This article is Video Igniter‘s comprehensive guide for explainer videos. Here, we’ll answer the most frequently asked questions we get about making explainer videos including what to expect during the production process, how much it costs to make an explainer video and how to keep your production budget low.

What Is An Explainer Video?

Explainer videos are short entertaining videos that make it easy to learn and remember new information. Lots of companies and publications are creating video explainers because they simplify complex topics and use colorful animated images to hold the viewers attention while helping them learn something new.

Animated Explainer Video Examples

Video Igniter can create any kind of 2D or 3D animated explainer video for you. Check out the example videos below.

To start your project contact us, schedule a call with our production team or request access to our new pricing page.

Are you looking for an example of a different style of animation? Send us a message to let us know what kind of animation example you want to see and we will follow up with relevant production samples.

 

When To Use Animated Explainer Videos?

Animated explainer videos can help your company improve it’s business outcomes at every level of your marketing and sales funnel. We recommend using animated videos if you want to:

Gain Awareness

Animated explainer videos are fantastic at grabbing people’s attention because they are colorful, they move, and they are concise. If people are intrigued by your short 15 – 30 explainer video, they’re more likely to visit your website to watch a longer more in depth video.

Increase Conversions, Acquire More Leads and Close More Sales

Animated explainer videos have been shown to increase conversion rates on landing pages and can be used to increase sales on a landing page or increase the % of people who opt to give you their email address for future marketing contact.

Educate Customers

Animated video explainers hold people’s attention longer than regular videos. The combination of colorful animated images synced with a voiceover creates a self-reinforcing educational learning experience. Viewers are more likely to understand the information better and remember the information longer than if they had merely read it.

How To Make An Explainer Video

Find Your Producer

The first step is to figure out who is going to produce your video. Are you going to make the animated video? Or are you going to hire Video Igniter, an old-school animation studio or a freelance animator to make it for you? For tips, information and resources on how to pick out an animator for your video, scroll down to the next section titled, “How To Find An Explainer Video Animator.”

We also recommend checking out this article on the different types of Online Animated Video Makers.

Write The Script For Your Video Explainer

Once production is underway, it’s time to create the script. You can write the script yourself to save money on your production budget or your video producer can write it for you. When the first draft of the script is ready, we’ll send it to you to review and collect your feedback. Then, we will revise your script and send it back to you to review and approve. We will continue to work with you to refine your script until you are 100% satisfied with it.

Script Writing Resource: Want to write your script yourself? Check out our scriptwriting resources to learn how to write your script and download our free explainer video script writing template. Also, check out these explainer video script examples.

 

Create The Storyboard For Your Animated Explainer

After the script is approved, we will create the storyboard. The storyboard is like the blueprint for your animated video – it tells the animators and illustrators what they are supposed to create. It’s important we agree on all the details that are specified in the storyboard before we proceed with production. Otherwise, it could lead to budget increases because details weren’t specified in the storyboard before the illustrators and animators got to work. You will get an opportunity to review the storyboard and send us your feedback so that we can revise your storyboard before moving forward with production.

VoiceOver

Now that the script and storyboard are locked in, we can get the voiceover(s) recorded for your explainer video. We’ll start by ordering voiceover auditions from several voiceover artists that we feel will bring the right tone and energy to your animated video. Let us know which voice you prefer and we’ll get the full voiceover recorded. Not in love with any of the auditions? We’ll happily order up some fresh auditions after you let us know how the first examples missed the mark. When the full voiceover is recorded, you will get an opportunity to review it and request revisions before approving it for production.

Soundtrack

We’ll also select some soundtrack options that we feel would be appropriate for your video explainer. If you love one of them, we’ll secure the license for the platforms you plan to use your video on. Can’t decide which soundtrack would be best? We’ll help you preview the options alongside your explainer video when the first draft is ready to review so that you can hear which one feels right within the context of your video.

Read this guide for more tips on selecting an animated video soundtrack.

Illustrations

Time to illustrate! After the storyboard is approved, our art director will start creating concept art for your explainer video. The process starts by reviewing your company’s branding and any style references you provided. Then, the art director will select a key scene from your storyboard and design it using one or more unique visual styles, based off of the branding examples you provided. We’ll send you the concept art and wait for your feedback.

If you love one of the concepts as-is, let us know and we’ll create the rest of the art using that image as the style reference for the whole video.

What if you like aspects of multiple pieces of concept art? Just let us know which aspects you like from each piece of concept art and we’ll develop a new piece of concept art for your explainer video. We can continue to work with you to refine the details of the style until you are completely happy with it – then we’ll create the rest of the art for your video.

Not satisfied with any of the concepts? That’s ok – just let us know your honest feedback and we’ll use it to create a completely new concept for you to review and iterate on until you are happy.

Animation

Now that the illustrations and the voiceover are locked in, our animators can get to work. It takes about a week to animate each minute of video. Longer videos will use more animators to speed up the production process. When the first draft is ready, give it a review with your internal team and members of your target audience to ensure everything makes sense. Collect everyone’s feedback and send it to your animation team to polish up the final draft.

Types Of Explainer Videos:

There are many types of explainer videos you can create and we’ve written FAQ guides for most of them. To learn more about how to make and use specific types of video explainers, check out the following resources:

Corporate Explainer Videos

How To Make Animated Corporate Videos:

https://videoigniter.com/animated-corporate-video/

How To Make An Animated Company Video:

https://videoigniter.com/animated-company-video/

How To Make An Animated Advertisement:

https://videoigniter.com/how-to-make-animated-advertisement-video/

Free / Cheap Explainer Video

How to make animated videos for free:

https://videoigniter.com/free-animated-video/

Educational Videos

How To Make Animated Educational Videos:

https://videoigniter.com/animated-educational-video/

Cartoon Explainer Video

How To Make An Animated Cartoon Video:

https://videoigniter.com/animated-cartoon-video/

Animated Product Explainer Video

How To Make An Animated Product Video:

https://videoigniter.com/animated-product-video/

Animated Infographic Explainer Video

How To Make An Animated Infographic Video:

https://videoigniter.com/animated-infographic-video/

2D Animated Explainer Video

How To Make A 2D Animated Video:

https://videoigniter.com/2d-animated-video/

3D Explainer Video

How To Make A 3D Animated Video:

https://videoigniter.com/3d-animation-maker/

How To Find An Explainer Video Animator

If you’re interested in ordering an explainer video, here’s some resources to help you find a video animator or an animation company to help you produce your video:

• 9 Things to Look For When Hiring An Animator to create an explainer video.
• What is Video Igniter Animation?
• How to outsource an animated explainer video project?
• How to hire an animator?
• What’s the difference between hiring an animation studio, a freelance animator and Video Igniter?
• What goes into production cost of an explainer video?
• Considering making the animated video yourself? Learn about DIY options.
• Need your video fast? Learn about rush delivery.
• Pros and Cons of Different Animation Styles

How Long Does Take To Make Video Explainers?

It takes about 3-8 weeks to create a 1-2 minute 2D animated video. It takes about twice as long to make a 3D animated video. Need your video produced quicker? You can save some time by writing your script and building your storyboard.  Need it quicker? Read about our rush delivery animation option and then contact us to get a custom quote with rush delivery.

What Does It Cost To Make An Explainer Video?

It costs between $1,500-$7,500 to create a 60 second 2D animated video. 3D animations cost about twice as much. It is possible to make cheap animated explainer videos but the reduced production quality can lead to a poor educational experience for the viewer and decreased perception of your brand. Check out this companion article to learn what goes into the cost of an explainer video.

Interested in pricing information for your explainer video?

Get a custom quote.

Request access to our current price sheet.

How To Keep Your Explainer Video Production Costs Down?

 

Write Your Script

You can save several weeks and several hundred (or thousand) dollars off your explainer video production cost by writing the script yourself. It doesn’t have to be perfect; if you can write the first draft of your script, your animation producer can help you polish it to make it production ready. Check out these resources to help you write the script for your video:

How to write a script for an animated explainer video.

Examples of explainer video scripts.

Tips to supercharge your video script writing.

Download our free script writing template.

Create Your Storyboard

Creating the storyboard for your explainer video is another way you can save hundreds-thousands of dollars off the cost of your video. Download our free storyboard creation PDF and check out the following resources to help you create your own storyboard:

What is a storyboard? And why do you need one?

How to create a storyboard for an animated video?

Tips for building a great storyboard for your video.

Download our free storyboard creation template.

Record The VoiceOver

Would you believe me if I told you that you can record your own professional sounding voiceover at home or in your office for free? There’s no need to buy any fancy equipment or expensive software. Check out 1:31 in the Video Igniter Show episode about voice overs to learn how you can record your own high quality voiceover for free.

Consider Using Stock Assets

Video Igniter specializes in making custom animated videos. But every detail of your video doesn’t need to be custom designed. To help save on cost, consider using stock assets like icons, text, 3D models, stock images and videos.

Use Free (Legal) Music

Incompetech allows people to use their music for free when you credit the artist. Facebook’s Sound Collection offers free music to use in your animated promotional videos.

Benefits of Using an Explainer Video in Your Marketing Strategy

Adding an explainer video to your marketing funnel can be one of the most effective ways to improve communication with your audience, build trust, and drive action. Unlike static content, an explainer video combines visuals, audio, and storytelling to clearly communicate your message in a short amount of time.

1. Improved Audience Engagement
Explainer videos are specifically designed to grab attention in the first few seconds. Whether they’re displayed on your website’s homepage, your landing page, or your social media ads, they quickly engage your audience and encourage them to keep watching. This is especially valuable in a digital landscape where attention spans are short.

2. Better Retention of Information
People tend to retain information better when they both hear and see it. By combining voiceover, animated visuals, and text callouts, your explainer video creates a multi-sensory learning experience. This makes it easier for viewers to remember your message and act on it.

3. Increased Conversion Rates
Adding a short animated explainer video to a landing page can increase conversion rates dramatically. Viewers who watch an explainer video understand your value proposition faster, making them more likely to sign up, book a demo, or make a purchase.

4. Cost-Effective Marketing Asset
Unlike live-action commercials, animated explainer videos can be updated easily over time. Need to change your pricing or update your product features? Instead of reshooting, you can simply revise the voiceover, update illustrations, and re-render your video at a fraction of the cost of a full reshoot.

5. Versatility Across Platforms
One of the biggest advantages of an explainer video is that it can be repurposed for multiple platforms. A single 90-second animation can be edited into shorter clips for social media, looped as a trade show booth video, embedded in sales emails, or included in presentations.

Where to Use an Explainer Video in Your Funnel

If you’ve invested in producing an animated explainer video, you’ll want to make sure it gets maximum exposure. Here are the most strategic places to use it:

1. Homepage or Landing Page

This is one of the most common placements. When new visitors land on your site, an explainer video can quickly clarify what your product or service does and why they should care. This reduces bounce rates and increases the likelihood that users will take the next step.

2. Paid Advertising Campaigns

Short, punchy animated videos perform well on ad platforms like YouTube, Meta (Facebook and Instagram), LinkedIn, and even display networks. A well-crafted explainer can stand out in the feed and encourage users to click through.

3. Email Marketing

Including a thumbnail or GIF preview of your explainer video in your email campaigns can increase click-through rates. People are more likely to engage with a short video than a long block of text.

4. Sales Calls and Demos

Explainer videos can act as a powerful sales enablement tool. Your team can play the video at the start of a meeting or send it ahead of time to help prospects better understand your offer before the conversation even begins.

5. Onboarding and Training

Explainer videos aren’t just for marketing. They can also help onboard new customers or employees by clearly explaining processes, products, or company values.

Explainer Video Best Practices

To maximize the impact of your explainer video, it’s essential to follow a few key best practices:

1. Keep It Short and Focused

The sweet spot for most explainer videos is between 60–90 seconds. That’s usually enough time to explain the problem, introduce your solution, and include a clear call to action—without losing your viewer’s attention.

2. Lead With the Problem

Start by addressing a pain point your audience can relate to. This immediately establishes relevance and makes your solution more compelling.

3. Use Simple, Clear Language

Avoid jargon or overly technical terms. The goal is to make your message easy to understand for someone encountering your product for the first time.

4. Include a Strong Call to Action (CTA)

End your video with a specific action you want viewers to take. This could be “Sign up for a free trial,” “Book a demo,” or “Visit our website.”

5. Design for Your Target Audience

The tone, animation style, and voiceover should align with your brand and resonate with your ideal customer. A playful cartoon explainer may work well for a children’s app, but a clean, professional style may be better suited for a B2B SaaS platform.

Popular Explainer Video Styles

Choosing the right animation style for your explainer video can help communicate your message more effectively. Here are a few common styles to consider:

1. 2D Animated Explainer Video
This is one of the most popular formats. It’s cost-effective, fast to produce, and versatile enough to suit most brands.

2. 3D Explainer Video
More dynamic and visually stunning than 2D, 3D animations can help make complex concepts more tangible. They’re ideal for product demos, architectural visualizations, and technical explanations.

3. Whiteboard Explainer Video
These videos mimic a hand drawing on a whiteboard while the narrator explains the concept. They’re simple, clear, and excellent for educational content.

4. Motion Graphics Explainer Video
This style uses animated shapes, icons, and typography to present information in a clean, modern way. It’s popular among tech companies, startups, and corporate brands.

5. Character-Driven Cartoon Explainer
Using custom characters can help humanize your message and build an emotional connection with your audience.

SEO Tips to Boost Your Explainer Video’s Reach

Since explainer videos are often used online, optimizing them for search is essential. Here’s how you can make sure your animated video reaches a larger audience:

1. Include Keywords in Your Video Title and Description
   Use relevant keywords like “explainer video,” “animated explainer,” or your product’s name. This helps platforms like Google and YouTube understand your content.

2. Add Transcripts and Captions
   Search engines can’t “watch” videos, but they can read text. Adding transcripts improves accessibility and helps your video get indexed properly.

3. Use a Custom Thumbnail
   A strong thumbnail image can significantly increase your click-through rates. Choose a clear, eye-catching frame that communicates what your video is about.

4. Embed the Video on Relevant Web Pages
   Adding your explainer video to your homepage, product pages, and blog posts can increase dwell time and improve SEO performance.

5. Promote Across Multiple Channels
   Don’t just upload your video to one platform. Share it on social media, in email newsletters, and even as part of your paid ad campaigns to increase exposure and backlinks.

How to Measure the Success of Your Explainer Video

Once your explainer video is live, it’s important to track how it performs. Here are some metrics to keep an eye on:

• View Count – Total number of people who watched your video.

• Engagement Rate – How long viewers watched before dropping off.

• Conversion Rate – The percentage of viewers who completed the desired action after watching.

• Click-Through Rate (CTR) – How many people clicked on your CTA.

• Shares and Comments – A strong signal of how well your message resonates.

By monitoring these metrics, you can identify what’s working and make data-driven decisions for future campaigns.

Future Trends in Explainer Videos

Explainer videos continue to evolve. Here are a few trends shaping the future of the format:

• Interactive Explainer Videos that let users click, explore, and control their viewing experience.

• AI-Assisted Personalization, where videos are customized for different audience segments.

• Short-Form Explainers optimized for vertical viewing on mobile platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.

• Hybrid Formats combining live action and animation for a more dynamic storytelling experience.

Keeping up with these trends ensures your content remains fresh, relevant, and impactful.

Final Thoughts: Why Explainer Videos Work

An explainer video isn’t just a marketing asset — it’s a storytelling tool that simplifies complex ideas and drives real business results. Whether you’re trying to build awareness, educate your customers, or boost conversions, a well-crafted animated explainer video can be one of the smartest investments in your marketing toolkit.

By following best practices, optimizing for SEO, and placing your video strategically throughout your marketing funnel, you can ensure it reaches the right people at the right time — and inspires them to take action.

Explainer Video Production Resources

These resources are popular among people interested in creating an explainer video:

How long does it take to make an animated explainer video?

Learn how to create a 3D explainer video.

Which explainer video services does Video Igniter offer?

Still have questions about explainer video animation?

Do you have a question about how to make an animated explainer videos that wasn’t addressed in this FAQ? Use this form to send us your question and we’ll follow up with an answer. We’ll also post the question and answer to this page so other people can benefit from the knowledge.

Why Hire Video Igniter To Make Your Custom Animated Explainer Video?

World class animation and design talent at prices startups can afford.

Check out our portfolio – we can make any kind of 2D or 3D animated video you can imagine.

+20 reasons companies love hiring us to create animated videos.

Do you want to create an animated cryptocurrency video or an animated blockchain explainer video that explains how your technology works? We can help with that too.

Explainer Video Production Reel

 

Looking For An Animation Explainer Video Company In The U.S.A.?

Video Igniter is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Explainer Animation Success Stories And Testimonials

“Video Igniter offered us the critical combination of creative value, clear communication, and patience with stakeholder feedback. We ended up with truly high-quality design assets for our video series largely due to the extra level of commitment — and the right balance of efficiencies with flexibility in the process when called for.”

Larry Schlessinger – Sr. Creative Program Manager, Amazon Web Services

“Video Igniter came to us with a number of creative and engaging ideas and were able to create an exciting, impactful video in a short period of time. And the best part was that it cost much less than other options of similar quality. The video they made is a great marketing tool for us.”

Alex Raymond – Founder, Kapta Systems

“I am beyond satisfied with my experience with Video Igniter. The first drafts of the work were almost exactly what I had in my head when developing the concept. After that each step along the way was seamless until arriving at a perfect finished product. And all this at a tremendous value. Anyone who has considered creating a marketing video should check out Video Igniter.”

Anonymous Customer Feedback

How To Hire Video Igniter – The Animated Explainer Video Company:

Get a quote for us to create your explainer video.

Schedule a call with our production team.

Request access to our newest price sheet.

Create your Video Igniter account, fill out a creative brief, and we’ll start creating your explainer video.

 Video Igniter’s Explainer Video

Interested in learning about animation for agencies? Maybe your agency wants to start offering animated video production services for your clients? Or maybe you’ve been offering them already but want to learn about other ways your agency can provide animation services faster, for less or at a higher level of production quality? If you have a question about animation for agencies that isn’t answered in this article, you can use our contact form to ask your question or click the image below to with a member of our production team:

How are agencies making and using animation and live action video content?

Video Igniter Animation contacted 99 agencies in Seattle to learn:

• Why do agencies recommend using video content?
• How are agencies making videos and animated video content for their clients?
• What types of video content are agencies making for their clients?
• What prevents agencies from making more live action & animated video content?
• And how much do agencies charge to make videos for their clients?

Our findings are summarized in the video and images below:  

 

The top 5 reasons agencies recommend using video as a medium are: 1). Video is great at conveying emotion. 2). Short attention spans means that people are more likely to watch a video over reading a page. 3). Video has a strong engagement rate. 4). Video is great for storytelling. 5). Video is the medium shared most often online. Honorable mention: Agencies also mentioned video is great for improved search rankings, brand awareness and concisely explaining complicated things.   
So how are agencies making videos for their clients? – 69% of agencies use a combination of in-house talent and partnerships with multiple studios to help them produce videos. – 19% of agencies outsource all of their video production. – Only 11% of agencies do all of their video production in-house.

 

Ready to start production? Check out this guide if you’re thinking of hiring an animation studio.

Why are agencies using animation and live video content for their clients?

Most of the videos are used for: – Advertising – Internal Communications – Educational Sales Material – Landing Page Videos – Education  
What kinds of videos are agencies making on behalf of their clients? – 11% of agencies primarily produce animations & motion graphics. – 17% mostly produce smartphone and user generated content video campaigns. – 22% mostly produce live action videos. – 50% of agencies are producing an even mix of animations and live action videos.

Why don’t agencies make more live video and animation content?

Many of the agencies we spoke with expressed interest in utilizing video more often. Here’s what they say is holding back their ability to do more:

– Production costs are too high or clients can’t budget for it.

– Production costs are unpredictable.

– It’s faster and cheaper to make short videos for social media.

– The video production workflow is too slow and a major hassle.

Project deadlines are usually very short and the feedback/review/approval process is too long. – Clients are still shifting their understanding of the ROI from TV to online video.

With that in mind, what are most agencies paying to produce live action and animated video? Most are paying between $5,000 and $125,000 to produce live action videos… … and between $5,000 and $35,000 for animated and motion graphics videos.

Deep Dive:  What is an animation agency?

Thanks for watching this short video research report. Video Igniter offers computer animation for agencies and businesses through a web app designed to simplify your production and lower your production costs. When you want to speed up production timelines and lower your cost to producing custom animations, create an account at VideoIgniter.com and upload your creative spec to get started.

Overcoming Common Challenges in Agency Animation Workflows

While many agencies understand the value of animated video content, they often struggle to scale production efficiently. Below are some advanced strategies and process optimizations that agencies can adopt to overcome common bottlenecks:

1. Establish a Modular Animation Asset Library

One of the biggest inefficiencies in animation is recreating core elements (e.g. character rigs, icons, transitions, lower thirds) for every project. Agencies can build modular, reusable animation libraries:

• Pre‑rig characters in styles consistent with your brand aesthetic.
• Build a library of motion presets (e.g. fade, slide, pop) tied to your style guide.
• Save reusable templates for text intros, lower thirds, and transitions.
• Maintain a versioning system for updates and tweaks.

When new client projects come in, your team can assemble the video quickly by combining prebuilt modules, then only customizing where the narrative demands. This method reduces iteration time and helps most projects land under aggressive deadlines.

2. Formalize a Feedback & Approval System

The biggest drag on animation projects is usually client feedback loops. A structured feedback system can save days or weeks:

• Use timestamped feedback tools (Frame.io, Wipster, LookAt) so clients comment directly on frames.
• Limit rounds of revisions (e.g. “two rounds max”) and clarify what counts as a “revision.”
• Use version control naming like v1_a, v1_b so you avoid confusion about which file is current.
• Require clients to provide consolidated feedback in one document per round, instead of piecemeal emails.

By putting in place clear gates (concept → rough animatic → first pass → final pass), you reduce back‑and‑forth and keep the production pipeline flowing.

3. Leverage Hybrid Production Methods

Not all agency videos need 100% custom animation. Blending animation with live footage or stock assets can yield high impact with less cost and risk:

• Use animated overlays on top of client video footage.
• Incorporate motion graphics into talking head or live B‑roll footage.
• Use animated text or kinetic typography for explainer segments.
• Blend real product shots with animated infographics to simplify complexity.

Hybrid methods allow you to use your core animation competencies while saving time on parts that don’t need full custom treatment.

4. Introduce Tiered Service Packages for Clients

Often, agency clients balk at high perceived cost. Offering tiered service levels helps them pick what fits their budget:

• Basic Animation Package: simple 2D animations or motion graphics with minimal custom illustrations.
• Standard Animation Package: custom character work, transitions, more scenes, some sound design.
• Premium Animation Package: full custom character animation, visual effects, 3D elements, complex scenes, premium sound and voiceover.

This structure allows you to meet clients at different budget points, upsell where appropriate, and manage internal expectations about scope and cost.

5. Streamline Voiceover & Sound Design Integration

Sound is often under‑estimated in animation. But a strong voiceover, music, and effects can radically elevate the final piece—and if mismanaged, drag timelines. Best practices:

• Establish a roster of vetted voice talent (male, female, multiple accents) and maintain relationships.
• Use serialized contracts to speed turnaround (e.g. blanket VO agreements for multiple videos).
• Preselect music libraries or custom composers and store approved tracks in your asset library.
• Fit sound design early into your timeline (don’t leave it as the final step).
• Use multitrack audio workflows so voice, music, SFX can be independently remixed if needed.

6. Monitor & Report Impact with Analytics

To help clients see ROI—and justify future animation spend—agencies should embed analytics and tracking:

• Use UTM and campaign tracking for animated video landing pages.
• Track engagement metrics (play rate, dropoff) in platforms like Wistia, Vimeo, YouTube.
• Run A/B tests (animated vs live, different intros) to see what works best.
• Include heatmap tools to track scroll / viewer behavior around video.
• Provide clients periodic reports showing lift in conversions, time on page, or engagement.

When clients see real, attributable results, they are more likely to approve future animated budgets.

Emerging Trends in Animation That Agencies Should Embrace

To stay competitive and deliver cutting-edge work, agencies should consider adopting or experimenting with the following trends:

Real-Time Animation & Game Engine Tools

Modern tools like Unreal Engine, Unity, or WebGL pipelines allow for near real-time rendering, lowering time between revisions. Agencies experimenting with these can offer interactive video experiences or responsive animations tied to user input.

Generative AI & Motion Style Transfer

AI tools are evolving fast. Some agencies are using machine learning to generate in-between frames, stylize animations (e.g. turning live footage into “toon” style), or automatically animate character speech. While not yet perfect for full production, these tools can accelerate certain tasks, reduce manual labor, or serve as ideation support.

Interactive Animated Videos

Rather than passive viewing, modern audiences expect interactivity. Consider building videos with clickable hotspots, branching narrative paths, or even mini-games embedded in the video experience. These can be particularly powerful for training, onboarding, e-commerce product demos, or immersive storytelling.

3D & Isometric Motion Graphics

2D remains dominant, but 3D elements—especially isometric design—are trending in explainer and corporate video. These give a sense of depth while remaining stylistically clean and modern. Incorporating subtle 3D motion graphics layered with 2D elements can give your animations a premium feel.

AR / VR Animation Integration

As augmented reality and virtual reality platforms mature, agencies can push into creating animated assets for AR filters, embedding animations in 3D scenes, or preparing work that translates to immersive environments. Forward-looking agencies are already starting to package assets with AR/VR in mind.

How to Scale an Internal Animation Offering Without Blowing Budget

If your agency is serious about offering in-house animation but wants to avoid ballooning costs or project debt, consider these scaling strategies:

• Train core staff in hybrid skill sets (animator + motion designer + illustration) so resources can flex.
• Hire freelancers or micro‑studios on retainer rather than large full-time teams.
• Adopt cloud rendering services (e.g. RenderMan Cloud, AWS Thinkbox) to scale rendering without owning clusters.
• Use version control + asset backup systems (e.g. Perforce, Git LFS) to prevent workflow time loss.
• Hold “animation sprints” where per week, small teams commit to delivering a batch of short animations (e.g. for social) to build efficiency.
• Benchmark ROI per animated minute (cost vs client return) to know what types of animation you should do more or less of.

Final Thoughts: Elevating Agency Value with Animation

Animation gives agencies powerful leverage: the ability to explain complex ideas, invoke emotion, and tell stories visually. But it’s not enough to just do it — you must do it fast, high quality, and with predictable costs. By applying modular asset libraries, robust feedback systems, hybrid workflows, and future-forward technologies, agencies can scale animation services in a way that delights clients and delivers measurable ROI.

If your team would like help launching or scaling an agency animation offering—whether designing your first modular library, vetting AI tools, or establishing a feedback pipeline—Video Igniter’s production team is here to consult and collaborate.

Hire Video Igniter to Create An Animation For Your Agency

World class animation services at prices small businesses can afford.

We can make any kind of 2D or 3D animated video you can imagine.

+20 reasons companies love hiring us to create animated videos.

Animation Video Reel

 

Animation Success Stories & Testimonials

“Video Igniter came to us with a number of creative and engaging ideas and were able to create an exciting, impactful video in a short period of time. And the best part was that it cost much less than other options of similar quality. The video they made is a great marketing tool for us.”

Alex Raymond – Founder, Kapta Systems

“I run a video production company and outsource animation. The team at Video Igniter did a great job in taking the concept I very crudely drew out and made it into a beautiful animation. The review process was easy and their turnaround time was very quick. I’d def recommend them if you’re looking for an animation project.”

Pat Henderson – Founder, Path8 Productions

“My whole family and everyone on Facebook thinks you are amazing. My whole office is freaking out.”

Patricia Shields – Real Estate Agent

“Video Igniter offered us the critical combination of creative value, clear communication, and patience with stakeholder feedback. We ended up with truly high-quality design assets for our video series largely due to the extra level of commitment — and the right balance of efficiencies with flexibility in the process when called for.”

Larry Schlessinger – Sr. Creative Program Manager, Amazon Web Services

Get in touch about animation for your agency’s next project.

Schedule a call to discuss your animated video.

Get a quote for your animated video.

Request access to our newest price sheet.

Check out our animated video portfolio to see our latest and greatest creations.

Create your Video Igniter account, fill out a creative brief, and then we’ll make an animated video for you.

What is Video Igniter?

 

Now that you’ve thought through the criteria for picking an animator for your video project, what types of animation producers are available to you? Lots of people plan on hiring an animation studio to work with – but these days, there are many more options available that are more affordable and can offer a wider array of unique visual styles for your animated video.

If you have a question about hiring an animated video producer that isn’t answered in this article, you can use our contact form to ask your question or click the image below to with a member of our production team:

Hiring A Freelance Animator

Good for smaller projects (under 2 minutes); not necessarily recommended for large or difficult projects because there’s only so much they can do by themselves and production would be slow.

Price Range: $50-$10,000+

Pros: Typically faster and less expensive to work with.

Cons: Limited range of artistic styles they can produce based on the types of animation programs they have proficiency in. They may or may not have storytelling capabilities to help create or improve your script or storyboard. Although it is rare, there is a risk that a freelance video animator can ghost you in the middle of your project.

Hiring An Animator From a Marketplace

Searching an online market place of digital animation studios and freelancers can yield hundreds of options. Many of these studies and freelancers are competing to be the cheapest option and the quality shows. You can get excellent service if you’re the only project they’re working on – but many of these freelancers price their projects so low that they have to take on many projects at once which can result in extended production timelines.

Price Range: $100-$7,500+

Pros: Studios and freelancers that have been vetted by the marketplace are less likely to ghost you mid-way through production. The marketplace also enables you to compare the price and quality of different animators.

Cons: While you can find good quality animators and animation studios to work with through a video production marketplace website, often times, people are seeking the cheapest option which means animators compete to submit the lowest bid and then they may not provide quality service or work.

Hiring an Animation Studio

If you’re thinking about hiring an animation studio to make your animated video, you should plan on having a budget of at least $5,000 but likely a lot more. Animation studios are best suited for big budget projects. You can usually get a better range of animation production styles when you work with a larger studio.

Price Range: $5,000-$500,000+

Pros: Hiring an animation studio means you’ll get high quality work, professionally managed, and there’s a good chance they have good in-house storytellers.

Cons: Studios typically have a speciality – 2D or 3D, commercial or long form for TV, etc so you’ll need to dig around for a studio that specializes in the type of animated video you you want to produce.

Hiring a Marketing Agency

Good for one-off videos since the agency probably already knows a lot about your product/service/brand and can be very helpful when it comes to crafting your script and storyboard. If you plan to do multiple videos, consider hiring a freelancer, getting someone in-house to join your team, or try Video Igniter to save on your production budget.

Price Range: $5,000-$50,000+

Pros: Agencies typically have a network of animation studios, video production companies and animation freelancers they outsource the work to; their network means they can help connect you with a variety of different types of illustrators and animators. Agencies provide a high degree of client management and can help you craft a good script and storyboard for your animated video.

Cons: high markup – the marketing agency typically builds in a margin of several thousand dollars above what the animation studio or freelancer is charging them.

Hiring Video Igniter Animation Studio

Great for large and small projects. Our diverse team means there’s a wide range of aesthetic possibilities available for your video. We offer 24/7 support and unlimited revisions because we believe you should be 100% thrilled with the way your animated video looks.

Price Range: $500-$100,000+

Pros: Unlimited revisions. Our large team means we can produce longer videos and any kind of 2D or 3D animation you can imagine. We use technology to streamline the production experience which means it’s faster and easier for you to get custom animated content produced on your behalf and more of your budget is put into creativity, design and production rather than expensive overhead costs.

Cons: We work 100% virtually but we’re always available to jump on a video call to go over details of your video.

Why Hiring an Animation Studio is a Smart Investment

Hiring an animation studio ensures you get a professional, high-quality video that engages your audience, strengthens your brand, and conveys your message effectively. Animation studios have experienced teams that specialize in scriptwriting, storyboarding, animation, and post-production, ensuring every aspect of your video is polished and impactful.

Steps to Hiring an Animation Studio

1. Define Your Goals and Budget

Before you start searching for an animation studio, clarify your objectives. Ask yourself:

• What message do I want to convey?
• Who is my target audience?
• What style of animation best fits my brand (2D, 3D, motion graphics, whiteboard animation)?
• What is my budget for this project?

Having a clear vision and budget will help you communicate effectively with animation studios and find one that aligns with your needs.

2. Research and Shortlist Animation Studios

When hiring an animation studio, take time to research and compare different options. Look for studios that have:

• A diverse and high-quality portfolio.
• Experience in your industry.
• Positive client testimonials and reviews.
• A clear and transparent pricing structure.

Search online for “best animation studios for [your industry]” and check directories like Clutch, Upwork, and Behance to find reputable animation studios.

3. Review Portfolios and Case Studies

A studio’s past work is a strong indicator of their capabilities. When reviewing portfolios:

• Look for videos with high production value.
• Check if their animation style matches your brand’s identity.
• Pay attention to storytelling, voiceover quality, and attention to detail.

Many studios also showcase case studies that detail their animation process and results, which can help you gauge whether they’re a good fit for your project.

4. Ask the Right Questions

Once you’ve shortlisted animation studios, reach out and ask questions like:

• What is your animation production process?
• What is the estimated timeline for completion?
• How many revisions are included in the pricing?
• Do you provide scriptwriting and voiceover services?
• Can you provide references from past clients?

Their responses will help you determine their professionalism, communication skills, and ability to meet your expectations.

5. Understand the Animation Process

Hiring an animation studio means working through a structured process that includes:

• Concept Development: Brainstorming ideas and defining the video’s core message.
• Scriptwriting: Crafting a compelling script tailored to your audience.
• Storyboarding: Creating visual frames to map out the video’s flow.
• Animation & Production: Bringing the storyboard to life with illustrations, animation and a voiceover.
• Editing & Final Delivery: Refining the video, adding sound effects, and exporting the final product.

Understanding this process ensures you know what to expect and can collaborate efficiently with the studio.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring an Animation Studio

1. Choosing Based on Price Alone

While budget is important, opting for the cheapest option often leads to lower-quality animations, missed deadlines, and limited revisions. Instead, focus on value—choose a studio that offers the best balance of price and quality.

2. Not Defining Your Vision Clearly

Providing vague instructions can lead to multiple revisions and delays. Clearly outline your goals, preferred style, and brand guidelines before production begins.

3. Not Checking Reviews and Testimonials

A reputable animation studio should have positive client reviews and case studies. If they lack reviews or have mixed feedback, proceed with caution.

4. Ignoring Communication and Collaboration

Regular communication with the studio ensures a smooth production process. Choose a studio that keeps you updated and values your feedback.

Finding the Right Animation Studio for Your Needs

When hiring an animation studio, consider their expertise, portfolio, communication style, and pricing. A great studio will not only deliver a high-quality animation but also make the process enjoyable and stress-free.

At VideoIgniter.com, we specialize in creating custom animated videos tailored to your unique needs. If you’re ready to bring your vision to life, contact us today for a free consultation!

By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to hiring an animation studio that helps you create an engaging, professional, and effective animated video.

Types of Animation Studios to Consider

When hiring an animation studio, it’s important to recognize that not all studios are the same. Some specialize in corporate explainer videos, while others focus on character-driven storytelling or high-end 3D production. Broadly speaking, you’ll encounter three types of studios:

• Boutique Studios – Smaller teams that provide personalized service and unique visual styles. They’re great if you want a more artistic or custom look.
• Mid-Sized Studios – Offer a balance between affordability and scale. They usually provide a wide range of animation styles and have the bandwidth to handle complex projects.
• Large-Scale Studios – Typically handle high-budget productions like TV commercials, films, or extended campaigns. They have larger teams and can manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Knowing which type of animation studio best fits your project will save you time during your search.

Hidden Costs to Watch Out For

When hiring an animation studio, the headline price doesn’t always reflect the total cost of production. Some studios charge extra for services like:

• Multiple rounds of revisions (most of Video Igniter’s projects include unlimited revisions).
• Voiceover recording in different accents or languages
• Music licensing fees
• Scriptwriting and storyboarding
• Rush delivery timelines

Before you sign a contract, ask the studio for a detailed breakdown of what’s included in their quote. A transparent studio will explain exactly what you’re paying for and flag potential add-ons.

How to Compare Animation Studios Fairly

Many businesses make the mistake of comparing animation studios only on price. Instead, use these criteria to ensure a fair comparison:

• Consistency of Quality: Do they produce polished work across different projects, or just have one standout demo reel?
• Project Management: Will they assign a dedicated producer to guide your project?
• Creative Collaboration: How open are they to your ideas and feedback?
• Scalability: Can they handle follow-up projects, or do they only take on one-offs?

A side-by-side comparison chart of two or three studios you’re considering can help you visualize which partner is the right fit.

Signs You’ve Found the Right Animation Studio

The process of hiring an animation studio can feel overwhelming, but here are a few green flags that indicate you’ve found the right one:

• They ask thoughtful questions about your audience and goals before giving a quote.
• Their contract clearly outlines timelines, deliverables, and revision policies.
• They’re proactive with communication, offering updates without you having to chase them.
• Their creative suggestions elevate your initial idea instead of just executing it literally.

If you find a studio that checks all these boxes, chances are they’ll deliver a high-quality video and a smooth experience.

Red Flags to Avoid

Just as there are signs you’ve found a great studio, there are warning signs that should make you reconsider:

• Vague or incomplete contracts.
• Overpromising results (e.g., guaranteeing viral success).
• Unwillingness to show references or case studies.
• Poor communication during the initial consultation.

If something feels off, trust your instincts and keep searching.

Industry Expertise Matters

Hiring an animation studio that has experience in your industry can save you significant time and effort. For example, a studio that frequently produces healthcare animations will already understand HIPAA compliance and medical terminology. Similarly, a studio with fintech experience will know how to explain complex concepts clearly without oversimplifying. Industry expertise ensures faster production, fewer revisions, and a final video that resonates with your audience.

The Role of Storytelling in Animation

Animation isn’t just about visuals—it’s about telling a story. When hiring an animation studio, pay close attention to how they approach storytelling. Do they craft narratives that hook viewers in the first 10 seconds? Do they create emotional connections, even in explainer videos? The best studios combine design and narrative to keep audiences engaged and make your brand memorable.

Custom vs. Template-Based Animation

Not all animated videos are created from scratch. Some studios use pre-made templates to reduce costs. While this can be budget-friendly, it often results in generic videos that don’t stand out. If originality is important to your brand, make sure the animation studio you hire specializes in fully custom work. Ask them directly whether your project will be built from templates or designed uniquely for you.

Why Long-Term Relationships With Animation Studios Pay Off

Hiring an animation studio doesn’t have to be a one-time collaboration. Building a long-term relationship with a studio has benefits:

• Brand Consistency: They’ll understand your visual identity and messaging tone.
• Efficiency: Future projects will move faster since the studio already knows your process.
• Cost Savings: Some studios offer discounted rates for ongoing partnerships.
• Scalability: They can support you with a video series, training modules, or campaign rollouts.

Thinking long-term can help you maximize the value of your investment.

Emerging Trends in Animation to Keep in Mind

When hiring an animation studio, it helps to know where the industry is heading. Some of the current trends include:

• 3D Explainers and Motion Graphics Hybrids: Combining 2D and 3D elements for a modern, eye-catching style.
• Interactive Animations: Allowing viewers to engage with the video, often used in e-learning and sales tools.
• Short-Form Vertical Content: Optimized for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
• AI-Assisted Animation: Some studios are adopting AI tools to speed up production while maintaining creative oversight.

Choosing a studio that stays ahead of trends ensures your video won’t feel outdated the moment it launches.

Final Thoughts: Make Hiring an Animation Studio Work for You

Hiring an animation studio isn’t just about finding someone who can animate—it’s about finding a creative partner who understands your brand, audience, and goals. By taking the time to compare studios, checking for industry expertise, and focusing on storytelling, you’ll set yourself up for success.

Whether you need a one-off explainer video or an ongoing series of animations, the right studio can become an extension of your team, helping you create content that captivates and converts.

Why Do People Love Hiring Video Igniter Animation?

World class design talent at prices small businesses can afford.

We can make any kind of 2D or 3D animated video you can imagine.

Check out our portfolio!

+20 reasons companies love hiring us to create animated videos.

Do you want to create an animated cryptocurrency video or an animated blockchain explainer video that explains how your technology works? We can help with that too.

Demo Reel

 

Video Animation Success Stories & Testimonials

“Video Igniter offered us the critical combination of creative value, clear communication, and patience with stakeholder feedback. We ended up with truly high-quality design assets for our video series largely due to the extra level of commitment — and the right balance of efficiencies with flexibility in the process when called for.”

Larry Schlessinger – Sr. Creative Program Manager, Amazon Web Services

“My whole family and everyone on Facebook thinks you are amazing. My whole office is freaking out.”

Patricia Shields – Real Estate Agent

“Video Igniter came to us with a number of creative and engaging ideas and were able to create an exciting, impactful video in a short period of time. And the best part was that it cost much less than other options of similar quality. The video they made is a great marketing tool for us.”

Alex Raymond – Founder, Kapta Systems

“I am beyond satisfied with my experience with Video Igniter. The first drafts of the work were almost exactly what I had in my head when developing the concept. After that each step along the way was seamless until arriving at a perfect finished product. And all this at a tremendous value. Anyone who has considered creating a marketing video should check out Video Igniter.”

Anonymous Customer Feedback

Get in touch if you want to hire an animator

Schedule a call to discuss your animated video.

Get a quote for your animated video.

Request access to our newest price sheet.

Create your Video Igniter account, fill out a creative brief, and we’ll create your animation.

Resources for Hiring An Animation Studio

Here are some popular articles we recommend for your video production journey:

What is an online animated video maker and how do you use one to create a video?

What is an animation agency?

Animation services for agencies.

How do I hire and collaborate with a 2D animation studio to create my video?

Are you looking for affordable animation options? Or ways to make your animation production budget more affordable? This article includes our top tips to help you make your animated video project more affordable!

Examples of Affordable Animation Videos You Can Get From Video Igniter

Video Igniter can create any kind of 2D or 3D animated video for you. Check out our animation portfolio here. Request access to our demo reels and price sheet here.

Contact us or schedule a call to start making your video.

Are you looking for an example of a different style of animation? Send us a message to let us know what kind of animation example you want to see and we will follow up with relevant production samples.

 

Tip #1: Write your script

Writing the script for your animated video can help you save hundreds or thousands of dollars off the cost of your animated video. It’s one of the biggest impacts you can have to make your animation budget more affordable.

You don’t need to be a professional writer to get the benefits. If you provide the first rough draft of your script and hire your video animator to polish it up and make it production-ready, it’s still going to be cheaper and faster than hiring them to create it from scratch.

Resources to help you write the script for your animated video

Download our free scriptwriting template.

Examples of explainer video scripts and how to write a script.

How to write an animated video script?

7 tips to supercharge your video script writing.

Tip #2: Make your storyboard

Storyboards can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars to create. If you’re able to explain what kind of visuals you want to show for each sentence of your animated video, we recommend creating the storyboard yourself to help you save money on your production budget. Luckily, you don’t need to be an artist to create a storyboard! It’s possible to create a storyboard using simple stick-figure sketches or making a collage out of free images you find online.

Here’s a diagram that shows what content you should include on each page of your storyboard:

Storyboard Creation Resources:

What is a storyboard and why do you need one?

How to create a storyboard for an animated video?

Download our free storyboard template.

Tip #3: Use a simpler animation style

Sometimes the answer you’re looking for is a simpler visual style. If you don’t have the budget to create high end designs, consider developing a simpler visual style with your production team. This will make it less expensive for the illustrators to create all the art and the animation team won’t have to spend as many days/weeks working on intricate animated sequences.

Tip #4: Be specific with your instructions

Poor instructions in your script or storyboard can lead to the animated video production company making something that you didn’t intend for them to create. To avoid expensive rework, use clear language to explain what you want. Over explain if necessary. Feel free to include images, 3D models and video links as references to help explain specific details.

Tip #5: Use text animations

In order to reduce your production budget, consider making a big portion of your animated video comprised of animated text that animates into view, stays on screen for a few seconds and then animates out of view. This type of animation costs less to produce than scenes with custom animated characters walking around. The more of your video that’s made up of text animations, the lower your production budget will be.

Tip #6: Create an animated slide deck

An alternative to making a custom animated video is creating an animated slide deck. You can lay out scenes in apps like PowerPoint, Slides and Keynote. Then, use the built in animation tools to make the elements of your scenes (slides) move or fade in and out of view.

Tip #7: Use stock assets to make animation more affordable

Most animated video production companies specialize in creating custom animated videos. But that doesn’t mean that everything in your animated video needs to be custom made. To help save money on your production budget, consider using stock assets instead of making everything from scratch. Stock assets are pre-created assets that can be used as-is or modified and included in your video. Stock assets can sometimes help save money on your production budget because it can be cheaper to buy a pre-created asset and modify it slightly compared to the cost of having your animation team create it from scratch. Examples of stock assets include:

• Icons
• Clip Art / Stock Vector Art
• Stock Images
• Stock Videos
• Text
• 3D Models

Buying a 3D model can make your animation more affordable because it costs less to buy the model than it would to hire someone to create it from scratch.

Tip #8: Make a shorter video

Ok this one may seem obvious but if you think you need a 60 second video but don’t have the budget, consider making a shorter 30 or 45 second animated video. Use concise writing and look for ways to combine ideas to present them in less time. The shorter your animated video, the more affordable your animation will be.

Tip #9: Use an online animated video maker

There are several types of online animated video makers you can use to make animated animated videos. Some, like Video Igniter are designed to make it faster, easier and less expensive to make custom animated videos. The other type of online animated video maker provides a library of pre-created characters, scenes and objects which you can use to create your own animated videos. Vyond, PowToon and Wideo are currently the leaders in the create-your-own-animated-video-online space.

Tip #10: Record your voiceover

Would you believe us if we told you it’s possible to record your own professional sounding voiceover at home or in the office for free?

No need to buy any expensive equipment or professional software.

Recording and providing your voiceover can save you $50-$300 for each minute of video that’s being created.

Want to know how to do it? Check out 1:31 in the video on this page to learn how to record your own pro quality voiceover.

Tip #11: Start Production As Soon As Possible

If your project has a short deadline, we recommend starting production as soon as possible. Rush delivery production schedules can increase your video’s production budget by 25%-50% or more depending on how soon your deadline is and how complex your animation is. You can avoid rush delivery production costs by starting production weeks or months ahead of your deadline.

Tip #12: Use Free Music

Believe it or not, there are some places online that offer free music you can use in your animated video. Facebook’s Sound Collection has a sizable library of free audio you can use in your animated promotional videos. There’s another site called Incompetech that allows anyone to use their music for free as long as they provide a credit to the artist.

Tip #13: Negotiate more affordable animation production terms with your production team

Trying to shave a little more off your production budget? You can try negotiating with your production team to see if they will offer an additional discount for any of the following production terms:

• Limiting edits to 1-2 rounds of revisions per asset instead of the normal 2-3… (FYI – Video Igniter offers unlimited revisions!)
• Tell them you’re open to a slow production schedule, fitting your project in between their clients that pay full price whenever bandwidth is available.
• Adding a credit to the animation studio at the end of the video.
• Tell them you’ll provide the script, storyboard, voiceover, free soundtrack & they’re allowed to use stock assets if it will help reduce the production cost.

Why Affordable Animation Matters for Businesses

Affordable animation isn’t just about cutting costs—it’s about maximizing value. Small businesses, startups, and nonprofits often hesitate to create videos because they assume high-quality animation is out of reach. But with today’s tools and production strategies, you can achieve professional, polished results without breaking your budget. Affordable animation allows you to compete with bigger brands, build credibility, and communicate your message in a memorable way—all while keeping marketing costs under control.

The ROI of Affordable Animation

Investing in affordable animation can generate a strong return on investment (ROI). Animated videos improve viewer engagement, boost website dwell time, and increase conversion rates on landing pages. Even if you produce a lower-cost video, you can still see measurable gains in:

• Brand awareness – Animations are shareable and eye-catching.
• Lead generation – Explainer videos clarify complex products quickly, helping prospects understand faster.
• Sales conversions – Adding an animated video to your sales page can improve conversion rates by 20–80%.
• Training efficiency – Affordable animated tutorials reduce the need for live training, saving long-term costs.

The key is to balance affordability with clarity and creativity. Even a simple animated video can have a big impact if the message is strong.

Common Misconceptions About Affordable Animation

Many people assume that “affordable” means low-quality—but that’s not the case. Affordable animation often means smarter production choices, not compromising on quality. For example:

• Using a minimalist design style can look intentional and modern while saving money.
• Repurposing existing artwork or brand assets cuts costs without reducing polish.
• Strategic use of text, icons, and transitions can feel professional while being budget-friendly.

The real difference is knowing where to spend and where to save. With the right production plan, affordable animation can look just as polished as higher-cost projects.

Affordable Animation for Different Industries

Affordable animation can serve multiple industries in unique ways:

• Healthcare – Simplify medical processes with easy-to-understand animated explainers.
• Education – Create cost-effective animated lessons that improve knowledge retention.
• Finance – Explain complex products like insurance or investments with simple animated graphics.
• E-commerce – Highlight product features with short, affordable product animations.
• Nonprofits – Use storytelling animation to inspire donations and awareness without overspending.

By tailoring your approach to your industry, you can achieve maximum impact on a reasonable budget.

Affordable Animation vs. Live Action Video

When businesses consider video production, they often debate between live action and animation. Live action requires cameras, actors, sets, and locations—all of which can quickly inflate costs. Affordable animation, on the other hand, eliminates those expenses. You don’t need to rent a studio or hire actors; everything can be created digitally. Plus, animation has the flexibility to represent abstract concepts that live action can’t easily capture. This makes it a powerful and affordable choice for startups and businesses with lean budgets.

Repurposing Affordable Animation for Multiple Platforms

One of the best ways to maximize your budget is to repurpose affordable animation content across multiple channels. For example:

• Break a longer animated explainer into short animated social media posts.
• Adapt your main video into GIFs for email campaigns.
• Pull still frames or illustrations from your video to use as blog graphics.
• Localize your animation with translated voiceovers or captions to reach international markets.

By reusing content in smart ways, a single affordable animation can serve your brand across months—or even years—of marketing.

DIY vs. Professional Affordable Animation

If you’re weighing whether to create your own animation or hire professionals, here’s a quick breakdown:

DIY Tools (like Powtoon, Vyond, Canva):

• Pros: Extremely cost-effective, fast turnaround, easy to use.
• Cons: Limited customization, generic look, less brand differentiation.

Professional Affordable Animation Studios (like Video Igniter):

• Pros: Custom designs, scalable options, higher polish, tailored to your brand.
• Cons: Slightly higher upfront cost, but often better ROI in terms of engagement and conversions.

The choice depends on your budget and your goals. For serious marketing campaigns, a professional approach often pays off.

How to Budget for Affordable Animation

When planning your project, it’s important to set realistic expectations. Here are some budgeting tips:

1. Define your core goal – Is it brand awareness, lead generation, or training?
2. Set a maximum budget – Know what you’re willing to spend before approaching studios.
3. Prioritize essentials – Script, storyboard, and voiceover matter more than flashy effects.
4. Plan ahead – Avoid last-minute projects, which can incur rush delivery animation fees.
5. Consider ongoing use – Think about how your video can serve you beyond the first campaign.

Budgeting carefully ensures your animation remains both affordable and effective.

Trends in Affordable Animation

Animation technology continues to evolve, making affordable options even more accessible. Current trends include:

• AI-assisted animation tools that reduce manual labor.
• Template-based motion graphics for fast, budget-friendly production.
• 2.5D animation (adding depth to 2D images) for a cinematic feel at a lower cost.
• Looping animations that can be reused across multiple platforms.

By keeping up with these trends, you can create modern, engaging animations without overspending.

Final Thoughts on Affordable Animation

Affordable animation isn’t about cutting corners—it’s about being strategic with your resources. By planning ahead, using the right tools, and partnering with the right team, you can create animations that look professional, deliver results, and fit within your budget. Whether you’re a small business owner, marketer, or startup founder, affordable animation gives you the ability to tell your story visually without draining your resources.

Questions about affordable animation for your project?

Do you have a question about making your animated video as affordable as possible to produce? Contact us with details about your project and expectations and we’ll follow up to figure out how we can collaborate within the constraints of your project and budget.

What is Video Igniter Animation?

Video Igniter offers animation production services online. Video Igniter modernizes the experience of creating a custom animated video to help you save on cost, and create custom content faster.

We streamline the complex process of making a custom animated video and do all the work for you. All you need to do is tell us what you want us to create and then respond to the assets (script, storyboard, voiceover, soundtrack, art and animation) when the Video Igniter app notifies you it’s time to review part of the video we create for you.

Hire Video Igniter to Create Your Animated Video

World class design talent at prices startups can afford.

Check out our animation portfolio – we can make any kind of 2D animation or 3D animated video you can imagine.

+20 reasons companies love hiring us to create animated videos.

Affordable Animation Demo Reel

 

Affordable Animation Success Stories & Testimonials

“I run a video production company and outsource animation. The team at Video Igniter did a great job in taking the concept I very crudely drew out and made it into a beautiful animation. The review process was easy and their turnaround time was very quick. I’d def recommend them if you’re looking for an animation project.”

Pat Henderson – Founder, Path8 Productions

“Video Igniter offered us the critical combination of creative value, clear communication, and patience with stakeholder feedback. We ended up with truly high-quality design assets for our video series largely due to the extra level of commitment — and the right balance of efficiencies with flexibility in the process when called for.”

Larry Schlessinger – Sr. Creative Program Manager, Amazon Web Services

“Video Igniter came to us with a number of creative and engaging ideas and were able to create an exciting, impactful video in a short period of time. And the best part was that it cost much less than other options of similar quality. The video they made is a great marketing tool for us.”

Alex Raymond – Founder, Kapta Systems

“My whole family and everyone on Facebook thinks you are amazing. My whole office is freaking out.”

Patricia Shields – Real Estate Agent

“I am beyond satisfied with my experience with Video Igniter. The first drafts of the work were almost exactly what I had in my head when developing the concept. After that each step along the way was seamless until arriving at a perfect finished product. And all this at a tremendous value. Anyone who has considered creating a marketing video should check out Video Igniter.”

Anonymous Customer Feedback

Get in touch about affordable animation for your project

Schedule a call to discuss your video project.

Get a quote for your animated video.

Request access to our newest price sheet.

Create your Video Igniter account, fill out a creative brief, and we’ll start creating your animated video.

Interested in making a custom animated video? This article is our most comprehensive resource to answer all the most frequently asked questions we get about making custom animated videos. Here, you’ll learn how to make custom animated videos, how to keep your costs low and tips to maximize the effectiveness and presentation of your animation.

Custom Animated Video Examples You Can Get From Video Igniter

Video Igniter can create any kind of 2D or 3D animated video for you. Check out the example videos below.

To start your project contact us, schedule a call with our production team or request access to our new pricing page.

Are you looking for an example of a different style of animation? Send us a message to let us know what kind of animation example you want to see and we will follow up with relevant production samples.

 

Why do people make custom animated videos?

Animated videos are great for getting awareness

When you scroll through a social media feed, what does it look like? Smartphone video. Smartphone video. Professionally filmed clip. GIF. Smartphone video. etc. Animated videos stand out, get more people to click play and in turn help you get more awareness for the message contained in your custom animated video.

Short animated videos have high engagement rates

If you’ve ever produced a >30 second animated video for a marketing campaign, you know from your analytics dashboard that your engagement rates are through the roof! Long videos have quick drop off rates. Live action (marketing) videos also have quick drop-off rates. Short animated videos are pleasurable to look at and are harder to look away from. If you want people to stand a chance of sticking around for your whole 30 second pitch, consider producing your pitch in animated form so that people will stick around long enough to take in the full pitch.

Animated videos are great for explaining new information

We all need to learn new things from time to time but picking up a book isn’t the easiest way to understand something. Nor is watching an expert stare you down and explain something via a video or in a classroom. Animation presents a user-friendly alternative to make it easier to learn new information. Custom created illustrations designed to present relevant information help the viewer focus on the specific details of the information being presented. Motion designs and accents keep viewers focused and engaged as new elements appear on screen. Tack on a professional voiceover to explain what’s going on and a complimentary soundtrack and you’ll have viewers hooked while they learn something new.

Animated videos help people remember information longer

Carefully crafted educational animated videos focus on the specific details that are necessary to convey new information. By creating simple metaphors, you make it easier for the viewer to not only understand the information, it also helps them retain the information longer.

How to make a custom animated video

Script

The first step to create a custom animation is developing the script. The script is the skeleton for your whole animation. It sets the pace for your animated video and informs what visuals need to be developed for each sentence of the script. To learn how to write the script for your custom animated video, check out our new script writing guide.

Storyboard

After your script is approved for production, it’s time to create the storyboard for your animated video. The storyboard is the blueprint for your animated video. It tells the illustrators what art they are supposed to create. It also tells the animators how they should animate your video in sync with the voiceover. The page below shows an example of what information needs to be created and documented for each sentence of your script.

Budget Saver: You can save +$500/minute by creating the storyboard for your animated video. Download our free storyboard template.

Art

Now that your storyboard is approved, the art team can pick a key scene from the video and use it to develop concept art for your animated video. The art team will review your branding or the style references you provided and use that to illustrate a scene from your video using one or more original visual styles.

You get a chance to review the concept art and provide honest feedback so the art team understands what aspects of the visual design you like and which aspects need to be refined. They will incorporate your feedback and create an updated piece of concept art for you to approve or provide additional feedback on.

Once you are satisfied with the concept art, the art team will create the rest of the art for your custom animation video using the approved concept art as a reference. You will get a chance to review all the art and request revisions before approving it for animation.

VoiceOver

While the art for your video is being created, your production team will help you audition prospective voiceover artists for your animated video. Your production team will get 1-5 voiceover candidates to record an audition line from your script.  This way you can hear what kind of energy, tone and pacing they will bring to your unique script. It can be very helpful to include notes in your script so that the voiceover artist can understand what kind of energy you want them to use, when you want them to speed up, slow down, change their intonation or use a special inflection. It’s also important to include pronunciation notes for difficult and uncommon words.

Soundtrack

Sound helps to bring videos to life. Most videos don’t have a budget to produce a custom musical score. Luckily there are many stock music websites with high quality music that you can license for your animated video. We recommend picking your favorite 2-3 soundtracks and downloading the free audio-watermarked versions for the animation team to use when creating the first draft of your animated video. This way, you can feel which song brings the right energy when you watch your video. Check out this video if you want to learn how to select the perfect soundtrack for your animated video!

Animation

After the voiceover, soundtrack and art are signed off, it’s finally time to animate. Animation takes about one week to create each 60 seconds of 2D animation. More complicated forms of animation like frame-by-frame animation (aka cel animation) and 3D animation require more time. When the first draft is ready to review, we recommend giving it a detailed review with your team and members of your target audience. If you need to make any last minute changes to your video, it’s much more cost effective to do light touch ups now while you still have access to the animators who created your video. Revisions can be made down the line but it requires more time and a budget increase to make more substantial art and voiceover related changes.

Deep Dive: How To Create An Animated Video

Differences between making 2D and 3D animated videos

The production process for creating a 2D animated video or a 3D animated video has many overlaps but there are a few key areas where they differ. Script writing, voiceover creation and soundtrack selection remain the same. Storyboarding, art creation and animation deviate quite a bit.

Storyboard Creation

A traditional storyboard for a 2D animated video could work for a 3D animated video, however it may have more detailed 3D style renderings in the images to help the art team understand what they are supposed to create. Storyboarding can go a step further creating something called an “animatic.” An animatic is like an ultra rough draft of the animation. In most cases, its purpose is designed to help establish the pacing and timing of the animation’s motion design to ensure details move with the right timing to achieve the intended effect for the viewer. Animatics can be created with simple pencil sketches and flipped through like a flip book – or they can be grayscale 3D mockups of the scenes and characters in a video that has been lightly animated.

Art Creation

Art that is created for a 3D animated video takes more time to create because 3D art requires multiple steps to create. First, modelers will create colorless 3D shapes for all the characters, scenes and objects the viewers will see. Next, riggers will add a ‘digital skeleton’ inside the visual elements that will move. This provides structure for things like a character’s legs, arms, neck, etc so that the animators have some structure to work with when they apply motion and animate the 3D characters, scenes and objects. Next, color and texture skins are layered onto to the outside of the 3D objects. Finally additional environmental effects are added – lighting, smoke/haze, even the effects of gravity can be adjusted.

Animating

The 3D animated video production process requires more technical skills and expertise to achieve the desired level of realism or unique visual representation on screen. As such, 3D animated videos require substantially more time to animate and render out.  Unlike 2D animations which can be quicker to render out, don’t expect your 3D animation team to be able to quickly render out multiple versions of your video. It saves a lot of time and budget to focus on creating a very polished first draft with minimal or zero revisions for a 2nd draft.

How to choose a producer for your custom animated video?

Looking for someone to make a custom animated video but not sure where to start? Whether you’re looking to hire an animation studio, a freelance animator, or a production service like Video Igniter Animation, there are many factors to consider including: pricing, visual style, storytelling, customer service, production timelines and more.

Here are some resources to help you figure out the right production option for your custom animated video:

– 9 Things to Look For When Hiring An Animator to create a custom animated video.

– Pros and Cons of Different Animation Styles

– What’s the difference between hiring an animation studio, vs a freelance animator vs Video Igniter?

– Considering making the animated video yourself? Learn about DIY options

– What is Video Igniter Animation?

Custom Animation Video Demo Reels At Different Budget Levels

 

Examples Of Custom 2D & 3D Animated Videos With High Production Budgets (+$7,500)

 

Examples Of Custom Animated Videos With Medium Production Budgets (+$3,000)

 

Low Cost Custom Animated Video Examples (+$1,000)

 

How long does custom video animation take?

Shorter 2D animated videos (30 seconds-2 minutes) take 3-8 weeks to produce. 3D animated videos easily take twice as long to produce. If your animated video is longer than 2 minutes, we recommend to help define the scope and timeline of the project. This will ensure you end up with an optimized budget that minimizes the need for rush delivery costs.

How long should my animated video be?

Great question! It depends what you are creating your animated video for.

Are you trying to get attention online?

We recommend keeping your video as short as possible 5-15 seconds is great, 30 seconds is still good. You can do it with a 60 second video but that’s pushing it. The goal here is to convey a compelling message to your target audience with as little friction as possible. If you can get your pitch across in the 5 seconds before they click “skip ad” on YouTube – you’re going to be golden. You want to present something that gets their attention and motivates them to click/tap on your ad to learn more. That’s where you can go more in depth. For your main awareness building videos, the shorter the better.

Are you trying to educate customers about why your product/service is awesome?

Aim for 60, 90 or 120 seconds of animation – about 150 words per minute. This gives you enough time to present a compelling hook, introduce your solution, and show people a few ways your product/service will improve their lives. Your video should end with a quick call to action that inspires the viewer to take action to solve their problems – i.e. download our acupressure app to reduce your cancer related fatigue and get better sleep.

Are you trying to explain something?

Animated explainer videos don’t have to be short (unless they’re intended to be a commercial promotional video). In many cases, animated explainer videos are used to go in depth to explain a new topic or piece of information. The use of animated visuals, live action footage and stock footage can be combined together to create an educational informative piece. As such, there’s no need to put a hard cap on the length of an animated explainer video. Be thorough and be concise. Don’t be worried about making your video as short as possible. Explainer videos can be 5-60+ minutes long and still be informative and entertaining.

Just trying to be entertaining?

Length is less of a concern if you’re creating something designed purely to be entertaining. Entertaining custom animated videos can be 3 seconds long and they can go well over 30 minutes long. Entertaining videos are less likely to be created with a business purpose in mind and are intended to be consumed for enjoyment so there’s no need to rush through the message and deliver it as fast as possible.

What does it cost to make a custom animated video?

Custom animated video prices can range widely. Pixar’s animated movies cost over $100 million to make. Cheap freelance animators will offer to make animated videos for less than $100. It’s all about paying for production quality. And when I say production quality, I’m not just talking about pretty pictures put into motion. It’s also about the storytelling and the pacing of how the message progresses and how the visuals are used to bring out the story. Ultimately, when it comes to animation, you get what you pay for. To give you some loose numbers, consider these data points for costs related to creating a 60 second custom animated video:

Script Costs

Script writing takes 2-10+ hours to research the company/topic/target audience, draft the script, present the script to the client, collect their feedback, integrate their feedback and present the 2nd draft of the script. Ballpark cost: $250-$1,000.

Storyboard Costs

Storyboard creation takes 4-10+ hours to brainstorm the visuals that will correspond with each sentence of your script. The storyboard artist needs to create a simple visual mockup for each scene, describe the motion that will happen on screen using unambiguous language, and list all the assets (visual and auditory) that are needed for that specific scene. After the first draft of the storyboard is created, it takes additional time to review the storyboard with the client and incorporate their revisions. If the storyboard isn’t well written, the illustrators may create the wrong art and the animators may animate the wrong details. This is why storyboarding is so important. Everyone can get consensus about what is going to be created so that there’s no need for expensive rework in the design or animation phases of production. It also helps keep production running on time; otherwise, illustrators and animators need to sit and wait while a project manager gets clarification about what a client wants to have happen during a specific part of the animation. Ballpark cost: $300-$1,000+

VoiceOver Costs

VoiceOvers cost $10-$300 for non-celebrity, English-speaking voiceovers. Non-English voiceovers may cost more. Planning on using your voiceover for a paid media campaign (TV or online)? You may need to pay extra for the voiceover recording’s broadcast rights.

Soundtrack Costs

Soundtracks also cost about $10-$300 for pre-created stock music. Expect to spend a few hundred extra dollars for the broadcast rights if you plan to promote your custom animated video on TV or online.

Illustration Costs

Creating the custom illustrations for a 60 second animated video usually takes 3-10 full days of work from an illustrator depending how intricate and unique the art is. Illustrators are paid $15-$45+/hour for 2D animations and even more for 3D animation.

Animation Costs

It takes about 30-60 hours to animate one minute of a 2D animated video. And that’s if we’re using computer animated graphics. If your animation uses frame by frame animation (aka where the illustrator is drawing every scene), it’ll take even more time to animate your video. The average hourly rate for a 2D video animator is $25-$35/hour.

Project Management Costs

In order to keep production running smoothly, it’s important to have a project manager organize client feedback and ensure the animated video production team is delivering content on time and has everything they need to keep production moving forward.

Add all these expenses up and add some monthly overhead costs on top and it’s easy to see why custom animated videos cost at least a few thousand dollars to create a high quality 60 second animation. Check out our companion article for a more comprehensive breakdown on animated video production costs.

What are the different styles of animation I can use for my video?

2D Animation Styles:

1). Flash / After Effects 2D animation 2). Motion Graphics 3). Hand Drawn Animation (aka Frame by Frame or ‘Cel’ Animation) 4). Kinetic Typography

3D Animation Styles:

1). 3D Animation 2). Stop Motion Deep Dive: Want to learn more about the different styles of animation?

How to keep your animated video cost low

If you’re ok creating an animated video that isn’t 100% custom created, consider the following cost-saving options to keep your animated video production budget low.

Create your script

Writing the script for your animated video can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars off the cost of your production budget. Freelance animators and American animation studios are capable of helping you craft your script. However, as the originator of the idea for a video, the heart of the story is in your mind. You have the best chance of creating a first draft that will articulate the story you want to present. It doesn’t need to be perfect; providing the first draft of your script to your animation team can still be enough to help you save money on your production budget. Your animation producers can help you polish your first draft and make it production-ready.

Here are a few resources to help you create a great script:

How To Write An Animated Explainer Video Script

7 Tips to Supercharge Your Explainer Video Script Writing

Examples Of Explainer Video Scripts + How To Write A Script

Get our free script writing template here.

Create your storyboard

Creating the storyboard for your custom animated video is another way you can save hundreds or thousands of dollars off the cost of your video’s production budget. You don’t need any artistic ability to create a storyboard. All you need to do is brainstorm visuals to correspond with each line of your script and create instructions for the illustrators and animators so that they have a clear understanding of what you want them to create for each scene.

Free Download: Get our free storyboard creation template. Deep Dive: Building a great storyboard for an animated explainer video.

Record the voiceover

English-speaking voiceover artists tend to charge $10-$199 for 1-2 minutes of recorded audio. You can try sourcing low cost voiceover talent from Fiverr or VoiceBunny. You can also record the voiceover yourself for free! That’s right – you can record a professional sounding voiceover without having to buy any professional equipment or expensive software programs. Check out Episode 3 of The Video Igniter Show (at 1:31) to see how you can record the voiceover for your animated video for free.

Use stock assets

Not every visual for an animated video needs to be created from scratch. Using pre-created assets can help you keep your budget down because they usually cost less to buy or license than it would to create something comparable. Marketplaces exist to buy 3D models of common objects (lightbulbs, hands, houses, plants, etc) to save on your 3D animation budget. Free (or low cost) icons, clip art, stock images, fonts, graphs and video clips are available on sites like Mixkit, TheNounProject, Google Font Library and Envato Elements.

Use free music

Soundtracks typically cost $10-$299 each. If you plan to promote your animation using paid media (TV and or Online), you may need to pay even more for the broadcast rights to use the soundtrack in paid promotional campaigns. If you’re looking for free, legal music you can use in your custom animated video, here are two sites to check out. The first is called Incompetech. Artist Kevin MacLeod provides his music for free – all you need to do is provide proper credit and attribution to him as the creator. Another great option for free music is Facebook’s Sound Collection. There, you’ll find an even larger variety of musical options you can use for free in your paid media campaigns.

How to create your own animated video for free online?

Custom animated videos typically require budgets of at least a few thousand dollars to produce. There are a growing number of cheap ways to make animated videos – but they usually require a lot of your time to learn how to use the program and even more time to actually create the videos. Additionally, these videos are rarely custom and rely on pre-created designs in order to keep costs low. In recent months, Facebook has introduced Make-A-Video and Google researchers have introduced DreamFusion – a text to 3D animated video creation AI. These services can be used to make short custom animated video clips with small pixel dimensions and a moderate amount of photo realism. While they’re still in their infancy, these new services are already generating impressive results.

 

How to create custom animated video from photos?

Another low cost way to make animated videos is to add motion to photos you already have. This is a great way to repurpose and extend the life of content you’ve previously created. The video below shows different ways that you can turn photos into short little animations.

How to make your own animated video

Now that you know what it takes to create an animated video, maybe you are considering learning animation so you can make animated videos yourself. If so, here are a few services and programs that are used to make animated videos – ranging from easy to complicated to learn:

Create Your Own Animated Video With Easy To Learn Animated Video Creation Software

Online animated video creation software like Wideo, PowToon and Vyond can be learned in a few hours and cost substantially less than professional animation programs.  These easy animated video makers can be used to create simple animated videos using pre-created scenes, characters, objects, text and icons.

Pros: Low cost. You can learn how to use the program in a few hours. Cons: You have to teach yourself how to use the program. The videos use pre-created stock visuals (characters, scenes, objects, etc) which means that your video won’t look completely original.

Advanced Animated Video Creation Software

Adobe After Effects is the go-to animation program for many professional animators. The program enables an endless list of visual creative possibilities and integrates with the Adobe Cloud ecosystem (so it’s easy to work with Photoshop and Illustrator art).

Pros: You can make any kind of custom animated 2D video you can imagine. Cons: Requires more time to learn and master the program.

Expert Animation Creation Software

Cinema 4D is the industry leading program animators use to create custom 3d animations.

Pros: You can create any kind of custom 3D animated video you can imagine. Cons: Takes longer to master and requires learning multiple skillsets (rigging, lighting, modeling, etc).

How to get the most out of your custom animated video?

If you are making a custom animated video for a business or marketing purpose, there are a lot of things you can do during the production process and after the production has completed that will improve the success of your business outcomes. Here are some resources we recommend video marketers consume before, during, or after your next animated video project:

– 7 Tips to help you write a great script for your custom animated video.

– Pick the right visual style for your animated video.

– 6 Tips To Increase Viewer Engagement for your custom animated video.

– Review the Do’s and Don’ts of Promotional Explainer Videos.

– 7 Tips For Using and Improving Your Businesses’s Video.

– Learn how to interpret your video’s viewer stats to see if it needs improvement.

– A/B Test variations of your animated video to improve its conversion rate.

Custom Animated Video: New Insights, Use Cases, and Trends

Custom Animated Video Use Cases by Industry

1. Startups
Startups often need to explain new concepts quickly. A custom animated video can simplify complex technology, demonstrate how a product works, or make a fundraising pitch more compelling. Investors see hundreds of pitch decks, but an animated video helps your startup stand out with a clear, memorable story.

2. Healthcare
Medical topics can be intimidating or confusing. Custom animated videos break down complex procedures, explain how treatments work, and help patients understand their options. For internal use, hospitals and clinics also rely on animated training videos to onboard staff more efficiently.

3. Education and eLearning
Custom animated videos are highly effective for eLearning because they keep students engaged while improving retention. Teachers and course creators use them to explain science experiments, historical events, or technical skills in a way that’s easier to grasp than text alone.

4. Nonprofits
For nonprofits, storytelling is key to inspiring donations and support. A custom animated video can bring abstract statistics to life, show the impact of contributions, and create an emotional connection that drives action.

5. SaaS and Tech Companies
Custom animated videos are essential for SaaS brands that need to simplify complex platforms. Whether it’s a product demo, onboarding tutorial, or feature announcement, animated videos can illustrate the customer journey more clearly than screenshots or text.

By tailoring a custom animated video to your industry, you not only clarify your message — you also give your audience a reason to care.

ROI and Business Benefits of Custom Animated Videos

Businesses increasingly want to know: what’s the ROI of investing in a custom animated video? While results vary by campaign, here are proven benefits:

• Higher Engagement Rates: Animated videos consistently outperform text and static images in terms of watch time and click-through rates.
• Boost in Conversions: Landing pages that include a short custom animated video often see 20–80% higher conversion rates.
• Global Reach: Animation can be localized easily with translated voiceovers or subtitles, making it more cost-effective than reshooting live footage for international markets.
• Longevity of Content: Unlike live action, which can look outdated quickly, animated videos have a longer shelf life because they’re less tied to fashion or production trends.
• Stronger Recall: Studies show viewers remember up to 65% of information presented in an animated video, compared to just 10% from text.

When measured over time, a single custom animated video often continues to deliver leads and engagement months or even years after production.

Custom Animated Video vs. Template Animation

If you’ve looked into making videos, you’ve probably come across low-cost template-based animation tools. While these can be useful in some cases, there are important differences:

Template-Based Animation:

• Fast turnaround.
• Lower cost.
• Limited customization — your video may look similar to others.

Custom Animated Video:

• 100% original design and storytelling.
• Tailored to your brand identity and audience.
• Flexible for any industry, concept, or creative direction.
• Higher perceived professionalism and authority.

For businesses serious about building brand equity, a custom animated video is almost always the smarter investment. Templates are fine for quick internal projects, but for customer-facing campaigns, originality matters.

Emerging Trends for Custom Animated Videos

Animation continues to evolve, and staying ahead of trends ensures your video feels fresh and relevant. Here are some current and future directions:

• AI-Enhanced Animation: AI tools can now assist with lip-syncing, asset generation, and even rough drafts. While they can’t replace human creativity, they can shorten production timelines and reduce costs.
• Interactive Animated Videos: Instead of passive viewing, interactive animations let viewers click, choose paths, or explore a product demo in real time.
• Short-Form Vertical Animation: With TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts dominating social feeds, vertical custom animated videos are becoming essential for brand visibility.
• 3D Animation for AR/VR: As AR and VR grow, custom 3D animated videos are being used in immersive training, virtual product demos, and interactive brand experiences.
• Hybrid Video Production: Mixing live-action video with animation is a growing trend, allowing brands to showcase real products while enhancing them with custom animated elements.

By incorporating these innovations, businesses can keep their content ahead of the curve and maximize viewer engagement.

Distribution Strategies for Custom Animated Videos

Creating a custom animated video is only half the equation. To get results, you need to distribute it strategically. Some top approaches include:

• Social Media: Post cutdowns or teasers on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok to drive viewers to the full video.
• Email Marketing: Adding an animated video thumbnail in emails can increase click-through rates by 200–300%.
• Paid Ads: Custom animated videos often deliver better ROI in Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn ad campaigns because they capture attention more quickly than static visuals.
• Landing Pages: Embedding a video at the top of a product or service page can reduce bounce rates, keep people on your website longer and increase conversions.
• Events and Trade Shows: Animated videos work well on loop at trade show booths, capturing attention without needing staff to repeat the same explanation.

Think of your custom animated video as a versatile asset — one that can be sliced, reformatted, and repurposed across multiple platforms for maximum value.

FAQ: Common Questions About Custom Animated Videos

Can I update my custom animated video later?
Yes. One advantage of animation is that scenes, text, or voiceovers can be swapped out or edited without redoing the entire project. This makes updates easier than reshooting live action.

What’s the difference between a custom animated video and an explainer video?
An explainer video is usually focused on describing a product, service, or idea. A custom animated video can include explainer content, but it also covers a wider range of uses like entertainment, education, or internal training.

Do custom animated videos work for paid ads?
Absolutely. In fact, short animated videos (5–30 seconds) often outperform traditional ads because they grab attention faster and are easier to understand at a glance.

What platforms are best for sharing animated videos?
The most popular channels are YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and company websites. The key is to repurpose your custom animated video in different lengths and formats to match each platform.

What is the Video Igniter animated video creation platform?

Video Igniter offers animated video production online. Video Igniter modernizes the experience of creating a custom animated video to help you save on your production cost, and create custom content faster. We streamline the complex process of making a custom animated video and do all the work for you. All you need to do is tell us what you want us to create and then send feedback for the assets that we create for your animated video (script, storyboard, voiceover, soundtrack, art and animation).

If you’re looking for a website to make an animated video, Video Igniter is a new kind of custom animated video production service that enables you to create any kind of animated video you can imagine. Our talented staff collaborates behind the scenes to create custom 2D and 3D animated videos so you don’t have to figure out if you have the right animator for the kind of animation you want to get created. We handle all the technical and creative talent sourcing for you in addition to helping you develop your script and storyboard (if you haven’t already created them yourself).

Hire Video Igniter to make your custom animated video

World class animation and design talent at prices startups can afford.

We can make any kind of 2D or 3D custom animated video you can imagine.

+20 reasons companies love hiring us to create custom animated videos.

Custom Animated Video Demo Reel

 

Custom Animated Video Success Stories and Testimonials

“Video Igniter offered us the critical combination of creative value, clear communication, and patience with stakeholder feedback. We ended up with truly high-quality design assets for our video series largely due to the extra level of commitment — and the right balance of efficiencies with flexibility in the process when called for.”

Larry Schlessinger – Sr. Creative Program Manager, Amazon Web Services

“My whole family and everyone on Facebook thinks you are amazing. My whole office is freaking out.”

Patricia Shields – Real Estate Agent

“I run a video production company and outsource animation. The team at Video Igniter did a great job in taking the concept I very crudely drew out and made it into a beautiful animation. The review process was easy and their turnaround time was very quick. I’d def recommend them if you’re looking for an animation project.”

Pat Henderson – Founder, Path8 Productions

“Video Igniter came to us with a number of creative and engaging ideas and were able to create an exciting, impactful video in a short period of time. And the best part was that it cost much less than other options of similar quality. The video they made is a great marketing tool for us.”

Alex Raymond – Founder, Kapta Systems

“I am beyond satisfied with my experience with Video Igniter. The first drafts of the work were almost exactly what I had in my head when developing the concept. After that each step along the way was seamless until arriving at a perfect finished product. And all this at a tremendous value. Anyone who has considered creating a marketing video should check out Video Igniter.”

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Get in touch about your custom animated video project

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