How to Make an Explainer Video (Step-by-Step Guide for 2026)

Explainer videos are one of the highest-converting pieces of content a business can create. A 60–90 second video that clearly explains what you do, who it's for, and why it matters consistently outperforms text on landing pages, product pages, and ads. The barrier to creating one has dropped dramatically with AI tools — but the fundamentals haven't changed.

Step 1: Define Your Goal and Audience

Before you open any tool, answer two questions: what action do you want viewers to take after watching, and who exactly is watching? Every decision downstream — tone, length, style, voiceover — flows from these two answers. A B2B SaaS explainer targeting CFOs looks and sounds completely different from a consumer app video targeting college students. Write a one-sentence brief: 'This video convinces [audience] to [action] by explaining [core value].'

Step 2: Write the Script First

The script is the most important element of any explainer video — more important than the visuals, the animation style, or the production quality. A great script with mediocre visuals outperforms a weak script with beautiful animation every time. Keep it tight: 130–150 words per minute of finished video is the standard voiceover pace. For a 60-second video, that's 130–150 words. For 90 seconds, 195–225 words. Start with the problem your audience recognizes, introduce your solution, explain how it works in 2–3 steps, and end with a clear call to action.

Step 3: Choose Your Visual Style

The four main styles are: animated (2D character or motion graphics), whiteboard, screen recording (for SaaS products), and live action. For most SaaS and tech products, 2D animation or motion graphics is the standard choice — it's flexible, scalable, and works without a production crew. Whiteboard style reads as educational and works well for explaining complex processes. Screen recordings work when the product itself is the story. Live action builds trust but costs significantly more to produce well.

Step 4: Use an AI Tool to Produce It

AI explainer video tools have compressed a process that used to take weeks into hours. Tools like InVideo, Synthesia, HeyGen, and Pictory handle different parts of the production pipeline. Synthesia and HeyGen are strongest for AI avatar presenters. InVideo and Pictory excel at script-to-video automation with stock footage and motion graphics. The right choice depends on your style preference and whether you want an on-screen presenter or a narrated animation. See our full tool comparison for a side-by-side breakdown.

Step 5: Record or Generate Voiceover

Voiceover carries the emotional weight of an explainer video. Options in 2026: record your own voice (most authentic, free), hire a voice actor on Fiverr or Voices.com ($50–200), or use AI voice generation (ElevenLabs, Murf, or the built-in voice in your chosen tool). AI voices have improved dramatically — the gap between AI and human voiceover is now mostly in microexpression and breath patterns. For most business explainer videos, a high-quality AI voice is entirely acceptable.

Step 6: Add Music and Sound Design

Background music sets the emotional register of your video before a word is spoken. Aim for something that supports the pace without competing with the voiceover. Royalty-free music libraries (Epidemic Sound, Artlist, or the library built into your AI tool) have enough range to find the right fit. Keep music at 15–20% of voiceover volume. Sound design — subtle whooshes, clicks, and transitions — adds polish that most DIY videos skip; it's worth spending 30 minutes on.

Step 7: Export and Deploy

Export at 1080p minimum. For web use, H.264 MP4 is the universal format. Host on Vimeo (cleaner, no ads, better controls) or YouTube (better for discovery). Embed on your landing page above the fold if conversion is the goal. Add captions — 85% of social video is watched without sound, and captions improve accessibility and watch time. A/B test the video thumbnail; it has an outsized effect on click-through rate.