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How to make a short product explainer video from a prompt (16:9 for your site, 9:16 for Reels)

· 5 min read · The Explainly team

To make a short product explainer, write what the product or event is, who it is for and what viewers should do next, paste that into Explainly, the tool we build, choose 16:9 for your site or demo or 9:16 for Reels and Shorts, and press Generate video. You get a narrated whiteboard-style video that you can download as an MP4, usually within a few minutes. A 1-minute 720p version costs $0.50.

What to expect before you start

  • It only knows what you write. Explainly doesn't open links or read your website, so paste the details into the prompt.
  • The pictures are generated, not captured. You can't upload screenshots or a logo, so it won't show your real interface. It suits explaining what a product does and why it matters. For a click-by-click demo, use a screen recording.
  • Nothing is added around the video. Explainly adds no watermark or logo of its own, and no captions or background music. Add those in a video editor if you want them.
  • Each format is a separate video. A 16:9 and a 9:16 version are two generations, priced separately, and the wording and drawings will differ.

How to make one, step by step

  1. Write down the facts first: product name, audience, the problem, how it works in three steps, and the one thing viewers should do next.
  2. Choose the format. The form starts on 16:9. Writing "9:16", "for Instagram Reels" or "for YouTube Shorts" in the prompt switches it to 9:16, with a note under the picker. A prompt that names both 16:9 and 9:16 sets neither, so write one prompt per format.
  3. Choose the length. About 1 minute suits Reels, Shorts and a landing page, and about 2 minutes suits a demo or pitch. Write "a 2-minute video" rather than "about 2 minutes", because the first form is the one that sets the Length control.
  4. Choose a style and mode. Whiteboard reveals each board step by step, in the Classic (white board), Neon (black board) or Stick styles. Slideshow, under Experimental in the form, shows one full illustration per scene, in the Flat Vector or Stick styles, at about twice the rate.
  5. Choose a language and voice. There are 14 languages and ten voices.
  6. Press Generate video. You can close the tab and find it in My videos later. Two videos can generate at once, so you can start both formats together.
  7. Review it, then download. The preview plays in your browser. Videos up to about 2.5 minutes become an MP4 automatically (for longer ones click Render to MP4); then click Download MP4. The page also gives you a YouTube description and tags to copy.

For the rest of the form, see how to make a whiteboard video from a prompt. For posting vertical videos, see faceless Shorts with whiteboard videos.

Prompt templates

Fill the brackets. The "do not invent" lines matter, because Explainly can otherwise fill gaps on its own.

  1. App or SaaS, for your site: "A 1-minute 16:9 video for our website explaining [product] to [audience]. Problem: [problem]. How it works: [step 1], [step 2], [step 3]. End by telling viewers to [next step]. Only mention these features: [features]. Do not invent prices, numbers or customers."
  2. Reels or Shorts: "A 1-minute 9:16 video for Instagram Reels: what [product] does for [audience]. Open with this question: [question]. Give three short points: [A], [B], [C]. End with: [call to action]. Plain words, no jargon."
  3. Event: "A 1-minute 9:16 video for Instagram Reels about [event] on [date] in [city]. Say who it is for, what they will get, and how to sign up: [where]. Do not invent speakers or prices."
  4. Demo day or pitch: "A 2-minute 16:9 video explaining [company] for a demo day. Problem: [problem]. Solution: [solution]. Who pays and why: [customer]. Use only these numbers: [numbers]. End with: [ask]."
  5. New feature: "A 1-minute video about the new [feature] in [product] for existing customers. What changed: [change]. Why it helps: [benefit]. How to start using it: [steps]."

Format, length and cost

Sizes: 16:9 is 1280×720 at 720p or 1920×1080 at 1080p. 9:16 is 720×1280 at 720p or 1080×1920 at 1080p. Both shapes cost the same.

Lengths: about 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 or 15 minutes.

Prices:

Length Whiteboard 720p Whiteboard 1080p Slideshow 720p Slideshow 1080p
1 min $0.50 $0.69 $0.99 $1.39
2 min $0.98 $1.38 $1.98 $2.78
3 min $1.47 $2.07 $2.97 $4.17

The rates are $0.49 and $0.69 per minute for Whiteboard and $0.99 and $1.39 for Slideshow, with a $0.50 minimum per video, which is why 1 minute at 720p costs $0.50. A 1-minute 720p Whiteboard video in both formats costs $1.00. There is no subscription: you top up a balance, with packs from $10. See pricing for the live rates.

A new account's first 1-minute video is free with no card, and free spots are limited each day. The free credit covers one 720p Whiteboard video. Failed videos are refunded in full, and if a video runs shorter than requested, the difference goes back to your balance as credit.

Review checklist

  1. Check every feature, price and date against your own source.
  2. Look for claims you didn't write, especially numbers, customers and comparisons.
  3. Check your product name, both spelled on the board and spoken by the voice.
  4. Check the last line. Is the call to action there, and is any address on screen spelled correctly?

If a detail is wrong, put the correct version in the prompt and generate again. Start with a 1-minute 720p version on Explainly, then make the other versions.

FAQ

Can it show my real app screens or logo?

No. Explainly works from text and has no upload option, so anything on screen is generated from your description. Add real screens or a logo afterwards in a video editor.

Can I get the same video in 16:9 and 9:16?

Not as an exact copy. Use the same facts in two prompts. Each is charged as its own video, and the wording and drawings will differ.

Can I use the video on my site or for my business?

Under our Terms you keep your rights to the videos you generate, and you are responsible for how you use them.

Can I make one from ChatGPT or Claude?

Yes, once you connect Explainly to your assistant. The video uses your Explainly credits.