The Ultimate Guide to Creating an Animated Video: Everything You Need to Know

Animated videos have become a powerful tool in capturing the attention and engaging audiences across various industries. Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, or content creator, understanding the process of creating an animated video can help you effectively communicate your message and captivate your target audience. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the entire process of creating an animated video and highlight the importance of hiring professionals for this task.

1. Understanding the Benefits of Animated Videos

Animated videos offer a unique and captivating way to convey messages and ideas. Here are some key benefits that make them a popular choice for businesses and content creators:

Conveying Messages Effectively

Animated videos have the ability to simplify complex concepts and ideas, making them more accessible and understandable for viewers. The combination of visuals, storytelling, and audio elements enables you to communicate your message in a concise and engaging manner.

Versatility and Appeal

One of the great advantages of 2D animation is their versatility. They can be adapted to any industry or topic, making them suitable for a wide range of purposes, such as explainer videos, product demos, training videos, and marketing campaigns. Additionally, animated visuals have a universal appeal that can resonate with audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

Simplifying Complex Ideas

Animated videos can break down complicated information into easily digestible visuals. By using animated characters & graphics, you can simplify intricate concepts, making them more accessible and engaging for your audience.

Impactful Marketing Tool

Statistics show that animated videos have a significant impact on marketing campaigns. They increase website conversions, boost engagement on social media platforms, and improve overall brand awareness. With the right animated video, you can effectively grab your audience’s attention and leave a lasting impression.

2. Examples of Animated Videos You Can Create With 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.

 

3. How To Create an Animated Video

To create a successful animated video, there are several crucial steps that need to be followed. Let’s explore each step in detail:

Step 1: Defining the Objectives and Target Audience

Before diving into the creative process, it’s essential to clearly define your objectives and identify your target audience. Understanding your audience’s preferences and interests will help you tailor your video to resonate with them effectively.

Step 2: Crafting the Script and Storyboard

The script serves as the foundation of your animated video. It outlines the narrative, dialogue, and key points you want to convey. Once the script is finalized, creating a storyboard will help visualize the scenes and transitions, ensuring a smooth flow in the final video.

Animated Video Budget Saver: Download our script writing & storyboard templates to create your own script and storyboard so that you can save money on your video production budget.

Step 3: Designing the Visual Elements

Once your storyboard is approved, our art director will use it to help develop all of the visual art needed to create your animated video. This includes designing characters, backgrounds, and other graphical elements that will be animated. It’s important to align the visual style with your brand identity and the preferences of your target audience.

Step 4: VoiceOver and Sound Design

Selecting the right voice talent to narrate your video is crucial for creating the desired impact. A professional voiceover artist can bring your script to life and add emotion and personality to your animated characters. Additionally, sound effects and background music enhance the overall viewing experience and help convey the intended message.

Step 5: Animation and Editing

Once all the visual and audio elements are ready, it’s time to bring everything together. Skilled animators will animate the scenes based on the storyboard, adding movement, transitions, and effects. After the animation is complete, the video goes through the editing process, which includes fine-tuning the timing, adding text overlays, sound effects and ensuring a polished final product.

4. Finding the Right Animated Video Production Company

Hiring a professional animated video production company can make a significant difference in the quality and effectiveness of your video. Here are some factors to consider when looking for the right company:

Evaluating the Experience and Expertise of the Company

Review the company’s portfolio and client testimonials to assess their experience in creating animated videos. Look for a company that specializes in the animation style that aligns with your vision.

Pricing and Timelines

Discuss the pricing structure with the company and ensure it aligns with your budget. Additionally, establish realistic timelines for the project to ensure a smooth production process.

Assessing the Quality and Creativity of Previous Work

Take a close look at the visual quality and attention to detail in the company’s past projects. Consider their storytelling techniques, animation skills, and overall creativity in bringing ideas to life.

Communication and Collaboration

Effective communication is key to a successful collaboration. Choose a company that actively listens to your ideas, understands your vision, and provides regular updates throughout the production process.

What Makes a Great Animated Video Script?

The script is arguably the most important element when you create an animated video — and it’s also where many businesses make their biggest mistakes. A strong animated video script isn’t written like a blog post or a brochure. It’s written to be heard while being watched, which means every word needs to pull double duty.

Here are the hallmarks of a script built for animation:

Lead with the problem, not your company. Your viewer is asking “what’s in it for me?” within the first three seconds. Open with a relatable pain point before introducing your solution. For example, instead of “Hi, we’re Acme Corp and we make software,” try “Managing 47 spreadsheets every week is killing your team’s productivity.”

Write for a single viewer, not a crowd. The most effective animated videos feel like they’re speaking directly to one specific person. Use “you” and “your” frequently. The more specific and personal your script feels, the more likely viewers are to keep watching.

Match your word count to your runtime. A good rule of thumb: approximately 125–150 spoken words equals about 60 seconds of animation. If you’re aiming for a 90-second video, your script should land around 188–225 words. Tighter is almost always better — viewers rarely complain that a video was too concise.

End with one clear call to action. A common mistake is ending with a vague “learn more.” Instead, tell your viewer exactly what to do next and why: “Visit VideoIgniter.com today to get a free quote and see your idea come to life.”

If you’re not sure where to start, working with an experienced animated video production team like Video Igniter means you’ll have professional scriptwriters guiding you through the process — so your video launches on the right foot from day one.

Choosing the Right Animation Style for Your Goals

When businesses decide to create an animated video, one of the most consequential decisions they’ll make is choosing the animation style. The style you choose affects your production cost, timeline, emotional tone, and how your brand is perceived. Here’s a breakdown of the most common styles and when to use each:

2D Character Animation — The most popular choice for explainer videos, SaaS products, and brand storytelling. Characters and scenes are illustrated in a flat or semi-flat style and brought to life with fluid movement. It’s versatile, cost-effective, and works well across industries from healthcare to fintech to e-commerce.

Motion Graphics & Infographic Animation — Ideal for data-heavy or abstract concepts where a human character doesn’t quite fit. Think animated charts, icons, and typography that dance across the screen. This style is especially popular for financial services, tech companies, and internal corporate communications.

Whiteboard Animation — A classic format where illustrations appear to be drawn on screen in real time. This style tends to feel educational and trustworthy, making it a strong fit for training videos, tutorial content, and nonprofit video campaigns.

3D Animation — The gold standard for product demos, architectural visualization, medical animation, and premium brand content. 3D takes longer and costs more to produce, but delivers an unmatched level of realism and visual sophistication. If your product has a physical form factor that needs to be shown from every angle, 3D is often worth the investment.

Mixed Media & Hybrid Styles — Some of the most memorable animated videos today blend 2D characters with live footage, 3D environments, or motion graphic elements. This approach can feel fresh and unexpected, and helps brands stand out in crowded feeds.

Not sure which style is right for your goals? The team at Video Igniter has produced animated videos across every major style category. Reaching out for a consultation takes just a few minutes — and it could save you thousands of dollars by getting your style choice right from the start.

Where to Use Your Animated Video Once It’s Created

Many businesses put significant effort into creating a polished animated video — then only post it in one place. Getting maximum ROI from your video means distributing it strategically across multiple channels. Here are the highest-impact placements to consider:

Your Homepage (Above the Fold) — Studies consistently show that websites with an explainer video on the homepage see significantly higher conversion rates. Visitors who watch a video stay on-site longer and are more likely to take the next step.

Landing Pages — Whether you’re running paid ads or email campaigns, embedding your animated video on a dedicated landing page can dramatically improve conversion rates compared to text-only pages. Video builds trust quickly — and trust converts.

Social Media (Natively Uploaded) — Uploading your video directly to LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok rather than sharing a YouTube link typically results in dramatically higher organic reach. Each platform’s algorithm favors native video content.

Email Campaigns — The word “video” in an email subject line is well-documented to boost open rates. Even a static thumbnail linking to your video can improve click-through rates substantially over text-based emails.

Sales Outreach & Proposals — Sales teams that include a personalized or product-explainer animated video in their outreach consistently report higher response rates and shorter sales cycles. Your video does the heavy lifting before the first call even happens.

Trade Show Displays & Event Screens — Looping animated videos on display screens at trade shows and live events attract attention and communicate your value proposition without requiring a sales rep to be present at every moment.

Onboarding & Training — Animated videos aren’t just for marketing. Customer onboarding videos, employee training modules, and product tutorial libraries can dramatically reduce support ticket volume and improve customer satisfaction.

The broader takeaway: once you’ve invested in creating a high-quality animated video, you should be using it in at least five to seven different contexts. If you’re only using it in one place, you’re leaving significant value on the table.

When you work with Video Igniter, you receive a video file formatted and ready for use across all major platforms — so you can start distributing your content everywhere it matters, immediately.

5. Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to create an animated video?

Production budgets vary based on the length and style of the animation being created. Most 60-second 2D animated videos can be created for $2,000-$10,000. 3D animated videos cost 2-4x as much to create.

Here are 4 ways you can figure out the cost for your animated video:

• Request a quote from our production team.
• to discuss your video project.
• Fill out this questionnaire.
• Request access to our price sheet.

How long does it take to create an animated video?

Production timelines vary based on the length and style of the animation being created. A 60-second 2D animated video can be created in 4-6 weeks. 3D animated videos take 2-3x as much time to create.

Want to figure out how long it will take to create your animated video?

• Describe your video to our production team.
• to discuss your project.
• Fill out this questionnaire.

Want to speed up production for your animated video? We offer rush delivery animation to help speed up production for projects with short deadlines.

Can I request revisions to the video?

Simple and Standard animation projects include unlimited revisions. This means we will revise your script, storyboard, voiceover, illustrations, soundtrack selection and animation as many times as you want until you mark them as approved.

Who owns the rights to the animated video?

You do.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Creating an Animated Video

Even with the best intentions, there are a handful of mistakes that consistently derail animated video projects. Being aware of them upfront can save you time, money, and frustration.

Trying to say too much in one video. It’s tempting to pack every feature, benefit, and use case into a single video. Resist this urge. The most effective animated videos have one core message and one call to action. If you have multiple messages to convey, consider a series of shorter, focused videos instead.

Ignoring the audio. Viewers will tolerate imperfect visuals far more readily than they’ll tolerate bad audio. A thin, poorly mixed voiceover or mismatched background music can undermine an otherwise great animation. Professional sound design and voice talent aren’t luxuries — they’re essential.

Skipping stakeholder alignment early. One of the most common causes of budget overruns and timeline delays is internal disagreement that surfaces late in production — after art has been created or animation has begun. Make sure all key decision-makers review and approve the script and storyboard before any animation work starts.

Optimizing for desktop only. The majority of video content is now consumed on mobile devices. Make sure your animated video is legible and impactful on a small screen — including any text overlays or fine visual details.

Treating the video as a one-time asset. An animated video can be repurposed into short social clips, GIFs, still frames for presentations, and more. Plan for this from the beginning rather than as an afterthought.

Video Igniter’s production process is specifically designed to help clients avoid all of these pitfalls — with structured review stages, experienced creative direction, and unlimited revisions included on most project types. If you want to create an animated video that delivers real results, get in touch with the Video Igniter team today.

How can I save money on my production budget when creating an animated video?

• Write the script for your video. Download our free script writing template.
• Create the storyboard for your animated video. Download our free storyboard template.
• Use free, legal music.
• Record your own voiceover. Learn how to record quality voiceovers for free at home.
• Consider using pre-created stock icons, images and 3D models to save on your visual design cost.

Check out this article for more tips on how to create affordable animation.

Resources For Creating An Animated Video

The following resources and guides are popular among people researching and reading about how to create an animated video:

Learn About Different Types Of Animation Production Companies

How To Make A Business Animation

How To Hire And Work With A 3D Animation Company

Learn All About Animated Video Production

How To Make Animated Explainer Videos

Create Animated Video Conclusion

Creating an animated video is a carefully crafted process that involves defining objectives, crafting a script and storyboard, designing visual elements, adding voiceover and sound design, and animating and editing the final product. Animated videos have numerous benefits, including effectively conveying messages, simplifying complex ideas, and serving as impactful marketing tools.

To ensure a high-quality video, it is advisable to hire a professional animated video production company that has the experience, creativity, and communication skills to bring your vision to life. By following the steps outlined in this guide and working with the right professionals, you can create an engaging and effective animated video that captivates your target audience and achieves your objectives.

Still have questions about creating an animated video?

Do you have a question about creating an animated video 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.

What is Video Igniter Animation?

Video Igniter Animation is an online animated video production service. By working with our team online, you can get your custom animated video produced faster and for less than hiring a brick and mortar animation studio.

We can help you create any kind of 2D animated video or 3D animation you can imagine. Check out our animated video portfolio.

Watch our explainer video on our home page to learn more about how we can help you create an animated video. For examples of the kinds of animation our team can produce, check out the demo reel below:

 

Looking For An Animated Video Company In The U.S.?

Video Igniter is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Success Stories & Testimonials

Don’t just take our word for it – these testimonials highlight Video Igniter’s reliability, creativity, flexibility and ability to deliver animations that exceed expectations. When you choose Video Igniter Animation, you can rest assured that you are working with a trusted and reputable studio.

“Video Igniter were very easy to work with and the entire process for creating and suggesting edits was seamless and stress-free. I would work with them again and would recommend to others looking to create a modern and stylish explainer video.”

Clair Simpson – VP Marketing, Repool.com

“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 making 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

 

Ready to create an animated video? Get in touch!

Schedule a call to discuss your animated video project.

Get a quote for us to create your animated video.

Request access to our newest price sheet.

Create your Video Igniter account, fill out a creative brief for your video and we’ll begin production as soon as we receive your production deposit.