Explainer Video Creation That Actually Converts

Explainer video creation is the process of taking a complex idea—whether it's a product, a service, or a concept—and boiling it down into a short, engaging video. It’s that magic blend of a sharp script and compelling visuals that turns a confusing "what is this?" moment into a satisfying "I get it!" for your audience.

Building Your Video Strategy Before You Hit Record

A powerful explainer video isn't born in an editing suite; it's forged from a rock-solid strategy. I've seen too many teams jump straight into animation or filming without this groundwork, and it almost always ends the same way: chaos, wasted money, and a final product that misses the mark.

Think of it like building a house without a blueprint. The entire explainer video creation process hinges on the strategic decisions you make before a single frame is designed. This is where you move beyond vague ideas and force yourself to answer the tough questions that will guide every step that follows, from scriptwriting to distribution.

Pinpoint Your Audience and Their Problem

First things first: get radically specific about who you're talking to. "Marketers" or "small business owners" is way too broad. You need a crystal-clear picture of your ideal viewer.

What are their daily frustrations? What specific problem keeps them up at night that you can solve? A video for a time-strapped startup founder will have a completely different tone, pace, and message than one for an enterprise IT manager buried in compliance concerns.

Once you know your audience inside and out, you can articulate their problem even better than they can. This is how you build an instant connection and make your solution feel like a revelation, not just another sales pitch.

Set Clear and Measurable Goals

What does success actually look like for this video? If you don't have a clear goal, you have no way of knowing if it worked. Your objective needs to be specific and quantifiable.

Are you trying to:

• Reduce support tickets by clearing up a common user issue?
• Increase landing page conversions by finally making your value prop click?
• Arm your sales team with a killer asset that shortens the sales cycle?

For most explainers, the end goal is to drive a specific action. Getting a handle on how to create video ads that actually convert is a crucial piece of this early strategy. A well-defined goal is what turns your video from a fun creative project into a strategic business tool.

Develop a Comprehensive Creative Brief

The creative brief is your project's North Star. Seriously. It’s the one document that gets your entire team—from stakeholders to animators—aligned on the vision, scope, and objectives. It's the ultimate defense against misunderstandings and costly revisions down the line.

A good brief should detail everything from the core message and target audience to the desired tone of voice and visual style. If you want to dive deeper, we've broken down exactly what goes into a great one in our creative brief template guide.

Before you even think about storyboards or scripts, you need to nail down the core components of your strategy. The table below outlines the essential questions you need to answer in your creative brief to set your project up for success.

Key Elements of a Creative Brief

Getting these elements down on paper ensures every creative choice serves a purpose and aligns directly with your business goals.

This workflow—audience, goals, brief—is the foundation for any successful video. The data backs it up, too. Recent industry analysis shows that 73% of video marketers now create explainer videos, making it the most popular format out there. Why? Because companies that use them report a staggering 72% increase in website conversion rates.

This foundational work is what ensures your explainer isn't just another piece of content, but a high-performing asset that delivers a real return.

Writing a Script and Storyboard That Captivates

Once you have a solid strategy, it's time to bring your story to life on paper. Your script is the engine for the entire video—it sets the pace, guides the visuals, and forges an emotional connection with your audience. A weak script will always lead to a confusing video, no matter how slick the animation is.

The most effective explainer videos almost always follow a classic narrative structure: problem, solution, and finally, a clear call-to-action. This isn't just a storytelling trick; it’s a proven psychological framework for grabbing attention and steering a viewer toward a decision. The idea is to make your viewer feel completely understood before you even bring up your product.

Nailing the Script Structure

You have to get to the point—and fast. You’ve got about eight seconds to hook a viewer before they’re gone. The best way to do this is by immediately diving into a pain point your audience deals with every single day. Forget talking about yourself or your company; talk about them and their problem.

For example, don't open with, "Our software is an award-winning project management tool." Instead, try something like, "Tired of tracking team progress across five different spreadsheets?" This approach instantly validates their frustration and makes them lean in, eager to hear what you have to say next.

After you've established the problem, introduce your product or service as the hero of the story. This is where you connect their specific pain to your solution. Your goal here is to show, not just tell, how it solves their issue. Keep the language simple, conversational, and completely free of jargon. If you're finding this part tricky, our in-depth guide offers a great explainer video script framework to get you started.

Key Takeaway: A great script articulates the customer's problem better than they can themselves. It positions your solution not as just another product, but as the obvious answer to a problem they desperately want to solve.

Finally, every script needs to end with a single, crystal-clear call-to-action (CTA). Tell your viewers exactly what you want them to do next. Whether it's "Start Your Free Trial," "Book a Demo," or "Download the Guide," a direct command turns passive viewers into active leads.

Translating Words into Visuals with a Storyboard

With your script locked and loaded, the next move is to create a storyboard. Think of it as the visual blueprint for your video. It translates what you've written into a sequence of scenes, ensuring your vision aligns perfectly with what the animators or videographers will create. Getting this right saves a ton of time and money on revisions down the road.

A storyboard doesn't have to be a masterpiece. Simple sketches or even a slide deck will do the trick. The important thing is to map out each scene with three core elements:

• Scene Sketch: A rough drawing of what’s on screen—characters, backgrounds, key objects.
• Action Notes: A quick description of any movement. For example, "Character A types on a laptop as notifications pop up."
• Script/Voiceover: The matching lines from the script that will be read during that scene.

Mapping your video out this way forces you to think visually. It helps you catch potential pacing problems and makes sure the visuals directly support the message. For instance, while the voiceover mentions "saving time," the storyboard might show a clock rewinding or a calendar clearing up. This harmony between what's seen and heard is what makes explainer videos so powerful. It’s the crucial bridge between a great script and a captivating final video.

Choosing the Right Animation and Voiceover Style

With your script and storyboard locked in, it's time for the fun part: deciding what your video will actually look and sound like. This isn't just about picking pretty colors or a cool soundtrack. The visual and audio styles you choose are the heart of the explainer video creation process—they define your brand’s personality and shape how your audience connects with your message.

This is where the magic happens, turning words on a page into a living, breathing experience. Your choices here will ripple across the entire project, affecting the production timeline, complexity, and, of course, the budget. Let’s walk through the most popular styles so you can find the perfect fit.

Finding Your Visual Style

The animation style is the first big production decision you'll face. Each one has its own vibe and is better suited for certain messages and brand personalities.

Here’s a breakdown of the heavy hitters:

• 2D Animation: This is your classic, character-driven style. It’s fantastic for storytelling and breaking down abstract ideas into relatable scenarios. If your product solves a very human problem, 2D animation is brilliant for building that emotional bridge. For a deeper dive into how this style works, check out this guide on the technique of animation.
• Motion Graphics: Think less about characters and more about dynamic text, slick icons, and fluid shapes. Motion graphics are perfect for data-heavy topics, tech walkthroughs, or explaining a complex process. They give off a modern, clean, and professional feel, making them a favorite for B2B and SaaS companies.
• Whiteboard Animation: This style literally simulates a hand drawing visuals on a whiteboard as the story unfolds. It’s incredibly engaging for educational content because it naturally draws the viewer's eye and boosts information retention. It feels like you're watching an idea come to life in real-time.
• Live-Action: Sometimes, nothing beats the real thing. Using real people and settings builds a powerful sense of authenticity and trust. It’s the go-to for customer testimonials, company culture videos, or showing off a physical product in action. Just know that it requires more logistical planning—actors, locations, equipment, and all that jazz.

No matter which you choose, you're in good company. The global market for explainer video services is booming as more businesses lean into visually rich communication. Forecasts show the market expanding through 2030, with cool new trends like interactive elements and AI-powered production on the horizon.

Comparing Popular Explainer Video Styles

Choosing an animation style can be tough. It's a balancing act between your brand's personality, the complexity of your message, and what your budget allows. To make it a bit easier, I've put together a simple table comparing the most common styles.

Use this as a starting point. Think about who you're trying to reach and what you want them to feel. The right style will make your message not just seen, but felt.

Selecting the Perfect Voiceover

The voice of your explainer video is just as important as the visuals. A great voiceover artist can inject personality and credibility into your script, making it sing. The wrong one? It can make even the most stunning animation fall completely flat.

When you're listening to auditions, keep these things in mind:

• Tone: Is your brand authoritative and serious, or friendly and approachable? The artist's natural delivery should feel like a natural extension of your brand's voice.
• Pace: If you're explaining something complicated, you'll want a slower, more deliberate pace to help with comprehension. For a high-energy product launch, you'll want something faster and more enthusiastic.
• Clarity: This is non-negotiable. The artist needs to have crisp, clear enunciation. Any mumbling or a distracting accent (that doesn't fit your target market) will cause viewers to tune out instantly.

Platforms like Voices.com or BunnyStudio are goldmines for professional talent. You can filter by language, accent, and style to find your perfect match. Always—and I mean always—ask for a custom demo reading a small piece of your script before you hire someone.

Pro Tip: Don't just hand the voice actor a script and hit record. Give them context! Explain the goal of the video, who it's for, and the mood you're trying to create. A little direction goes a long way in getting a performance that truly serves the story.

Choosing Background Music That Supports the Story

Finally, let's talk about music. Background music is the emotional glue that holds everything together. It sets the mood and guides the viewer's feelings, often without them even realizing it. The trick is to choose a track that supports, not overpowers, the voiceover and visuals.

For a corporate video, an understated, optimistic instrumental track usually works wonders. For a fun consumer app, something upbeat and quirky might be a better fit. Just make sure whatever you choose is licensed for commercial use to avoid any legal headaches down the road. Sites like Artlist or Epidemic Sound have massive libraries of royalty-free music that are perfect for this.

Getting the audio and visuals to work in harmony is what elevates a good explainer into an unforgettable one.

Launching and Distributing Your Video for Reach

You've created a brilliant explainer video. That's fantastic, but it's only half the battle. A masterpiece that nobody ever sees is a wasted investment. The real magic happens during the launch and distribution phase—this is where your strategic explainer video creation efforts finally start paying off. It’s how you get your story in front of the right eyeballs at exactly the right time.

Your video's journey should start on its primary "home," which is usually a landing page on your website or your YouTube channel. Both platforms need to be carefully optimized to capture organic traffic and, more importantly, to make people want to click play. Think of it as setting the stage perfectly before the audience arrives.

Optimizing Your Video for Search and Clicks

For platforms like YouTube and even your own website, search optimization is absolutely crucial. You need to treat your video's metadata with the same care you would a blog post.

• Compelling Titles: Your title has to do two jobs: be keyword-rich and spark curiosity. Instead of something generic like "Our New Software," try a title like "How to Eliminate Spreadsheet Chaos in 60 Seconds."
• Detailed Descriptions: Don't skimp on the description box. Use it to expand on the video's value, sprinkle in relevant keywords, add timestamps for key sections, and always include a clear link back to your website.
• Custom Thumbnails: Whatever you do, don't settle for an auto-generated thumbnail. Design a vibrant, high-contrast image with a clear focal point and minimal text. It should practically beg viewers to click.

Getting this initial setup right gives your video the best possible chance of being discovered organically. The impact here is huge—video content is 50 times more likely to rank in search results than plain text alone. Some businesses even report a 157% jump in organic traffic just from adding video.

Pro Tip: Host your video on the most relevant page of your site, like the homepage or a specific product page. Embedding it "above the fold" (so it's visible without scrolling) can seriously increase play rates and the time people spend on the page, which sends all the right signals to search engines.

Weaving Your Video into Marketing Channels

Your explainer video isn't a one-and-done asset. It's a versatile tool that should be woven into every marketing channel you use. Taking a multi-channel approach is how you amplify your reach and reinforce your message across the entire customer journey.

Email is a fantastic starting point. Dropping your video into a nurture sequence can have a massive impact. For instance, just including the word "video" in an email subject line can improve open rates. Even better, emails that actually contain a video see a staggering 300% higher click rate.

Next, make your video a core part of your social media strategy. Don't just post a link—upload the video natively to each platform for the best performance. And remember, different platforms have different rhythms, so knowing the best times to post video content can give your initial engagement a serious boost.

Slicing and Dicing for Maximum Impact

That main 60-90 second explainer video? It’s just the beginning. To truly get the most bang for your buck, you need to repurpose it into a whole library of micro-content. This is how you dominate platforms that thrive on short-form, snackable videos.

Give these repurposing tactics a try:

1. Create 15-Second Clips: Find the single best "aha!" moment or a really compelling statistic from your video and isolate it. These short clips are gold for Instagram Stories, TikTok, and LinkedIn ads.
2. Turn Key Scenes into GIFs: Animated GIFs are super shareable and work perfectly in email newsletters or social media replies. They can capture a key benefit visually without needing any sound.
3. Use Audio for Podcast Snippets: If your explainer has a great script, the audio track can be repurposed as a short clip or an ad in a relevant podcast, opening up your message to a whole new audience.

This "slice and dice" method turns one major production effort into a dozen different promotional assets. As you get ready to spread your video far and wide, it's also smart to learn how to optimize your explainer videos for platforms like YouTube and TikTok to maximize your reach without losing quality. A smart, multi-channel launch ensures your video doesn't just get made—it gets seen and drives real action.

Measuring Performance and Scaling Your Strategy

Creating a fantastic explainer video is a huge win, but your job isn't over once you hit "publish." Now comes the most critical part of any successful explainer video creation project: tracking its performance and using that data to build a scalable, repeatable program. If you skip this, you’re just guessing what works.

Proving your video's value boils down to measuring the right things. Sure, vanity metrics like total views feel good, but they don’t tell you if the video actually changed anyone’s behavior. You have to zero in on key performance indicators (KPIs) that tie directly back to the business goals you defined in the beginning.

Defining Your Core Video KPIs

To get a real sense of your video's impact, you need to look past the surface-level numbers. Your analytics should tell a story about how engaged viewers were and, more importantly, what they did after watching. This is how you prove the investment was worth it.

Here are the essential KPIs I always keep an eye on:

• Audience Retention: This graph is your best friend. It shows you the exact moment people are dropping off. A steep nosedive in the first 10 seconds? Your hook probably isn't strong enough. A big drop right before your call-to-action? Your message lost steam along the way.
• Play Rate: This is simply the number of plays divided by the number of times the video was loaded on the page. It tells you how compelling your thumbnail and placement are. A low play rate often means the video is in the wrong spot or the thumbnail isn't enticing enough to earn the click.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR) on Your CTA: This one is huge. It measures the percentage of viewers who actually clicked your call-to-action. A high CTR is a clear signal that your video is doing its job and motivating people to take that next step.
• Conversion Rate: This is the ultimate metric. Did the people who watched your video go on to sign up for a trial, book a demo, or make a purchase? This directly connects your video’s performance to real business growth.

Of course, tracking these requires the right setup. Platforms like YouTube Analytics, Wistia, and Vidyard are packed with detailed insights into viewer behavior. If you're looking to dive deeper, our guide on the best tools for analyzing video performance can help you find the perfect platform for your stack.

From Data to Actionable Insights

Collecting data is just step one. The real magic happens when you interpret it to make smarter decisions for your next project. Analyzing your KPIs helps you see exactly what’s landing with your audience and where you can improve.

For example, let's say your audience retention is great, but the CTR on your call-to-action is pitiful. That tells you the story was engaging, but your final ask was either unclear or unconvincing. Armed with that knowledge, you could test a different CTA in your next video—maybe something punchier like "Get Started Free" instead of a passive "Learn More."

Key Takeaway: Treat every single video as a learning experience. The data from your first explainer is literally the blueprint for making your next one even better. This data-driven mindset is what turns video creation from a one-off gamble into a reliable marketing engine.

This cycle of creating, measuring, and optimizing is how you build a powerful video program that delivers results time and time again.

Scaling Your Video Production

Once you've proven the ROI of your explainer video, the next question is always, "How do we do more of this?" Scaling your video production is how you expand your reach and impact, but it comes with its own set of challenges. You really have two main options.

Building an In-House Team vs Partnering with an On-Demand Service

Building an in-house team gives you total control, but it's expensive and slow. Finding a talented animator, a sharp scriptwriter, and a slick motion designer can take months, killing your momentum before you even get started.

The alternative is partnering with an on-demand creative platform like Moonb. This gives you immediate access to a full-service creative department without the HR nightmare. This model offers the flexibility to scale your production capacity instantly, so you can meet the growing demand for video content without ever sacrificing quality. It’s the perfect way to build a sustainable, data-backed video program that drives continuous growth.

Common Questions About Explainer Video Creation

Diving into your first explainer video project is exciting, but it almost always brings up a bunch of questions. I hear the same ones all the time from teams trying to figure out where to even start. How long should it be? What's a realistic budget? Can we just do it ourselves?

Knowing the industry standards helps set the right expectations from the get-go. Let’s clear up some of the most common questions we hear so you can make smarter decisions, whether you're hiring an agency or tackling it in-house.

What Is the Ideal Length for an Explainer Video?

This is one of the first things people ask, and for good reason. The sweet spot for most explainer videos is between 60 and 90 seconds. That’s just enough time to grab someone's attention, lay out the problem, present your solution, and tell them what to do next—all before they get distracted.

Data has shown time and again that viewer engagement takes a nosedive after the two-minute mark. And if you're planning to use clips on social media, think even shorter. Punchy, 15-30 second cuts are your best bet for platforms where attention spans are measured in seconds. When in doubt, keep it brief.

How Much Does an Explainer Video Typically Cost?

Ah, the million-dollar question. The honest answer? It really depends. An explainer video creation project can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars for a quick DIY job using a template tool to well over $25,000 for a custom, high-end animation from a top studio.

But for a professionally produced, high-quality animated video that’s around 60-90 seconds long, a realistic budget usually falls somewhere between $3,000 and $10,000. Where you land in that range depends on a few key things:

• Animation Complexity: Simple motion graphics will always be more affordable than detailed, character-driven 2D animation.
• Video Length: Every extra second adds to the scripting, voiceover, and animation workload.
• Talent Quality: Experienced scriptwriters and voiceover artists command higher rates, but their skill is often worth the investment.
• Revision Rounds: The more back-and-forth you have, the more the final cost can creep up.

Key Insight: Try not to shop on price alone. A cheap video that doesn't connect with your audience or drive results is just money down the drain. The real goal is to find a partner or a tool that delivers the quality you need to hit your business goals.

Can I Make an Explainer Video Myself?

Absolutely! Making your own explainer video has never been more accessible. There are some fantastic, user-friendly platforms out there that put animation tools right at your fingertips.

Tools like Vyond, Animaker, and Powtoon are packed with pre-built templates, huge asset libraries, and simple drag-and-drop interfaces that make it possible for non-designers to create something solid. This is a great, budget-friendly option for startups, internal training videos, or simple concept walkthroughs.

The trade-off, of course, is polish. While these tools are powerful, achieving that truly professional feel in the storytelling, sound design, and custom visuals usually requires the touch of seasoned experts. A DIY video is a perfect starting point, but a specialized team like Moonb can elevate your story to a level that truly cuts through the noise.