Motion graphics is graphic design in motion: text, shapes, logos, icons and data animated to explain, present or give rhythm to a piece of content. It is not a film with characters and a plot, but a short piece that conveys information or an idea. It works when a concept has to land in a few seconds, and it is prepared with a brief, an approved visual plan, revisions and delivery built for each channel.
What is motion graphics?
Adobe describes it as graphics with movement, combining text and design elements in animated form, and sets it apart from narrative animation: it generally means shorter pieces that entertain or inform. For a brand, that means giving motion to what it already has: logo, colors, typefaces, icons, data. That is why it is visual identity work before it is a technical job.
When it makes sense
- Explaining something abstract: a process, a service, a data flow. Motion shows the order in which things happen.
- Presenting data and numbers: charts and infographics that build up in front of the viewer instead of a static slide.
- Giving a video its identity: animated logo, titles, lower thirds and end cards consistent with the brand.
- Working on social: short formats, often watched without sound, where text and movement carry the message.
- Supporting live footage: animated graphics inside a shot video, for titles, captions and data.
If the message is emotional and tied to real people or places, filmed footage usually works better. The two combine well.
How a project is prepared
Adobe itself advises planning before you start, since motion graphics is a complex discipline. These are the stages we generally suggest following.
- Brief. Goal, audience, the message to get across, where it will be seen, with or without sound, and which brand assets exist.
- Storyboard and styleframes. The storyboard fixes the sequence of scenes; styleframes are finished frames that show style, colors, typefaces and composition. It is wise to approve them before animating: changing direction once work is under way usually costs more.
- Animatic. According to Adobe, it is an animated storyboard, a rough draft of the sequence, sometimes with a soundtrack. It checks pacing and order before production.
- Production. The approved elements are animated, with work on transitions, timing and sound.
- Revisions. It helps to agree a number of rounds and gather feedback in a single list, so corrections stay orderly.
- Delivery. Files in the formats each channel needs, with the versions set out in the plan and captions where required.
Formats and delivery
It is best to decide aspect ratios in the brief, not at the end, because they change the composition. The YouTube player adapts to each video and uses 16:9 as the default on computers; vertical 9:16 videos are shown with padding around them, and YouTube advises against adding your own bars or borders. For reels, Instagram states that you can upload an aspect ratio between 1.91:1 and 9:16. Specifications change over time, so always check each platform’s official pages before delivering.
It helps to design graphics with safe margins, so text and logo stay readable when the same work goes out in several aspect ratios.
Accessibility: captions, flashing and motion
- Captions. WCAG 2.2 (success criterion 1.2.2, Level A) requires captions for the audio of prerecorded synchronized media, including relevant non-speech sounds.
- Describing what is visual. Criterion 1.2.5 (Level AA) calls for audio description of prerecorded video; if everything important is already in the audio track, nothing more is needed.
- Flashing. Criterion 2.3.1 rules out content that flashes more than three times per second, beyond the stated thresholds, to protect people with photosensitive seizures.
- On the website. A video or animation that starts on its own, lasts more than five seconds and sits alongside other content must offer a way to pause or stop it (criterion 2.2.2). For CSS animations there is also the system setting prefers-reduced-motion, meant for people with vestibular disorders.
Our practical advice: plan readable captions and restrained movement from the storyboard stage, avoiding constant zooms and spins.
Motion graphics is part of our Production service alongside photo and video, and it starts from the identity defined with graphic design: if you have a message to make clear in motion, tell us about it.