What Is an Explainer Video? Types, Examples, Length, Script Structure, Cost and How to Make One
What an explainer video is and why businesses use them
In this article
An explainer video is a short video, usually 60–120 seconds, that explains what a product, service or idea is, the problem it solves and how it works, in a simple, engaging way. Most explainers use animation or motion graphics with a voiceover, and they're placed on homepages, landing pages, ads, sales emails and onboarding to help people understand quickly and take action.
When a product is new, technical or hard to describe in a sentence, an explainer video does the work of a long page of text in a minute. This guide covers the types of explainers, structure, length, cost and how they're made.
What is an explainer video used for?
- Homepage and landing pages: help visitors understand the offer quickly
- Ads: cut-downs of 15–30 seconds for social and YouTube
- Sales: sent to prospects or shown in demos
- Product onboarding and feature launches
- Fundraising pitches and investor decks
- Internal communication and training
- Customer support: explaining processes to reduce repetitive questions
Types of explainer videos
| Type | Look | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 2D animated (character) | Illustrated characters in simple scenes | Consumer services, storytelling |
| Motion graphics | Animated icons, text, shapes and UI | SaaS, tech, finance, abstract concepts (see What are motion graphics?) |
| Whiteboard | Hand drawing on a white background | Education, processes |
| Screencast / product demo | Real software screens with animation and zooms | Apps and SaaS (see How to write a video brief for a product demo) |
| 3D animated | 3D products or environments | Hardware, medical, engineering, premium brands |
| Live action | Real people and locations | Services, personal brands, trust-heavy offers |
| Kinetic typography | Animated text with voice or music | Short ads and social |
| Mixed | Live action with motion graphics overlays | Modern brand videos |
How long should an explainer video be?
- Homepage/landing page: 60–90 seconds
- Ads: 15–30 seconds (with the key message in the first 3 seconds)
- Product demos and complex B2B: up to 2–3 minutes
- Onboarding/feature videos: 30–90 seconds each
A spoken pace of about 140–160 words per minute means a 90-second explainer script is roughly 200–230 words. Shorter is almost always better.
Explainer video script structure
| Part | Purpose | Example (accounting automation) |
|---|---|---|
| Hook | Grab attention with the pain | "Month-end shouldn't mean three nights of spreadsheets." |
| Problem | Show you understand the viewer | "Invoices in inboxes, approvals in chats, errors everywhere." |
| Solution | Introduce the product | "Meet LedgerFlow: your invoices, captured and approved automatically." |
| How it works | 3 simple steps | "Forward invoices. Approve in one click. Synced to your books." |
| Benefits and proof | Results and credibility | "Teams close books 3x faster. Trusted by 1,000 firms." |
| Call to action | One next step | "Start your free trial today." |
Write in plain, conversational language and focus on benefits, not features.
How an explainer video is made
- Brief: goal, audience, message, CTA, style references (see What is creative strategy?)
- Script written and approved
- Storyboard: sketches of each scene
- Style frames: final look of key scenes
- Voiceover recorded (professional voice actor or high-quality AI voice)
- Animation
- Music and sound design
- Revisions (usually 2 rounds)
- Delivery: 16:9 master plus 9:16 and 1:1 cut-downs, subtitles
Typical timeline: 2–6 weeks, depending on length, style and approvals.
How much does an explainer video cost?
| Option | Rough cost (USD) | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| DIY templates (Canva, Animoto, Vyond-style tools) | Low (subscription) | Generic but fast |
| Freelance motion designer | ~$1,500–$8,000 for 60–90 s | Custom, varies by talent |
| Specialist studio/agency | ~$8,000–$50,000+ | High polish, full service |
Cost drivers: length, style (3D and character animation cost more), custom illustration, voiceover, music licensing, number of revisions and cut-downs, and deadline.
Do explainer videos work?
Explainer videos help when people need to understand something before buying. Benefits include:
- Faster understanding of complex products
- Longer time on page and potentially higher conversion
- Fewer support questions
- Reusable assets across ads, sales and social
Effectiveness depends on a clear script, a relevant audience and placement where people make decisions. Test with and without the video on landing pages if you can.
Mistakes to avoid
- Too long, too many features
- Starting with company history instead of the viewer's problem
- Jargon
- Weak or missing call to action
- Generic templates that look like everyone else
- No captions for muted autoplay
- Not creating short cut-downs for ads
Frequently asked questions
What is an explainer video?
A short video, usually 60–120 seconds, that explains what a product or service is, the problem it solves and how it works, typically using animation and voiceover.
What is explainer video marketing?
Using explainer videos on websites, ads, social media, sales outreach and onboarding to help potential customers understand an offer and take action.
How long should an explainer video be?
60–90 seconds for most homepage videos, 15–30 seconds for ads, and up to 2–3 minutes for complex products.
What are the types of explainer videos?
2D character animation, motion graphics, whiteboard, screencast/product demo, 3D animation, live action, kinetic typography and mixed styles.
How much does an explainer video cost?
From the cost of a template subscription for DIY, to roughly $1,500–$8,000 with a freelancer and $8,000–$50,000+ with an agency, depending on style and length.
How do I make an explainer video?
Write a brief and short script focused on the viewer's problem, storyboard it, choose a style, record voiceover, animate, add music and sound, then export in all formats you need.
Want an explainer video made for your business?
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Start a conversationWritten by Sachin Rawat
AI & automation engineer · websites, apps and motion design
I build AI agents, automations, websites, apps and motion design for businesses. These guides answer the questions people actually search, written from hands-on experience building them.
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