An animated explainer video is one of the most effective ways to communicate your message in a clear and engaging way. But before you commission an animation studio, it’s worth taking the time to consider a few key questions. The clearer your goals are from the start, the more effective your animated explainer video will be.
Here are five questions that we think every organisation should ask before starting an explainer video project.
1. What Do You Want Your Audience to Do?
Every successful explainer video begins with a clear objective. Ask yourself what action you want viewers to take after watching.
Your goal might be to:
- Increase enquiries
- Generate sales
- Raise awareness
- Explain a process
- Train employees
- Encourage donations
- Promote a new service
Having a clear outcome helps shape the script and visuals, ensuring every part of the video works towards the same objective.
2. Who Is Your Audience?
A video aimed at school pupils will look very different from one created for engineers or healthcare professionals.
Understanding your audience helps determine the style of animation, the language, the pacing, and the level of detail included. The more tailored your explainer video is to its audience, the more engaging and effective it will be. This is particularly important when a bespoke art style is being developed (as we do), so that demographic preferences can be taken into account.
3. What Makes Animation the Right Choice?
Animation is particularly effective when explaining complex ideas, visualising processes that can’t be filmed, or presenting sensitive topics in an accessible way.
It’s also ideal for businesses that want complete creative freedom, consistent branding, and content that can be updated over time.
Thinking about why animation suits your message will help you get the most value from your investment.
4. How Will You Use the Video After It's Finished?
An explainer video shouldn’t be viewed as a one-off marketing asset.
Consider how it can be used across:
- Your website
- Social media channels
- Email campaigns
- Sales presentations
- Exhibitions and events
- Training programmes
- Internal communications
You can also repurpose the characters, icons, and graphics created during production into website imagery, social media posts, infographics, presentations, and printed materials. Planning for this from the outset helps maximise your return on investment.
5. How Will You Measure Success?
Before production begins, it can help to decide how you’ll know whether your video has achieved its goal.
Depending on your objectives, you might measure:
- Website enquiries
- Video watch time
- Social media engagement
- Donations or sales
- Training completion rates
- Customer understanding
- Feedback from your audience
Setting clear success metrics ensures your explainer video becomes part of a wider communication strategy rather than simply another piece of content.
Choosing the Right Animation Studio
At Silver Lining Animation, we believe the best explainer videos start long before the animation begins. By understanding your audience, objectives, and communication challenges, we create animations that deliver measurable results.
Based in the North East of England, we’ve worked with businesses, charities, healthcare organisations, universities, and public sector bodies to turn complex ideas into engaging visual stories. Whether you’re launching a new product, training staff, or explaining a specialist service, we’ll help you create an animated explainer video that delivers lasting value.
If you’re thinking about commissioning an explainer video, we’d be happy to discuss your project and help you decide on the best approach, get in touch for a free consultation!
