How to Tailor Business Explainer Videos for Different Platforms

In today's digital landscape, explainer videos have become one of the most effective ways to communicate complex ideas, services, and products to a wide audience. Businesses use them to simplify intricate concepts, engage viewers, and ultimately drive conversions. However, creating an explainer video is only the first step. To maximize its potential, you need to tailor your business explainer videos for the various platforms where they'll be shared.

Each platform has its own audience preferences, engagement metrics, and technical requirements. Let’s dive into how to customize your business explainer videos for the most popular platforms.

1. YouTube: Optimize for Discovery

YouTube is a search engine in its own right. This means your business explainer video must be optimized for both video quality and discoverability. On YouTube, viewers tend to prefer longer content as long as it provides value. Here are some key tips:

Video Length: Explainer videos on YouTube can range from 2 to 5 minutes or even longer, depending on the complexity of your topic. You have more room to dive deep into your product or service.
SEO-Friendly Titles and Descriptions: Craft a clear and concise title that reflects the key takeaway of the video. Use the description to include keywords, links to your website, and a summary of the video.
High-Quality Visuals: YouTube supports high-definition content, so ensure your video is in 1080p or higher. The platform’s algorithms also prioritize videos with clear visuals and audio.
Call to Action (CTA): Embed clickable CTAs or end cards that guide viewers to the next step, whether it's visiting your site or watching another video.

2. LinkedIn: Professional and Concise

LinkedIn is a B2B platform where your business explainer video should focus on delivering value to professionals. The audience here is more likely to appreciate concise, informative content that addresses specific business needs.

Video Length: Keep it short—preferably around 60 seconds to 2 minutes. LinkedIn users are often browsing quickly during their workday, so get straight to the point.
Tone: The tone should be professional yet approachable. Avoid excessive humor or overly casual language unless it aligns with your brand’s voice.
Closed Captions: Since many LinkedIn users view content without sound, adding captions ensures your message is still delivered.
Relevant Messaging: Address specific pain points that align with your audience’s business goals, such as efficiency, growth, or innovation.

3. Instagram: Eye-Catching and Brief

Instagram’s fast-paced feed and Stories format demand quick, visually appealing content. When tailoring your business explainer videos for Instagram, you’ll need to keep it short and focus on aesthetics.

Video Length: For feed posts, the ideal length is 30 to 60 seconds. Instagram Stories should be even shorter—around 15 seconds per segment.
Square or Vertical Format: Instagram supports square (1:1) and vertical (9:16) formats, so consider these when filming or editing. Vertical format is particularly effective for Stories and Reels.
Visual Appeal: Strong visuals are key on this platform. Use vibrant colors, quick cuts, and bold text to grab attention quickly.
CTA: Use Instagram’s clickable stickers or link options in Stories to direct viewers to your website or landing page.

4. Facebook: Engaging and Shareable

Facebook’s diverse audience means your business explainer video should appeal to both consumers and professionals. Videos here have a higher chance of being shared, so make sure they’re engaging from the start.

Video Length: While Facebook supports longer content, the sweet spot is around 1 to 2 minutes. If you can’t grab attention within the first few seconds, viewers may scroll past.
Captions and Subtitles: Just like on LinkedIn, many Facebook users watch videos without sound, so subtitles or captions are crucial.
Engagement Features: Use Facebook’s built-in tools like polls, questions, or reactions to encourage interaction with your video.
Thumbnails: Choose a compelling thumbnail image to entice viewers to click on the video.

5. TikTok: Fun and Bite-Sized

TikTok’s audience skews younger and favors short, creative content. If you’re marketing to Gen Z or millennials, TikTok is the place to be. Business explainer videos on this platform need to be highly engaging, playful, and succinct.

Video Length: The maximum length for a TikTok video is 60 seconds, but shorter videos (15 to 30 seconds) tend to perform better.
Trends and Challenges: Tapping into trending challenges or hashtags can boost the visibility of your content. Try incorporating relevant trends into your business explainer video to make it feel more organic on the platform.
Music and Effects: TikTok users expect music and creative effects in their videos. Choose background music that aligns with your brand and adds a dynamic element to your explainer video.
Informality: TikTok’s tone is casual, so don’t be afraid to be a little more playful and informal here.

6. Twitter: Quick and Engaging

Twitter’s fast-moving timeline means your explainer video needs to be short and sweet. Tweets with videos are more likely to be retweeted, so make every second count.

Video Length: Keep it under 30 seconds if possible. Twitter supports videos up to 2 minutes and 20 seconds, but the shorter, the better.
Eye-Catching Thumbnails: An engaging thumbnail can boost the likelihood that users will stop scrolling and hit play.
Clear CTA: Include a clear call to action in both the video and the accompanying tweet text. Whether it’s visiting your site or learning more, make sure the next step is easy to follow.

Conclusion

Tailoring your business explainer videos for each platform is essential for maximizing engagement and reaching the right audience. What works on YouTube may not have the same impact on TikTok or LinkedIn. By understanding the nuances of each platform, you can optimize your explainer videos to ensure they resonate with viewers and deliver results across the board.