Let's start with a question. Why do people even bother watching an explainer video to start with?
They don't have to. Assuming it's on your website, they can skip right past it and ready the website copy. What's their motivation behind watching the video? Why it is worth a watch? What's in it for them?
The reason this is such a key point to understand, it will help you avoid the biggest mistake of all—not understanding your audience. Instead of writing a script that will resonate with them deeply, many brands do the opposite—they try and sell the product/service, and hope the audience buys into it.
We'll address this point, and other common mistakes and show you the best practices for explainer video production.
Let's dive in.
First of all, what is the role of an explainer video? Its temping to give it some fluffy marketing answer, like: Explainer videos are short, engaging videos that communicate complex ideas succinctly.
Yes... they do. But that doesn't help you creative an effective one.
What we really need to understand are two things.
Audience motivation
The most likely reason your audience will engage with your video is they believe it will give them a better understanding of your product/service. And it'll do it more succinctly.
If you use dry, technical language, you'll lose them. If the script is too long (not succinct), you'll lose them.
There's a sweet spot guided by this understanding which we'll address in the next section.
The goal of the explainer
Whilst we often think of an explainer as a tool to explain, that's not the full story. Actually, what we're aiming to do is to pique interest. And there's a huge difference in approach between the two.
Simply explaining is unlikely to resonate with your audience because it lacks the human aspect—the audience won't feel like you understand their needs and wants. It often also leads to a much longer script: I must say X, Y and Z, or I'll have missed something out in the explanation.
A good explainer takes the viewer on a journey—from understanding their pain point and desired outcome—to giving them credibility you really can deliver (the proof).
It's not about saying everything—only enough—in fact, as counterintuitive as it sounds, we want to leave the viewer with unresolved questions and gaps in their understanding. Why? Because if the explainer has done it job correctly, this approach will leave a sense of FOMO.
"This sounds really good, but I have questions...". They think they've found what they want, but in order to be sure, they need to make contact.
At the end of the day, what makes an explainer convert is a deep understanding of your audience's needs and desires, and your ability to translate this into a create and engaging script. Then make that script come alive through complimentary visuals, slick animation, and immersive sound design.
Production value matters, but it will fall woefully short unless the foundations are in place.
Some brands shy away from storytelling, for example, maybe because they believe it is childlike, or they equate storytelling with characters.
On the contrary, our minds quite literally use stories to make sense of the world. It's what feels most natural to us, and aids in understanding.
These are the types of stories are mind uses to make sense of the world"
"I barely slept last night because my neighbour’s dog wouldn’t stop barking."
"Before our update, users were dropping off after the first week. Now, they stay engaged for months.”
“I struggled with calorie counting until someone told me to think of it like a budget—spend too much, and you go into ‘debt’.”
“I always thought marketing was just ads, but then someone explained it’s more like storytelling—guiding people from curiosity to action.”
Often, we don't recognise these as stories because they are so natural and habitual. Although they are. So let's call a spade a spade.
Which brings us nicely onto our pitfalls...
Creating a high-converting explainer video is an art and a science. Many marketers, however, fall into common traps that hinder their video's success.
Here are common pitfalls to avoid:
Here are some key points to keep in mind.
It's very common when writing a brief for an explainer video to target too broadly. We get it, you're investing a large sum of money and time into this project—you want to see value.
However, if you go too broad, you'll find it very hard to write an engaging script. Why? Because instead of a one-on-one conversational feel where you directly address the audiences pain points and desires...
You end up with a more generic, less engaging narrative.
For example, Peloton initially targeted “fitness enthusiasts” in general, with broad messaging that tried to appeal to anyone interested in exercise—from casual home users to elite cyclists. Their early ads featured generic fitness motivation, showing fit people working out without a clear emotional connection to a specific audience.
Why it was too broad:
• The messaging didn’t resonate deeply with any specific group.
• Casual users found it intimidating.
• Hardcore cyclists didn’t see it as serious training.
• The luxury price point wasn’t justified for a mass-market fitness audience.
Peloton later refined its messaging to busy professionals and parents—people who want to work out but struggle with time. Their ads started telling relatable stories:
• A working parent squeezing in a ride before school drop-off.
• A professional using Peloton for a quick, effective workout between meetings.
• A supportive community that makes exercising at home feel motivating.
By focusing on a core audience, the viewer really felt like Peloton understood them and what they wanted.
You can ask yourself:
Out of all the audiences I have down on my brief, which ones are most likely to convert?
Once you've identified the core audience, you'll have a much clearer idea of what needs to be in the script.
You know the target audience pain point. You know their desires. Now we just need to know what will make them convert.
It's helpful at this stage to outline what an effective script outline looks like. It comes in four parts.
We can ask ourselves:
What will relate to this particular audience? What's their view of the world? How do they frame the problem we solve? What language do they use?
How can I frame the solution we offer in a way that makes it feel like a "YES!" moment for the audience? What are we promising at the top level? Are we reaching for saving 'time' or 'money', or are we really getting to the core emotive reason?
Out of all the features and benefits, which ones are most juicy? Which will excite the audience the most? Which ones prove the promise statement to be true most strongly?
What is the next logical step for the audience to take? Is it to make contact? Download a guide? Book a demo?
Check out this blog if you want to learn more about how to create a highly effective script.
Timing plays a pivotal role in video conversions. Many explainer videos are either too brief or too lengthy, losing impact.
The ideal duration is between 60-90 seconds (140-220 word script).
Once you see how short this really is on paper, you might feel discouraged. Treat it as a challenge. Be strategic and ruthless. Write the script long, then cut it down.
Ask yourself:
What absolutely must be in this script, and what can be left out? Am I trying to say too much? Am I worried I'm missing something the audience would benefit from knowing? Am I comfortable with not saying everything we could say?
If you're really struggling, it may be because your audience is still too broad.
Also, remember—the visuals can do as much work as the script! Think about how you could cut words and replace with a visual reference.
We see this a lot in our industry. A wonderfully creative video that looks very high end, but unfortunately lacks the substance of a well-put-together narrative.
There's nothing wrong with being ambitious, or wanting to really wow the audience with production value—just make sure you get the foundations right first, or you'll be throwing money down the toilet.
I don't think we need to say too much on this. Poor quality animation leaves a mark (and not in a good way). The viewer will equate the production value of your explainer with the quality of your offering.
That doesn't mean you need to spend tens of thousands on some high-end masterpiece (see point above). Rather, to ensure you get the foundations in place—be clear on audience, structure, delivery, etc.
Even when you get everything right, there's always room to improve. Monitoring your video’s performance provides key insights into its effectiveness. Analytics tools can track various metrics, from view rates to watch times and conversion counts. These metrics illuminate how your audience interacts with your content.
Regularly reviewing these analytics highlights what's working and what isn't. Adjust strategies based on this data to optimise video performance. Continuous improvement ensures that your explainer video remains a powerful conversion tool.
You'll want to think about the ways you intend to use your explainer video, and how you can adapt it for different purposes.
If the main goal is website conversion, make sure your explainer is front and centre on your website, not buried deep down the page, or hidden away somewhere else. The goal of the video is give the audience a glimpse of what you offer, and to excite them to want to know more.
It can only do this effectively if it's one of the first things your audience comes into contact with.
We've heard it said often that explainer videos don't perform very well on social. This just isn't the case. Our clients use explainers on LinkedIn and see remarkable engagement. If people are engaged, they'll watch.
Adding subtitles in SRT file format will help too as most viewers will start watching with the sound off.
However, you can also get great traction by adapting your longer video in 2 or 3 short snippets. Keep them under 20 seconds and they'll auto loop. Add a seamless loop, and you'll drive up engagement even further.
You'll also want to consider how to adapt your animated explainer for different platforms, like square, 9:16 or even 4:5. This will ensure you're maximising viewing space.
So there you have it, the keys to success of your animated explainer. You have the science part, now it's just a case of putting it all into practice—that's the art.
Or, you can opt to partner with an animated explainer video production company. Just be mindful that they come in all shapes and sizes. Having the background knowledge we've discussed here, helps you to evaluate their work and a more informed decision. Here are some tips on finding the best-fit explainer company for your brand.
You can also download our guide which will give you a feel for the production process, along with example pricing.
