For brands across Africa competing in fast-movingmarkets, from Lagos to Nairobi, Accra to Johannesburg, understanding how to create a great brand explainer video that leaves a lasting impression is vital.
It grabs your viewer in the first five seconds, simplifies your offer, and moves them to take action. However, it is not every explainer video that can achieve these results.
In this article, we break down the key qualities that make a brand explainer video truly effective.
Why You Need a Brand Explainer Video
We live in a world driven by video. According to Wyzowl’s 2024 State of Video Marketing Report, 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, and 87% of marketers say video has directly helped increase sales. More importantly, 96% of people say they have watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service. These numbers signal the trends you should include in your strategy.
For African brands, especially, where mobile-first audiences consume content at record speed, video is often the first and most powerful touchpoint between your brand and a potential customer.
Therefore, a well-crafted explainer video does not just inform, it builds trust, simplifies complexity, and drives real business results.
The Key Qualities of a Great Brand Explainer Video
Let us get into what actually makes these videos work.
1. A Clear, Focused Message
The number one mistake brands make with explainer videos is trying to say too much. When everything is important, nothing is. A great explainer video picks one core message and builds the entire video around it.
Ask yourself: what is the single most important thing your audience needs to understand about your brand? That answer is your foundation. Everything else, the visuals, the script, the pacing, should serve that one message.
Pro tip: If you cannot summarise your video’s message in one sentence, your script needs more work before production begins.
2. Compelling Storytelling That Connects Emotionally
Facts inform, but stories move people. The best brand explainer videos do not just list product features; they show a relatable problem, walk the viewer through a journey, and reveal your brand as the solution. This structure, often called the Problem-Agitate-Solve (PAS) framework, is one of the most proven storytelling formulas in marketing.
Think about it from your audience’s perspective. They are not searching for a product; they are searching for a solution to a pain point they already feel. When your video mirrors that reality and offers a clear way out, you create an emotional connection that no amount of promotional language can replicate.
Great storytelling also humanises your brand. It transforms your company from a faceless entity into something your audience can relate to, root for, and ultimately trust.
3. The Right Video Length to Hold Attention
Length matters more than most brands realise. Research from Vidyard shows that videos under 60 seconds have the highest completion rates, but for explainer videos, the sweet spot is typically 60 to 90 seconds. That is enough time to tell a compelling story and still respect your viewer’s time.
The discipline of keeping your video short forces creative clarity. Every word in your script, every scene in your storyboard, has to earn its place. The result is a tighter, sharper, more powerful video — one that viewers actually finish watching.
4. High-Quality Visuals
Visuals are a means of communication. In a great explainer video, every visual choice, from the colour palette to the animation style, is designed to reinforce the message and guide the viewer’s eye. Poorly designed visuals, on the other hand, distract and confuse.
Whether you use 2D animation, 3D animation, motion graphics, or live-action footage, the production quality must match your brand’s positioning. A premium brand with low-quality video sends a contradictory message. Your audience may not consciously notice good production, but they will absolutely notice bad production, and it will affect how they perceive your credibility.
5. A Professional Voiceover and Intentional Sound Design
Sound is half the experience of a video. A professional voiceover brings credibility, warmth, and authority to your brand story. The tone should match your brand personality, whether that is bold and energetic, calm and reassuring, or playful and witty.
Beyond the voiceover, thoughtful background music and sound effects set the emotional tone of the video. The right music makes your audience feel something, and that emotional response is what drives action.
As HubSpot notes, emotional marketing is one of the most powerful tools for building long-term brand loyalty.
6. A Problem-Solution Structure with a Strong Call-to-Action
The most effective explainer videos follow a proven structure. They open by identifying a problem the audience recognises. They then present the solution, your product or service, clearly and confidently. Finally, they close with a specific, compelling call-to-action (CTA) that tells the viewer exactly what to do next.
Without a clear CTA, even the most beautifully produced video loses its commercial impact. Whether it is Visit our website, Book a free demo, or Get started today, your CTA should be direct, urgent, and easy to act on. This is the moment your video converts a viewer into a lead or a customer.
7. A Deep Understanding of the Target Audience
This might sound obvious, but it is the quality most often overlooked. Great explainer videos are built around a specific audience, their language, their pain points, their aspirations, and their cultural context. A video that works brilliantly for an audience in the United States may fall flat for an audience in Nigeria or Ghana if the cultural nuances are not considered.
For African brands speaking to African audiences, this is a significant advantage. We understand what resonates locally. We know the references, the humour, the social contexts that make a message land. When your video speaks directly to your audience’s reality, it stops feeling like advertising and starts feeling like a conversation.
Choosing the Right Type of Explainer Video for Your Brand
Not all explainer videos are created the same way. The style you choose should align with your message, your audience, and your budget. Here is a quick overview of the most common types:
- Live-Action Explainer Videos: Ideal for building human connection and trust. Best for brands with physical products or people-centred services like healthcare, education, or consulting.
- 2D Animated Explainer Videos: Versatile, cost-effective, and great for explaining abstract ideas or digital products. Works across virtually every industry.
- 3D Animation: Brings depth and realism to technical or product-heavy explanations. Particularly effective for engineering, tech hardware, and architecture brands.
- Whiteboard Animation: Simple and instructional in feel. Well-suited for step-by-step explainers, educational content, or process walkthroughs.
- Motion Graphics: Great for data-driven content, financial services, or any brand that needs to make numbers and statistics visually engaging.
At DottsMediaHouse, we work with African brands to identify which style best fits their story because the right format amplifies everything else.
The Structure That Works Every Time
If you want a simple framework to evaluate or build your next explainer video, use this three-part arc:
- What: Open by acknowledging the problem your audience is facing. Make them feel seen and understood.
- How: Introduce your product or service as the solution. Show how it works, not just what it is.
- Why: Give your audience a reason to choose you over the alternatives. This is where emotional connection and brand trust come in.
Too many videos nail the “What” and the “How” but skip the “Why.” That is the part that builds brand loyalty and sets you apart in a crowded market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brand Explainer Videos
- How long should a brand explainer video be?
For most brands, 60 to 90 seconds is the sweet spot. That said, some product demos or technical explanations may stretch to 2 minutes. Anything beyond that requires exceptional storytelling to maintain viewer attention.
- Do explainer videos actually convert viewers into customers?
Yes. According to Wyzowl’s 2024 report, 84% of people say a brand’s video has convinced them to buy a product or service. Additionally, including a video on a landing page can increase conversions by up to 80%, according to Unbounce. The data consistently points in the same direction: well-made explainer videos convert.
- Should I use animation or live-action for my explainer video?
It depends on your brand, your message, and your audience. Animation offers more creative freedom and works well for abstract or digital-first products. Live-action builds personal trust and works well for service-based or people-centred brands. Many brands also combine both styles for maximum impact.
- Can I make an explainer video on my own?
You can — but the risks are real. Poor audio quality, weak scripting, or low-quality visuals can damage your brand’s credibility more than having no video at all. Partnering with an experienced agency ensures the final output reflects your brand properly and is built to convert.
Wrapping Up: Great Explainer Videos Are Intentional
A great brand explainer video does not happen by chance. It is the result of a clear message, a compelling story, the right visual style, and a deep understanding of your audience. When all of these elements come together, you get something powerful, a video that cuts through the noise, builds real connection, and drives measurable results.
At DottsMediaHouse, we have helped brands across Africa tell their stories through high-quality explainer videos that simplify complex ideas, connect emotionally with local audiences, and inspire action. We understand the nuances of African markets, and we know how to produce video content that resonates.
Ready to create an explainer video that actually works? Let’s talk about how we can bring your brand story to life.
