How to Produce a Great Explainer Video

Explainer videos are the superheroes of the marketing world—they take complex ideas and turn them into simple, engaging messages that connect with your intended audience. So, what goes into making an exceptional explainer video? Below are our top tips for making a video that’s clear, compelling, and impactful.

What is an Explainer Video?

An explainer video is a short, easy-to-understand video designed to break down a product, service, or concept. It’s concise, engaging, and perfect for making sense of complicated topics. Explainer videos are often used by businesses, nonprofits, and organizations to explain how something works, highlight a new service, or introduce an initiative in a way that captures the viewer’s attention and keeps them engaged.

What Makes an Effective Explainer Video?

Creating an effective explainer video goes beyond just having a great idea—it’s about delivering your message in a way that resonates and leaves a lasting impression. Here are the key elements we focus on to make our explainer videos clear, engaging, and impactful.

Clear Message

The video should have just one main message or purpose, presented in a straightforward way. You’ll want to avoid overloading viewers with too much information—this will keep your audience focused and ensure they retain your key takeaway.

Concise Script

In an explainer video, every second counts! Use simple, relatable language that doesn’t overwhelm the viewer, and aim for a friendly, conversational tone that engages without dragging.

Engaging Visuals

Visuals are key to increasing your audience’s understanding of the topic at hand. Whether you’re using animated characters, infographics, or live-action shots, your visuals should clearly align with your message and help guide the viewer’s eye.

Strong Call-to-Action

Every great explainer video leads the viewer to the next step. A well-placed call-to-action will guide viewers to take action, whether it’s signing up, learning more, or making a purchase.

High Production Quality

An effective explainer video will feel polished and seamless, even if that’s achieved with a simple animation and straightforward sound design. Crisp visuals, smooth transitions, and a clean, clear voiceover make a strong impression and demonstrate professionalism.

Relatable Tone and Style

Choose a tone and style that will resonate with your intended viewers—whether that’s friendly and lighthearted or professional and straightforward. Bonus points if the tone reflects your brand’s personality, making it easy for viewers to feel a genuine connection!

How to Create an Explainer Video

Crafting a standout explainer video requires a mix of creativity, clarity, and strategic planning. From shaping a clear message to refining visuals and scripting, each step is essential to creating a video that connects with viewers and meets your objectives.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to producing an explainer video that makes an impact:

1. Define Your Purpose

Before you begin filming, it’s critical to clearly define the purpose of your video. Who is your target audience, and what do you want them to take away from the experience? Whether you’re explaining a product, introducing a service, or raising awareness, a clear objective will guide the creation process. Knowing what you want viewers to feel or do as a result of watching your video helps shape your message and ensures the content resonates. A great production team can help you define your audience personas – and how to speak impactfully to them!

2. Write a Focused Script

A strong script is concise, engaging, and to the point. Aim to tell a story that’s easy to follow and relatable for your audience. To ensure that viewers stay focused on the key message, skip unnecessary details and avoid industry jargon—keep the language simple and direct.

3. Choose a Visual Style

Whether it’s animation, live-action, or motion graphics, pick a style that fits your brand and message. Animation often works well for breaking down complex ideas in a simple way. The style should complement your message and also feel authentic to your brand.

4. Create a Storyboard

A well-organized storyboard gives everyone a clear vision of the final product before production even begins. Map out each frame to show exactly what will happen, aligning visuals with the script to ensure everything flows seamlessly. This visual roadmap helps the team see how all elements will work together, making for a smoother, more cohesive video production process.

5. Record Your Voiceover

A professional voiceover makes a big difference, setting the tone and reinforcing your message. Ensure the voiceover reflects the mood you want to convey, whether that’s friendly, authoritative, or inspiring.

6. Add Music and Sound Effects

Background music and sound effects add polish to the final product. Choose music that fits the tone of your message and enhances the viewer’s experience without overshadowing the content. Subtle sound effects can also emphasize key points, adding a layer of depth to your video.

7. Edit and Finalize

Refine the video with smooth transitions, clean cuts, and adjustments to timing for a professional finish. Test it with a few people to ensure it’s easy to understand and engaging, and gather feedback on any areas that might need tweaking.

4 Examples of Effective Explainer Videos

Curious about the different styles of explainer videos? Explore these videos we created for clients, highlighting diverse messages and approaches:

1. Fundraising Campaign: Charlotte Country Day School

This animated video, created for Charlotte Country Day School’s “Forefront” fundraising campaign, uses engaging visuals and on-screen text to communicate the campaign’s goals in a clear, approachable way. With powerful messaging focused on shaping students’ futures, the video highlights how raised funds will directly benefit students through enhanced programs, resources, and facilities–inspiring viewers to take part in creating this brighter future.

2. Program Overview: Scale Up Charlotte

Created for Scale Up Charlotte, this animated video uses dynamic visuals and clear text to highlight a powerful city initiative for minority-owned businesses. It breaks down how the program empowers local entrepreneurs, drives growth, and strengthens the community—encouraging viewers to get involved and support this impactful effort.

3. Commercial: VIA Journeys – Palliative Care Concept

We used high-quality visuals and a carefully crafted tone to quickly capture attention in this commercial for VIA Journeys, a new palliative care concept. In addition to raising awareness, we wanted to bring the concept of compassionate care to life, helping viewers quickly grasp the value of this organization.

4. Program Overview: Smart Start of Mecklenburg County

This explainer video shines a spotlight on Smart Start of Mecklenburg County, an organization dedicated to ensuring every child is healthy, ready for school, and set up for success. We used powerful testimonials and high-quality visuals to highlight the critical role early childhood support plays in shaping a child’s future. It also invites viewers to get involved and support Smart Start’s work in building stronger families and brighter futures for kids.

Explainer Video Production Company in Charlotte, NC

If you’re looking to create a memorable explainer video, our award-winning production team specializes in creating engaging, high-quality videos tailored to your needs. Want to create a powerful video experience together? Contact us for a free consultation meeting!