Types of Explainer Videos for Software and SaaS Marketing

Types of Explainer Videos for Software and SaaS Marketing

September 19, 2022

The best explainer video types for software and SaaS include animated explainers, screencast explainers, product demo videos, live-action videos, and hybrid videos that combine UI, animation, and voiceover. Software and SaaS products often need more than one kind of explanation. HiLo Media combines explainer video production, app demos, screen capture, and tutorial production based on what the viewer needs to understand.

Animated Explainers

Animated explainers are useful when the product value is abstract or when the video needs to show a system, workflow, or transformation that is hard to film.

They work well for homepage messaging, category education, launches, and sales enablement.

Screencast and Product Demo Explainers

Screencast explainers and app demo videos show the real product, interface, workflow, and outcome.

They are often the right choice when buyers need confidence that the software can handle a specific task.

Live-Action Explainers

Live action can help when people, customers, teams, environments, devices, or trust signals matter.

For software, live action often works best when combined with product UI or motion graphics.

Hybrid Explainers

Hybrid explainers combine animation, screen capture, live action, diagrams, captions, and voiceover.

They are often the strongest fit for complex SaaS products because they can show both the product and the idea behind it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of explainer video is best for SaaS?

Many SaaS products benefit from hybrid explainers that combine product UI, animation, voiceover, and clear workflow examples.

Are screencast explainers good for software marketing?

Yes. Screencast explainers are useful when prospects need to see the actual interface and understand how a workflow works.

Should software explainers show the real product?

Often, yes. Showing real UI can build trust, but animation can still help explain context, benefits, and invisible systems.

Can HiLo Media choose the right explainer format?

Yes. HiLo Media can recommend the right explainer format based on the product, audience, sales process, and channel requirements.

Map Your Next Video Sprint After "Types of Explainer Videos for Software and SaaS Marketing"

Use the playbook you just read as a springboard into one of our flagship production tracks. Each service bundles strategy, scripting, production, and post so you can plug high-performing content directly into your onboarding emails, product education hub, or paid funnel without spinning up extra vendors.

  • App Demo Videos — launch-ready screen capture stories for app stores, product pages, and investor decks.
  • Software Tutorial Videos — durable training libraries that lighten support loads and keep admins current.
  • Explainer Video Production — narrative campaigns that package positioning, customer proof, and CTAs into one hero asset.
  • Medical Video Production — compliant storytelling for medtech, pharma, and regulated training teams.
  • YouTube Video Agency — serialized thought-leadership and enablement content that stays on-brand month after month.

Send a quick brief through our contact page and we’ll recommend which package, cadence, and measurement plan aligns with your launch, adoption, or revenue goals.