How to Make Explainer Videos with AI: Complete Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

What you need to make an AI explainer video:
- A computer or laptop (AI video tools work best in desktop browsers)
- A clear idea of what you want to explain (product, concept, process, or service)
- 2-3 hours for your first video (faster with practice)
- A subscription or free trial to one AI video tool

What you do NOT need:
- A camera or microphone
- Video editing experience
- Design skills
- A production budget beyond tool costs

Choosing your AI tool before you start:

For most people making their first explainer video, the decision is between:
1. FluxNote — Best if you are starting from a script or topic and want a complete video with real narration-style audio and stock footage. Good for explainers about business topics, processes, or concepts.
2. Synthesia — Best if you want a realistic AI human presenter reading your script. Good for corporate training, product demos, and educational content where a presenter adds authority.
3. Pictory — Best if you already have a blog post or article and want to convert it to video quickly.

All three offer free trials. For this walkthrough, we use a generic workflow that applies to any of these tools.

Step 1: Define your one-sentence objective
Before writing a word, complete this sentence: 'After watching this video, the viewer will understand ___.' If you cannot complete this clearly in one sentence, you are not ready to script yet.

Step 2: Write your script using the 5-part structure
- Part 1 — The hook (first 15 seconds): State the problem or question your viewer has. Do not introduce yourself or your company first.
- Part 2 — Agitation (30-45 seconds): Make the problem feel real. Quantify it if you can. 'This takes 3 hours per week' is more compelling than 'this is time-consuming.'
- Part 3 — Solution (60-90 seconds): Explain your solution or concept clearly. Use the simplest possible language.
- Part 4 — Proof (30 seconds): One statistic, customer result, or logical argument that your solution works.
- Part 5 — CTA (15 seconds): One next step. Not multiple options.

For a 3-minute explainer, write approximately 390 words.

Step 3: Create the voiceover
In FluxNote or your chosen tool, input your script and select a narration voice. Most tools offer 10-50 voice options. Choose one that sounds appropriate for your audience — professional but not robotic, with a natural pacing.

Step 4: Review and refine the narration
Listen to the full generated narration. Adjust pacing on key sentences by adding punctuation or splitting long sentences. Re-generate any sections where the tone or emphasis is wrong.

Step 5: Add and review visuals
The tool will automatically match stock footage or images to your script sections. Watch through the entire video with visuals applied. Replace any visuals that are irrelevant, confusing, or misleading. This step requires the most human attention in the entire process.

Step 6: Add text overlays and branding
Add lower thirds, callouts for key statistics, your logo, and a CTA screen at the end. Keep text minimal — if the narration says it, you usually do not need to write it too.

Step 7: Captions
Enable auto-captions and review every line. Fix proper nouns, technical terms, and statistics. Captions should match the narration exactly.

Step 8: Music
Add background music at a level where it is audible but clearly below the narration. A common mistake is setting music too loud, which competes with the voice.

Mistake 1: Starting with the tool instead of the script
Every bad AI explainer video started with 'let me just put some text in and see what it makes.' Every good AI explainer video started with a clear, structured script. Script first, always.

Mistake 2: Choosing the wrong visual style for the content
Soft-focus stock footage of people on laptops does not illustrate a cybersecurity concept well. A product walkthrough does not work with generic business footage. Match your visual style to your content specifically.

Mistake 3: Running too long
First-time explainer creators almost always run long. Most ideas that take 5 minutes to explain can be explained in 2 minutes with better editing. If your first draft is 500 words for a 2-minute video, cut to 300.

Mistake 4: Not reviewing AI visual selections
AI stock selection is keyword-based. 'Security' may return footage of a security guard, a padlock, or a server room — all plausible but potentially wrong for your specific context. Review every clip.

Mistake 5: Ending without a clear next step
'Thanks for watching!' is not a call to action. 'Visit [URL] for a free trial' is. 'Download the guide at [URL]' is. Be specific about one thing you want the viewer to do next.

Mistake 6: Skipping the caption review
AI captions contain errors. Publishing without review is particularly problematic for branded content, educational material, and anything where accuracy matters to your audience.