Explainer videos can be incredibly powerful. When done right, they grab attention, simplify complex ideas, and drive conversions. But let’s be honest – there’s a fine line between engaging and forgettable. So, if you’re thinking about producing an explainer video, or you’re in the middle of the process, it’s worth taking a moment to consider the common pitfalls. Avoiding these 15 mistakes could be the difference between a video that works hard for you… and one that falls flat.
1. Rushing the Scriptwriting Process
The script is the heart of your explainer video. If it’s not clear, concise, and structured properly, the whole video will suffer. One of the biggest mistakes people make is diving into production without giving the script enough attention. This often leads to videos that ramble, confuse the viewer, or fail to get the message across.
Writing a great script takes time – and more importantly, feedback. You’ll want to write it, read it aloud, test it with others, and revise. It should flow naturally, and every sentence should serve a purpose. Many scripts try to do too much, squeezing in every possible detail. But explainer videos are all about simplicity and clarity. Less really is more.
The tone of your script also matters massively. You need to match your audience – are you speaking to tech-savvy professionals or first-time users? A mismatch in tone can alienate viewers or make your brand feel disconnected. If you’re not sure what tone to go for, imagine explaining your product to a friend. That’s usually a good starting point.
Finally, don’t forget the call-to-action (CTA). It’s surprising how many explainer videos just… end. You’ve captured someone’s attention, explained your offering, and then given them no next step. A strong CTA is like a handshake at the end of a conversation – it makes everything feel complete and gives your viewer a reason to act.
2. Focusing Too Much on Features, Not Benefits
It’s easy to fall into the trap of listing all the features your product or service offers. After all, you’re proud of them – and rightly so. But your viewer doesn’t care about features in isolation. What they care about is how those features help them. What problem do you solve? What pain do you remove?
When you focus purely on features, you risk sounding like a user manual. You might mention advanced analytics, cloud integration, or high-resolution exports – but unless you connect those to real-world benefits, viewers won’t engage. It’s like saying your suitcase has 12 compartments – okay, but why should I care? Oh, it makes packing quicker and keeps things organised? Now I’m listening.
This doesn’t mean you should ignore features entirely. Just prioritise benefits. Frame your features in the context of outcomes. Instead of saying, “Our app tracks user activity,” try, “See what’s working in real time so you can tweak your campaigns and grow faster.” That’s the kind of language that sticks.
In essence, viewers need to see themselves in your video. They should be thinking, “That’s me – that’s the issue I face – and wow, that could make my life easier.” If you can make them feel that, you’re on the right track. If not, it might be time to rework your messaging.
3. Ignoring Your Target Audience
One-size-fits-all rarely works in marketing, and explainer videos are no exception. One of the biggest missteps is failing to clearly define and address your target audience. If you try to speak to everyone, you’ll probably end up connecting with no one.
Your audience determines the tone, pace, visuals, language – everything. Are you targeting busy professionals who want the facts quickly, or are you speaking to curious learners who need a bit more background? Knowing your audience lets you tailor the message and create something that resonates.
Audience research doesn’t have to be overly complex. It could be as simple as speaking to existing customers, running a quick survey, or reviewing your analytics to see who’s already engaging with your brand. These insights help you build a viewer profile that keeps your video focused and relevant.
At the end of the day, people engage with content that feels like it was made just for them. If your video speaks directly to their challenges and aspirations, you’ll earn their attention – and trust. Skip this step, and you risk sounding tone-deaf or generic.
4. Making the Video Too Long
Attention spans are short – brutally short. In most cases, you’ve got less than 10 seconds to hook someone, and maybe 60–90 seconds to get your message across. Yet many explainer videos stretch well past the three-minute mark. That’s a big mistake.
The longer your video, the more likely viewers are to drop off before they’ve heard your key points. It’s tempting to include every single detail, but that’s not what explainer videos are for. Their job is to spark interest, not to answer every question. You can always give viewers more information elsewhere – through a landing page, demo, or follow-up content.
Shorter videos force you to be sharper. They push you to refine your message and make every second count. Think of it as storytelling with discipline. It’s not about cutting corners – it’s about cutting the fluff and keeping things punchy.
If your explainer video is running long, take another look at the script. What’s essential? What’s just “nice to have”? Be ruthless. And remember – if people are interested, they’ll happily click through to learn more. But first, you’ve got to earn their attention.
5. Using Poor Quality Voiceover
The voiceover is your narrator, your guide – the voice that walks your viewer through the story. So, when the audio quality is bad or the delivery is dull, it can ruin the whole experience. You might have great visuals, clever scripting, and a solid message, but if the voiceover sounds like it was recorded in a cupboard, you’ll lose people fast.
It’s not just about recording quality – although that is crucial. It’s also about performance. A flat, lifeless voiceover can make even the most exciting product feel uninspired. Conversely, a lively, well-paced delivery can make your video far more engaging. It’s all about striking the right tone and pace to match your audience and your message.
Many businesses try to save money by recording the voiceover in-house. While that’s fine in some cases, it often leads to a sub-par result. Professional voiceover artists don’t just read lines – they interpret them. They know how to add the right inflection, emphasis, and pauses to keep things flowing naturally.
Think of your voiceover as the personality of your video. Would you want someone dry and robotic introducing your product? Probably not. You’d want someone warm, confident, and trustworthy – someone who makes people want to keep watching. That’s why this part is worth investing in.
6. Choosing the Wrong Visual Style
Visual style plays a huge role in how your message is received. Some explainer videos use slick motion graphics, others go for playful animations, and some opt for live-action. There’s no “best” style – but there is a best style for your brand, your audience, and your message. Choosing the wrong one can seriously dilute your impact.
For example, if you’re explaining a complex tech solution for enterprise clients, a cartoonish style might undermine your credibility. On the other hand, if you’re launching a quirky new app aimed at teens, dry corporate visuals won’t connect. It’s about alignment – making sure the look and feel of your video match what you’re trying to say.
A common mistake is picking a style just because it’s trendy. While it’s fine to draw inspiration from others, your video needs to feel authentic to you. If your visuals feel generic or mismatched, they won’t leave a lasting impression – and worse, they could confuse or mislead your audience.
Ultimately, your visual style should support the message, not distract from it. It should enhance the story, reflect your brand, and help viewers understand what you’re offering. When all those elements work together, the result is a seamless, memorable experience.
7. Trying to Be Funny When It Doesn’t Fit
Humour can be a powerful tool in explainer videos – when it’s done well. But when it’s forced, out of place, or just not very funny, it can really backfire. One of the biggest mistakes is using humour just for the sake of it, rather than asking whether it actually suits the message or the brand.
The risk with humour is that it’s incredibly subjective. What makes one person laugh might leave another completely cold – or worse, offended. If your humour feels inappropriate or out of step with the subject, you risk alienating your audience and diluting your message.
That said, if humour genuinely fits your brand voice and target audience, it can make your video stand out. It breaks down barriers and helps your message stick. But it needs to be well thought-out and executed with a light touch. Slapstick gags, overused memes, or awkward jokes rarely go down well in professional contexts.
So before you add that punchline or quirky visual gag, ask yourself: is this helping the story? Does it feel natural to our brand? Will our audience find this entertaining, or distracting? If in doubt, it’s often better to keep things clear and sincere rather than trying too hard to be clever.
8. Skipping the Storytelling Element
Every great explainer video tells a story – even if it’s a simple one. Yet many videos fall into the trap of being just a list of points or product features, with no narrative structure. That makes it much harder for viewers to stay engaged or connect emotionally.
Storytelling adds flow and gives your message context. It usually involves a basic structure: a problem, a solution, and a positive outcome. You don’t need an epic tale – just enough of a narrative thread to guide your viewer and help them understand why your offering matters.
Think about the user’s journey. Start with a scenario they recognise – a pain point or challenge they face. Then introduce your product or service as the solution. Show how it works and, crucially, what changes as a result. This simple arc helps create empathy and drives home the value of what you’re offering.
The magic of storytelling is that it makes your content feel less like a pitch and more like a conversation. It creates a natural rhythm, making it easier to follow – and remember. People forget facts, but they remember stories. So, give them a good one.
9. Forgetting About Branding
Your explainer video is part of your brand ecosystem. But many videos feel like standalone pieces with little connection to the rest of the business. If viewers can’t tell who made it or remember your brand afterwards, that’s a missed opportunity.
Branding isn’t just about slapping your logo on at the end. It’s about weaving your identity throughout the video – through the tone of voice, colour palette, typography, style of animation, and even the music. All of these elements contribute to a cohesive brand feel.
Consistency is key. If your video looks completely different from your website, social media, or product, it creates confusion. Viewers might love the video but not connect it to your business. On the other hand, strong branding builds recognition and trust. It helps your video reinforce who you are.
So, make sure your brand shines through in every part of the production. Treat your explainer video not as a side project, but as a core expression of your brand identity. When people watch it, they should know exactly who you are and what you stand for.
10. Not Including Subtitles or Captions
It’s easy to assume people will watch your video with the sound on – but in reality, many won’t. Whether they’re scrolling through social media with the volume muted or in a public place without headphones, plenty of viewers rely on subtitles. So, not including captions is a big accessibility and engagement mistake.
Subtitles don’t just help people who can’t hear your video – they help everyone. They make your content easier to understand, especially if your audience includes non-native speakers or those watching in noisy environments. It’s also great for retention; when people read and listen at the same time, they tend to remember more.
From an SEO standpoint, subtitles can be beneficial too. Search engines can’t “watch” videos, but they can crawl text. Including subtitles gives you a chance to boost visibility and make your content more discoverable online. If you’re sharing your explainer video on platforms like YouTube or LinkedIn, captions are practically a must.
There are plenty of tools out there now that make adding subtitles easier than ever. Whether you’re doing it manually or using AI to assist, it’s worth the extra effort. It makes your video more inclusive, more versatile, and ultimately, more effective.
11. Overcomplicating the Message
Clarity is everything in an explainer video. You’re there to simplify, not show off how clever or technical you can be. A common mistake is trying to cover too much, use jargon, or throw in every possible detail. The result? A confusing video that overwhelms rather than informs.
Your viewer should be able to understand your message in one watch – ideally, in the first 20 seconds. If they have to rewind or rewatch to “get it,” something’s gone wrong. Keep the language plain, the structure tight, and the visuals supportive, not distracting.
It’s also important to stick to a single core message. What’s the one thing you want viewers to remember? Build everything else around that. If you find yourself explaining multiple products, use cases, or audiences in a single video, you’re probably better off splitting it into separate ones.
Remember – simplicity doesn’t mean dumbing things down. It means making things clear. That’s a skill in itself, and when you do it well, your audience will thank you for it. If you’re unsure whether your message is too complex, try explaining it to someone outside your industry. If they understand, you’re good to go.
12. Ignoring Mobile Viewers
These days, a huge portion of your audience will be watching on their phones. Yet many explainer videos are still designed with only desktop users in mind. If your text is too small, your visuals too detailed, or your layout too wide, you’re making life hard for mobile viewers.
Designing for mobile doesn’t mean compromising on quality – it means being smart about layout and readability. Keep text large and legible, use bold visuals, and avoid cluttered screens. Mobile users don’t have the luxury of big screens, so you need to make sure every element is easy to digest at a glance.
It’s also worth thinking about orientation. Is your video square? Landscape? Vertical? Different platforms have different preferences, and what works well on YouTube might not translate to TikTok or Instagram. Ideally, you should create different versions of your video optimised for different platforms.
The bottom line? Don’t treat mobile viewers as an afterthought. They’re likely to be your biggest audience – and if they can’t engage with your video properly, you’ll miss out. Design for mobile from the start, and you’ll end up with a more flexible and future-proof video.
13. Neglecting the Call-to-Action (CTA)
You’ve explained your product, captured attention, and built interest… but then what? If your video ends without a clear call-to-action, you’re leaving viewers hanging. It’s like ending a conversation with no goodbye – it feels abrupt and unfinished.
Your CTA doesn’t have to be pushy, but it should be specific. Whether it’s “Visit our website,” “Sign up for a free trial,” or “Watch the next video,” you need to give viewers a next step. Think of it as the natural conclusion to your story – now that they’re interested, what should they do?
Where you place your CTA matters too. End of the video is obvious, but you might also hint at it earlier, especially if your video is longer. And don’t be afraid to reinforce the CTA visually and verbally. Repetition helps the message stick.
Skipping the CTA is one of the most common – and costly – mistakes in explainer videos. You’ve done the hard work of getting someone’s attention. Now guide them forward, even if it’s just a small step. Every bit of momentum counts.
14. Forgetting to Test Before Launch
You’ve spent time and money creating your explainer video, and you’re excited to launch – but wait! Have you tested it? Rushing to publish without getting feedback can lead to avoidable mistakes slipping through the cracks, whether it’s a confusing message, poor pacing, or even a typo in the subtitles.
Testing doesn’t have to be complicated. Share it with colleagues, customers, or even friends outside your industry. Ask if the message is clear, if anything feels off, or if the video keeps their attention. Honest feedback is invaluable, especially from fresh eyes who weren’t involved in the production process.
Sometimes, even a small change – adjusting the tone of voice, tightening the intro, or shortening a scene – can make a big difference. The goal is to fine-tune, not to start over. And the earlier you test, the easier it is to make changes.
Launching a video without testing is a gamble. If it doesn’t perform well, you might not know why – and you’ve missed the chance to improve it before it went public. So take a beat, get feedback, and go live with confidence.
15. Treating It as a One-Off Project
Finally, one of the most common mistakes is thinking of your explainer video as a one-and-done job. In reality, explainer videos are part of a bigger content strategy. If you only use it once or tuck it away on a landing page, you’re missing out on its full potential.
You should be using your explainer video everywhere – on your homepage, in email campaigns, social posts, sales presentations, and even in ad campaigns. The more places people see it, the more value you get from your investment. Repurpose and repackage it to suit different platforms and goals.
Also, keep in mind that your product and messaging may evolve. Your explainer video might need updating in six months or a year. Don’t be afraid to revisit it regularly and assess whether it’s still serving your goals. A video that worked brilliantly in 2024 might feel outdated by 2026.
In short, treat your explainer video like a long-term asset. Build it into your marketing ecosystem. Keep it fresh. And make sure it keeps working for you well after the initial launch. It’s not just a one-hit wonder – it’s a powerhouse when used properly.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it – the 15 key mistakes to avoid when producing an explainer video. Hopefully, this has helped you spot a few potential pitfalls before they sneak into your own project. At the end of the day, explainer videos are an opportunity to connect, explain, and inspire. But like anything in marketing, the devil is in the detail.
Getting it right means taking your time with the script, focusing on the
viewer, and making smart decisions about style and tone. It means testing your
work, refining your message, and remembering that clarity trumps cleverness
every time. And it also means giving your video the aftercare it deserves once
it’s out in the world.
If you avoid these mistakes, you’ll be in a great position to create something that not only looks great but actually works. Something that explains, converts, and stays memorable long after it’s watched. And that’s what a great explainer video is all about.
Ready to make yours count?
If you’re thinking about creating an explainer video for your business, feel free to get in touch with us here at Spiel – we’re happy to offer a free consult to help you get started.
