Explainer Videos: Making a Complicated Business Easy to Understand
If customers regularly ask, “What do you actually do?”, your business may need an explainer video.
An explainer video turns a complicated product, service or process into a clear 60–90 second story. It gives potential customers a quick way to understand the problem you solve, how your offer works and what they should do next.
For businesses across Brisbane and Moreton Bay, this can be especially valuable. Technology firms in North Lakes, professional services in Strathpine, manufacturers in Brendale and Lawnton, trades in Caboolture and Morayfield, and specialist providers across the region often have valuable services that are difficult to explain in a few lines of website copy.
Good business video production can make that explanation easier to understand, remember and act on.
What is an explainer video for?
An explainer video is a short, focused video that answers the customer’s most important questions quickly:
- What problem does this business solve?
- Who is the service for?
- How does it work?
- Why should the customer trust it?
- What should they do next?
A strong explainer is not just a general company introduction. It has a specific job.
You might use one to:
- Explain a complicated product on a website landing page
- Show how software, systems or technology work
- Help new customers understand your process before they buy
- Onboard customers after they sign up
- Train staff, franchisees, resellers or contractors
- Support sales conversations and presentations
- Give your team a consistent answer to “what do you do?”
- Create a shorter version for social media or paid advertising
For example, a software company in North Lakes could show how its platform saves an operations team time. A manufacturer in Brendale could demonstrate how a specialised component fits into a larger production process. A health provider could explain what a new patient can expect at their first appointment.
The video should make the first step easier.
An explainer video cannot fix a confusing offer
This is important: an explainer video cannot rescue a business offer that is unclear.
If your product has too many audiences, your pricing is difficult to understand or your service has not been properly defined, adding animation and music will not solve the real problem. The script needs to simplify the offer itself, not paper over confusion.
Before production begins, decide:
- Who is the video for?
- What problem are they trying to solve?
- What is the one thing they need to understand?
- What evidence can you provide?
- What action should they take next?
The clearer these answers are, the more useful the video will be.
Choosing the right explainer video style
There is no single best format. The right choice depends on what you need to explain, how important personal trust is and whether the audience needs to see a real product or process.
1. Live action with a presenter
A presenter speaks directly to camera and explains the offer in a clear, human way.
This suits:
- Consulting and professional services
- Financial and legal businesses
- Health and education providers
- Technology companies that want to build trust
- Businesses where the founder or subject-matter expert is part of the sale
A real person can make a complicated service feel more approachable. It also gives viewers a face to remember when they are ready to enquire.
2. Live action with voiceover and b-roll
This format uses narration over footage of your people, workplace, equipment, customers or process.
It works well for:
- Trades and services in Caboolture and Morayfield
- Industrial businesses in Lawnton and Brendale
- Manufacturing and logistics
- Specialist providers with a physical process
- Businesses that want to show their team without relying on a presenter
The voiceover explains the story while the footage proves that the business is real, capable and active.
3. Screen recording and software walkthrough
If the product is a platform, dashboard or digital workflow, showing the actual interface is often the clearest option.
A screen-based explainer can demonstrate:
- How a customer signs up
- Where to find a feature
- How a report is generated
- How different systems connect
- What a customer sees after logging in
This format should be recorded carefully at a high resolution, with a script that guides the viewer instead of describing every button on the screen.
4. Animation and motion graphics
Animation is useful when the subject is abstract, technical or difficult to film.
It can help explain:
- Data flows
- Software systems
- Invisible processes
- Financial concepts
- Infrastructure and networks
- A product that has not been manufactured yet
- A service delivered across multiple locations
Motion graphics can also highlight important numbers, steps, diagrams and definitions without interrupting the main story.
5. Whiteboard and illustrated explainers
Illustrated or whiteboard-style videos can make education and complex processes feel more accessible.
They suit:
- Training providers
- Health and wellbeing services
- Education businesses
- Community organisations
- Businesses explaining a multi-step process
The style should still match your brand. A simple visual approach can be effective, but it should not make a serious or technical service look childish.
6. A mixed-format explainer
Many businesses need a combination of formats.
For example, a technology company might use:
- A presenter to introduce the customer problem
- Screen recordings to show the software
- Motion graphics to explain the workflow
- Customer or workplace footage to build credibility
This is often the most flexible approach when the business needs both human trust and technical clarity.
How to write an explainer script that works
The script is the most important part of the project. Visual polish cannot compensate for a weak explanation.
Start with the customer’s problem
Do not begin with your company history, founding year or a list of services.
Start with the situation your customer recognises.
For example:
“Managing compliance across multiple sites can take hours every week, especially when your team is relying on spreadsheets and disconnected systems.”
That opening gives the viewer a reason to keep watching.
Use one idea per section
A simple structure might be:
- The customer’s problem
- The consequences of that problem
- Your solution
- How the solution works
- The main benefit or proof point
- The call to action
Each section should do one job. If the video tries to cover every feature, market and use case, the viewer may remember none of them.
Replace jargon with plain language
Your internal terminology may be familiar to your team but meaningless to a first-time customer.
Use:
- Short sentences
- Active language
- Everyday words
- Concrete examples
- Benefits before technical features
If a technical term is necessary, explain it once. Do not assume that the viewer has the same knowledge as your staff.
Write to a realistic word count
A 60-second explainer usually needs approximately 150 words, depending on the pace and style of delivery. A 90-second video may use around 200–225 words.
The final word count depends on pauses, demonstrations and the amount of dialogue. The script should always be read aloud and timed before filming.
If the subject needs more detail, create a longer walkthrough rather than cramming everything into one short video.
Finish with one clear call to action
Tell the viewer what to do next:
- Book a consultation
- Request a demonstration
- Download a guide
- Start a free trial
- Contact the team
- Visit a specific service page
Do not give the viewer five competing options at the end.
Storyboarding before filming
A storyboard maps the words to the visuals before anyone steps in front of the camera.
It can show:
- The script for each section
- The planned shot or animation
- On-screen text
- Screen recordings
- Diagrams and graphics
- The approximate timing
- The call to action
This planning stage helps identify problems early. For example, a line in the script might sound clear but have no useful visual to support it. Or a visual sequence might require footage that needs to be filmed at a customer site.
Storyboarding also keeps production focused. It reduces unnecessary filming and gives the editor a clear plan for assembling the final video.
Real staff, professional presenters or voiceover artists?
Using real staff can make the video feel authentic, especially when the person has genuine expertise and is comfortable speaking on camera.
However, not every expert is a natural presenter. A professional presenter may deliver the message with more confidence and consistency, while a voiceover artist can provide a polished narration without requiring staff to appear on screen.
The best choice depends on:
- How personal the service needs to feel
- Whether the subject-matter expert is comfortable on camera
- How technical the script is
- Whether the video will be used for sales, training or advertising
- How often the video may need to be updated
A good production team can help you choose the right approach rather than assuming every business needs a founder-led video.
Motion graphics, captions and on-screen text
Motion graphics should support the explanation, not distract from it.
They are useful for:
- Showing a process
- Highlighting a key benefit
- Defining a technical term
- Presenting a statistic
- Showing how systems connect
- Reinforcing the next step
Captions are also essential. Many viewers watch with the sound off, particularly on social platforms. Captions improve accessibility and help viewers follow the story when the environment is noisy.
On-screen text should be brief and easy to read. Use it to reinforce the main point rather than placing the entire script on screen.
For businesses considering broader corporate video production, the same principles apply: clear audio, purposeful visuals and a message designed around the audience.
Create different versions for different uses
One explainer does not have to mean one final file.
A useful versioning plan could include:
- 30-second cut: A quick advertising or social media hook
- 60-second version: A focused website or landing-page explainer
- 90-second version: More context for a complex offer
- Longer walkthrough: A detailed demonstration, onboarding or training asset
For training and internal communication, a longer format may be appropriate. You can also break a large explanation into a series of short videos. See how this approach can support your team in training videos that people actually remember.
How do you know whether the video is working?
Look beyond views.
Useful measures include:
- How long people watch
- Where viewers stop watching
- Whether the call to action receives clicks
- Whether landing-page enquiries increase
- Whether sales staff report fewer repeated questions
- Whether new customers understand the process sooner
- Whether staff or resellers complete training more successfully
If viewers leave during the introduction, the hook may not be relevant. If they watch to the end but do not act, the call to action or offer may need attention.
You can test different openings, lengths and calls to action. Customer questions from sales calls are also valuable evidence. If people keep asking about the same point, the video may need to explain it more clearly.
Updating your explainer video
Your explainer should be reviewed when:
- Your offer changes
- Your software interface is redesigned
- Your pricing or process changes
- Your target market changes
- A key claim is no longer accurate
- The video is generating views but not action
A modular script and well-organised project files can make updates easier. Sometimes a new edit or replacement screen recording is enough. Other times, a major change will require a new shoot.
The goal is not to create a video that looks impressive for one month. It is to create a useful business asset that stays accurate.
What drives explainer video production cost?
The main cost factors are:
- Script development and strategy
- Live-action filming days
- Professional presenters or voiceover artists
- Animation and motion-graphics complexity
- Custom illustrations or 3D assets
- Screen-recording and software demonstrations
- Number of locations and people involved
- Music, sound design and captions
- Revision rounds
- Different lengths, formats or aspect ratios
A simple screen recording with a clear voiceover will usually require a different budget from a filmed presenter, custom animation and multiple versions.
The most effective way to control cost is to get the message right before production begins. Clear objectives, an approved script and a practical storyboard reduce wasted filming and revisions.
Explainer video production in Brisbane and Moreton Bay
So Boss Media helps businesses turn complicated ideas into clear, useful video content.
Whether you are based in Strathpine, North Lakes, Lawnton, Brendale, Caboolture, Morayfield or elsewhere in Brisbane and Moreton Bay, the production approach should begin with your customer and the action you want them to take.
For a closer look at local business content, read our guide to corporate video production in Strathpine. We can also help with business overview videos, training content, retail videos, real estate shoots and drone footage when those formats support the wider message.
If customers struggle to understand your business, an explainer video may be the right next step. The first step is a conversation about what needs explaining.
Explainer video FAQ
What experience do you have producing explainer videos?
So Boss Media produces business video content designed to explain services, processes and customer benefits clearly. Our approach covers planning, scripting, filming, editing, captions, motion graphics and multiple final versions where required. The production style is selected around the message rather than used as decoration.
What experience do you have with business overview videos, training content, retail, real estate shoots and drone footage?
Our video production services cover business overview videos, corporate content, training videos, retail and product-focused content, real estate shoots and drone footage. These formats can also be combined with an explainer video when customers need both a clear explanation and visual proof of the business in action.
Do you write the explainer video script?
Yes. Script development can be part of the production process. We help turn your technical knowledge into a customer-focused explanation, then structure it around the target audience, runtime, visuals and call to action. Your team still reviews the facts and approves the final message.
Should we use animation or live action?
Use live action when people, places, trust or physical processes are central to the explanation. Use animation for abstract systems, data, software concepts or products that are difficult to film. A combination of live action, screen recording and motion graphics may be best for a complex business.
How long should an explainer video be?
Most website explainers work well at around 60–90 seconds, with approximately 150–225 spoken words depending on delivery speed. A 30-second cut can support advertising and social media, while a longer walkthrough may suit onboarding, training or a detailed software demonstration.
How much does an explainer video cost?
The cost depends on the script, filming requirements, animation complexity, voiceover, number of versions and revision rounds. A focused project with a simple format will cost less than a multi-location shoot with custom animation and several deliverables. A clear brief allows the scope and budget to be estimated properly.
How do we book an explainer video?
Contact So Boss Media to discuss what your customers find difficult to understand, where the video will be used and what action you want viewers to take. From there, we can recommend a format, plan the script and outline the production requirements.