Content formats
Explainer video: definition and examples
What is Explainer video?
An explainer video is a short video that communicates how a product, service, or concept works in clear and accessible terms, often combining narration with animation or visuals to make complex ideas easy to follow. Most follow a simple arc: identify a problem, present the solution, show how it works, and close with a call to action.
When you'd use it
- 1When a product concept requires context before a viewer can understand what it does.
- 2When a landing page has a high bounce rate and a short video could reduce the gap in understanding.
- 3When a new feature or category needs to be introduced to an audience unfamiliar with the space.
- 4When sales or support teams need a shareable video that covers the core pitch in under two minutes.
Example
A fintech brand produced a 45-second TikTok explaining how compound interest works using a single animation of a snowball rolling downhill, with no financial jargon and one on-screen number updated in real time. The video reached 4.8 million organic views and was the brand's most-shared asset that year across all channels.
Use cases
- 1Framing a common problem in the first few seconds, then showing how the product addresses it.
- 2Using motion graphics or screen footage to walk through a workflow that words alone cannot describe.
- 3Packaging a product's core value into a self-contained video that works without any accompanying text.
FAQ
What is the difference between an explainer video and a tutorial video?
An explainer answers the question 'what is this and how does it work?' A tutorial answers 'how do I do this step by step?' An explainer builds understanding of a concept. A tutorial builds a skill the viewer can apply immediately after watching.
Make on-brand short-form video from the footage you already have.