An explainer video is a short video that shows what your business does and how it works, usually in under two minutes. Done well, it answers the questions every customer asks before they’ll get in touch, and it does so on your website all day without you in the room. Done badly, it’s an expensive video nobody finishes watching. This guide covers when an explainer video genuinely pays for itself, when it doesn’t, and what separates the good ones from the rest.

What an Explainer Video Is For

An explainer video has one job: to make something clear quickly. It works best when your service involves a process, a concept, or a decision that isn’t obvious from a few lines of text.

• Showing how a service works from start to finish
• Explaining something technical in plain language
• Answering the same questions every new customer asks
• Making a new or unfamiliar product easy to understand

That’s different from a promotional video, which is designed to grab attention and create desire rather than explain. If you’re not sure which you need, our comparison of explainer and promo videos sets out the difference.

When an Explainer Video Is Worth It

• Your service is hard to explain in a sentence
• You find yourself repeating the same explanation on every call
• Customers hesitate because they don’t understand the process
• You’re launching something new that people haven’t seen before
• You sell to other businesses and need to explain value clearly

In these situations, a good explainer video can shorten sales conversations, reduce hesitation, and help visitors understand you before they get in touch.

When It Probably Isn’t

• What you do is already obvious – a café, a hairdresser, a plumber
• Your customers buy on impulse or in an emergency
• The main problem is that people can’t find you, not that they don’t understand you
• You’d be making a video mainly because competitors have one

If your problem is visibility, a video won’t fix it – local search, advertising or social media will do more. An explainer helps people who’ve already found you; it doesn’t bring new people in on its own.

What Makes a Good Explainer Video

It’s short

Aim for 60 to 90 seconds. Every extra second loses viewers. If you need longer, you’re probably trying to explain too much.

It starts with the customer’s problem

Open with the situation your customer is in, not your company history. People keep watching when they recognise themselves in the first few seconds.

It explains one thing well

One service, one process, one message. A video that tries to cover every service ends up explaining none of them.

It works without sound

Many people watch with sound off, particularly on social media. Captions and clear visuals mean the video still makes sense on mute.

It ends with a clear next step

Book a call, get a quote, visit a page. Tell viewers exactly what to do once they understand.

Animated or Filmed?

• Animated explainers suit abstract services, processes and software, and are easy to update later
• Filmed explainers suit businesses where seeing real people, premises or products builds trust

Many local businesses benefit from filmed video because it shows who customers will actually deal with. Animation works better when there’s nothing physical to show.

Green Flags vs Red Flags

Where to Use It

• On the service page it explains – where people are deciding
• On your homepage, if it explains your core offer
• In sales emails and proposals
• Pinned on social profiles

Placing it where decisions happen matters more than where it gets the most views. A video on the right service page, backed by a site built to convert, does more than a video on the homepage alone – our guide to website design for small businesses covers the page side.

Why Glasgow Businesses Choose LightUpp

We produce explainer videos built around the questions your customers actually ask, alongside videography for filmed content. Because video sits with the same team as branding, social media and advertising, it matches your brand and gets used across your channels rather than living on one page. If a video isn’t the right answer, we’ll say so.

See our promo and explainer video work, or tell us what you need to explain. More about LightUpp.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should an explainer video be?

Usually 60 to 90 seconds. Long enough to explain one thing clearly, short enough that people finish watching.

Is an animated or filmed explainer better?

It depends on what you’re explaining. Animation suits abstract services and software; filmed video suits businesses where seeing real people and places builds trust.

Will an explainer video bring more customers?

Indirectly. It helps people who’ve already found you understand and trust you, which can increase enquiries. It won’t bring new visitors on its own.

Where should I put my explainer video?

On the page where people make their decision – usually the relevant service page – plus your homepage, sales emails and social profiles.

Related Reading

• Explainer Videos vs Promo Videos: Which Does Your Business Need? – if you’re not sure which type fits
• Website Design for Glasgow Small Businesses: What Your Site Actually Needs to Do – the page your video sits on
• Why Your Website Visitors Aren’t Converting (and What to Check First) – turning viewers into enquiries
• The Half-Second Test: Why Branding Decides Whether Glasgow Customers Notice You – why first seconds matter