Struggling to turn website visitors into customers? Feel like your message gets lost in digital noise? You’re not alone. Many businesses find it tough to explain complex ideas or capture attention long enough to drive action. But there is a way to simplify, engage, and sell all at once: 2D explainer animation. At Superpixel Animation Studio, I’ve seen how the right animation isn’t just visually appealing—it’s a powerful catalyst for business growth across industries.

2d explainer animation

Key takeaways:

  • Animation breaks down intricate products or services into digestible visuals.
  • Dynamic movement and storytelling hold attention better than static text or images.
  • Viewers remember information presented visually much more effectively.

What is an Explainer Video?

An explainer video is a type of video content that uses visual storytelling to communicate a message, idea, or concept to a target audience. Typically ranging from 60 seconds to 3 minutes, these videos are crafted to be engaging, informative, and easy to understand. By combining visuals, narration, and sometimes music, explainer videos break down complex information into digestible and compelling content that resonates with viewers.

Why 2D Explainer Animation Delivers Where Traditional Content Fails

Think about scrolling through endless text online. How much do you really absorb? Now, picture a short, engaging animation explaining the same concept. Game-changer, right?

Transformative Insight #1: Visual storytelling reduces decision fatigue and boosts retention. Static content overwhelms; animation clarifies with easy to understand visuals.

2D explainer videos play a crucial role in conveying complex ideas effectively.

For Business Owners: The Psychology Behind 2D Animation’s Effectiveness

  • Cognitive Load and Buyer Behavior: Complex text demands high mental effort. Animation reduces this cognitive load, making information easier to process, which lowers friction and encourages potential customers to proceed. Engaging visuals are key to enhancing retention.
  • Visual Hierarchy That Nudges Action: Skilled animators use motion, color, and composition to direct viewers’ attention toward understanding the value proposition and the call to action. Animated characters make the content more appealing and engaging.
  • Simplicity = Trust in Complex Solutions: For tech or intricate services, clear, simple explanations build trust. If you can explain it visually, buyers believe you understand it well.

Beyond “Explaining”: Driving Emotional Connection

Animation connects on an emotional level that pure text struggles to achieve. 2D explainer videos enhance brand recall by creating memorable narratives that captivate viewers.

  • Case-in-Point: Empathy + Visuals = Action: For the Family Mental Wellness Campaign 2022, we created a heartfelt 2D cel-animated short film for McDonald’s Singapore, MSF, and Families for Life. It wasn’t just explaining; it was storytelling that deeply resonated.
  • Result: The video achieved 300k YouTube views in one month, significantly boosting campaign awareness and emotionally connecting with families.
  • Customer Journey Alignment: Different animation styles and tones can suit various customer journey stages, from awareness (like McDonald’s campaign) to decision-making.
  • Data: According to Wire Buzz (2023), businesses using explainer videos often see conversion rates rise by 20% or more, as clear storytelling and visuals keep viewers engaged and effectively communicate marketing messages.

Cost-effectiveness of 2D Explainer Videos

2D explainer videos are a cost-effective choice for businesses and marketers seeking engaging, informative video content without high costs. They require fewer resources and can be produced quickly, making them ideal for limited budgets. Despite lower production costs, 2D explainer videos deliver high-quality visuals and compelling narratives that effectively convey your message and drive conversions.

When to Use 2D Explainer Videos in Your Business Funnel

Dropping an explainer video randomly won’t cut it. Strategic placement is key. Sharing these videos on various social media platforms is essential to maximize reach and engagement with your audience.

Transformative Insight #2: Timing your animation to the specific funnel stage multiplies its ROI. By aligning your animation with the right stage, you not only deliver visually appealing content but also strategically aim to increase conversions and drive sales for your business.

For Startups: Use at the “Pitch” or Product Launch Stage

  • Grab Investor Interest: A concise, compelling animation can communicate your vision and value proposition far more effectively than slides alone.
  • Visual Elevator Pitch Techniques: Focus on the core problem, your unique solution, and the market opportunity in under 90 seconds. Use a pre-designed template to quickly create personalized explainer videos by modifying various elements, streamlining the video creation process.
  • Explainer vs. Live-Action for MVPs: For Minimum Viable Products, animation can showcase functionality and potential before the full product is built, saving costs and allowing for easier iteration based on feedback. Discover examples of successful 2D explainer videos to enhance your startup pitches and improve your marketing strategies through visual storytelling.

For SaaS/Tech: Deploy at Onboarding or Feature Explainers

  • Reduce Churn: Clear onboarding animations help users understand how to use your platform immediately, improving their first experience and reducing the likelihood they’ll leave. Additionally, having a library of ready-made resources for creating these animations can significantly streamline the process.
  • Animated Tutorials vs. Docs: We’ve seen clients improve onboarding success rates dramatically with this approach by incorporating supplemental software that enhances the user experience with additional tools.
  • Real-World Impact: Imagine improving user onboarding completion by 40% just by switching from text guides to simple animations. It happens!

Not Just for Landing Pages

  • Internal Training, PR, and Email Campaigns: Use 2D explainer videos to train staff consistently, pitch stories to media, or boost email engagement. They effectively explain abstract services and simplify complex concepts into engaging visuals.
  • Cross-Platform Adaptability: Well-produced animations can be repurposed across YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, and more, maximizing your investment. As noted by eLearning Industry (2023), 2D animation’s adaptability makes it a versatile business asset.
  • Long-Tail Value: Unlike campaign-specific assets, a core product explainer delivers value for years. While live action explainer videos may cost more, 2D animations offer greater flexibility and affordability, making them a preferred choice for many brands.

Choosing the Right Style and Script to Convert

Not all animation is created equal. The right style and a killer script are crucial. Motion graphics play a significant role in creating visually engaging explainer videos by simplifying complex ideas and enhancing viewer engagement.

Transformative Insight #3: Style and script alignment is the ROI multiplier most businesses overlook. Creativity in storytelling allows for unique and imaginative representations of complex ideas, enhancing the viewer’s understanding and connection to the content.

For Brand Builders: Style That Matches Your Identity

  • Flat vs. Illustrative vs. Character-Driven: Choose a style that fits your brand’s aesthetic—modern and clean (flat), warm and approachable (illustrative), or personable and relatable (character-driven).
  • Animation Tone = Brand Tone: Match your brand’s personality in pacing, music, and visuals—whether playful, serious, tech-focused, or educational.
  • Case-in-Point: Style Enhancing Clarity: For AIA, we used a nostalgic, 8-bit-inspired 2D animated style to simplify complex Medishield Life Plan benefits, making them approachable and fun. Warm colors created a welcoming atmosphere that boosted engagement.
  • Result: This approach improved consumer understanding and made complex benefits memorable through engaging, simplified retro visuals.
  • Color Psychology: Use colors intentionally to evoke emotions and align with your brand palette, influencing viewer perception and action.
  • Animal Characters: Adding animal characters can make explainer videos more engaging and relatable.

The 80/20 of Script Writing for Decision-Makers

Hook → Problem → Solution → CTA

This classic structure works: grab attention immediately, state the pain point, present your product/service as the hero, and clearly direct viewers on what to do next. Keep the message simple and memorable.

Avoid Jargon, Add Tension

Use your audience’s language. Briefly build tension around the problem before revealing the solution for maximum impact.

90-Second Narrative Map

Aim for 60-90 seconds for most explainers to maintain attention. Break the key message into 15-second segments. This structured narrative simplifies complex ideas, making them easy to understand and engaging.

The Production Process of 2D Explainer Videos

Creating a 2D explainer video involves several stages, each crucial to producing a high-quality final product. Understanding this process can help businesses and marketers appreciate the effort and expertise required to create an effective explainer video.

Overview of the Production Process

The production process of 2D explainer videos typically includes these stages:

  1. Scriptwriting: Crafting a clear, concise, and engaging script as the video’s foundation.
  2. Storyboarding: Visualizing the script to plan the sequence of shots.
  3. Character design: Creating unique, relatable characters to enhance storytelling.
  4. Animation: Bringing the storyboard to life with movement and dynamism.
  5. Voiceover: Recording narration to convey the message with personality and clarity.
  6. Sound design: Adding sound elements that complement visuals and narration.
  7. Editing: Refining animation, syncing voiceover, and applying final touches.
  8. Finalization: Exporting the video in the desired format, ensuring quality standards.

Following these stages helps businesses create high-quality 2D explainer videos that capture attention, convey core messages, and leave lasting impressions.

Also Read: 3D Explainer Videos That Drive Business Success

Measuring What Matters — ROI of 2D Explainer Videos

How do you know if your animation is actually working? Track the right metrics.

Capturing the viewer’s attention is crucial to improving engagement metrics. By ensuring your 2D explainer video is compelling, you can significantly enhance viewer retention and interaction.

For CMOs: What KPIs Actually Reflect Animation Success

Watch-Through Rate vs. Click-Through Rate

A high watch-through rate (percentage of viewers who watch most or all of the video) shows strong engagement. A high click-through rate (CTR) on your call-to-action indicates it drives action. Both are vital. Uploading custom assets like music and sound effects can enhance the video and improve these metrics.

Bounce Rate Impact

For landing pages, track bounce rate. A good explainer keeps visitors longer, reducing bounce rates. Choosing a professional animated explainer video company ensures the final product meets goals and positively affects bounce rates.

Attribution Tactics

Use UTM parameters or dedicated landing pages linked from the video CTA to directly track conversions back to the animation.

How to Evaluate Video Quality Before Buying

  • Questions to Ask Animation Vendors: Inquire about their process, feedback handling, and how they ensure the animation meets business goals, not just aesthetics. Lighttouch Media Group (2021) recommends asking how they measure client success to assess their results focus. Choose high-quality explainer video services that blend technical skill with creative collaboration for engaging content.
  • Storyboarding Red Flags: A weak or unclear storyboard often results in a confusing final product. Confirm the narrative flow and key messages are clear before animation begins.
  • Portfolio vs. Performance: A polished portfolio is good, but request case studies or data showing impact on client metrics. Results outweigh aesthetics. In marketing, it’s vital to see how vendors measure success in audience engagement and campaign effectiveness.

Case Snapshot: Before and After a 2D Explainer

  • After: They implement a clear, engaging 90-second 2D explainer video on their homepage, effectively reducing bounce rates.
  • Metrics Comparison: Bounce rate drops by 30%, time on page rises 50% thanks to engaging visuals, and demo requests increase by 15%.
  • Strategic Decision: This success supports further investment in animation for onboarding and feature announcements (like AIA’s insurance clarity or McDonald’s awareness campaigns).

How to Get Started with a 2D Explainer That Drives Growth

Ready to harness the power of 2D explainer animation? It simplifies complex messages, boosts engagement and retention, enhances your brand, and drives conversions. We create explainer videos tailored to your business, ensuring they connect with diverse audiences. For tangible results—more leads, better understanding, higher conversions—partnering with professionals matters. We offer free consultations and access to a vast library of royalty-free music to help you create engaging videos.

From Confusion to Clarity—Let Animation Drive Your Next Leap

Stop letting confusing messaging stall your growth. Whether you need to educate customers, onboard users, or launch a new product, 2D animation offers a clear, compelling path forward by simplifying complex concepts into easily understandable visuals.

At SuperPixel, we’re not just animators—we’re storytellers and strategic partners. We guide business owners like you through every step, from crystallizing your message to crafting animation that performs.

Also Read: A Guide to Finding the Best Explainer Video Company