| This blog outlines 12 essential motion graphics styles and types used in modern video creation. It covers formats like 2D and 3D animation, kinetic typography, infographic animation, UI/UX animation, isometric design, and mixed media. Each entry is explained with its visual traits, use cases, and when to apply it based on project goals. |
Before we check out the various styles of motion graphics, have a look at the Best Motion Graphics Animation examples in our compilation here:
Motion graphics come in many styles—but not all are created equal. Whether you're building a brand, explaining a product, or elevating your content, knowing the different types of motion graphics helps you choose the right style for your message.
In this blog, we’ll explore the most popular motion graphics styles—from 2D and 3D animation to typography animation, infographic animation, and beyond. These different animation styles aren’t just about aesthetics—they’re strategic tools that shape how audiences engage, remember, and act.
Motion graphics animation has quickly become a cornerstone of B2B video marketing. They’re an animation technique that uses graphics to create an engaging and visually compelling way to communicate complex ideas, including but not limited to advertising.
For businesses looking to stand out, motion graphics explainer videos provide a perfect medium to distill complicated concepts into digestible, eye-catching content.
Motion graphics are an umbrella term that covers a range of popular animation styles where graphic transparent animated assets are motion designed and animated for a clean, dynamic look and feel.
It’s especially well-suited for business, marketing and advertising uses, especially B2B. With this animated video style, static images and graphics are used to create a form of animation that's distinctive and eye-catching, to deliver your message.
To put it simply, all motion graphics are animation, but not all animation is motion graphics.
So why should B2B companies care? Animated motion graphic design not only grabs attention but also helps build trust, simplify technical information, and boost conversion rates.
If you’re ready to dive into making your own motion graphics videos, there’s plenty of options and types of animation styles to choose from. You could partner with a studio that does motion graphics services, or set out creating your own using motion graphics software free of cost, with plenty of animation style guides and animation software to look up online (We’ve also published a motion graphic guide on the topic.).
In this blog, we’ll explore 12 popular types of motion graphics video animation, providing insights into why they’re effective, explore the wide range of styles in motion graphics and animation, real-world notable examples, and how to make animated videos animation for your business.
Why use this type of motion graphic:
Cybersecurity is complex and sophisticated. And it’s next to impossible to sell something to someone when they do not understand it.
With attention spans measured in seconds, you don’t have a ton of time to explain it properly.
This is where the power of motion graphics really shines. When you need a complex topic explained well, typical advertising techniques fall short. That’s where motion graphics can be used.
Using clever visual elements and immersive transitions, motion graphic animation brings even abstract ideas to life and simplifies concepts to even a layman audience. Like this video for McAfee.
Why use this type of motion graphic:
Slack took the complex challenge of workflow and team communication, and simplified it for the entire world.
But explaining how it works can, ironically, be quite complex.
Fortunately, this cleverly-made motion graphic video explains everything easily to the audience!
It’s quite fitting for such a clever suite that makes the complex easy and simple. And another example of how many clever SaaS motion graphics styles there are to draw inspiration from.
Why use this type of motion graphic:
Every story is about somebody trying to solve a problem. So when you identify your customers’ problems, they recognize you as a brand that really understands them.
But the higher the stakes, the more interest they have in your brand. Here Google first addresses the need to spend on hardware… and then ratchets up the engagement by saying even after all that headache, one might still make mistakes that can be costly.
Great stories talk about the transformation that your customers desire— and this video, incorporating motion graphics, hits the nail on the head.
Why use this type of motion graphic:
Access to the US stock market has always been cumbersome and expensive for people trading outside the US. Until now! Stake is an app that makes trading on the US stock market easy and instant, with no brokerage fees.
This video needed to capture the energy of the US stock market, so they made a punchy, snappy, type-driven video edited tightly to jazzy drums. This is one of the best types of budget-friendly 2D animation styles to pick, with clever and simple motion graphics that grab and hold attention.
Why use this type of motion graphic:
This series of whiteboard animation ads are part of a Ford campaign with the message “it’s easy to get into a Ford.”
It is amazing how motion graphics can bring out your message so clearly and easily. The video covers everything in just 15 seconds, telling you all you need to know, but leaves you wanting more.
Why use this type of motion graphic:
The internet can be a pretty ugly place sometimes. Social media platforms work hard to keep things civil and safe. And there’s a need to assure users that there are working measures in place.
So Facebook community standards opted to use this video to explain and reassure its users of their commitment to online safety. Motion graphics and simple but clever animation helps tell the story while keeping things light, fresh and interesting.
Ultimately, the video builds a strong sense of trust and safety that works at a “gut” level with the viewer.
Why use this type of motion graphic:
Zendesk used motion graphics animation to reveal their (then) new look.
The brand now features a unified family of products, with new identities they affectionately refer to as "Relationshapes."
So the animated video shows how the shapes represent their products and how their products work together to help build better customer relationships.
By effectively incorporating these strategies into your customer support efforts and leveraging motion graphics videos, you can provide exceptional support, build brand loyalty, and create a positive customer experience.
Why use this type of motion graphic:
Minimalist doesn’t mean simple or cheap-looking, as this beautiful video for Solea proves.
It’s hard to imagine getting excited about a new kind of silent dental drill. But this animated explainer video really demonstrates what you can do with some imagination, creativity and artistic skill.
With a clean and minimalistic look, this video blows you away even if you have absolutely no interest in the dental healthcare industry. It’s the kind of video that’s so well-made, we want to share it with people as proof of concept, proving what animated video can really do.
Why use this type of motion graphic:
With animation, even product demos don’t have to be boring and static!
Here’s a demo for HappyML, showing off the user interface at work. It’s set to dynamic music and accented with smooth, lively animation that really brings the demo to life.
Why use this type of motion graphic:
Don’t know how credit scores work? Confused about which is the right credit card for you? Trying to fix bad credit?
All of these things can be pretty difficult to understand.
But you can communicate your ideas and specialties to the audience by using motion graphic videos, like Credit Karma did.
An American multinational finance company founded in 2017, they chose to use motion graphic videos.
They were a hit and boosted their company’s score and brand recognition.
Why use this type of motion graphic:
Just because mixed media animation combines all sorts of styles and types of animation together, doesn’t mean it has to be a cluttered mess.
BUCK’s video for IBM Design Language is quite fittingly neat and clean, with a distinct and deliberate look and feel, because of what they’re talking about: design.
You’ve got 2D, 3D, text, live video and infographics all smoothly working together to tell a story.
And it does it so well, you might not even notice how complex the video really is, because you’re wrapped up in the story.
That’s the power of storytelling for business!
Why use this type of motion graphic:
SAP is a German multinational software company that makes enterprise software for managing customer relations and business operations.
It is popular for its ERP software.
The hook of this video clearly defines the target audience, the existing SAP customers.
The beautiful compositions and the intelligent transitions make this one of the best infographic videos out there.
Motion graphics combine animation and design to create dynamic visuals that explain or enhance content. It’s a sort of umbrella term for a range of animation styles that basically look like animated graphic design.
Motion graphics feature a slick, polished look that’s colorful, dynamic and clean without getting overwhelming or cluttered for the viewer. They can look serious without being boring, dynamic and lively without getting confusing. Most of all, this animation style is great at grabbing and holding attention, and simplifying large amounts of complex information, making them perfect for B2B / B2C needs.
Motion graphics styles simplify complex ideas, engage viewers, and enhance brand recall. They make explainer videos clear, compelling, and visually engaging, and are thus perfect for B2B communication.
Motion graphics animation is a versatile tool for B2B video marketing, helping you communicate ideas effectively while keeping your audience hooked. From 2D animations to abstract visuals, there’s a style for every need and budget.
Ready to create a motion graphics explainer video that delivers results? Contact Broadcast2World today and let’s bring your vision to life!