lets you catch people looking for answers on both platforms, funneling all that valuable attention right back to your brand.

Practical Tips for Video SEO

To really squeeze all the search benefits out of your explainer videos, a few key optimizations go a long way. These simple steps make sure both search engines and humans can easily find and understand what your video is all about.

1. Craft a Compelling Title: Your video title needs to grab attention. It should include your main keyword and clearly promise a solution or value. Make it interesting enough that people can't help but click.
2. Write a Detailed Description: Don't skip the YouTube description. Use it to add context, drop a link back to your website, and summarize the video's main points. This is a great place to naturally work in some secondary keywords.
3. Use Strategic Tags: Think like your customer. What would they type into a search bar to find what you offer? Add tags that cover your primary keyword, different ways of phrasing it, and related topics.

By treating your video like a core piece of content and giving it the SEO love it deserves, you turn it from a simple explainer into a powerhouse for organic growth.

Simplify Onboarding and Reduce Customer Support Costs

While landing a new customer is a huge win, the real magic happens long after the initial sale. One of the most powerful things explainer videos do is keep those customers happy and engaged. Think of them as your tireless, 24/7 digital expert, always ready to guide users through your product or service.

A customer's first experience—the onboarding process—sets the entire tone for their relationship with your brand. If it's confusing or frustrating, they're likely to bounce. Explainer videos transform this potential friction point into a smooth, welcoming introduction, showing users exactly what to do, step-by-step.

Your Most Efficient Support Agent

Customer support teams are often buried under a mountain of repetitive questions about basic features or setup. While their work is critical, answering the same queries over and over drains time and resources that could be focused on solving more complex, high-value customer problems.

This is where explainer videos shine. By integrating short, clear videos into your knowledge base, FAQ section, or directly within your app, you can answer these common questions before they’re even asked. This simple move empowers customers to find their own solutions, exactly when they need them.

By proactively addressing common questions with video, you not only reduce the volume of support tickets but also increase overall customer satisfaction. Users appreciate being able to solve problems instantly without having to wait for a response.

This shift directly impacts your bottom line. Fewer support tickets mean lower operational costs. It also frees up your support team to become true problem-solvers, not just password-resetters.

Boosting Product Adoption and User Loyalty

For many products, especially in the SaaS world, customers only realize the true value when they start using key features regularly. If they don't understand how to get the most out of your platform, they won't stick around for long. Explainer videos are perfect for showcasing these game-changing features in a way that's easy to digest.

Instead of making users read a dense help article, a quick two-minute video can demonstrate a feature’s benefits and workflow. This encourages them to explore and integrate it into their routine, boosting product adoption and making your service indispensable. This approach is a cornerstone of any solid educational video marketing strategy that builds loyalty for the long haul.

Here's how videos can support the entire post-purchase journey:

• Initial Onboarding: A friendly "welcome" video can walk new users through the critical first steps, helping them achieve a quick win and feel successful right away.
• Feature Discovery: Short tutorial videos can pop up when a user navigates to a new area of your app, offering a quick tour of how to use it.
• Troubleshooting: Instead of writing out complicated instructions, a video can visually guide a user through a common fix, slashing frustration and support requests.

Smart companies know that a well-supported customer is a loyal customer. By using video to demystify complex features and provide instant help, you create a superior customer experience that fosters satisfaction and dramatically reduces churn. This makes explainer videos far more than just a marketing tool—they become a core part of your customer success strategy.

Choosing the Right Explainer Video Style for Your Brand

So, you're sold on the idea of an explainer video. That's the easy part. The real trick is picking the right style—the one that separates a video that gets views from one that gets results. Your video's style is like your brand's digital handshake. It instantly sets the tone, shows off your personality, and ultimately decides how well your message lands with your audience. This isn't about picking the flashiest or trendiest animation; it's a strategic move.

Think of it like dressing for an occasion. You wouldn't wear a tuxedo to a backyard barbecue, right? The same logic applies here. The style of your video has to fit the context, your viewers, and what you’re trying to say. A playful, cartoonish video could be a home run for a new mobile app, but it would probably feel awkward and out of place for a serious financial advisory firm.

Matching Style to Substance

The best explainer videos feel like the style and the message were made for each other. Are you trying to pull on heartstrings and build an emotional bond, or are you breaking down a complicated technical process? Your answer points you directly to the right format.

After all, a whopping 96% of people watch explainer videos specifically to learn more about a product or service. Your job is to make that learning process feel effortless and, dare I say, enjoyable.

Just look at the difference a well-chosen video can make on key metrics. The proof is in the numbers.

The data doesn't lie. Adding a video dramatically improves how people engage with your site, which means more traffic, higher click-through rates, and visitors who actually stick around.

Popular Explainer Video Formats

Let’s get into the nitty-gritty and break down the most common styles and where they really shine. Each one has its own personality and strengths, so think hard about your main goal as you go through them.

• 2D Character Animation: This is your go-to for telling a story. By creating characters your audience can see themselves in, you can forge a genuine emotional connection. It’s perfect for showing how your product solves a real problem for a real person. Think B2C products or any service that benefits from a human touch.
• Motion Graphics: Got a product that's abstract, techy, or packed with data? Motion graphics will be your best friend. This style uses animated text, dynamic shapes, and slick icons to make complex ideas digestible. It’s ideal for showing off a software workflow, explaining a business model, or just making statistics look cool.
• Whiteboard Animation: This classic style feels like someone is sketching out an idea for you right on a whiteboard. It’s fantastic for educational content and for breaking down complex topics into simple, step-by-step visuals. There’s something mesmerizing about watching the drawing come to life that keeps people glued to the screen.

The most important decision isn't just what you say, but how you show it. The right visual style makes your message stick, turning a complicated idea into something your audience can easily grasp and remember.

Choosing the right format isn't just a creative decision; it's a business one. It ensures your investment pays off. To get a better handle on the entire creation journey, from script to final cut, check out our guide on how to make an explainer video.

Matching Video Style to Your Marketing Goal

Picking the right video style can feel like a shot in the dark, but it's really about aligning the visual approach with your specific goal. Whether you need to educate, entertain, or persuade, there's a style that fits the bill. The table below breaks down the most popular options to help you make a smart choice that reflects your brand and resonates with your audience.

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Ultimately, the best style is one that feels like a natural extension of your brand. When your video's look and feel are in perfect harmony with your message, you'll see all the benefits—from deeper engagement right through to a healthier bottom line.

Measuring the True ROI of Your Explainer Video

An explainer video isn't just a creative piece to slap on your website; it's an investment that needs to deliver a real return. But how do you actually prove it's working? To see the true impact, you have to look beyond surface-level numbers like "views" and dig into the metrics that tie directly to your business goals.

Think of it like calculating your car's fuel efficiency. Just knowing you put gas in the tank is useless. You need to know how far that gas actually took you. In the same way, knowing your video got watched is a decent start, but the real value is in what those viewers did next.

Moving Beyond Vanity Metrics

While a massive view count feels great, it doesn’t pay the bills. The real story is told through engagement and conversion metrics—the numbers that show how your video actually influenced your audience's behavior. This is what turns your video from a creative line item into a powerhouse business asset.

You just need to focus on a few key performance indicators (KPIs) that reveal genuine interest and intent. Most professional video hosting platforms provide these, and you can cross-reference them with tools like Google Analytics to get the full picture.

Here are the core metrics that really matter:

• Play Rate: This is the percentage of visitors who actually clicked the play button. A high play rate tells you your video’s thumbnail and placement are grabbing attention.
• Completion Rate: This shows how much of your video people are sticking around to watch. If people are watching most of it, your story is hitting the mark and keeping them hooked.
• Call-to-Action (CTA) Clicks: This is the moment of truth. It measures how many viewers clicked your link or button at the end, showing they’re ready to take the next step.

Connecting Video Performance to Business Goals

Once you have this data, you can start connecting the dots to your conversion funnel. For example, you can use analytics to see if people who watch your video on a product page are more likely to add that item to their cart than people who don't. This direct comparison reveals exactly how much influence the video has on sales.

The goal is to shift your thinking from, "We got 10,000 views," to "Our video drove 500 demo sign-ups, which added $25,000 to our sales pipeline." This change in perspective is what separates a good video from a great video strategy.

Getting a handle on your video's ROI means you've got to be willing to dive deep into its performance. You can master your approach with a helpful guide to understanding comprehensive video marketing analytics. For an even deeper dive into the specific formulas and frameworks you can use, we've also put together a complete guide on how to calculate video marketing ROI.

A simple ROI calculation might look like this: If your video cost $5,000 to make and directly led to $50,000 in new sales over six months, the return is undeniable. Tracking these connections proves the financial benefits of explainer videos and justifies every dollar you spend on creative content that actually grows your business.

Common Questions About Explainer Videos

Diving into video production for the first time can feel like a huge step. It’s natural to have questions swirling around about how long it takes, what it costs, and what you’re even supposed to do after the final video lands in your inbox. Getting these practical details straight from the beginning is what turns a good idea into a great investment.

One of the first things everyone wants to know is about the timeline. How long does it actually take to get a high-quality, 90-second animated video made? While it can vary depending on how complex the animation is, a good rule of thumb is 4 to 8 weeks. That window covers everything from hashing out the script and storyboard to the nitty-gritty of animation and sound design. Trust me, you don’t want to rush this—it’s worth building that time into your marketing calendar to get it right.

What Drives the Cost of a Video?

Right after the timeline question comes the one about the price tag. Explainer video costs can swing from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands, and a few key things determine where your project will land on that spectrum. Knowing what they are helps you set a budget that makes sense.

Here are the main cost drivers:

• Video Style: A straightforward motion graphics video is typically easier on the wallet than a detailed, custom 2D character animation, which just takes more time and skill to design and bring to life.
• Video Length: Most explainers are kept short and sweet for a reason. Every extra 30 seconds means more work for scriptwriting, voiceover, and animation, which nudges the cost up.
• Production Quality: The polish of the final video comes down to the experience of the creative team, the talent of the voiceover artist, and the detail in the sound design. These all play a role in the final price.

The investment in a high-quality video pays dividends in credibility and engagement. A polished video signals professionalism and trustworthiness to potential customers, directly impacting how they perceive your brand.

How Should We Promote Our New Video?

Getting the video made is really only half the job. The real ROI comes from getting it in front of the right people. Once your shiny new video is ready, don’t just park it on your homepage and hope for the best. You need to push it out across all your channels to get the most bang for your buck.

A solid promotion strategy means putting it on key landing pages, sharing it across social media like LinkedIn and YouTube, and making it a star in your email campaigns. If you want to get more tactical ideas, we have a helpful guide on using FAQ videos that shares more distribution strategies. A smart promotion plan is what makes your investment work hard to bring in and convert customers.

At Moonb, we provide a full-service creative team on a simple monthly subscription, making it easy to produce high-quality explainer videos without the overhead. Get consistent, high-impact creative content with Moonb.

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