Ideal Explainer Video Length: 30, 60, or 90 Seconds?

James Crawford

Published September 17, 20268 min readUpdated September 17, 2026

Picking the right explainer video length can feel like a guessing game. Too short, and you might leave out the good stuff. Too long, and people click away before your offer even shows up. A video that's the wrong length can waste your ad money or bore visitors on your homepage. In this guide, you'll get one simple rule, a length table, and a plumber example you can copy for your own business.

The ideal length for an explainer video is 30 seconds for ads and quick hooks, 60 seconds for a homepage or service page, and 90 seconds or more only for complex offers like software or medical services. Most small businesses do best by keeping the video as short as possible while still saying what they do and what to do next.

What Is the Ideal Explainer Video Length?

Most small businesses do best with a video between 30 and 60 seconds. An explainer video is a short video that tells a visitor what you do, why it matters to them, and what to do next.

Here's why that range works. Most explainer videos run 60 to 90 seconds, which comes out to roughly 150 to 225 words of spoken voiceover (Knowlify). That's short enough to hold attention but long enough to say something real.

Our rule is simple: use 30 seconds to hook someone, use 60 seconds to explain your service, and only go longer if you truly need to. A busy homeowner or shop owner won't sit through two minutes about your business unless they already care. Start short, and only add time when you have a real reason.

Need an explainer video? Get your 30-second explainer today → We write the script, record the voiceover and animate it, delivered in 7 days.

Need an explainer video? Get a 30-second explainer for $297 → We write the script, record the voiceover and animate it, delivered in 7 days.

What Is the Best Length for a Website Homepage Video?

A homepage video should usually run 60 to 90 seconds, because the person watching it already clicked onto your site on purpose. They're curious, so they'll give you a few more seconds than someone scrolling on social media.

Ads and social posts need to work faster. Shorter explainers of 30 to 45 seconds work best for ads and awareness campaigns, while 60 to 90 seconds fits websites and sales pages better, since that visitor is already interested (Yum Yum Videos). That's why explainer video length should shrink for a scrolling ad and stretch a bit for a website visitor.

One quick tip that works no matter the length: put your best line in the first 5 seconds. If someone only watches five seconds, that line should still tell them what you do and why they should care.

Should Your Video Be 30 Seconds or 60 Seconds?

Pick 30 seconds if you're running ads or need a quick homepage hook on a tight budget. Pick 60 seconds if your service has a few more steps to explain, or you're presenting a bigger offer.

Here's how word count changes as explainer video length grows, from a quick ad up to a longer custom video.

Length	Words	Best For	Price	Delivery
30 sec	~75-90 words	Ads, quick hook, simple offer	$297 (normally $497)	7 days
60 sec	~140-160 words	Explaining a service, more detail	$497	7 days
90 sec+ / custom	210-250+ words	Complex products, software, medical	From $1,299 (free call, quote in 24 hrs)	Varies

Those word counts aren't guesses. Plan on about 150 spoken words per minute of finished video, so a 60-second script lands around 140 to 160 words, and a 90-second script runs closer to 210 to 250 words, with a typical average near 225 (Breadnbeyond; Yans Media).

Both our 30-second and 60-second options include the same three things: a written script, a human voiceover (a real person recording the audio, not a computer voice), and full animation. The only real difference is how much room you have to explain your business.

How Many Words Are in a 60-Second Script?

A 60-second script runs about 140 to 160 words. A 30-second script runs about 75 to 90 words. Once you know that, writing your own draft gets easier, because you just need to fill four simple parts.

A simple explainer script has four parts: hook, problem, solution, and call to action (Biteable). Here's how to split your words across those four parts, based on a common breakdown of Problem 30%, Solution 40%, Proof 20%, Action 10% (Content Beta):

Hook (about 10% of your words): Name the problem your customer feels right now, in around 15 words for a 60-second script. Example: "Tired of chasing invoices every month?"
Problem (about 30% of your words): Spend around 45 words on what's going wrong for your customer today. Talk about the pain they already know, not the features you sell.
Solution (about 40% of your words): Use the biggest chunk, around 60 words, to explain in plain terms how your business fixes the problem you just named. Skip jargon, and describe what actually happens for the customer.
Call to action (about 10-20% of your words): Tell the viewer exactly what to do next in one short line, like "Call us today" or "Book your free quote." Don't give them three choices, give them one.

When Do You Need a Longer Video (90 Seconds or More)?

You need a longer video when your business has more than one thing to explain, like a multi-step process, an insurance policy, a legal service, or software with several features. If you can't sum up your offer in one or two sentences, that's a sign 30 or 60 seconds won't be enough.

Longer videos also cost more and take more planning, since there's more script to write and more scenes to animate, so getting your explainer video length right from the start saves money. That's exactly why we handle anything over 60 seconds on a free 30-minute call first: we can figure out the right length and send a fixed quote within 24 hours, instead of guessing.

Style matters too, once you know your length. Whiteboard animation is drawings sketched out on screen, and it works well for step-by-step teaching and professional services. 2D motion graphics is the all-round style for most businesses, and live action, meaning real people on camera, adds a real face or product when that matters to your customer (Pexo).

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.

Real Example: A Local Plumber Picks the Right Length

A local plumber needs two different videos for two different jobs, and the table earlier in this guide makes the choice easy. For a Facebook ad about emergency calls, a short video works best, because a scrolling homeowner needs to feel the urgency fast.

That ad script could be as short as: "Pipe burst at 2am? We're there in 30 minutes. Call now, day or night." That's the hook and the call to action doing double duty in one tight line, built for a quick scroll-stopper, not a full explanation.

For the homepage, the same plumber needs a longer video to walk through drain cleaning, water heaters, and emergency repairs, since a homepage visitor already wants the full picture. Same business, two lengths, two jobs, matching the word counts from earlier in this guide.

How Much Does an Explainer Video Cost by Length?

Cost follows length: the 30-second explainer costs the least, the 60-second explainer costs a bit more, and anything longer becomes a custom quote after a short planning call. You'll find the exact numbers in the table earlier in this guide, and both fixed-price options include a script, a human voiceover, full animation, 3 rounds of revisions and a money-back guarantee.

For context, a 60-second custom animated explainer from a North American studio typically costs $5,000 to $10,000, with premium 3D or character work running above $10,000 (Vidico). That's the going rate most studios charge, which is why our flat, upfront pricing stands out for a small business watching its budget.

If your business needs something past 60 seconds, custom and premium video pricing starts after a free 30-minute call, with a fixed quote sent back within 24 hours. That call is also the fastest way to find out exactly which length fits your business, before you spend a dollar.

Frequently asked questions

Does a shorter video get more views?

Shorter videos generally hold attention better because fewer people click away partway through. A 30-second video asks for less time from a busy visitor, so more people watch it start to finish compared to a two-minute video.

What length works best for social media ads vs a website?

Social media ads work best at 30 to 45 seconds, since people are scrolling fast and need a reason to stop right away. A website video can run 60 to 90 seconds, because that visitor already clicked in and has a bit more patience.

How many words are in a 90-second script?

A 90-second script generally runs about 210 to 250 words, with a typical average close to 225 words. That's enough room to cover a hook, a bigger problem, a more detailed solution, and a clear call to action.

Can I turn my 30-second video into a 60-second one later?

Yes, you can start with a 30-second video and add more later once you know what's working. Many businesses start with our 30-second explainer for ads, then add the 60-second version for their homepage once they see results.

How fast can I get my explainer video made?

Both the 30-second and 60-second explainer videos are delivered in 7 days, including script, human voiceover, and animation. Custom videos take a bit longer to plan, but you'll get a fixed quote within 24 hours of a free 30-minute call.

The short version

The right explainer video length depends on where it's going to live. Use a short video for ads and quick hooks, a slightly longer video for your homepage or a service that needs more explaining, and go longer only when your business is genuinely complex, like software or a medical service. Word count follows length: about 75 to 90 words for 30 seconds, 140 to 160 for 60 seconds, and 210 to 250 for 90 seconds.

The goal isn't the longest video you can make. It's the shortest video that still tells your customer what they need to know and what to do next.

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

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.

Need an explainer video?

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