Explainer videos are a smart marketing investment – in more ways than one.

You’ve probably seen all the usual explainer video statistics already. It’s engaging, it’s informative, it converts… so what?

Let’s tell you something you don’t know, shall we?

In today’s article, we’ll share with you the most surprising explainer video statistics that don’t make it into breathless blog posts about their numerous benefits – but you should know them all the same.

Here we go.

77% of viewers watch an explainer video for up to 2 minutes

For ages, marketers have believed the myth that human attention spans are shrinking like badly tied balloons. That consumers can concentrate for 8 seconds at a time (a misconception that’s been thoroughly disproved) – and that nobody watches any video content that’s even slightly on the longer side, ever!

Well, we’ve got good news for you:

Explainer video statistics tell us that for clips between 1 to 2 minutes, an average of 77% of viewers will watch them all the way through. That’s impressive! For comparison, only about 20% of people make it all the way to the end of a blog post (as we sniffle with disappointment).

After the 2-minute mark, the viewership drops from 77% down to 57%, which is still significantly better than other types of content – even other kinds of video!

By the way, if you’re curious about the “best” kind of explainer video, this case study reveals that 60-second animated videos retained viewers at the highest rate. So there you have it!

Homepage explainer videos are the most popular and effective

If you want the highest possible ROI from your explainer video, you need to ask yourself: where will it make the biggest impact on your growth and bottom line?

Well, according to this explainer video statistic, your homepage is the place to put it!

According to this survey, 83% of business owners report that their homepage explainer video is effective. That means it improves their conversion rates and attracts more paying customers!

If you use your homepage as your primary landing page, enhancing it with an explainer video is a no-brainer. For example, one of our clients generated an extra $250,000 in annual revenue thanks to their homepage video – within 45 days of publishing it on the website!

If you want to know more about creating a video for your website, check out this quick guide we wrote.

59% of senior executives prefer video

If you sell products or services business to business, the one thing that can make or break a sale is:

Your ability to persuade key decision-makers.

These people are busy, inundated with offers, surrounded by gatekeepers – and often skeptical by default. No pressure!

Well, when you’re dealing with someone like that, every little thing you do matters. So if you come across a statistic that tells you 59% of busy executives prefer to watch a video about a product or service rather than read about it or talk to someone… you want to take this advice to heart. If that’s how busy people want to be engaged, so be it!

Note: Regardless of your target market, we recommend that you use a combination of text, images, and video for maximum impact. Some people will always prefer to skim a page and get the gist of what you’re offering – while others will prefer to watch a video or listen to it in the background. Make sure either or both can deliver your entire message!

64% of business owners say explainer videos boosted sales

When we were researching material for this article, we asked ourselves, “Which explainer video statistics best show how effective this format is?”

And the one we immediately found was this one: 73% of business owners report positive ROI from using video marketing (and explainer videos in particular). But it’s much too vague. So we decided to look at the impact of explainer videos on revenue instead. After all, if something grows your bottom line, then by definition it is effective!

Well, according to this survey, 64% of business owners report that using explainer videos increased their sales. Of course, we’d still prefer to see specific numbers as opposed to self-reported assessments – but it’s still a very encouraging figure.

Bottom line is (pun intended) – if you want more sales, try explainer videos!

65-76% of consumers are OK with sharing branded videos

There’s this misconception that consumers dislike branded content. That they may watch it – if reluctantly – but they definitely won’t share it!

Luckily, explainer video statistics tell a different story.

It’s not that people have a problem with all branded videos… it’s that they dislike poorly made, generic, irrelevant, and boring content! And honestly, who doesn’t? Would you sit through a bad explainer video, or any video – branded or otherwise?

We thought so.

Here’s what people actually said about sharing branded video content:

  • 76% reported that they would share a branded videos if it was entertaining
  • 65% prefer to share videos if they find them informative
  • And only a measly 3% said they would never share a branded video.

So: when considering if you should create an explainer video for your business, which figure will matter for you more? The 65-76% who will engage with your content and share it if it’s entertaining or useful – or the 3% of buzzkills who mostly likely would never buy from you anyway?

That’s an easy decision if we’ve ever seen one!

Explainer videos are 50x more likely to get on Page 1 of Google

We have to admit, when we were researching explainer video statistics for this article, this one shocked us the most. We know Google loves videos, and video content often ranks higher… but 50 times more likely? That’s incredible!

On second thought, there’s a perfectly logical explanation. Google doesn’t favor video content or its own sake – they prioritize what engages people the most. Regular video is more captivating than other types of content… and explainer videos surpass even that mark!

A well-crafted explainer video can glue viewers to the screen like nothing else. Google’s “preferential treatment” just reflects this reality! So if you want the two biggest search engines in the world (Google and YouTube) to send that sweet, sweet traffic your way… invest in some kick-butt explainer videos!

Video is the #1 most-requested content asset (by consumers)

There’s too much content out there. Everybody is drowning in it – you, your team, your friends, your family… Your customers.

Understandably, they don’t want you to produce any old content. They want outstanding content. Something useful and entertaining. Something that engages them in the moment. And finally – something they don’t have to work very hard to consume!

Video checks all these boxes. That’s why over 50% of customers want to see more video content from brands. Chances are, your customers share this opinion and would love to see you produce more videos!

Hopefully, we don’t need to explain the benefits of giving people exactly what they want to see. Those should be self-explanatory. Great content – like explainer videos! – helps you attract and retain customers for life. People keep asking for it, so give it to them!

And one of the most surprising explainer video statistics is…

12% of business owners don’t use explainer videos at all. Why?

They aren’t sure about the results. What kind of ROI can they expect? Making explainer videos isn’t exactly cheap. What if they can get the same results in less time and by investing less money?

These are all legitimate concerns. We can’t advise you on alternative ways to invest your marketing budget – “what ifs” aren’t really our area of expertise. However, we can tell you all about the potential results and ROI of your future explainer videos!

If you’ve been mulling over the idea of making an explainer video, but you still aren’t sure if it’s going to be worth it, come talk to us!

We’ll get on a call with you and give it to you straight. If your brand isn’t at the stage where an explainer video would make good business sense, we’ll tell you as much. If your marketing dollars are best spent elsewhere, we won’t mince words and let you know.

And if you would benefit from a kick-butt, high-converting explainer video, we’ll happily discuss your concept and tell you about the potential ROI!

Book a free, no-strings-attached pow wow using the form below (or go here), and we’ll be in touch with you ASAP to book a date and time for your call!