When someone asks "is an explainer video worth it?" they're really asking two things: will it move a metric, and will the metric move enough to justify the spend? Here's what published research says — and how to build a business case with your own numbers.
The headline benchmarks
Conversion benchmarks by use case
| Use case | Benchmark | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Landing page with video vs. without | Up to 80% higher conversion rate | EyeView Digital (widely cited; treat as directional) |
| Email with video thumbnail | 200–300% higher click-through rate | Wistia |
| Crowdfunding campaign with video | Significantly higher average raise vs. no video | Indiegogo platform data |
| Video marketing ROI | 89% of video marketers report good ROI | Wyzowl State of Video Marketing 2025 |
A note on benchmarks: Many stats in the "video ROI" space trace back to older studies (2012–2016) that get re-cited without context. We've linked sources where possible and flagged directional numbers. Your specific results depend on your product, audience, and how well the video is made and placed — which is why the DIY ROI math below matters more than any single benchmark.
The ROI formula: how to build a business case
Forget industry averages — here's how to calculate the return for your specific situation:
Marketing / conversion videos
Step 1: Know your baseline conversion rate. What percentage of landing page visitors request a demo, sign up, or buy? (Example: 2%)
Step 2: Apply a conservative lift. Don't use the 80% headline. Use 20–30% — a realistic improvement for a good explainer video on a page that already works. (2% × 1.25 = 2.5%)
Step 3: Multiply by your traffic and customer value.
- 10,000 monthly visitors × 2% = 200 conversions (baseline)
- 10,000 monthly visitors × 2.5% = 250 conversions (with video)
- 50 additional conversions × $500 average customer value = $25,000/month in additional revenue
A $7,000 video that produces $25,000/month in incremental revenue pays for itself in 9 days. Even at one-tenth of that estimate, payback is under 3 months — and the video keeps working for years.
Training videos
The math is different — it's about cost avoidance.
- One instructor-led training session: $2,000–$5,000 (facilitator, materials, lost productivity for 20 employees × 2 hours)
- Run it quarterly: $8,000–$20,000/year
- A $10,000 animated training module, delivered to 500 employees with zero marginal cost per viewer: $20/employee, once
The video typically pays for itself within the first year and costs nothing to reuse for every future cohort. For training-specific numbers, see how much training videos cost and why animated training videos boost corporate training ROI.
Why bad videos have zero ROI
The benchmarks above assume a well-made video with a clear message, placed where the right audience sees it. A template video with a generic script, buried on a blog post nobody visits, won't move any needle. The variables that determine ROI aren't just whether you have a video — they're:
- Script quality. Does it speak to a specific audience about a specific outcome?
- Placement. Is it on the page where the decision happens (homepage, pricing page, landing page)?
- Call to action. Does the video end with a clear, specific next step?
- Production quality. Does it build trust or undermine it? Template animation can actively hurt conversion on premium products.
This is also why studio vs. freelancer vs. Fiverr is an ROI question, not just a cost question.
How to measure your video's ROI after launch
- A/B test the page. Run half your traffic to the page with the video, half without. Measure conversion rate for each. This is the cleanest test.
- Track engagement. If you host on Wistia or Vidyard, you'll see where viewers drop off and whether watchers convert at higher rates.
- Before/after. If A/B testing isn't practical, compare conversion rate (or training completion rate) for the 30 days before and after the video launched.
- Attribution. Tag the CTA in your video with UTM parameters or a unique landing page to track downstream conversions.
Build your business case — or let us help
Tell us your traffic, conversion rate, and average deal size, and we'll help you build a realistic ROI projection alongside your quote. No-pressure, and no made-up benchmarks — just math you can take to your CFO. Four MarCom Awards, custom work, unlimited revisions at every stage.