What is an Animated Explainer Video?

31 March 2023
Image for What is an Animated Explainer Video?

An animated explainer video is a short, animated video that is designed to explain a concept, product, or service in an engaging and easy-to-understand way. These videos typically use visual storytelling to convey complex information, using a combination of illustrations, animation, and narration to tell a story that captures the viewer's attention and helps them better understand the topic being discussed.

Animated explainer videos can be used for a variety of purposes, such as explaining a new product or service, demonstrating how to use a particular tool or software program, or providing an overview of a complex process or system. They are often used in marketing and advertising campaigns, as well as in educational and instructional contexts.

How do you make an animated explainer video?

Making an animated explainer video usually involves the following steps:-

1. Planning and Scripting

Determine the message and purpose of the video, and create a script that outlines the story you want to tell. This script should be concise and engaging, and should be tailored to the target audience.

2. Storyboarding

Create a visual outline of the video, including rough sketches of each scene and any important visual elements. This helps to ensure that the video flows well and communicates the intended message.

3. Voiceover

Record a voiceover narration that will accompany the animation. The voiceover should be clear, easy to understand, and well-paced.

Design and Animation: Use animation software to create the visuals for the video, incorporating any illustrations or graphics that are needed. This stage may involve creating characters, backgrounds, and other visual elements, as well as animating the various scenes and actions.

4. Editing and Post-Production

Once the animation is complete, the video can be edited together with the voiceover narration and any sound effects or music that are needed. This stage involves fine-tuning the pacing and timing of the video, as well as adding any additional visual effects or touches.

5. Distribution and Promotion

Share the video on your website and social media platforms. Promoting your video through paid advertising on Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and other platforms will also its reach and impact.

How long should an animated explainer video be?

Most animated explainer videos are between 30 - 90 seconds long.

What software is used to create animated explainer videos?

Adobe After Effects Screenshot

There are several software options that can be used to create animated explainer videos, depending on the specific needs and preferences of the creator. Some popular options include:

Adobe After Effects

This is a powerful animation and visual effects software that is widely used in the film and video industry. It offers a wide range of tools for creating and animating graphics, text, and other visual elements.

Powtoon

This is a cloud-based platform that provides a user-friendly interface for creating animated explainer videos. It includes a library of pre-made templates, characters, and other assets that can be used to create videos quickly and easily.

Toon Boom

This is a professional-grade animation software that offers a wide range of tools for creating 2D and 3D animations. It is commonly used in the animation industry for creating high-quality animated content.

Moovly

This is another cloud-based platform that provides an easy-to-use interface for creating animated explainer videos. It includes a library of pre-made assets and templates, as well as a range of animation tools.

Vyond

Formerly known as GoAnimate, this software allows users to create animated videos using a drag-and-drop interface. It includes a library of pre-made characters, backgrounds, and other assets, as well as tools for animating and customizing them.

Editing and post-production is usually done with Adobe Premiere Pro or Apple Final Cut Pro.

How much does an animated explainer video cost?

The cost of hiring a motion design agency to create your video will vary depending on the length of the video, the type of animation required, voiceover quality and the experience of the video production team.

As a rough estimate, a basic animated explainer video that is around 60-90 seconds in length might cost anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000, while a more complex video that involves custom character design, detailed animation, and advanced visual effects could cost upwards of $10,000 or more.

Get your animated explainer video for $250

Hire a freelance motion graphics designer

A less expensive but equally good option is to hire a freelancer. There are many online platforms where you can hire a freelancer to create an animated explainer video. Some popular options include:-

Upwork

This is a popular freelance platform where you can find and hire video production professionals with experience in creating animated explainer videos.

Huffwork

This is a marketplace for freelance services that offer a wide range of video production services, including animated explainer videos.

Freelancer.com

This is another freelance platform where you can post a job and receive bids from video production professionals with experience in creating animated explainer videos.

Behance

This is a platform that allows creative professionals to showcase their work and connect with potential clients. You can search for video production professionals with experience in creating animated explainer videos.

Motionographer

This is a job board that focuses on motion design and animation. You can post a job or search for video production professionals with experience in creating animated explainer videos.

Why should I get an animated explainer video?

Create awesome videos

Well, because video content typically performs better than images on social media platforms. This is because video content is more engaging and can capture the viewer's attention for a longer period of time, increasing the chances of them interacting with the content and sharing it with their own followers.

Studies have shown that video content on social media receives higher engagement rates than images or text-based posts. For example, according to a report from HubSpot, video content on Instagram received 49% higher interactions than images in 2020.

Additionally, social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter have been placing a greater emphasis on video content in their algorithms, meaning that video posts are more likely to be shown to a wider audience than image or text-based posts.

Creating video content for social media can be a highly effective way to increase engagement and reach a larger audience on these platforms.

Hire a professional video animator on Huffwork