Explainer videos have become one of the most popular ways for businesses to communicate their products or services in a simple, engaging, and memorable way. The effectiveness of an explainer video often depends on its animation style. Choosing the right style can dramatically impact how well your message resonates with your audience. This guide will walk you through the best animation styles for explainer videos and help you decide which one suits your needs.
2D Character Animation Styles
One of the most commonly used styles, 2D character animation, features characters that move in a two-dimensional space. This animation style allows for creativity and storytelling, helping to create an emotional connection with the audience. It’s versatile and works for almost any type of explainer video, making it a popular choice for startups and tech companies. The use of relatable characters can humanize complex products or services, making them easier to understand.
Best for: Storytelling, creating emotional connections, brand identity.
Use cases: Tech, education, customer service.
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Motion Graphics Styles
Motion graphics combine graphical elements such as shapes, text, and charts with movement, making it ideal for conveying complex information in an easy-to-understand manner. This style is often used for explaining data heavy topics, processes, or abstract concepts, particularly in industries like finance and healthcare. Motion graphics offer endless possibilities for customization, which makes them suitable for businesses wanting to maintain a clean, professional aesthetic.
Best for: Data visualization, abstract concepts, professional tone.
Use cases: Finance, healthcare, corporate.
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Whiteboard animation Styles
Whiteboard animation uses hand-drawn illustrations to explain ideas, typically unfolding in front of the viewer as if drawn in real-time. This style perfectly explains step-by-step processes or breaks down complex topics into digestible pieces. The simplicity and clarity of whiteboard animation make it highly engaging and effective for educational content, though it might need more visual flair than other styles.
Best for: Simplifying complex topics, educational content.
Use cases: B2B services, tutorials, healthcare.
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3D Animation Styles
For businesses that want a visually striking and realistic approach, 3D Animation is an excellent choice. 3D animated explainer videos are perfect for showcasing products in great detail or simulating environments that require depth and movement. However, 3D Animation is more expensive and time consuming than other styles due to the technical expertise and hardware required. It is ideal for industries like manufacturing, automotive, and architecture where visuals play a significant role in product demonstration.
Best for: High-quality visuals, detailed product demonstrations
Use cases: Manufacturing, real estate, architecture.
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Kinetic Typography Styles
Kinetic typography focuses on animating text in a dynamic way, making it a great option for brands that want to emphasize key points or tell a story primarily through words. It’s often paired with voiceovers and music to create an engaging experience, making it effective for short ads, social media, or explainer videos that need to get the point across quickly. However, this style can become monotonous if used for longer videos, as it relies heavily on text.
Best for: Highlighting key messages, text-heavy content.
Use cases: Commercials, presentations, storytelling.
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Screencast Videos Styles
Screencast videos involve capturing a computer screen to show how software, apps, or digital tools work. This style is straightforward, making it ideal for tutorials or product demonstrations where the audience needs to follow along with on-screen instructions. Screencast videos are often enhanced with additional animations like highlighting or zooming in on certain features for clarity.
Best for: Software tutorials, digital product overviews.
Use cases: SaaS, digital products, technical demonstrations.
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Stop Motion Animation Styles
Stop motion involves moving physical objects incrementally between shots to create the illusion of movement. This style can be eye-catching due to its artistic charm and is often used to create a whimsical or nostalgic effect. However, stop motion is labor-intensive and requires specialized equipment, making it more costly. It is ideal for brands that want a unique and artistic approach to their explainer videos.
Best for: Artistic appeal, standing out with a unique style
Use cases: High-end marketing, artistic campaigns.
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Cutout Animation Styles
Similar to stop motion, cutout animation uses cutout images—either hand-drawn or digitally created—and animates them by moving them incrementally. This style is simple yet effective, particularly when the focus is on delivering the message rather than flashy visuals. It’s often used for quick, affordable projects where time and budget constraints are critical.
Best for: Low-budget projects, simple storytelling
Use cases: Startups, educational content.
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Infographic Animation Styles
Infographic animation is ideal for presenting data-heavy information in an engaging way. It uses charts, graphs, and other visual elements to simplify complex data, making it easier for the audience to digest. This style works best for businesses that need to communicate statistical information, market trends, or business reports.
Best for: Data visualization, business reports
Use cases: Finance, corporate presentations, education.
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Live Action with Animation Styles
Combining live-action footage with Animation adds a layer of dynamism to videos by introducing animated elements such as text, symbols, or moving graphics over real-world footage. This hybrid style is great for businesses that want to convey authenticity through live-action while making their content more engaging with animations.
Best for: Humanizing products with added flair
Use cases: Brand videos, commercials, product demos.
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Conclusion
Choosing the best animation styles for your explainer video is crucial to how effectively your message is communicated. Whether you need the emotional connection of 2D character animation, the sleek professionalism of motion graphics, or the data-rich clarity of infographics, each style serves a different purpose. Consider your budget, target audience, and the complexity of your message when selecting the best animation style to meet your business goals.
With the right choice, your explainer video can educate your audience and leave a lasting impression.