In the fast-paced world of digital media, longer videos are often overlooked or skipped over by potential customers.
Shorter explainer videos can be more effective than their longer counterparts because they quickly grab the attention of viewers and engagingly convey important information.
In this article, we will explore how using this exciting medium can help you unleash the sales and marketing power of 30-second Explainer Videos for showcasing your company and its products or services.
Let’s briefly see why shorter videos work before looking at some examples of 30 second explainer videos from the top animated explainer video companies.
Why are shorter explainer videos better than longer explainer videos?
Explainer videos should be concise and to the point, allowing viewers to establish understanding without being overwhelmed with too much information.
They should include enough relevant details that potential customers can immediately recognize how your product or service will benefit them.
Furthermore, shorter explainer videos are easier to promote on YouTube and Instagram where users want quick content they can easily digest within seconds. This can boost your social media game tremendously.
Does this mean longer explainer videos don’t work?
Far from it; deciding to use either type depends on the requirements of your marketing campaign. In addition, creating 30 second explainer videos poses its own challenges.
Here is a 30 second explainer video example created by Content Beta for ManyChat, the Facebook Messenger Chatbot:
What are the challenges of using short Explainer Videos?
Explainer videos are a great way to quickly and concisely explain your company's mission or product. However, the challenge of creating an effective explainer video in under 30 seconds is daunting.
Crafting a message that is both informative and visually stimulating can be difficult to achieve when time is limited.
- The primary challenge of short explainer videos is making sure all the important information gets across in such a short amount of time. Selecting what data to include and finding the right visuals to express it effectively can be tricky.
- Furthermore, balancing a clear explanation with an interesting story can also create stress for creators looking to make an impression on their target audience.
With these challenges in mind, companies should consider whether their message needs more than just 30 seconds when crafting their explainer video.

5 Ideas for making effective 30-Second Explainer Videos
1. Use them for explaining product features
Explainer videos have become one of the most popular methods for businesses to explain product features. They are short videos that provide brief, yet effective explanations of a product or service.
Using short explainer videos for explaining product features has several advantages:
- These types of videos can quickly and effectively demonstrate how a product works without having to read through long pages of text or watch lengthy tutorials.
- They allow companies to showcase their products in an entertaining way which makes them more memorable than traditional marketing materials.
- They can be easily shared on social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook giving companies extra exposure while also increasing their brand awareness.
Here is a 30 second explainer video example created by Content Beta for Axcess Talent Marketing Solutions:
2. Use them for Customer Testimonials
Explainer videos are one of the best ways to communicate a company’s message, products, and services within a few seconds. But did you know they can also be used to give customers a voice?
A short explainer video is an effective way to show customer testimonials in action. Research shows that consumers are more likely to purchase from a business that has a customer testimonial/explainer video on its website than one that doesn’t.
Here are some tips on how businesses can use these videos for customer testimonials:
- Consider the purpose of your video. What do you want customers to learn about your product or service? Once you have this established, focus on finding the right people for your customer testimonial.
- Make sure their story is engaging and relatable so viewers find value in it as well. If you can, film them in their home or workplace. This helps viewers see your product or service in action.
- Lastly, make it easy to find your video online and share it. Invite customers to share the video on social media channels, which will help you reach more potential customers.
Here is an example customer testimonial video featuring reactions from B2B software marketers. This can be easily repurposed into a 30 second explainer video example:
3. Use them to show Company Culture
Explainer videos are a great way to showcase your company’s culture and engage with potential customers.
While 30 second explainer videos are often used to introduce products or services, they can also be used to create an emotional connection with viewers by highlighting the values that make up your company’s culture.
Here are a couple of ideas for using 30-second explainer videos that will help bring your company culture to life.
- Feature stories of employees in the video. This can help viewers get a glimpse of how team members work together and how they embody the mission behind the brand. By including personal stories, you can show off what makes your business unique – something customers won’t get from traditional advertising methods.
- Use animation or infographics to highlight core values or beliefs within the organization such as collaboration, innovation, and creativity. This can be an effective way to let viewers get a taste of how your company operates. The video should not include narration or text. Instead, let the images speak for themselves.
Here is a 30 second explainer video example from Salesforce:
4. Use them to showcase your Corporate Social Responsibility
Explainer videos are an effective way to communicate a company’s message quickly, clearly, and succinctly. However, one use of explainer videos that businesses should not overlook is showcasing their commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and philanthropy.
These types of activities can be easily communicated using the right video production techniques.
Here are 6 ways to use 30-second explainer videos to demonstrate your organization's CSR and philanthropic initiatives. Create a series of 30 second explainer videos that :
- Focus on your company’s mission and values. Describe how CSR & philanthropy work benefits both your customers and your organization, emphasizing the positive results.
- Describe the kind of CSR & philanthropy work your organization does, how it raises funds, and why it's important.
- Indicate how your organization is unique from other CSR and philanthropy organizations by highlighting your innovative initiatives that offer a better solution to the problem.
- Clarify and simplify your organization's mission so potential backers understand what you do and why it's important.
- Explain how you plan to spend investors' money, so they understand how they will be involved in the venture and what they will gain from their investment.
- Feature any social responsibility awards or milestones achieved by the organization.
Here is a 30 second explainer video example from Starbucks:
5. Use them for Tutorials & Guides
Explainer videos are an excellent way for businesses to reach their target audience, and a great way to show customers how products or services work.
They can be used for tutorials and guides to quickly introduce users to the product, as well as provide step-by-step instruction on how it works. For companies looking to create educational content, short animated explainer videos can be an effective tool.
Create 30 second explainer videos that are :
- Concise and easy to watch, meaning they're likely to capture your viewer's attention while still conveying the message.
- Visually appealing so that viewers remember key points more effectively than just text alone.
- Capable of demonstrating complex concepts in a simple yet engaging manner that would otherwise take longer if done through written instructions or even audio alone.
Watch this 30 second explainer video example from Asana:
Conclusion
Explainer videos are an incredibly effective way to introduce new customers to your business and to help keep existing customers engaged.
A 30 second explainer video can be a great way to introduce potential customers to your business and help keep existing customers engaged. With the right creative ideas and SEO keywords, you can create the best explainer videos that resonate with your target audience.
Now that you understand the importance of creating an effective explainer video for your business, it’s time to create your own!