12 E-Learning Video Examples and Formats (Including Microlearning Ideas)

Looking for e-learning video examples to plan your next course or training programme? The most useful way to think about them isn't by topic but by format. A whiteboard explainer, a software walkthrough and a branching scenario each teach in a different way, cost different amounts and suit different learning goals.

Below are twelve e-learning video formats, each with a practical example, when to use it, a typical length and how much production it needs. Use them as a menu: most strong courses combine three or four.

1. Whiteboard explainer

Example: a three-minute video explaining how compound interest works, drawn step by step as the narrator talks.

Best for: concepts, processes and "why" explanations. The drawing builds the idea in the same order the learner needs to understand it.

Typical length: 2 to 5 minutes. Our guide to whiteboard animation cost covers budgeting.

2. 2D animated scenario

Example: a two-minute story in which a new employee receives a suspicious email, clicks the link and then sees what should have happened instead.

Best for: behaviour, compliance and soft skills, where learners need to recognise a situation and react to it.

Typical length: 2 to 4 minutes.

3. Microlearning clip

Example: a 90-second video titled "How to spot a phishing link", sent to staff the week after a security course.

Best for: one small skill, a reminder or performance support at the moment of need.

Typical length: 30 seconds to 3 minutes. If it grows longer, it's probably covering two skills.

4. Kinetic typography and motion graphics

Example: a one-minute animation summarising five changes to the expenses policy, using animated text and icons.

Best for: policy updates, checklists, frameworks and quick refreshers.

Typical length: 30 to 90 seconds.

5. Software walkthrough or screencast

Example: a four-minute recording showing sales staff how to log a new lead in the CRM, with zoom-ins and callouts.

Best for: teaching specific software tasks where learners need to see the real interface.

Typical length: 2 to 5 minutes per task.

6. Talking head with graphics

Example: a course instructor introducing a module on camera, with key terms appearing as on-screen graphics.

Best for: introductions, personal stories, expert opinions and building trust between instructor and learner.

Typical length: 1 to 5 minutes.

7. Animated process diagram

Example: a two-minute motion graphics video showing how an order moves from the website to the warehouse to the customer's door.

Best for: workflows, systems and supply chains that are hard to follow in text.

Typical length: 1 to 3 minutes.

8. Interactive or branching video

Example: a customer service scenario that pauses and asks, "What would you say next?" Each choice leads to a different outcome.

Best for: decision-making, sales conversations and practising judgement safely.

Typical length: 5 to 15 minutes of total content, though each path is shorter. Expect higher production costs because each branch is extra content.

9. Case study or incident recreation

Example: an animated recreation of a real (anonymised) workplace incident, followed by what the investigation found.

Best for: safety, quality and risk training, where real events make lessons stick. See our guide to animated safety training videos.

Typical length: 3 to 6 minutes.

10. Onboarding welcome video

Example: a two-minute animated tour of the company: what it does, its values and what the first week looks like.

Best for: making new starters feel welcome and giving them a mental map before detailed training.

Typical length: 1 to 3 minutes.

11. Customer education video

Example: a one-minute animated tutorial showing customers how to set up a smart thermostat, linked from the box and the help centre.

Best for: reducing support requests and helping customers succeed with your product. Our animated product demo video guide covers the sales side of this format.

Typical length: 1 to 3 minutes.

12. Course trailer

Example: a 60-second animated preview of an online course that explains who it's for and what learners will achieve.

Best for: course sales pages and enrolment emails.

Typical length: 30 to 90 seconds.

How to choose the right e-learning video format

Match the format to the type of learning:

• Understanding a concept: whiteboard explainer, animated process diagram.
• Changing behaviour: 2D animated scenario, branching video, incident recreation.
• Doing a task: software walkthrough, microlearning clip.
• Remembering a rule: kinetic typography, microlearning refresher.
• Building trust and motivation: talking head, onboarding welcome, course trailer.

Then consider budget and how often the content changes. Animation is usually more expensive to produce than a screen recording, but easier to update and translate. Our guide to e-learning video production cost has rough per-minute prices for each format, and our guide to animated training videos walks through the production process.

Tips that apply to every format

1. One objective per video. It keeps videos short and easy to search.
2. Keep it short. Most e-learning videos work best at three to six minutes. See how long a training video should be.
3. Add captions. They help accessibility, learners watching without sound and non-native speakers.
4. Follow each video with action. A question, a task or a reflection prompt turns watching into learning.
5. Keep a consistent style. Reuse characters, colours and templates so the course feels like one product.

E-learning video examples FAQ

What is a microlearning video?

A microlearning video is a short clip, usually under three minutes, that teaches one specific skill or idea. It's designed to be watched on its own, often at the moment someone needs it.

What type of video is best for online courses?

There isn't a single best type. Most successful online courses mix a talking head for introductions, animated explainers for concepts and screen recordings for practical tasks.

How many videos should an online course have?

It depends on the scope, but planning one video per learning objective keeps lessons short and focused. A typical short course might have 10 to 30 videos of three to six minutes each.

Are animated e-learning videos worth the cost?

For concepts, scenarios and content you'll use for years or translate into several languages, animation is often worth it. For fast-changing software steps, a screen recording is usually the better value.

Build a course from the right mix

The best e-learning video examples have one thing in common: the format matches what the learner needs to do. Pick formats by learning goal, keep each video short and focused, and use animation where it explains something nothing else can.

OCTASKY produces whiteboard explainers, 2D scenarios, motion graphics and microlearning videos for course creators and training teams worldwide. Send us your course outline and we'll suggest the right format for each lesson.