Looking for a way to present complex software that won’t put people to sleep? You’re not alone. In a digital marketplace overflowing with technical jargon and feature lists, standing out means showing – not just telling – what makes your software unique. That’s why top technology companies are turning to software explainer videos that transform complex features into compelling visual stories that anyone can understand in seconds.
Introduction
Engaging explainer videos cut through the information overload and connect directly to the pain points of your audience. These videos explain what your software does and show why someone should care about it through clever animations, related scenarios and targeted messages that resonate with real users facing real problems.
At Explain Visually, we’ve created hundreds of software explainer videos that have helped companies significantly increase their user numbers and conversion rates. Our specialized approach combines technical accuracy with storytelling techniques that make even the most complex software solutions accessible and appealing to target audiences. We know exactly what works and what doesn’t when it comes to presenting software through visual storytelling. Today we’ll share that knowledge with you!
I. What are explainer videos?
Explainer videos are short, visually engaging pieces of video content designed to simplify and convey the essence of a product, service, or idea in a clear and concise way. These animated explainer videos often use visual storytelling, animations, or live-action visuals to capture the audience’s attention and make complex concepts accessible to a wide target audience. They are an essential tool in creating explainer videos that connect with viewers and deliver an engaging narrative in just a few minutes.
The primary goal of explainer videos is to educate, inform and persuade. Their goal is to:
- Educate your audience by breaking down complex and complicated features into easy-to-digest information, often using dynamic graphics and animation techniques.
- Inform potential customers about the key features and benefits of your product or service using software explanation videos or demo videos.
- Convince your audience to take action, such as signing up for a free trial, making a purchase, or learning more about an offer.
A well-made software explainer video uses stunning visuals and animations to effectively convey its core message and engage viewers. With professional editing tools, businesses can create animated videos that highlight key features and reflect their unique style. These videos work great as digital marketing tools on social media platforms.
Benefits of Using Explainer Videos in Software Marketing
Explanatory videos offer a number of benefits that make them an invaluable asset to software marketing. Here’s why they’re groundbreaking:
Increase brand awareness
Explanatory videos differentiate your brand by presenting your software in a visually compelling way. Animated visuals increase recognition and recall across platforms, so your brand stays in the mind.
Increase website traffic and conversions
Clear explainer videos showcase software features and guide viewers to take action, such as sign up or make a purchase. Short, engaging videos reinforce marketing strategies and engage viewers.
Simplify complex concepts
Explanatory videos simplify technical software concepts by using visuals and storytelling. They make features accessible to a wider audience using animated and whiteboard formats.
Versatility Across Channels
Explanatory videos integrate seamlessly with social media, emails, and landing pages. They adapt to showcase features, engage users, and deliver engaging storytelling anywhere.
With professional video editing software and the best explainer video maker, businesses can create stunning explainer videos that convey key messages in just minutes, ensuring that each video effectively communicates its purpose. By using these tools and following best practices, businesses can produce some of the best explainer videos in the industry, with high-quality visual style and impactful product demonstrations.
II. Characteristics of Effective Explainer Videos
Creating an explainer video that captivates your audience and conveys your intended message requires a combination of storytelling, clarity, and visual excellence. Here are the essential characteristics of effective explainer videos:
Engaging storytelling and clear messaging
- Resonant storytelling – Effective explainer videos create a story that connects with your target audience, making your content believable and memorable. These videos help you create compelling narratives that simplify complex concepts and effectively solve your audience’s pain points.
- Focus on features and benefits – They highlight key features and benefits of your product or service in a way that demonstrates their value. Whether it’s a software explainer or a demo, the message should highlight how the product provides an innovative solution to meet the needs of users.
- Concise and compelling – The narrative avoids unnecessary jargon, keeping the message clear, focused, and engaging to ensure that viewers quickly understand the key message. This clarity is key to creating a short video that keeps viewers engaged and makes an impact in just a few minutes.
Visual appeal and animation techniques
Aesthetically pleasing design
A visually appealing animated video grabs attention and maintains interest by combining dynamic graphics, video footage and animated elements to create an engaging experience. This allows the video to effectively communicate its purpose. This allows the video to effectively communicate its purpose.
Engaging and informative visuals
Visual elements not only captivate, but also help to clearly explain concepts, ensuring that they align with the brand’s visual style and tone. Using software explainer videos is especially effective for showcasing specific features and advanced features in a visually engaging way.
A Variety of Animation Styles
Using techniques like 2D and 3D animation, motion graphics, and even stop-motion animation can add creativity and dynamism to your animated explainer videos, keeping viewers engaged throughout the entire video. These animation techniques are ideal for creating explainer videos that connect with real users and stand out on social media platforms.
III. 10 Software Explainer Videos That Will Inspire You
Explanatory videos have become an indispensable tool for effectively presenting complex software solutions. Below are ten standout examples of explainer videos we’ve created for our clients, each tailored to specific industries and designed to simplify complex concepts while engaging audiences.
1. Smart Home with Blebox – Whiteboard Animation
Imagine living in a smart home where you can control your doors, windows, lights, and heating directly from your smartphone. That’s exactly what Blebox offers, and we’ve brought this idea to life with an Explanatory Whiteboard Video. The animation not only explains how the system works—from installation to daily use—but also highlights its costs, benefits, and the technology behind it. In less than a few minutes, we convey all the necessary information in an engaging and memorable way. Whiteboard videos were the perfect choice to present complex features in a simple, visually appealing way.
2. How to protect your phone from cyberattacks? – RAW Cyber
As cyberattacks on mobile devices continue to increase in frequency, protecting confidential data and business interests is becoming a growing concern. Our vector animation for RAW Cyber addresses this issue head on, showcasing their cybersecurity solutions. By clearly illustrating how their programs work, the animation captures the essence of their technology while ensuring its accessibility. The vector animation was chosen for its ability to vividly represent the software features and technological aspects of the product, making it an ideal choice for a cybersecurity company.
3. Diagnomatic Explainer Video
Diagnomatic, a company specializing in medical testing equipment, needed an explainer video to showcase their product at trade shows and during meetings with distributors. We started by thoroughly understanding their technology, which allowed us to create a script that effectively conveyed their key message. The video was created without narration, making it ideal for silent display on exhibition screens. Our experience in creating explainer videos for technology-focused companies helped us design a video that simplifies complex concepts and connects with the target audience.
4. How Can RPA Help Your Business? – Flobotics
Repetitive tasks like data entry and invoice processing can be tedious and time-consuming, but Flobotics offers a modern solution in the form of robotic process automation (RPA). We created an animated explainer video to show how RPA improves business processes, making them more efficient and less monotonous. The video explains the RPA concept in a clear and engaging way, while showcasing Flobotics’ expertise in the field, ensuring that their video content is both informative and memorable.
5. How to settle cryptocurrency transactions? – Firstcoin
Cryptocurrency trading is a complex process, but Firstcoin simplifies it with their innovative services. We’ve created a minimalist animated video that breaks down their offering, explaining how their solutions help businesses handle cryptocurrency transactions. Using a simple and clear visual style, the video showcases the benefits of the product, ensuring that the information is easy to understand and potential pain points are effectively addressed.
6. What is OSS and BSS? – Suntech
Operational Support Systems (OSS) and Business Support Systems (BSS) are essential components of telecommunications, but their complexity often makes them difficult to explain. For Suntech, we created an explainer video that presents these systems in a simplified and engaging way. By presenting the material visually, we made it easy for the audience to understand the benefits and functionality of OSS and BSS, turning a complex topic into an accessible and compelling narrative.
7. Plasmacluster Technology – Animation for SHARP
Plasmacluster technology is a cutting-edge innovation, and we’ve created an animation to show how it works. The film grabs the viewer’s attention with its dynamic graphics and concise narration, making it an engaging way to explain the technology. Studies show that animated explainer videos are often more persuasive than static illustrations, which is why we chose this format to effectively convey SHARP’s key messages.
8. Animation about the Compass app
Although the Compass app is intuitive, an animation can help users better understand its specific features and benefits. For this project, it was important to follow WCAG 2.1 standards to ensure the video was accessible to all users, including those with visual impairments. Not only does the animation meet these accessibility requirements, but the video also effectively communicates the value of the app in a way that engages and informs a diverse audience.
9. Do you hate queues at check-in? – Animation for Codefit
Check-in queues can be a source of frustration for both passengers and terminal staff. EasyQ by Codefit solves this problem by streamlining document processing and other formalities. To get this message across, we created an explainer video that shows how the app can save time and reduce stress. Engaging visuals and animation techniques effectively highlight the benefits of the app, making it a compelling tool for potential users.
10. Visitation Scheduling Automation – Flobotics
Flobotics offers innovative solutions for automating tasks such as patient profile creation and appointment scheduling. For this project, we created a video showing how their robotic process automation streamlines these processes, making them faster and more efficient. The animation clearly highlights the value of automation and demonstrates Flobotics’ experience in helping companies achieve better results with modern technology.
IV. Creating a compelling script for your animated explainer video
The script is the foundation of any successful animated explainer video, setting the tone and ensuring that your message resonates with your target audience. To create an effective script, the focus should be on clearly communicating the key features and benefits of your product or service. Highlighting these aspects in a simple and understandable way ensures that your audience will quickly understand the value you are conveying in your software explainer video demo.
Conciseness is key; the video script should be clear and to the point, without unnecessary details or jargon that could confuse or put viewers off. Instead, strive to create compelling narratives that flow naturally, keeping your audience engaged from start to finish.
A compelling script begins with a strong hook that identifies your viewer’s problem immediately. Start with a question or scenario that resonates with your target audience’s pain points:
“Ever spent hours manually updating spreadsheets?”
“Imagine cutting your customer response time in half.”
This emotional connection establishes relevance before you introduce technical details of your software solution.
Finally, an effective script must include a strong and actionable call to action. Whether you’re encouraging viewers to visit your website, sign up for a service, or make a purchase, your call to action should be direct and compelling, providing a clear next step for your audience to take. By combining clarity, engagement, and purpose, your script can lay the foundation for a highly effective software explainer video demo.
Choosing the Right Voiceover and Music
The voiceover and music in an animated explainer video play a key role in shaping how your message is received by your audience. A professional, clear, and engaging voiceover ensures that your video effectively conveys your key message. Your tone of voice should be consistent with your brand’s personality – friendly, authoritative, or casual – to create a connection with your audience and keep their attention throughout your short video.
Equally important is the background music, which sets the mood and enhances the overall viewing experience. Whether it’s energetic, calming, or innovative, the music should be in line with your brand identity and tone. It helps to establish an emotional resonance with your audience, complementing the animated elements and verbal components of your video content.
The voiceover and music must work seamlessly together. They should complement each other, creating a cohesive listening experience that reinforces rather than distracts from your message. A harmonious blend of voiceover and music ensures that your software demo video not only effectively conveys information but also leaves a lasting impression on your audience.
Choosing the best explainer video software
Choosing the right explainer video creator is a crucial step in creating high-quality animated videos that effectively convey your message. The best explainer video software tools should strike a balance between user-friendliness, feature-richness, and affordability. An easy-to-navigate user interface ensures that even beginners can use these tools to create professional-grade content without the need for extensive technical knowledge.
Feature-richness is just as important, as advanced tools provide greater creative flexibility. Options like character animation, motion graphics, and customizable explainer video templates make it easy to tailor your demo video to your specific needs. Affordability gives businesses of all sizes access to these tools without breaking the bank, allowing them to create stunning explainer videos.
Popular options like PowToon, InVideo, and Vyond are great choices for creating professional-grade animations. These platforms offer intuitive workflows and a variety of templates to help you get started, while also enabling you to create custom, high-quality animations and graphics.
Whether you need 2D animations, whiteboard explainer videos, or motion graphics, these tools provide the functionality to effectively and efficiently bring your vision to life. They help ensure that your video showcases the specific features of your product while maintaining a polished visual style and delivering a powerful compelling story.
V. Best Practices for Explainer Video Production
Keep it Short and Concise:
Explainer videos should be concise, ideally 60-90 seconds long, to maintain engagement while also highlighting key features and benefits. Include a clear call to action to guide viewers through the next step and effectively reinforce your main message.
Focus on the customer:
Tailor your explainer video to your customer’s needs and pain points. Show how your product or service solves their problems, making it relatable and valuable. End with a strong call to action, highlighting the features that directly address your audience’s challenges.
Use humor and emotion:
Incorporate humor or emotion to make your explainer video more engaging and memorable. Match these elements to your brand’s tone and identity, using them sparingly to reinforce your message. Make sure they support the story but don’t overshadow the main message.
Measuring the success of your explainer video
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Explainer Video Performance:
- Track KPIs like views, engagement rates, and conversions to assess how well your explainer video connects with audience and prompts action.
- Regularly analyze these metrics to highlight strengths and identify areas for improvement. Use this data to refine your strategy, optimize performance, and ensure your video effectively communicates its purpose.
When analyzing video performance, go beyond basic metrics and examine viewer behavior patterns. Track how much of your video people actually watch, where they drop off, and which parts they replay. For software explainer videos, measure post-viewing actions like:
- demo requests,
- feature page visits,
- conversion rate improvements compared to non-video visitors.
These insights help you understand if your explainer video is effectively communicating your software’s value proposition.
Using Analytics to track video performance:
Use analytics to monitor metrics like views, watch time, engagement, and conversions. These insights help you understand how your audience is interacting with your video and identify weaknesses. Use the data to make informed changes to increase impact and effectiveness of the video.
A/B testing for video optimization:
A/B testing allows you to experiment with different versions of your video. Test variables like scripts, animations, narratives, or calls to action to see what resonates most with your audience. This approach ensures that you deliver content that maximizes engagement and achieves the desired results.
Regular testing and iteration maintains high performance and ensures that your the film effectively conveys its main message.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Creating Explainer Videos
Weak scriptwriting and storytelling:
A poorly written script or poor storytelling can make an explainer video boring. It may not grab your audience’s attention. To avoid this, make sure your script is concise, clear, and engaging. Communicate key news in an engaging and understandable way. Create compelling narratives that are both user-centric and focused on pain points.
This makes storytelling memorable and helps viewers connect emotionally. A well-made animated explainer video ensures that your audience effectively understands the value of your product or service.
Low-quality visuals and animations:
Using low-quality visuals and animation can make your video content look unprofessional. This can damage your brand’s credibility. High-quality visuals are key to building trust and keeping viewers engaged. Make sure your visuals and animation techniques are engaging, informative, and consistent with your brand style.
They should reflect the professionalism of your product or service. Investing in professional video editing software helps maintain the quality of your explainer videos. Use the best software to effectively showcase the specific features of your product.
Ineffective messaging and call to action:
Ineffective messaging and weak calls to action can undermine the purpose of your video. Your primary message should be clear and concise. It should effectively communicate the benefits of your product and highlight key features.
Your call to action should be clear, compelling, and easy for your audience to follow. Guide them toward a desired outcome, such as making a purchase or signing up for a trial. A strong, actionable call to action ensures that your explainer video will deliver meaningful results.
How to Integrate Explainer Videos into Your Overall Marketing Strategy
Explainer videos shouldn’t exist in isolatio. They should reinforce and amplify your other marketing efforts. Start by identifying where the video fits in your customer journey. Is it:
- awareness-stage content for cold prospects,
- consideration-stage material for interested leads,
- decision-stage guidance for almost-converted customers?
This placement determines both content and distribution.
For maximum impact, maintain consistent visual branding between your explainer video and other marketing materials. Use the same color schemes, character designs, and overall aesthetic to build recognition. The language in your video should echo messaging in your website copy, sales materials, and customer support documentation.
Take advantage of this strategy!
Creating a library of your own videos that work together gives you flexibility across different marketing channels and customer touchpoints. Many businesses find success by developing a series of related explainer videos that address different aspects of their software, allowing them to nurture leads through the entire sales funnel with consistent messaging and visuals.
Creating Explainer Videos for Different Software Development Stages
Your explainer video needs change as your software evolves. For pre-launch products, focus on problem-solution frameworks and building anticipation without showing every feature in detail. These early videos should emphasize your unique value proposition and collect email signups or pre-orders.
For new releases, your new explainer video should showcase specific functionality with clear demonstrations of the user interface.
Our advice?
Focus on the most valuable or differentiating features rather than attempting to show everything. Include real screen captures alongside animations to give viewers an authentic sense of the experience.
Mature products benefit from case study-based explainer videos that show real-world applications and results. These videos can feature customer testimonials and specific metrics about time saved, revenue generated, or problems solved.
Our advice?
For major upgrades, it’s worthwhile for you to consider comparison videos that highlight improvements over previous versions or competitor offerings.
Application
Explainer videos simplify complex software concepts, making them easier to understand. They are powerful marketing tools that increase brand awareness, drive traffic, and increase conversions. By integrating animated videos into channels like social media, emails, and landing pages, businesses can expand their reach and influence. These videos effectively connect with their audiences by seamlessly presenting key features and benefits.
At Explain Visually, we specialize in creating explainer videos that captivate audiences and deliver measurable results. With over 500 completed projects in 19 languages, we have worked with both B2B and B2C clients to transform complex concepts into engaging, high-quality animations.
Whether you’re looking to showcase your product, train your employees or engage your customers, our team of experts are here to guide you through every step of the production process. From scriptwriting and storyboarding to animation and final delivery, we ensure your vision comes to life in the most compelling narrative imaginable. With our expertise in software explainer videos, we help you harness the power of video content to get real results and create stunning explainer videos that will captivate your audience.
When searching for reliable explainer video companies, it’s essential to look for specialists who understand your software’s unique aspects and target audience. Remember, the best collaboration happens when video creators take the time to thoroughly understand the product before creating any animations, ensuring technical accuracy while keeping viewers engaged.
Let us help you create an explainer video that will captivate your audience and drive your business goals. Contact us today to get started on your next animation project.