Before we dive into the tools, let‘s level-set on the immense value effective explainer videos can provide across digital marketing, sales enablement and customer education.
The Rising Prominence of Explainer Videos
Animated explainers have rapidly become go-to visual storytelling mediums for brands seeking to simplify complex products, demonstrate value propositions, and walk customers through key features and capabilities in engaging memorable ways.
In fact, just over this past year:
- Explainers shared on social media now garner over 150 million views per month
- 92% of customers say videos like explainers help them make buying decisions, per Insivia
- Shoppers who viewed product explainers were 1.81x more likely to purchase than non-viewers, says Wyzowl
And when compared to traditional static webpages and images, animated videos drive much higher viewer retention, clicks and conversions:
| Medium | Avg. View % after 30 Secs |
| Blog Posts | 20% retention |
| Images | 15% retention |
| **Videos** | **80% retention** |
But perhaps most importantly, explainers eliminate friction and doubts during purchase evalulations by clearly communicating complex product value and functionality visually. Buyers better understand exactly how offered solutions will solve their pains.
Now let‘s explore the leading animation software platforms enabling the creation of such impactful videos…
A Brief History of Explainer Video Styles
Before diving into leading tools, it‘s instructive to understand how we arrived at popular formats used across explainers produced today:
1970s – Rudimentary 2D digital vector tools emerge for basic shape animation
1990s – 2D begins maturation with prominent usage across commercials and Saturday morning cartoons like Dexter‘s Laboratory. 3D enters through early video games.
2000s – Flash animations pop across web banners and interactive games. Video sharing sites like Youtube fuel explosion of digital shorts.
2010s – Rapid innovation across brushless vector drawing tablets combined with intuitive online apps democratize animation. Rise of detailed infographic motion graphics to display data.
2020s – Real-time 3D visualization, AR/VR and AI-generation point towards far more immersive and automated future explainers
Underlying these innovations we find two consistent vectors – increasingly intuitive tools lowering barriers to quality animation, and interactive digital venues like social feeds craving compelling video.
Equipped with this creative firepower, modern brands craft explainers leveraging styles like:
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2D Motion Graphics: Animated logos, typography and illustrated graphics in a video format with slick scene transitions
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Whiteboard Animation: A hand magically sketching out scenes which come to life with accompanying narration
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3D Product Visuals: Photo-realistic CGI fly-throughs of digital models enhanced with overlays
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Video Infographics: Dynamic charts, icons and statistics explaining complex data
Now let‘s explore leading animation platforms enabling each style…
The 11 Best Explainer Video Animation Software Platforms
1. Adobe After Effects – The Motion Graphics Powerhouse
As the industry standard animation toolkit used across blockbuster movie production, Adobe After Effects provides unmatched capabilities for crafting rich 2D motion graphics videos.
While the learning curve is steep, no other tool offers such fine-tuned control over explainer video design leveraging:
- Keyframe animation across vector layers
- Dynamic scene transitions powered by compositing engine
- Library of prebuilt animation templates
- Integration with full Adobe Creative Cloud suite
Underlying Technology: Proprietary layer and keyframe animation engine combined with acquisition of industry-leading compositing system Adobe first purchased in 1994 from Company of Science and Art.
Sample Explainer Videos:
Burberry Leverages After Effects Cyberpunk Motion Graphic Aesthetic
Uber Demos Delivery Process Powered by AE Illustration Animation
Recent Updates: Enhanced 3D design capabilities and improved integration with Adobe Character Animator for auto lip sync
Founders: Created by the Company of Science and Art founded in Providence, Rhode Island in 1993. Adobe acquired CoSA in 1994 and product branded as After Effects.
Pricing: $21.99/month via annual Creative Cloud Subscription
Ideal For: Design professionals seeking unlimited capabilities for custom motion graphics limited only by imagination. Allows endless fine-tuning if you invest the ramp-up time.
2. Vyond – Video Animation Simplified
Formerly known as GoAnimate, Vyond focuses specifically on easily animating human spokesperson-style videos walking through key messages – ideal for many explainer applications.
Instead of requiring meticulous frame-by-frame illustration, Vyond auto-generates lip-synced body mechanics from imported voice tracks using simple drag-and-drop templates.
Key Features:
- Customizable animated human characters with props
- Automated lip synchronization to voiceovers
- Hundreds of integrated video templates
- Team collaboration workflows
Sample Explainer Video:
Law Firm Demonstrates Case Process via Vyond Illustrated Legal Eagles
Recent Updates: Enhanced close-up face customization and added photorealistic 3D environments
Founders: Founded as GoAnimate in 2007 by Alvin Hung, and acquired by Vyond in 2019.
Pricing: Pro plans from $39/month
Ideal For: Anyone seeking to easily generate avatar-driven explainers; great for internal communications illustrating processes. Removes animation friction.
Now let‘s compare the spectrum of leading options across key evaluation criteria…
Animation Software Comparison Matrix
| Adobe After Effects | Vyond | Blender | Powtoon | |
| Animation Styles | 2D Motion Graphics | 2D Character Illustration | 3D Modeling + Physics | 2D Templates |
| Learning Curve | Steep | Gentle | Steepest | Gentlest |
| Pricing | $$$ | $$ | Free | $ |
| Render Speed | GPU Accelerated | Browser-based | System Dependent | Cloud |
| Ideal User | Motion Design Pro | Process Illustrator | 3D Generalist | Video Novice |
Based on capability-weighting across key criteria, Adobe After Effects emerges as the Editors‘ Choice for designing fully custom 2D motion graphics explainers. While advanced keyframe animation mastery remains required, GPU rendering optimizations continue improving iterative cycles.
For easiest onboarding, Powtoon‘s expansive digial asset library and intuitive sequencing pre-qualifies the platform to produce templatized explainers in minutes – an accessibility win for non-animators.
On pure customization spectrum however, Blender seizes the crown. By granting full access to bleeding-edge 3D tooling at no cost, Blender removes all complexity barriers outside modeler/rigger skill ceilings to constructor intricate VR-ready explainers.
Now let‘s spotlight supplementary resources useful across video initiatives:
Enhancing Animation Projects
While software forms animation‘s core foundation, creators often leverage various asset libraries, templates and plugins to further boost explainer video impact:
Stock Music + Sound Effects
Mood-setting audio backdrops supplementing voice narration helps set the ambience. From upbeat backgrounds to foreboding tones timed to dramatic moments, services like Artlist provide licenses sound access.
After Effects Templates
For animators leaning on Adobe AE, sites like Videohive offer both free and paid pre-built templates like digital phone X-ray effects to quickly stylize projects.
Script Writing + Voice Actors
Well-crafted narrations bridge the gap between visuals and audience understanding. Sites like Fiverr provide on-demand access to talented voice actors and script writers.
For the full spectrum of animation enhancers – from 2D character rigs, to background matte paintings – comprehensive marketplaces like Animation Boss offer production-ready toolkits.
Additional Explainer Inspiration
For designing impactful stories that compel audiences, video showcases and interviews with professional animators reveal effective tactics:
[Embedded Videos]Now flex your newly unlocked animation powers to launch explainers that convert!
Start Building Your Visual Stories
As screens increasingly become primary customer touchpoints, explainers represent immense opportunities for brands to demonstrate products and guide buyers through key benefits in memorable cinematic ways unbounded by physical limitations.
Through utilizing the spectrum of tools and resources covered, you now hold capabilities to translate visions into stylized reality limited chiefly by imagination.
We encourage continuing conversations in comments below for even more insights into launching sleek explainer videos that educate and excite audiences.
Now – time to animate!
