Best animated explainer videos
July 13, 2022
Explainer videos are short, snappy, simple videos used to demonstrate the concept of a product in layman’s terms. They are typically used for marketing purposes but are also often used to explain products to new users as well. Short and snappy video is the wave of the future. A 2020 Biteable survey revealed the following crucial stats:
-60% of marketers use video as a marketing tool
-29% of businesses use video in their administration and operations messages
-61% of marketers see video as a “very important or extremely important” part of their marketing strategy
AND
-94% of marketers who use video plan to continue
We love working with our clients to create great explainer videos as well as micro-learning videos. Not sure if the concept is right for your business or product, or want some inspiration to start thinking about creating one to expand your reach? We have put together a (non-biased!) list of ten of our favorite animated explainer videos to get the wheels turning.
What makes a great explainer video?
The world has a short attention span these days! As such, a great explainer video gets the point across in a way that demands little from the viewer. This is done by:
-Keeping it short: the research varies between the optimal time for a video being 30 seconds to up to 90 seconds. Whatever the case may be, short and snappy is the name of the game.
-Using minimalistic scripts and copy.
-Designing appealing but simple animation.
-Attempting to get only 1-3 points across.
Do note that these concepts apply to animated explainer videos used for marketing purposes. Animated microlearning videos for animation purposes can be a lot more involved and yet still effective.
Want to see these concepts in action? Without further ado, here are ten of our favorite animated explainer videos.
Slack
Work, simplified.
This explainer video by workflow and project management software Slack is a great example of optimizing the 30-90 second sweet spot. It also uses images that anyone on a team can relate to, including the morning onslaught of messages and ineffective meetings. The message is clear and concise, Slack has solutions available at your fingertips.
Tech Insider
This Incredible Animation Shows How Deep the Ocean Really Is
This video is technically a mico-learning video and doesn’t tick all of the boxes we mentioned about what makes an explainer video great (mostly as it is over three minutes long) but it is a great example of simple copy, strong narration, and pleasing animation used to describe a complex problem.
Spotify
Montage
While a lot of readers may be very familiar with Spotify at this point, five years ago it was still an emerging platform. This video is an excellent example of simple copy, feel-good imagery, and the portrayal of just three main points: music is available in an easy-to-use app form, we have the Beatles catalog, and it is easy to access playlists and mixes for leisure use.
Mint, Personal Finance App
How to Track Budgets and Bills
Mint often has great marketing and this video is no exception. Mint understands the “pain point” of many from their target demographic: managing finances can quickly feel overwhelming, causing a lot of people to forgo it in many ways. This video has one point: Mint makes managing your money simple. And after watching the video just once we were convinced!
Spotify
Release
We can’t help it, Spotify makes great explainer videos. This one is ten years old but still a perfect example of effective marketing video. The music and light animation build a ton excitement about the platform and they carefully focus on their message: fun, easy, free.
Wizzki
Animated Explainer Video
While this explainer video by Wizzki does go on too long, it has other features that we love. It is very visually appealing, clear wording, and is fast-paced, but easy to follow. It’s a great model for those who want to create explainer videos: do you see how or where Wizzki could have cut 60 seconds from the video?
Harvard Business Review
The Explainer: The Case for More Silent Meetings
This one is one of our favorites. Harvard Business Review takes a concept that is unfamiliar to many, that of silent meetings, and makes a case for them in a compelling and hard to resist way. By the end of the easy-to-follow video, the viewer not only understands the need for silent meetings but also exactly how they work. The only weakness is the length, which would nearly push this one over into the “microlearning” category.
Anchor
Explainer video
At 60 seconds flat, with minimal copy and appealing animation, we give this Anchor video two thumbs up. Given that Anchor is a product of Spotify, we can’t be too surprised. For someone with a bit of knowledge about how to make a podcast, it presents a clear picture of how the app can help you grow.
Love explainer videos? Want to create some of your own? View our library here or contact us to talk about creating your own videos.
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