How to Find Local Businesses That Might Need Explainer Videos

A practical guide to researching local businesses, identifying useful video marketing opportunities, and creating personalized animated explainer video concepts.

Here's an interesting question for freelance video creators.

What if finding potential video clients wasn't really about finding businesses without videos?

What if it was about finding businesses that have something important to explain?

Think about a local roofing contractor.

The company may offer roof inspections, repairs, and replacements. But a homeowner visiting its website might not understand what happens during the inspection process.

A short animated explainer could potentially make that process easier to understand.

Now consider another company with a clear website, straightforward services, and plenty of helpful content.

It may not have a video either.

But that doesn't automatically mean it needs one.

That's why I think finding local businesses that might need explainer videos requires more than simply collecting websites without video content.

It requires understanding what a business does, what customers may find confusing, and whether visual content could help.

In this guide, we'll walk through a practical method using Google Maps, website research, and a simple prospect qualification process.

We'll also look at where AI-assisted tools such as Explaindio 5 AI might fit into the workflow.

You can use the manual process even if you never purchase any software.

Quick Answer: How Do You Find Local Businesses That Might Need Explainer Videos?

Start by searching for local businesses by industry and location using Google Maps. Review their websites, check whether they already use promotional or explainer videos, and identify services that may be difficult for customers to understand. Businesses with a specific communication problem may be worth researching further, but the absence of a video doesn't prove they want to buy one.

A practical workflow looks like this:

1. Choose one local business industry.
2. Select a city or metropolitan area.
3. Find businesses through Google Maps.
4. Review their websites and existing video content.
5. Identify possible customer communication problems.
6. Prepare a relevant video concept.
7. Contact suitable businesses professionally.

Let's explore those steps in more detail.

1. Start With One Local Business Niche

One mistake beginners can make is searching for every possible type of business at once.

Roofers, dentists, restaurants, plumbers, and real estate agencies may all use videos for different reasons.

Trying to research all of them simultaneously can make the process unnecessarily complicated.

I'd start with a single industry.

For example:

• Roofing contractors: Explaining inspections, repairs, and replacement processes.
• HVAC companies: Introducing maintenance visits and installation services.
• Landscaping businesses: Explaining consultations, design proposals, and project planning.
• Dental practices: Helping patients understand appointments and commonly offered services.
• Plumbing companies: Explaining service procedures and what customers can expect.

These are examples of possible uses, not proof that businesses in these industries are currently shopping for video services.

The goal is to become familiar with the typical communication needs of one industry.

2. Use Google Maps to Discover Local Businesses

Once you've selected an industry, choose a location.

For example, suppose you're researching roofing contractors in Dallas, Texas.

Open Google Maps and search for:

Roofing contractors in Dallas, TX

You'll see businesses matching that search.

Open a relevant listing and visit its official website.

Pay attention to the actual services, the company's stated service area, and whether you can identify a useful video concept.

Don't assume every listing is a suitable prospect.

Some businesses may already have strong marketing content. Others may have very simple services that don't require animation.

At this stage, you're gathering information rather than selling anything.

3. Check Whether the Website Already Uses Videos

Next, review the business website.

Start with the homepage.

Look for embedded YouTube players, promotional videos, background videos, or introductory clips.

Then check important service pages.

For example, an HVAC contractor may have a video explaining maintenance services on a dedicated page rather than the homepage.

You may also want to look at its public YouTube channel or social media profiles.

Important: A business without an embedded website video may still produce video content elsewhere.

And some videos can be difficult to detect through automated website scanning.

For that reason, I wouldn't label a company as having no video marketing based on a single quick check.

4. Look for a Real Communication Problem

This is where I believe the research becomes more valuable.

Instead of asking only whether the company has a video, ask what its customers need to understand.

Imagine two roofing websites.

The first website clearly describes inspections, repairs, warranties, and appointment scheduling.

The second website lists multiple services but provides little explanation of how the work is carried out.

Which one would I investigate further?

Probably the second.

Not because it automatically needs an animated video.

But because it presents an opportunity to consider whether clearer customer education would help.

For a practical example, a short animation could explain the general steps involved in a roof inspection.

But you'd need to verify the actual business process before putting anything into a video.

For a deeper discussion of this research approach, see this Medium guide to finding local businesses that may benefit from explainer videos. It explores why missing videos should be treated as research signals rather than qualified leads.

5. Use a Simple Video Opportunity Scorecard

Before preparing any samples, I'd organize the findings.

You don't need expensive customer relationship management software to begin.

A simple Google Sheets spreadsheet can work.

Question	What to record
Does the company have a website?	Official website URL
Does it use videos?	Yes / No visible video / Uncertain
Are services clearly explained?	Clear / Partly clear / Unclear
Is there a useful video idea?	One specific proposed concept
Is the prospect suitable?	Research further / Skip / Review later

This isn't a scientifically validated lead-scoring method.

It's simply a way to make the research more consistent.

I would rather have a shortlist of five promising companies with specific communication needs than a list of 100 businesses with no clear reason to contact them.

6. Create a Personalized Explainer Video Concept

After identifying a suitable opportunity, the next step is creating a simple concept.

Let's imagine a fictional HVAC company called Riverside Heating & Cooling.

Its website offers air-conditioning installation, repair, and seasonal maintenance.

But the maintenance page provides only a brief description.

A possible animated explainer could be titled:

"What Happens During a Seasonal AC Maintenance Visit?"

The video might follow three short sections:

1. The customer's question: What happens during a maintenance appointment?
2. The explanation: A general overview of the services the company actually performs.
3. The next step: Where interested customers can find booking information.

The concept doesn't need to be a complicated animation.

A short, clear video can be enough to demonstrate an idea.

However, the facts must be accurate.

Don't invent warranties, pricing, customer reviews, service guarantees, or work procedures.

And don't make a video look like an official business advertisement unless the company has approved it.

7. Learn How to Approach Businesses Without Being Pushy

Finding a relevant opportunity is one part of the process.

Starting a professional conversation is another.

Here's an example of a generic message:

"Hi, I create promotional videos for businesses. Would you like to purchase one?"

That tells the recipient what you sell, but doesn't explain why your work might matter to the business.

A more relevant approach might be:

"Hi, I was looking at your website and noticed you offer several roof inspection services. I had an idea for a short animation that could explain the process to homeowners. Would you be interested in seeing a quick concept?"

The second message starts with a particular business service and a potential use for the video.

Of course, it doesn't guarantee a reply.

And if the recipient isn't interested, that decision should be respected.

For more advice about selling video services without aggressive pitches, read How to Sell Animated Explainer Videos to Local Businesses Without Sounding Salesy. It covers personalized outreach, useful video samples, project scope, and professional communication.

8. Can AI Help Find Local Businesses That Might Need Explainer Videos?

Yes, AI-assisted business prospecting tools can help with parts of local business research.

For example, some software is designed to search business websites for detectable video content or organize potential prospects by category and location.

However, AI cannot reliably determine whether a business is willing to purchase your services.

And automated scans aren't a substitute for manual verification.

This is where a tool called Explaindio 5 AI becomes relevant.

According to the developer, Explaindio 5 AI combines animated explainer video creation with local business discovery and personalized outreach preparation.

Its advertised Business Finder searches for businesses by industry and city and identifies websites that appear to lack video content.

The software can also use business website information to help generate personalized animated video samples.

Those samples can provide a starting point for a video marketing concept.

But a freelancer still needs to review the findings, check the script, refine the visuals, and decide whether contacting a business is appropriate.

9. Watch Explaindio 5 AI's Business Finder and Video Creation Workflow

If you'd prefer to see the software's intended workflow rather than just read about it, I've included a longer Explaindio 5 AI review and demonstration below.

Watch on YouTube: Explaindio 5 AI Review 2026: Find Video Clients With AI?

The demonstration discusses local business discovery, personalized animated video samples, and the outreach workflow advertised by the developer.

The vendor's own demonstration examples use fictional businesses, and some example videos were edited after generation. They should not be treated as proof of real customer sales or guaranteed results.

10. Would I Use a Manual Method or an AI Business Finder?

That depends on the type of work you're planning to do.

If you're just exploring freelance video marketing, I'd start with the manual method.

Research a small number of businesses.

Learn how to identify communication problems.

Understand what makes a personalized explainer video concept useful.

Once you've developed a repeatable workflow, you can evaluate whether AI software would reduce repetitive preparation.

Explaindio 5 AI may be relevant if local business prospecting and animated sample generation are regular parts of your work.

But if you only need to produce occasional videos, a general-purpose editor may be more appropriate.

11. What Should You Check Before Paying for AI Video Software?

Before buying any AI explainer video creator or local business prospecting tool, I'd look at the actual cost of the workflow.

With Explaindio 5 AI, the developer advertises a one-time front-end purchase, included AI credits, a commercial license, optional upgrades, and a money-back guarantee.

That sounds worth investigating if you're offering animated videos commercially, but I'd still check the current terms.

• Which features come with the base purchase?
• How are credits consumed?
• What happens after the included credits are used?
• Which capabilities require optional upgrades?
• Does the commercial license cover your intended client work?
• What are the refund conditions?
• How much editing will generated samples require?

Those answers are more important than any claim that a tool can find large numbers of prospects.

The right software should support your actual process—not create new expenses for features you rarely use.

12. A Beginner-Friendly Seven-Day Research Plan

If I were exploring this approach from scratch, I'd keep the first week simple.

Day 1: Choose one business industry and one city.

Day 2: Research around ten local businesses through Google Maps and their official websites.

Day 3: Review existing service explanations and video content.

Day 4: Identify three businesses where a short explainer video might have a useful purpose.

Day 5: Draft one short video concept based on verified business information.

Day 6: Evaluate whether the concept is clear, accurate, and appropriate to share.

Day 7: Review your research, decide whether respectful outreach is appropriate, and record how much time the process required.

This is a planning exercise, not a proven seven-day method for acquiring customers.

You may discover there are no suitable prospects in your sample. That is useful information too.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I find local businesses that might need explainer videos?

Search for businesses by industry and city, inspect their websites, and identify services that might benefit from clearer visual explanations. Check existing video content before deciding whether a business deserves further research.

Which types of businesses benefit from animated explainer videos?

Businesses offering complex services or processes may have opportunities for customer education videos. Examples include home improvement services, HVAC contractors, dental practices, and landscaping businesses. Suitability depends on each company's actual needs.

How do I know whether a business already uses video marketing?

Review its website, main service pages, YouTube channel, and other public social media profiles. Don't rely only on the homepage or a single automated scanning result.

Can I find potential explainer video clients for free?

You can begin with free research methods using Google Maps, public business websites, and a spreadsheet. However, this research requires time, and there's no guarantee that the businesses identified will want to purchase video services.

Should I create personalized video samples for every prospect?

Not necessarily. Personalized samples take time and may consume AI credits. Consider creating a short concept for carefully selected prospects rather than preparing extensive unpaid work for everyone.

Can AI create explainer videos from business websites?

Some AI-assisted tools, including Explaindio 5 AI according to its developer, can use website content as the starting point for animated video samples. All generated information should be reviewed before use.

Does Explaindio 5 AI guarantee video clients?

No. Its prospecting features may help identify potential businesses to research, but they don't guarantee responses, customers, sales, or earnings. 

https://sites.google.com/view/explaindio-5-ai-review-2026/

What should I include in an explainer video proposal?

Explain the proposed video's purpose, audience, approximate duration, deliverables, price, revision limits, usage rights, and expected timeline. Avoid promising specific business results you cannot support.

Final Thoughts: Look for a Useful Video Idea, Not Just a Missing Video

Finding local businesses without website videos can be a starting point for freelance video marketing research.

But it shouldn't be the entire strategy.

The more valuable question is whether a short video could help customers understand a service, process, or decision more clearly.

That requires research.

It requires understanding the business.

And it requires being willing to move on when a video isn't the right solution.

AI tools like Explaindio 5 AI may help with repetitive business discovery and sample preparation, but they don't replace those decisions.

My recommendation is simple: Start with one industry, one location, and a small group of businesses. Learn to identify genuine communication opportunities before trying to scale your research.

Because the goal isn't to find the largest number of websites without videos.

It's to find situations where a thoughtful explainer video might actually be useful.

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Editorial note: This article provides general educational guidance based on public business research methods and vendor-described software features. It does not present fabricated customer results, independent product tests, or guaranteed outcomes.

Further reading: The two Medium articles linked above provide complementary perspectives on prospect qualification and selling animated videos professionally.