Explainer videos are popular. And for good reason—they can work really well. But they're not the answer to everything. The mistake most companies make? They choose an explainer because it feels safe. Not because it's actually the right move for their situation.
Explainers have become a default choice. Someone mentions they need video, and "explainer video" gets suggested automatically. But that's like ordering pasta because you're hungry. It might work. It might not. Depends on what you actually need.
When explainers actually work
Explainers excel in three situations. First: when a service or process is complex and hard to grasp in writing. A tax service explaining deductions. A B2B SaaS explaining workflow. A technical product explaining how it works. Written explanations work. But they're dense. Video shows it in motion. That clarity is valuable.
Second: when you're explaining the same thing repeatedly—to prospects, new clients, during onboarding. You're tired of explaining. Prospects are tired of listening. A 2-minute explainer handles it. They get it faster. You save breath.
Third: when clarity matters more than emotion. You're not trying to inspire. You're not building a story. You're removing confusion. An explainer is purely functional, and sometimes that's exactly what you need.
They get used most on websites, in sales conversations, and for onboarding. They clear away questions and set expectations—before any conversation even happens. A prospect lands on your site, watches a 90-second explainer, suddenly understands what you do. They call you. The conversation starts at a higher level because they already get the basics.
When explainers fall flat
Not every story needs explaining. When trust, culture, or emotion are central—think recruitment or brand storytelling—an explainer comes up short. A job candidate doesn't want to understand your process. They want to feel connected to your culture. An explainer can't do that.
Explainers that try to persuade instead of clarify feel cold fast. They hand over information but don't build connection. And in a world where viewers decide in 3 seconds whether to keep watching, cold and informational is a risky bet.
An explainer about your company culture will always lose to a short documentary showing real employees talking about why they work there. The explainer tells. The documentary makes you feel. That difference matters more than you'd think.
Explainers aren't a replacement for story
An explainer is functional. It answers what and how, but rarely why. It explains your product. It doesn't explain why people should care or why your company exists.
That's why explainers work best alongside other formats. A corporate film or case video carries the story. The explainer provides structure. Together they're stronger than either alone. With Dräger, we paired explainer videos with case videos to introduce their XNODE technology in the industrial sector. The explainer broke down the product. The cases proved it worked. Both were essential. Neither would have worked as well alone.
Think of it like this: the explainer is the table of contents. The other content is the book. You need both for the full experience.
Length and style make the difference
A good explainer is short and clear. Too many details bog it down. Too little context and it feels empty. The sweet spot is usually 60-90 seconds. Long enough to explain something real. Short enough that people stay engaged.
Style—animation or live action—isn't a choice on its own. It flows from your message and your audience. Animation works for abstract processes. You can show something invisible or metaphorical. A SaaS platform becoming a workflow. Data flowing through a system. Live action lands better when human connection matters. When you want people to trust, seeing real people helps.
In Belgium, we've seen both work. But animation tends to work better for technical explanations where you're showing how something works. Live action works better when you want the human element—who's using this, what problem are they solving, why should they care.
Explainers as part of a bigger picture
Explainers work best when they're part of something larger. They answer specific questions at specific moments and fill in gaps elsewhere. A prospect lands on your site for the first time. They need to understand what you do. The explainer handles that. Later, when they're considering whether to buy, case video builds confidence. At onboarding, the explainer refreshes their memory and sets expectations.
That way they become a tool—not a catch-all that has to carry too much weight. They're positioned where they're strongest. They do one job well. Everything else is handled by other formats.
The mistake of making one explainer serve everything
Companies sometimes try to pack too much into one explainer. It becomes 5 minutes long. It covers products, pricing, use cases, benefits, and how to get started. By minute two, viewers have left. You asked the explainer to do a job it's not built for.
Better to have multiple explainers. One on your process. One on your product. One on how to use it. Each focused. Each short. Each clear. It takes more production time upfront. But each video performs better because it's not trying to do everything.
When to skip the explainer entirely
Sometimes the answer isn't an explainer. Sometimes it's a landing page with better copy. Sometimes it's a phone call. Sometimes it's a case video showing someone using your product in real life. An explainer isn't always the answer just because you need to explain something.
The best approach: start with strategy. What's the specific problem you're solving with video? Who needs to understand what? What's the best way to build understanding? Then figure out if an explainer is the answer. Often it is. Sometimes it's not.
Unsure if an explainer is the right call for your situation? We'll help you figure out what format actually works for what you're trying to achieve—no sales pitch, just honest strategy.
