Top 10 Examples of Motion Graphics Styles for your SaaS Video
- Updated: April 28, 2023
Motion graphics videos are animation videos in which small pieces of animated digital footage are created in different styles and combined to help in creating illusions of motion, continuous storytelling, and action.
The videos can include animated objects, text, imagery, 2D vector graphics, 3D animation, and CGI animation, apart from the basics of the story and audio elements.
3D Live-Action, Merging 2D and 3D, Kinetic Typography, Sophisticated VFX, Seamless Transitions, Thin Lines, Retro Motion Graphics, Web and Apps Motion Graphics, Liquid Motion, Hybrid style videos, and Whiteboard animation are some of the most popular motion graphics styles.
Video marketing has been found to help SaaS businesses grow revenue 49% faster. Motion graphic videos are highly engaging and attract more traffic and lead for the SaaS, have proven to boost conversion rate, increase the click rate and generate more views. Motion graphic videos provide an effective way for the brand to communicate the purpose and pain-solving benefits of its SaaS.
Emotive motion graphic videos are made to evoke a strong emotional response from the lead and establish a connection to the story. These videos tend to move the audience, building trust in the SaaS and in its benefits, and then pushing the viewer to act on the call to action. Such videos help greatly in increasing product sign-ups.
Explainer videos are the backbones for the success of any SaaS company. They are used to give a first-hand experience of how the SaaS would work. They help in defining the motive and concept behind the product.
The story helps in decomplexing the UI and explaining the product. SaaS explainer videos not only aid in increasing the conversion rate but also help in improving product adoptions. These videos can range from UI animations to 2D live-action videos.
The ultimate goal for such videos is to accelerate sales. They help in nudging the lead to make the decision of the purchase. Product demo videos are generally used to help in selling a product or service, or in amplifying its visibility at an event.
Company: Basecamp
Study: Basecamp’s video includes a lot of highly engaging motion graphic styles including object transformations, 2D character placements, and text in motion. The animation has only been done in two dimensions and is flat with no depth.
The video quickly proceeds to highlight the problem that the user is facing and cleverly introduces the colors of Basecamp as it starts to solve the problem using this SaaS. The branding and color scheme are clear and the video will provide a high recall value for the viewers.
All the objects put in have been recreated prior to use and don’t have any transformation on screen but are grouped back-to-back to create an Illusion of motion. The video ends with an attractive logo animation, which is another unique style of using motion graphics.
Company: Amazon Web Services
Study: This video has been made using only lines. There are no colored 2D or 3D objects involved. Thin lines have been used to create different shapes, icons, text, and transformations.
Whether it is a drawing of the globe, buildings in a city, or showing connectivity through apps and data, all of it has been done in a sleek and clean manner only using line transformations.
The video comprehensively explains how Amazon Web Services is the most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform in the world, offers a wide variety of services such as databases, storage, and compute, and aids the life of millions of customers including large enterprises, government agencies, and small startups.
The branding is clear from the beginning because of the color scheme used throughout the video with a bit of kinetic typography also visible towards the end.
Company: Asana
Study: This video combines 2D motion graphics style with UI animation. We see the element of grain and papercut animation introduced in the styling of the characters.
The video is highly engaging as it explains how Asana helps teams and management organizations to plan and automate their work. We even see live-action footage of users, with a well-placed logo animation in the middle of the video.
The video goes on to explain how Asana is a work management platform where teams can build and coordinate end-to-end processes and run important initiatives.
Whether it is the characters, the journey through the UI, or the text animation, everything is in the color scheme and style of Asana. The video ends with showing the SaaS on multiple devices and triggering a call to action.
Company: Airtable
Study: The highlight of Airtable’s video is the 2D character design which appears to give the effect of 3D at times. The focus is not just on the animation of the objects but the viewer’s own engagement with the app through the movements of the character.
It effectively explains how you can use multiple features of airtable. The video highlights how different tables can be created for different segments of information and can be connected internally.
Live screen footage of the UI animation has been put in the middle to explain the process of using Airtable with more clarity. The animations do not morph into seamless transformations and are more motion-based, which suits the branding and style of the company.
Company: monday.com
Study: Providing a quick and upbeat explanation of monday.com, this video is an excellent example of how much energy kinetic animation and typography can bring into a video.
The motion graphics style is based around web and apps motion graphics with the inclusion of live-action recording of satisfied users, which helps in building a connection with the audience.
The entire video has been made with three prime colors of the brand, hooking the image and purpose of the brand in the viewer’s mind. With screengrabs, pop-ups, and textual animation, the video shows the workings of the SaaS on various devices, calling for action at the end when the logo appears.
Company: ViGlobal
Study: Here we see a typical whiteboard animation, with a hand quickly doodling characters and objects in the video. All the doodle characters are very detailed, their expressions are entertaining and the setting is technical.
The video, therefore, resonates subconsciously with the target audience. The storyline is compelling and since the storyboarding is spot on, the video delivers its message immaculately.
ViGlobal has put in stats that add credibility to the problem the app is trying to solve. It highlights the benefits of the employee retention software, specifically by creating a roadmap of integration and retention for a new employee. Colors, wherever used, resonate with the brand’s color scheme.
Company: Raken
Study: Hybrid videos are the most popular style of video making today as they can be made in less time, are cost-efficient, and can engage audiences of a wide demographic.
They combine the best features of all motion graphic styles including screengrabs, live-action footage, flat animation, 2D object animation, kinetic typography, pop-ups, etc.
The video quickly dives into the problem-solving benefits of Raken, and how it helps in setting up projects, speedy reporting, and field management. The branding and color scheme of the company are clear from the get-go. We see live-action footage of a woman explaining exactly how to go about using the app.
She takes the viewer on a journey through the UI, explaining how to bridge communication gaps, build projects and customize checklists using Raken.
Company: Adhesive
Study: The video does a great job of defining what Adhesive does and explaining its benefits of content enriched digital advertising through kinetic transformations of text and objects.
Kinetic typography is about twisting and distorting alphabets and viewers today love watching such effects in a video. The video goes on to explain how Adhesive converts marketing briefs into compelling stories for a given brand that are then promoted on the homepage of important news portals.
The whole video functions around the seamless transformation of text keeping the viewer engaged. The colors and branding remain strong throughout. It ends with information about the website and how to contact them.
Company: Salesforce
Study: Salesforce ads are perhaps the most unique and fascinating because of their use of expert-made, high-quality 3D animated characters in them with clean, smooth edges, interacting with humans and the real environment.
Salesforce is a customer relationship management service and the brand probably has one of the best video-making strategies amongst all SaaS companies. Their ads include 2D animation, kinetic typography, 3D characters, live footage, pop-ups, and transitions which resonate with every kind of potential lead.
The colors are optimistic, with the animated characters taking you into the high-quality visual illusion of a balance between live footage and animation. It aces the art of storytelling, plowing its way into the viewer’s mind with satisfied and happy-looking humans and entrancing 3D characters.
The branding and colors of Salesforce shine through the video that without using any voiceover instructions explains how this SaaS connects companies and customers to each other.
Company: Hootsuite
Study: The kind of work that has been done on the seamless transition motion graphics in the video is almost spellbinding. Hootsuite has excelled in creating very unique-looking characters to explain its app in an endearing way.
The story is compelling and takes you on a journey from feeling left out as a user to being included on social media, all through colorful transitions of characters and objects in the most engaging way possible.
The video explains how the app functions and will grow with the user, how you can schedule your content in advance and check if it’s working for you, and how you can incorporate the tools like Google Drive, Dropbox, Mailchimp, etc. and how it allows you to check the performance of your content in a data analysis report.
The colors are attractive, the drawings have elements of fantasy and keep you engaged, the branding is on point and the benefits of the product are clear. It is one of the best-made motion graphics explainer videos in a seamless transition style out there.
The budget of a SaaS motion graphics video varies depending on elements like the length of the video, 3D elements, complexity of animations, character building, voiceover cost, and a number of revisions.
A one-minute, simple motion graphics video can cost around $2000. As the elements and complexity of the video increase, the value can even go up to $6500/min.
A few viable options to make SaaS motion graphics videos are to try out free tools online, download and use easy-to-learn software, hire freelancers or work with video production agencies. The call generally depends on the budget, target audience, and marketing strategy of the brand.
| Types of Videos | Software/Agency | Cost | Time taken | Advantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy Tools | Biteable | Free trials - $49/ mo | - |
- Video analytics - Call-to-action button - Upload your own images and video with full audio support - Access to 4 million pics, clips, and animations - HD 1080p resolution - Access to millions of premium video clips from Shutterstock - Ready-to-use templates |
| DIY/ Inhouse (Basic) |
- Adobe After Effects - Premiere Pro |
$20.99/mo - $52.99/mo | 2-3 months to learn |
- Primarily used for motion graphics, visual effects, and composition - Integrates with video collaboration tools, project management solutions, and 3D graphic programs - Easy to make title and 2D animations -can place multiple video clips on the same video track - Easy trimming and arranging clips, transitions between clips and creation of simple text layers |
| DIY/ Inhouse (Intermediate and Pro) |
- Cinema 4D - Mocha AE - Nuke |
$59/mo - $4,988/mo | 1-2 years to learn |
- Used for modeling, animation, and simulation effects, tracking motion beyond a cluster of pixels, compositing 3D elements and video together - Provides features like Nodal toolset, Deep Image compositing, Stereoscopic workflow, Rotoscoping, Keying, Keylight, Dope Sheet, Relighting, Volume builder, Node-based Shaders, UV Unwrapping, Improved CAD Importe, GPU accelerated tracking and object removal and Stereo 360/VR workflows |
| Freelancers |
- Upwork - Fiverr |
$600-$1200 | 24-30 days |
- Speedy results - Cost is negotiable, with more options available - Professional outputs |
| Hybrid Video Agency |
- Content Beta - Brafton |
$500 - $3,500 | 10-20 days |
- Unlimited Revisions - Provides UI/UX Updates - Active Account Manager - Dedicated Client Portal - Process is on Autopilot - Provide Quality Control and 24/7 Email Support |
| Motion Graphic Video Agency |
- Wyzowl - Vidico |
$700- $10,000 | 2-3 months |
- Active Account Manager - Wide variety of video options: Animated, Interactive, Animated graphics, Live action - Larger clientele and longer work experience |
| 2D Animation Agency |
- YumYum Videos - Switch Video |
$2,000 - $5,000 | 1-1.5 months |
- Individual approach to video creation - High quality standards - Close cooperation with a client - Focus on developing brand awareness |
| 3D Animation Agency |
- Explain Ninja - IdeaRocket |
$5,000- $10,000 | More than 2 months |
- Original illustration and animation styles - Detailed target market research and the client's requirements outline - Extensive experience and cross-industry knowledge |
Motion graphic videos are highly engaging and almost guarantee that the lead will watch the execution till the end, which will automatically increase conversion rates.
Even though the initial investment for such videos can be steep, the overall ROI is good. With the overwhelming options in styles and storytelling formats, motion graphic videos are any SaaS brand’s best shot at acquiring and retention of a customer. It is therefore advisable to understand this video marketing format and tap its full potential for the SaaS.
Adobe After Effects is the most popular software among designers to create 2D animation videos for B2B companies. It can take around two months to learn the software and create a half-decent video in-house. But most companies tend to hire agencies that can give a more professional-looking result on a fixed timeline.
The types can vary a lot depending on the company the type of outreach the purpose of the video and the target audience. Companies make infographics, logos, UI animation, onboarding videos, training videos, explainer and demo videos, icons, and presentations. Some brands even use motion graphics for their case studies and podcasts.
Using 2D or 3D animation on digitally or synthetically shot footage to create an Illusion of rotation and motion is usually the basis of any motion graphic video. B2B SaaS companies use motion graphic videos to build brand awareness, engage potential customers, increase sign UPS, and improve production.
A few commonly used techniques in motion graphic videos are Object Tracking & Mapping, Kinetic Typography, Animated Logos, Parallax Scrolling, Glow Animations, Video Transitions, and Carousel Slides. These techniques help in creating highly engaging and memorable videos and you have proven to boost sales for most companies.
Khyati is a seasoned writer and a hands-on marketing professional. She specializes in inbound and growth marketing, content marketing, lead generation, public relations, brand amplification, B2B communications and partnerships, and social media marketing.
Khyati is a seasoned writer and a hands-on marketing professional. She specializes in inbound and growth marketing, content marketing, lead generation, public relations, brand amplification, B2B communications and partnerships, and social media marketing.
