Quick Answer
An explainer video is a short, focused video that breaks down a concept, product, or process in plain language. Learn what makes a great explainer and when to use one.
Definition
An explainer video is a short-form video—typically 60 to 180 seconds—designed to communicate a single idea, product feature, or process in clear, accessible language. Wyzowl's State of Video Marketing and similar research show that short video is the preferred format for learning and product communication. Explainer videos combine narration, visuals, and on-screen text to make complex subjects easy to understand at a glance.
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Common Formats
Explainer videos come in several styles, each suited to different audiences and budgets:
- Animated explainers — Motion graphics or character animation set to a voiceover. Popular for SaaS products and internal training because they can be updated without reshooting footage.
- Live-action explainers — Feature real people, locations, or products on camera. Often used for brand storytelling or customer-facing marketing.
- Screencast explainers — A screen recording with narration, ideal for software walkthroughs and how-to tutorials.
- Whiteboard explainers — Illustrations drawn in real time (or simulated) on a white background. Commonly used for educational content.
When to Use an Explainer Video
Explainer videos work best when you need to:
- Introduce a product or feature — Distill your value proposition into a concise pitch for landing pages, trade shows, or sales decks.
- Onboard new users — Walk first-time users through setup steps or key workflows.
- Train employees — Turn dense policy documents or SOPs into bite-sized video modules that employees actually watch.
- Simplify a technical concept — Translate jargon-heavy material into plain language for a non-technical audience.
What Makes a Good Explainer Video
The most effective explainers share a few traits:
- One idea per video. Resist the urge to cover everything. A single, focused message is easier to absorb and recall. Research on multimedia learning supports that aligned narration and visuals improve comprehension—explainers that stick to one idea do this naturally.
- Clear structure. Follow a problem → solution → outcome arc so viewers know why they should care.
- Conversational script. Write the way people talk. Avoid corporate jargon and long sentences.
- Strong visuals. Every frame should reinforce the narration—not compete with it.
- A call to action. Tell the viewer exactly what to do next: sign up, read a guide, or contact sales.
Explainer Videos vs. Other Video Types
Explainer videos occupy a specific niche. Understanding how they differ from related formats helps you choose the right one for a given situation.
| Format | Typical Length | Primary Goal | Audience Interaction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explainer | 60–180 seconds | Clarify a single idea or process | Passive (watch and learn) |
| Tutorial | 5–20 minutes | Teach a task step by step | Passive, often with follow-along |
| Product demo | 3–10 minutes | Showcase features and workflows | Passive or semi-interactive |
| Webinar | 30–60 minutes | Discuss a topic in depth, take questions | Interactive (live Q&A, polls) |
| Testimonial | 60–120 seconds | Provide social proof from a customer | Passive |
A tutorial goes deeper than an explainer. It walks the viewer through a specific task from start to finish—installing software, configuring a dashboard, completing a form. Tutorials assume the viewer will follow along, so they tend to run longer and move at a slower pace.
A product demo is feature-oriented. Instead of simplifying a concept, it shows what a product can do, often using a live interface. Demos are common in sales calls and trial onboarding flows.
Webinars are the longest format on the list. They work well for thought leadership and community building, but their length and live-event logistics make them a poor substitute when you just need to explain one idea quickly.
Testimonials share the explainer's brevity, but they serve a different purpose: building trust through a customer's own words rather than teaching a concept.
When in doubt, ask yourself: Am I trying to explain something or demonstrate something? If the answer is explain, an explainer video is usually the right call.
How to Plan an Explainer Video
A clear plan prevents scope creep and keeps the final video focused. Follow these four steps before any production work begins.
1. Define the single idea
Every effective explainer starts with one sentence that captures the core message. If you cannot summarize the video's purpose in a single sentence, the scope is too broad. Split it into multiple videos instead.
2. Identify your audience and their knowledge level
An explainer aimed at new hires will use different language than one aimed at senior engineers. Pinning down the audience early shapes vocabulary, pacing, and the amount of background context you need to include. Ask: What does this viewer already know, and what is the one gap this video fills?
3. Choose the format
Match the format to the content and audience. Animated explainers are flexible and easy to update—good for SaaS products and policy overviews. Screencasts work better when viewers need to see the actual interface. Live-action fits brand stories where a human face builds trust. Whiteboard-style works well for abstract or conceptual topics that benefit from progressive illustration.
4. Write the script first
The script is the backbone of the video. Write it before you think about visuals, music, or animation style. A strong script ensures the message holds up even without visuals—a useful litmus test for clarity. For a detailed walkthrough of the scripting process, see Scriptwriting for Training Videos.
Measuring Explainer Video Effectiveness
Publishing a video is not the finish line. Tracking a few key metrics tells you whether the video actually works.
- Completion rate — The percentage of viewers who watch to the end. A sharp drop-off at a specific timestamp often signals a pacing problem or a confusing section. Aim for a completion rate above 70 percent for videos under two minutes.
- Engagement patterns — Look at pause, rewind, and replay data. Frequent rewinds at a particular point suggest the explanation there is unclear or information-dense. Frequent replays of the full video can indicate the content is valuable and reusable.
- Downstream actions — Connect the video to a measurable outcome. Did the viewer sign up, pass a quiz, complete an onboarding step, or follow the documented process? Tying the video to an action reveals whether it changed behavior, not just whether it was watched.
- A/B testing — Test different lengths, visual styles, or narrator tones with comparable audience segments. Small changes—shortening a video from 120 seconds to 90, or swapping a whiteboard style for motion graphics—can produce measurable differences in completion and conversion rates.
Even lightweight tracking (completion rate plus one downstream action) gives you enough signal to iterate. The goal is continuous improvement, not a single perfect video.
How AI Is Changing Explainer Video Production
Traditionally, producing a polished explainer video required scriptwriters, voiceover artists, animators, and weeks of back-and-forth revisions. AI-powered platforms like Knowlify compress that timeline dramatically by generating narrated, visually rich videos directly from documents, slide decks, or written briefs—often in minutes rather than weeks.
This makes explainers accessible to teams that previously lacked the budget or bandwidth for video production, including L&D departments, product teams, and internal communications groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should an explainer video be?
Most explainer videos perform best at 60–90 seconds for marketing and 2–3 minutes for training or onboarding. Shorter videos have higher completion rates, so aim to cover one idea per video and cut anything that doesn't directly support the core message. For detailed guidance, see ideal video length by use case.
How much does an explainer video cost?
Costs vary widely. A traditional agency-produced animated explainer typically runs $5,000–$25,000+. Freelance animators may charge $1,000–$5,000. AI-powered platforms like Knowlify reduce the cost to a subscription fee with minimal per-video cost, making it feasible to produce dozens or hundreds of explainers from existing documents.
What's the difference between an explainer video and a tutorial?
An explainer simplifies a concept so the viewer understands it. A tutorial walks the viewer through a specific task step by step. Explainers are typically shorter (60–180 seconds) and focus on the "what" and "why," while tutorials are longer (5–20 minutes) and focus on the "how."
Can I make an explainer video without a production team?
Yes. AI document-to-video platforms generate narrated explainer videos from your existing documents, slide decks, or written content — no camera, voiceover artist, or animator required. You review and edit the output, then publish.
When should I use an explainer video instead of a written document?
Use an explainer when the concept is complex, visual, or when your audience is more likely to watch than read. Explainer videos are especially effective for onboarding, product introductions, and simplifying technical topics for non-technical audiences. Written docs remain better for searchable reference material and detailed specifications.