What are explainer videos and why use them?
An explainer video (also known as a homepage video, overview video, conversion video, or many other names) is designed to explain your company, product, service or subject in a way that your audience can understand in two minutes or less.
Explainer video production will analyze four key points: the problem, the solution, the features and benefits, and how the solution works.
If you're looking for a single video and more budget friendly option, we recommend going with an animated video, but, pending your brand and story, a live-action explainer production works as well.
Either way, the key to a solid explainer is keeping it short and engaging, while still conveying the right information. No matter what you’re explaining, an explainer video should leave your viewers with a clear understanding of what you do and a desire to take the next step.
What are some characteristics of a great explainer video?
- Two minutes or less
- Clear and concise
- Conversational tone
- A focus on benefits not features
- Specific call-to-action
When and how should I use an explainer video?
Explainer videos are typically used towards the top of the funnel (consideration phase). They’re most useful when a potential customer is aware of their problem/need and starting to look at potential solutions. Places to put your explainer video: homepages, product or service pages, newsletters, trade shows, and sales meetings. Once they've watched the explainer then you might be ready for them to check out a tutorial video production, that dives deeper into how it all works (and looks)!
Want an awesome explainer video, but don’t know how? Demo Duck makes it easy!
Courtney Chase, Namo Media
How does Demo Duck create a concept for an explainer video?
It all starts with discovery – understanding the company, product, service or subject we’re trying to explain. Once we have a good handle on things, we meet as a team (that’s right, the whole team), to brainstorm creative ways to present and explain the content. This involves throwing out plenty of ideas, good and bad, before landing on a couple to refine and ultimately pitch. Sometimes we’ll use a framework, like a metaphor or use case, to explain what you do. In other cases, it will be a unique visual approach that drives the message home.
A good explainer video concept needs to balance creative and strategy. The creative is required to engage the viewer and give them a reason to care about watching your video. The strategy is required to ensure you deliver a message that resonates with your viewers and motivates them to take the desired action.
How do you measure success for an explainer video?
The success or failure of your video should hinge on more than just view count. While views are great, they don’t tell the whole story. You should also be looking at engagement (how much of the video do viewers actually watch?) and conversions (do viewers take the desired action after watching the video?). Like any marketing effort, we recommend having goals and a way to track them in place before you start producing a video!
How much money does an explainer video cost?
Depending on the length, style and complexity, most of the higher-end explainers we work on these days run in the $20,000–$25,000 range for animation, and the $35,000-50,000+ range for live action. Looking to produce a series of videos? Great! We’re always happy to discuss package pricing to bring the per video cost down. You’ll likely find that prices vary greatly from company to company, so take your time, do your homework, and find a team that fits your brand and can deliver on budget, timeline, and quality.
How long does an explainer video production take?
Our standard production schedule for an animated explainer video is anywhere from 8-10 weeks, which does not necessarily include the time required to collect feedback and make revisions. A full timeline may range from 10-12 weeks. Live action explainer videos have more moving parts (e.g. talent, locations, scheduling) and therefore do not have a set production schedule. However, a typical live action video timeline is 10-12 weeks.
Related Explainer Video Examples
Identiq: Animated Explainer Video
CloudHealth: Animated Explainer Video
Lenovo: 3D Animated Explainer Video
GoFundMe: Instructional Explainer Video
Landesa: Animated Explainer Video
Denovo Dental: Instructional Explainer Video Production