An engaging explainer video rarely comes from a clever idea alone. It comes from a clear explainer video process: agree on the goal, write and storyboard the message, choose a visual style, record the voice and sound, then publish and measure. Each step answers a question the next one depends on.
Explainer videos are short videos that explain a product, service or idea in plain language. Ours are animated, which lets us show things that would be hard or impossible to film.
In this guide, we walk through each stage as we run it at Epic Video Factory, with tips you can use whether you work with a studio or produce videos in-house.
Step 1 of the Explainer Video Process: Set the Purpose
Before any writing starts, agree on what the video is for. That starts with your target audience and the questions or problems they bring to you. Once you know who your viewers are and what they need to understand, you can shape the content around them. Common objectives for an explainer video include:
- Introducing a new product or service
- Demonstrating the use and benefits of your offering
- Simplifying complex concepts for easier understanding
- Differentiating your brand from competitors
Having a clear objective will guide your video’s narrative and keep the message focused. We capture these answers in a short brief before scripting; our creative brief questionnaire shows the kinds of questions we ask.
Step 2: Write the Script and Storyboard
A clear narrative is at the heart of an explainer video. The script sets out what the narrator says, and the storyboard sketches what viewers will see in each scene. Key steps for the script include:
- Begin with a Strong Opening: Address the viewer’s problem or question in the first few seconds, so they can tell straight away that the video is for them.
- Introduce Your Solution: Clearly outline your product or service and demonstrate how it addresses the viewer’s challenges or needs. Be concise and avoid jargon to ensure easy comprehension.
- Address Potential Objections: Address any questions or concerns that your target audience may have about your offering. This helps to build trust and credibility.
- End with a Call-to-Action (CTA): Conclude your video with a clear, actionable step for viewers to take that aligns with your objective—whether it’s to make a purchase, schedule a demo, or visit your website for more information.
Share the script and storyboard with a few colleagues or customers before animation starts, because changes are much simpler at this stage than after scenes are animated. Length matters too; our guide to video length covers how to match a script to where the video will be watched.
Step 3: Choose a Visual Style
With your script in place, choose a visual style that fits your brand and your audience. From simple line work to colourful character animation, each style suits different subjects. Common animation styles for explainer videos include:
- 2D Animation: Flat, illustrated characters and scenes. It’s versatile and well suited to breaking down complex concepts or portraying abstract ideas.
- 3D Animation: Modelled objects and environments that can show a product from every angle. It usually involves more modelling and rendering work than 2D.
- Whiteboard Animation: Images and text drawn on a white background, usually with a voiceover. It can distil complex information into simple visuals; we cover it in more detail in our article on whiteboard animation videos.
- Motion Graphics: Animated text, icons, charts and shapes, often used for data, software and processes, either on their own or alongside illustrated characters.
Step 4: Record the Voiceover, Music and Sound
Audio carries much of the message in an explainer video. Choose a voiceover artist whose tone, accent and pacing suit your brand and your audience, and record the final script once the storyboard is approved so the timing fits the scenes.
Background music and sound effects add mood and rhythm. Choose tracks that suit your visuals and tone without competing with the voiceover, and add accurate captions so people can follow along with the sound off.
Step 5: Publish and Measure Your Explainer Video
Where the video lives affects who finds it. For a video you want to appear in Google’s video features, Google’s video best practices recommend a dedicated watch page for each video where that makes sense for your business, and say the video must have a valid thumbnail available at a stable URL. For social channels, our social media video production team can prepare shorter, re-framed versions.
Once your video is live, track how it performs. Analytics tools can show views, watch time, audience retention, engagement such as likes, shares and comments, and click-through and conversion rates. These numbers show where viewers lose interest and which messages lead to action, which helps you plan the next video.
Engaging explainer videos come from following each step of the explainer video process in order: a clear purpose, a script and storyboard, a suitable visual style, clean audio and a plan for publishing and measuring. Skipping a step usually means revisiting it later, when changes take more work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the steps in the explainer video process?
Our projects move through five stages: set the purpose and audience, write the script and storyboard, choose the visual style and animate, record the voiceover, music and sound, then publish and measure. Feedback happens between stages so changes are made before the next step begins.
What do you need from us to start?
A clear goal, a description of your audience, your key messages and any brand guidelines, such as logos, colours and fonts. Examples of videos you like help too. If you’re not sure where to begin, the creative brief questionnaire is a good starting point.
Can we change the video after it’s finished?
Small changes, such as updating a line of on-screen text or swapping a logo, are often possible because every frame is designed digitally. Larger changes, such as rewriting the voiceover, mean re-recording and re-timing scenes, so it’s best to settle the script before animation begins.
Who should review the script?
Someone who knows the subject well, someone who represents your audience and the person who will approve the final video. Having all three review the script early helps avoid late changes.
Get Started on Your Explainer Video
A clear process makes an explainer video easier to plan, review and use. When each step has an owner and an agreed outcome, the finished video is easier to keep on message.
If you’d like help with any stage, our explainer video production team in Toronto writes, designs and animates explainer videos, including voiceover and music, for businesses and organizations, and our commercial video production service covers shorter animated ads built from the same assets. Call us at 1-888-590-5796 or request a consultation to talk about your next video.
