If a picture is worth a thousand words, what's a video worth? If your answer was "more," then you're exactly right - and it's one of the reasons so many 'Net professionals are increasing their investment in the format.
An explainer video is a short (typically between 1 to 3 minutes), informative (often animated) video with a singular, specific purpose: fostering understanding between the brand and the user. Explainer videos typically use clear and concise language, coupled with functional and often entertaining visuals, to present ideas, products and services that not only convey what something is and how it works, but in a way that attracts attention (it's entertaining and compelling).
There are numerous solutions on the market to create explainer videos. While using a solution like Adobe After Effects can result in the best possible product, it's complex and requires more time to develop through that offering. Fortunately, there are many Web-based builders and they are perfect for those looking to create an explainer video or even a product demo without a great deal of financial or time investment. Let's take a look at a few of the most popular options available today, see what they cost and what features make them unique.
RawShorts: A drag-and-drop video builder that offers several attractice templates, the ability to upload (and customize) your own media, and then export the finished product. Offers a free plan and then two models - pay-per-export (ranging from $8-$20 per export depending on the number of exports) and subscription plans ($39-$49 per month).
Biteable: Perhaps the most elegant finished product, and most reasonably priced solution of the three listed here, Biteable is an explainer video solution worth exploring. Users can upload their own media, customize pretty much everything, and all for the bargain basement price of $99 per year.
Powtoon: Touting that more than 23 million videos have been created on its platform, Powtoon is a popular option in the explainer video space. Paid pricing (a limited free plan is available) ranges from $19-$59 per month.
