In order to make your own explainer video, you obviously need a good program. But with so many video software programs lining the shelf, which one do you choose? You naturally want the best one or all your hard work will be for naught. I have listed the top 8 explainer video software programs you can use for your next explainer video.
Let’s look at the criteria which should be able to help you narrow down your choices.
How to choose the best explainer video software?
In order to help you get the most of your efforts and money, look for the following qualities in the explainer video software you’re deciding on.
Pricing
There are many video software offering the same services, but for different prices. You don’t want to go for one asking for hundreds of dollars per month, right? What’s the point in creating your own explainer video if it’s not even cost-effective?
Moreover, chances are that you’re going to get the same quality service at a lower price. You just need to invest time in scavenging for the most effective pricing.
Quality
After you’re done with creating the explainer video, does it look professional? Is the resolution up-to-the-mark? Usually, the transitions won’t be as smooth, or the characters will look out of place.
Video programs will usually have a free trial- Use it. Make a small demo video and you’ll have an idea of what you’re dealing with.
Ease-of-Use
If you’re a novice animator, you’d want something that is easy-to-use while also delivering reliable results. Look for features like templates, drag-and-drop, music and image libraries of the program itself as well as the option to import it from somewhere else.
Point is, you shouldn’t feel lost, confused or frustrated with the program you’re using.
Use these properties to determine if an explainer video program is the right fit for you. There are software programs for all skill levels, so make sure that you’re being challenged in a healthy amount, leading you to create killer explainer videos!
Once you’re done choosing the software program, it’s now time to move on to the next important step: Creating an explainer video!
Before you go ahead with this, we’d like to share some important tips that years of experience have taught us!
Top Insider tips for creating your own explainer video
After you’re done planning your video content, take care of the following things!
Script
Andrew Follet says that the script is the key factor in deciding whether or not your explainer video is going to be successful. Think about it, your script is your message, your pitch! You’d want it to be strong and as convincing as possible, right?
Even though visuals make the explainer video engaging and interesting, your audience will soon get bored if they don’t get value from the video. Your script is the bridge between a visitor and a lead- leverage it!
Check out this article on how to write a killer explainer video script.
Voice-over
What’s the use of writing a good script if it’s delivered poorly? Think about what huge part audio plays in any animation or movie. Would you sit through a whole movie with bad-quality audio? I don’t think so.
To create semi-professional voice-over yourself, follow these steps:
- Keep your phone on a flat surface in a quiet room.
- Cover yourself with a thick blanket while bringing the phone closer to you.
- Start recording while keeping the script in front of you.
This is better than normally recording your voice on the phone. The blanket creates a barrier between you and the outside noise and keeps your voice confined in the little space.
Keep it simple
You’re probably tired of hearing this, but simplicity is key! Explainer videos should be short and sweet. Remember, their point is to offer a solution to the viewers, not confuse them with jargon!
The optimal length of an explainer video is 60-seconds. This is when the engagement is the highest, at about 77%! Keeping the length of the explainer video to 60-seconds, while covering all the important points and CTA is a challenge.
Question is, are you up for it?
Benefits, not features!
Would you buy a product that boasts all the features, yet it is of no use to you? Exactly. While talking about your product in the video, talk about how it will be beneficial to the viewers, not its features!
Remember, each second counts and your number one priority should be to engage the visitor enough that they get turned into a lead. And that’s only going to happen if they see value in what the video is telling them.
Once they’re impressed, they will automatically search the product/service advertised, so you can play with your feature section there.
In short, don’t boast about the product. Instead, make the customers see value in it. Tell them how the product/service will make their life easier.
These are some of the tips that we know drive up conversions, so make sure you capitalize on them!
Top Explainer Video Software in 2020
To help you narrow down research, we’ve chosen some of the top explainer video Software in the industry for creating explainer videos in 2020. Let’s see what they are!
It’s things like six unique video styles, low prices, and an animation library that landed Animaker on this list! It’s monthly pricing packages range from $19 to $59 depending on the package you choose. However, before that, they offer a free trial to create a 2-minute explainer video so you decide if it’s the right software for you.
Moreover, it’s also easy to use and lets you download the final video in HD quality, unlike other explainer video editors. If you want to create a professional explainer video in minutes, then Animaker is your destination. They make this possible by offering you 6 different video styles and access to their video tools, animation themes, and collaboration features.
Founder: RS Raghavan
More features:
- Social and multi-channel sharing.
- Drag and drop editor.
- Video infographics.
- Text support for over 50 languages.
Pixity Land character animation explainer is the most popular choice for creating explainer videos in Adobe After Effects. It supports hundreds of characters, scenes, and assets which helps you to conceptualize your video perfectly.
The toolkit is built in a way that accommodates novices, as well as experts looking to challenge themselves.
Adobe After Effects starts at $29.99 per month and is relied on to make industry-standard motion graphics and visual effects.
More features:
- Data-driven animation.
- Virtual reality effects.
- Motion graphics templates.
- Team projects and auto-save functionality.
Do you have a time-constraint? If so, then GoAnimate is the software to use. It’s one of the fastest and easiest video making software that lets you use colors, transitions and different characters.
With its drag and drop feature, it doesn’t take long to come up with a mind-blowing explainer video with this software.
GoAnimate supports lip-syncing, dialogue delivery, and realistic movements to engage your viewers even further, hence scoring you those leads!
It offers packages starting from $39 to $159 a month, adding layers of other features as you go from package to package. GoAnimate is a place that accommodates animators of all skill levels.
Founder: Alvin Hung
More Features:
- Step-by-step tutorials.
- Custom character creation.
- Text-to-speech feature.
- Animation with moving text and images.
- Dynamic media library.
For high-quality, industrial 3D animated videos, Maya is definitely one of the best on the market. Studios and experts use this software to create games, 3D scenes, movies, and characters.
Since Maya is more on the expensive side of the spectrum- $1545 per year- it gives 30 days of free trial to get the hang of it. Considering how much 3D animated explainer videos cost, this pricing is relatively affordable.
If you’re put off by the prices, please know that Maya more than makes up for it by its exceptional features of coloring, animating, and modeling.
Founder: John Walker
More features:
- Complex technical effects.
- High-level animation edits.
- Logo animation, title sequences, and branding.
Doodly specializes in Whiteboard, Greenboard, Blackboard, and Glassboard animations. It’s extremely easy to use and fast as well. It has a library of 1000s of images, characters, scenes, and sound.
All a user has to do is select a sequence of characters and sceneries, and then watch the magic happen as Doodly’s new technology animates those drawings into a video. This software requires little to no creativity, so it’s perfect for people who are looking for an easy-fix!
Its standard price starts from $39 a month to $69 a month for enterprises.
Founder: Jimmy Kim
More features:
- Video quality ranged from 360p-1080p.
- Create unlimited videos.
- A wide selection of female and male hands, inclusive of all ethnicities.
Blender is an open-source, professional 3D animation software that offers a wide range of applications like visual effects, feature films, and video games to name a few. It supports 3D features like modeling, simulating, animation, rendering, and tracking motion.
Experts lean towards Blender because of its advanced features like CPU, GPU, and VR rendering support. It even supports creating customized tools with python scripting, making it all the more appealing!
Founder: Ton Roosendaal
More features:
- Manual and auto-tracking.
- Customize the layout and interface.
- Masking and textured brushes for 3D painting.
- Camera restoration.
VideoScribe is a platform that is an all-rounder; It’s quick, easy, efficient, and inexpensive! It’s almost too good to be true.
It starts with $17.50 per month, quarterly plan for $35 and a yearly package for $96, making it far by the most affordable video editing software!
Videoscribe gives you access to its media library hosting over thousands of music and image files. Users can drag and drop different components that make up the video, hence speeding up the process of animating.
Founder: Zoe Taylor
More features:
- Offline working.
- Voice-over recording.
- Choice in video resolution
- Web publishing.
- Soundtracks and fonts import.
Rawshorts is a popular DIY Whiteboard animation program that offers some of the best explainer video templates on the market. Since it’s dedicated to only Whiteboard Explainer videos, you best believe the final output is going to be good quality.
It offers free trials to its customers so they can make their minds about whether they want to use it or not. It’s paid version starts from $49 a month and offers a wide spectrum of advanced features so that you can make a killer explainer video!
It’s easy enough for beginners to use, and yet with its advanced features, it also challenges experts to test their limits.
Founder: Antonio Otalvaro
More features:
- Text to animated video technology.
- Project collaboration and sharing.
- Media library.
- Graphic templates.
- Animated charts building.
Conclusion
Explainer video editors are a great way to spice up your text-based blog by offering you easy-to-use and quick services to create your own videos! The above-mentioned programs can be used by beginners as well as experts, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to promote your business through explainer videos!
After all, it’s a proven fact that explainer videos are a great marketing tool! 78% of marketers agree that explainer videos give them a good ROI. The fun part is, you’re not even spending thousands of dollars in explainer videos, so what’s the harm in trying one out?
Only good things will come to you, trust me!