Motion captures our attention, but it’s the story that keeps us watching.
Animated video gives brands a chance to do both—stand out in the scroll and stay with people long after. But to achieve both means thinking both strategically and creatively.
To make a real impact, you need more than just movement, you need meaning. Engaging animated video content blends clarity with creativity, bringing your brand story to life in a way that feels human. If you want to understand why animation works so well to capture attention and drive action, check out The Science of Engagement – Why Animated Videos Work So Well.
This guide walks you through how to do it well, including understanding the essentials of video and animation production, and choosing the right explainer video agency.
Whether you’re scaling up your video strategy or just getting started, you’ll find practical tools, smart insights, and a few creative nudges to help you lead your next campaign with confidence.
Let’s dive in.
Where many brands go wrong is in assuming that a great animated video starts with a visual idea. There's nothing wrong with feeling inspired and letting that feed the creative process. But to have real impact, we need to develop a well-thought-out, strategic brief.
Animated video is a sharp communication tool, but it needs an even sharper brief to actually engage. Without one, many succumb to saying what they want to say, not what the audience needs to hear in order to convert.
When done right, animation distils a complex multi-faceted subject and turns it into a succinct, compelling narrative. It’s one of the main reasons why explainer videos are so effective—they work because the thinking behind them is sound.
Here are some aspects to consider:
The most successful projects always have this alignment from the start. It’s not about overloading the brief with details—it’s about asking the right questions before a single frame is drawn.
Think of your animated video as a sharp tool scalpel—highly effective, but only when you know exactly what you’re using it for.
Too often, brands jump straight into production without pausing to ask the most important question: what are we actually trying to achieve here? And even more important: how will we know when we've achieved it?
Clarity at this stage is everything. The more defined your goal, the more purposeful the creative process becomes. Without it, your video risks looking nice but landing flat.
Is the aim to drive awareness? Shift perception? Explain something complex in a way that makes it feel effortless? Or are you aiming for conversions—getting viewers to act, not just watch?
Here are a few common objectives we see—and they’re worth reflecting on:
Once the goal is set, the whole production process should be orientated around this—from script to storyboard to final animation, that single focus will ensure you knock the ball out the park.
If you want your animated video to land, you need to know exactly who you’re speaking to. Too often a brand will want to maximise their budget by capturing the largest audience segment. However, the broader you target, the weaker the message will resonate.
Ask yourself:
It’s easy to get swept up in the creative, but the most powerful videos are the ones built around empathy. They don’t just show off—they show they get it. That builds both trust and authority.
By defining a core audience, we're not excluding the broader audience, but what we are doing to ensuring we create a video that compels action. Your audience feel understood, and in turn, they have greater trust you can deliver.
Every great animated video starts with one thing: a solid script. It’s the foundation that carries the weight.
Instead of rushing into the sell, we're gently guiding the viewer on a journey—from feeling understood, then excited—to building credibility, and finally a clear next step (CTA).
The best scripts don’t just inform, they're strategic without sounding forced. And they’re always written with two things in mind: who are we speaking to? What needs to land?
Essentially, we're guiding someone’s attention from initial need to resolution. "Ah, this is exactly what I need?".
The way the script is written is also crucial. Keep the language natural—like one human talking to another. And be ruthless with fluff. Every word should earn its place.
Pacing and rhythm matter too. Rush it and the message won’t sink in. Drag it out and you’ll lose them. A well-paced script feels like it breathes. Here's how to write a script that truly engages.
Storyboarding is where the words start to take form. Each line of the script is translated into visual intent—given weight, movement, and clarity.
We ask:
What is this line trying to say? And what visual will best support it?
Sometimes it’s literal—like showing a platform in action. Other times, it’s more emotional. If the line speaks to frustration or wasted time, how do we show that in a way people feel?
This phase is less about how things look and more about how they work. Does each scene earn its place? Is the flow natural? Are we leading the viewer clearly from one idea to the next?
It’s also where collaboration matters most. The deeper our understanding of your audience—and the real-world value you bring them—the stronger the visual storytelling becomes.
Animation style isn’t just an aesthetic choice—it’s a strategic one. It sets the tone, shapes perception, and influences how your message lands.
Choosing the right animation style is crucial to reflect your brand’s personality and speak directly to the people you’re trying to reach. Would a playful 2D approach feel more aligned? Or perhaps a polished motion graphics style would better suit a B2B SaaS brand?
Here’s a quick overview of some of the most common formats:
The key is to choose a style that does more than look good—it should serve the message, resonate with your audience, and feel like a natural expression of your brand.
There’s a reason 2D animation remains a go-to for so many brands—it’s the perfect blend of clarity, flexibility, and value.
Visually, it can present a clean, polished feel. That simplicity gives you space to focus on what really matters: telling a story that resonates. Whether you’re breaking down a complex service or introducing a new service, 2D animation delivers the message in a way that’s both engaging and easy to follow.
It also happens to be one of the most cost-effective formats. That means faster turnaround times, smoother collaboration, and more budget left to play with elsewhere. And because it adapts so well across channels—web, social, internal comms—it’s a solid choice if you’re looking for consistency without complexity.
2D doesn’t try to steal the show—it lets the story do the talking. That’s what makes it so powerful.
If 2D is about clarity, 3D is about immersion.
3D brings a level of depth or realism that can be very visually impressive. It's also perfect when you want to showcase physical products—which is hard to replicate with live-action or 2D.
Of course, it’s more demanding—both creatively and financially. But when used intentionally, 3D animation can elevate a brand’s presence, making your product feel premium and your messaging more memorable.
But it's also worth saying that 3D alone won't set your brand apart. A well-thought-out 2D explainer can easily outperform a poorly thought-out 3D video.
A great explainer video is the result of experience, strategy, and keen creative execution. That’s where a seasoned explainer video agency comes in.
The right agency won’t just ask what you want; they’ll dig into why you need it and who it’s for.
When choosing a video animation partner, don’t just look for flashy showreels. Look for the thinking behind the approach. Watch examples, put yourself in the audience's shoes and ask yourself: would this convince me?
Above all, clarity matters. A good agency will set expectations, be clear on timelines, deliverables, and feedback deadlines. A strong creative relationship is built on robust workflow that ensures clarity, and allows for creative expression.
And remember—this is a partnership. You bring the vision. They bring the craft. Together, you make something worth watching.
The voiceover and music you choose matters a lot more than people think. Your audience will be more put off by a grating or robotic voice, than poor visual execution. Same goes for music.
The right voice can instantly shift how your message lands: warm and trustworthy, playful and energetic, calm and instructive. It’s not just about delivering the words clearly; it’s about character.
Music works the same way. A great track sets the rhythm and mood—pulling people in, building tension, or lifting energy right when it counts. It’s what makes a message feel felt, not just heard.
Together, they do the heavy lifting when it comes to tone. But they need to be chosen with care. A misaligned voiceover or stocky music bed can cheapen a piece, no matter how good the visuals are.
So don’t rush it. Think about who you’re talking to and how you want them to feel. A good production agency will lead this process and give you castings they feel best align.
You might be forgiven for thinking brand guidelines are all you need—but most decks skip one important detail: how your brand moves.
Motion branding is often left out of the picture, yet it’s crucial for animation. The right explainer video agency will ask about more than colours and fonts. They’ll want to know: how expressive do you want to be? What kind of motion feels ‘on brand’? What references resonate (and which really don’t)?
Sometimes it’s about visual metaphor—perhaps starting in black and white to reflect a challenge, then transitioning to colour as the solution appears. Other times, it’s about finding a visual language that complements your identity without rigidly copying it.
Take 3D animation, for instance. Your brand palette might look different in a rendered, dimensional world. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong—it means you’re evolving the brand in a way that honours its essence, while embracing the strengths of the medium.
When the animation style feels like a natural extension of your brand, everything clicks. It becomes easier for your audience to connect the dots—and remember what they’ve seen.
It’s one thing to make a brilliant video—another to make sure people can actually find it.
That means your video title, description, and meta tags need to do some heavy lifting. Be clear, be relevant, and don’t shy away from including key terms.
Don’t stop there. Adding a transcript not only makes your video more accessible. It gives search engines more context to crawl. Essentially, an SRT subtitle file will literally tell Google the content of your video.
Then there’s the thumbnail. It’s often the first (and sometimes only) thing people see. Treat it like a visual headline.
Getting SEO right means your animated video won’t just be a great piece of content—it’ll be a discoverable one too.
There's a lot of myths surrounding what works and what doesn't on social. From our expertise we can tell you most of the information out there is misleading, or misses important context.
For example, a 60 second voice over lead video can work exceptionally well on LinkedIn.
That said, there are further gains to be had. Producing short, looping cuts can be exceptional for engagement on all social platforms. You'll also want to consider aspect ratio. 16:9 is a good format for most social platforms, with 1:1 a good option too. 9:16 for TikTok.
Your post title and description are also key. Engagement is what drives visibility, so give people a reason to watch. Ask a question. Start a conversation. Invite your audience to share their experience. That kind of interaction sends positive signals to the algorithm—and boosts reach without spending a penny.
In short: craft your content for the platform, post with purpose, and keep the conversation going.
Once you've released your animated video, monitor how it's performing.
Analytics give you a clear-eyed view on engagement metrics. Are people watching the whole thing, or dropping off halfway through? Are they sharing it? Commenting? Clicking through?
Start with the basics: view count and watch time. They give you an early signal of reach and how well the video holds attention. But don’t stop there. Audience retention reveals where viewers lose interest, and where they are most engaged (re-watched sections).
Then there’s engagement: likes, shares, comments. They’re not just vanity metrics, they show emotional resonance. If someone took the time to respond, something landed.
Budgeting effectively is crucial for high-quality animated video production. Begin by identifying examples you like and don't like. Matching your budget with your expectations is a pivotal first step.
Share these examples with a selection of agencies and ask how much they would cost to produce.
Many video animation agency's will be able to provide a clear price guide. Or if you're opting to use a freelancers, make sure you know what's included in their costs.
Agencies offer comprehensive 2D animation services but come at a premium. Freelancers will save a huge chunk of budget, but they won't have the full scope of expertise—from script writing to sound design.
You might also need to allocate funds for extras like voiceover and music licenses if you plan to use the video for paid advertising purposes.
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to animated video. But there is a recipe: clear goals, sharp strategy, and creative execution—all working in sync.
It starts with truly understanding your audience. Then crafting a message that not only informs, but moves them. From script to storyboard to animation style, every choice should serve the story you’re telling and the emotion you want to leave behind.
And while animation might look effortless on-screen, the real magic happens in the planning. The thinking. The alignment. That’s what transforms a good idea into a powerful piece of content that connects and converts.
An experienced agency will be there to guide the process every step of the way.
Either way, we've produced an animated video guide, including pricing examples and the production process that might just be the ticket right now. You can download our guide here.
