Good Explainer Video Scorecard: 10 Checks Before You Pay

James Crawford

Published September 21, 202612 min readUpdated September 21, 2026

The draft of your explainer video just landed in your inbox. It moves, it talks, it has your logo. Now the studio wants a thumbs-up and the last payment.

But is it a good explainer video, or only a nice-looking one? You get one real chance to ask for fixes before you sign off, and "looks great, thanks" wastes it.

This guide gives you a 10-check scorecard you can run in about 15 minutes. You'll get a score out of 20, a clear pass mark, and the exact words to send the studio for anything that fails.

A good explainer video makes a stranger understand who you help, what you fix and what to do next, in one watch. To judge a draft, score it on 10 checks worth 2 points each. Approve at 17 or more, send one fix list at 12 to 16, and push back hard below 12.

How can you tell a good explainer from an okay one?

You can tell a good explainer from an okay one by showing it to a stranger once and asking three questions: who is it for, what problem does it fix, and what should you do next? If the stranger answers all three without help, the video works. If they can only say "it was nice", it doesn't.

Your own opinion is the weakest test you have. You already know your business, so your brain fills every gap the video leaves open. A new customer has none of that. They see 30 or 60 seconds of pictures and a voice, and then they decide.

Time is also shorter than it looks. According to Wistia's research on video length, videos under a minute average a 52% engagement rate, which means viewers typically watch about half. So the most important point can't wait for the end. It has to land early, and it has to land for someone who doesn't know you.

That's why the scorecard below judges what a viewer understands, not how pretty the animation is. A pretty video helps. A clear video pays.

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When should you score the draft, and how should you watch it?

You should score the draft at the first full animated cut, before you approve it and before you pay the final invoice. A draft cut is the first complete version with voice, pictures and music joined together. The final invoice is the last payment most studios ask for before they hand over the finished files.

Earlier stages have their own checks. If you are still at the drawing stage, use our guide on how to review and approve an explainer video storyboard instead. The scorecard here is for the moment the video moves and speaks.

Watch the draft three ways, in this order:

On your phone, sound on, as a customer would see it in a feed or on your website.
On your phone again, sound off, because many people scroll with the sound muted.
Once with a stranger, a friend or neighbour who has never used your business.

Keep a notepad open for all three. Write the time on the video player next to each thing you notice, such as "0:07 text too small". Those timestamps will make your fix list fast and clear later.

The 10-check scorecard for a good explainer video

The scorecard below has 10 checks, and each one is worth 0, 1 or 2 points. Most of the checks follow a simple script shape. According to Biteable's explainer script template, a basic explainer script has four parts: a hook, the problem, the solution and a call to action. A call to action (CTA) is the line that tells the viewer what to do next, like "Book online today".

Check 1: The first five seconds name your customer

The opening line should make the right viewer think "that's me". A roofer might open with "Heavy rain last night? Check your ceiling." Score 0 if the video opens with your logo and company name, because nobody cares who you are until they know you can help.

Check 2: The video names one problem, not five

A strong draft picks one clear pain and sticks with it. If you hear a list ("slow, expensive, confusing and stressful"), the viewer remembers none of it. Score 2 for one problem that a customer would say in their own words.

Check 3: The fix is shown, not only told

Pictures should show your service doing the work, such as a hand booking an appointment on a phone. If the voice says "easy booking" while the screen shows a random smiling person, the picture is wasted. Score 1 if some scenes show and some only decorate.

Check 4: One main benefit comes through

Ask your stranger "why would someone pick this business?" A pass means they give one reason, and it's the reason you care about most. If they give a reason you didn't mean, the script put weight on the wrong line.

Check 5: The words fit the time

A rushed voice is a sign the script is too long for the video. According to Breadnbeyond's guide to 60-second scripts, plan on about 150 spoken words per minute, so a 60-second script runs about 140 to 160 words. A 30-second script should sit near half that. Score 0 if the voice sounds hurried or the last line gets squeezed.

Check 6: The voice sounds like a person, not a robot

Listen with your eyes shut. The voiceover should sound warm, clear and suited to your customers, with natural pauses. Score 1 if the voice is clear but flat, and 0 if a name, street or product is said wrong.

Check 7: On-screen words are readable on a phone

Pause on each scene with text and try to read it on your phone at arm's length. Every word should be big enough, on screen long enough, and spelled right, including your phone number and web address. One typo in your phone number is an automatic 0.

Check 8: The video still works on mute

Your sound-off watch tells you this. With no voice, a viewer should still get the problem, the fix and the next step from pictures and short captions. Score 2 if a muted viewer could still act.

Check 9: The brand looks like your business

Colours, logo and the look of the people should match your real business and your real customers. According to Vidico's roundup of the 2026 Wyzowl video statistics, 87% of consumers say video quality affects how much they trust a brand. That doesn't mean you need fancy effects. It means nothing should look off, cheap or wrong for your trade.

Check 10: The last shot asks for one next step

The ending should say one thing to do, such as "Call now" or "Book online", and show how to do it. Score 0 if the video ends on a slogan with no action. Score 1 if it offers three actions at once, because choice slows people down.

How do you add up the score?

You add up the score by giving each of the 10 checks 0, 1 or 2 points, for a total out of 20. A 0 means the thing is missing, a 1 means it's there but weak, and a 2 means your stranger got it without help.

Score band	What it means	What you do
17 to 20	The video does its job	Approve, ask for any typo fixes, pay the final invoice
12 to 16	Good bones, weak spots	Send one fix list for every check below 2
7 to 11	The message isn't landing	Ask for a call to rework the script before more animation
0 to 6	Wrong video for your business	Stop and talk about the brief, or ask about the refund policy

One rule sits above the total. If Check 1, Check 2 or Check 10 scores 0, don't approve, whatever the total says. A video with no clear customer, no clear problem or no next step can look lovely and still bring in nobody.

Length matters for scoring too. HubSpot's 2026 marketing statistics report, from Wyzowl data, that 51% of people say 30 to 60 seconds is the best length for an effective video, and 91% said under two minutes. If your draft runs well past that and scores low on Check 5, trimming the script is likely your first fix.

What should you ask the studio to fix?

You should ask the studio to fix every check that scored below 2, written as what the viewer should understand, with a timestamp. Studios fix clear notes fast. Vague notes like "make it pop" lead to guesswork and a wasted round.

Failed check	Say this	Not this
1. Opening	"At 0:00 to 0:05, open with the customer's problem, not our logo."	"The start is boring."
2. One problem	"Cut the list at 0:08. Keep only the leaking pipe."	"Too much going on."
5. Words fit the time	"The voice is rushed at 0:20. Cut the line about parking."	"Can it breathe more?"
7. Readable text	"The phone number at 0:27 is too small and on screen too briefly. Make it bigger for 3 seconds."	"Fix the text."
10. Next step	"End with one action: Book online at our web address."	"Make the ending stronger."

A revision round is one batch of changes the studio makes after you send notes. Most packages include a set number of rounds, so each one counts. Our guide on how many explainer video revision rounds you should get explains what usually counts as a round.

Step 1: Write a timestamp for every note

Put the time from the video player in front of each note, like "0:14". A timestamp tells the animator exactly where to look, so nothing gets missed or fixed in the wrong place.

Step 2: Say what the viewer should understand

Describe the result you want, not the design tool. "A new patient should see that parking is free" is a note the studio can solve in its own way.

Step 3: Rank the notes

Number your notes from most to least important. If time or budget runs short, the studio fixes the big message problems first and the small taste points last.

Step 4: Send one list from one person

Collect notes from your partner or staff first, then send a single list from one person. Two people sending different notes on the same scene is the fastest way to lose a revision round.

Which fixes are fair at the final stage, and which are not?

Fair fixes at the final stage are small changes to what's already there, like typos, timing, volume and wrong details. Changes that alter the script, the style or the story after animation are really a new stage, and most studios will treat them as extra work.

Change	Fair at final stage?	Why
Wrong phone number, spelling or address	Yes	The studio should fix errors of fact without a fight
Text too small or too fast	Yes	Timing and size are quick changes
Music too loud under the voice	Yes	Sound levels are a simple mix change
Swap one line of voiceover	Usually	Needs a new recording, so check your package
Change the main message	No	That goes back to the script stage
Switch style, say cartoon to whiteboard	No	That's a new video, not a fix

Being fair works both ways. If the studio missed something you approved in the script, that's on them. If you approved the script and now want a new story, that's a new request, and it's reasonable for the studio to quote it.

The script shape can help you decide whose problem it is. Content Beta's guide to 60-second scripts suggests a common split of Problem 30%, Solution 40%, Proof 20% and Action 10%. If your draft spends half its time on the problem, you can point to the script and ask for a trim.

Want something bigger? Book a free 30-minute video call → We plan your custom video with you and send a fixed quote within 24 hours.

Scoring a chiropractor's 30-second draft, check by check

Here is a made-up example to show how the scorecard works on a real kind of video. Picture a small chiropractic clinic with a 30-second animated draft about back pain from desk work.

Check	Score	Note from the owner
1. First five seconds	1	Opens on the clinic logo for 3 seconds, then the office worker
2. One problem	2	Sticks to lower back pain from sitting
3. Shown, not told	1	Treatment scene is clear, booking scene is stock-looking
4. One benefit	2	Stranger said "they fix desk back pain fast"
5. Words fit the time	1	Voice speeds up in the last 8 seconds
6. Voice	2	Warm and clear, clinic name said right
7. Readable text	1	Web address on screen for under 2 seconds
8. Works on mute	1	No captions on the key line
9. Brand look	2	Colours match the clinic sign
10. Next step	0	Ends on the slogan "Stand tall"

The total is 13 out of 20. That lands in the fix-list band, but Check 10 scored 0, so the owner can't approve yet anyway.

The owner sends three ranked notes. First, end with "Book your first visit online" and hold the web address on screen for 3 seconds. Second, move the logo to the end and open on the office worker. Third, cut one line in the middle so the voice doesn't rush.

After the fixes, the rescore reaches 18. That's a pass, and now the final invoice makes sense to pay.

What if the draft still fails after the fixes?

If the draft still fails after the fixes, don't publish it and hope. Use your remaining revision rounds on the lowest-scoring checks, ask the studio for a short call to reset the script, or use the refund policy if the video can't be saved.

Publishing a weak video isn't a neutral choice. Foundry CRO's 2026 landing page video benchmarks found that modern results range from a 10% drop in conversions (wrong video, wrong page) to a 100% lift (right video, right placement). A video that confuses people can cost you leads it was meant to win.

This is also why the terms you buy on matter before the draft ever arrives. Our 30-second explainer video is $297 one-time (normally $497), and it includes the script, a human voiceover, animation, delivery in 7 days, 3 revision rounds and a money-back guarantee. Whoever you hire, check you get enough rounds to fix what this scorecard finds.

Frequently asked questions

Should you pay the final invoice before every fix is done?

Most owners are better off paying the final invoice after the fixes they asked for are done and checked. Ask the studio to confirm in writing which changes are in the final round. If the only open items are tiny, like one typo, paying and trusting the fix is usually fine.

Can your staff score the draft too?

Your staff can score the draft, and front-desk staff are often good judges because they hear customer questions every day. Have each person score alone, then compare numbers. Send the studio one combined list, not each person's notes.

Is a 30-second video scored the same way as a 60-second one?

A 30-second video is scored on the same 10 checks as a 60-second one. The shorter video has less room, so Check 2 and Check 5 matter more. A 30-second draft that tries to cover two problems will almost always feel rushed.

What if you hate the voice in the draft?

If you hate the voice in the draft, say so in the first revision round, not the last. Explain what feels wrong, such as "too young" or "too salesy", and ask for two other voice samples. A voice change needs a new recording, so it costs more time the later you ask.

Does background music count in the score?

Background music counts under Check 6 and Check 9, not as its own check. The music should sit under the voice, never over it, and match the feel of your business. A dentist and a gym need very different music.

The short version

A good explainer video passes the stranger test: someone who has never heard of you can say who it's for, what it fixes and what to do next. Score your draft on the 10 checks, 2 points each, before you pay the final invoice.

At 17 or more, approve it. At 12 to 16, send one ranked fix list with timestamps. Below 12, stop and talk about the script. And never approve a draft that scores 0 on the opening, the problem or the next step, whatever the total.

Your goal is simple. You want a video that brings in customers, not one that only looks finished. Fifteen minutes with this scorecard is cheap insurance before the last payment.

Ready to get your own video made? Order a 30-second explainer for $297 and have it in 7 days, or book a free call if you want a custom video from $1,299.

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