How to Use Lower Thirds, Motion Titles & Kinetic Typography in Corporate Videos
On-screen text is critical to how a video communicates. It directs viewers’ attention, reinforces what’s being said, and conveys information the audience might otherwise miss, such as a key financial metric or a brand slogan. When done well, video typography adds polish, bolsters credibility, and keeps the message clear even when viewers watch with the sound off. When done poorly, with clunky fonts, weak contrast, or misspelled job titles, the same production looks amateurish.
This guide, from our animation and post-production team, covers the main on-screen text and graphic elements, including lower thirds, title cards, and kinetic typography: what each one does, and how to use them so business videos appear professional throughout.
The Four Essential Types of On-Screen Video Titles
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| 1. Lower Thirds | Speaker name & role, company & location |
| 2. Chapter & Section Cards | Transitions between topics, ‘Step 1: Discovery’ |
| 3. Kinetic Callout Typography | Bold stats & ROI figures, ‘85% Efficiency Lift’ |
| 4. Full-Frame Title & Closing CTA Cards | Opening brand card, closing call to action |
1. The ‘Lower Third’ (Name & Role Identifiers)
The lower third is a graphic overlay positioned in the lower portion of the screen (traditionally the bottom-left or bottom-right).
It answers these two questions within 3 seconds of a new person appearing on screen:
- Who are they? (e.g. Sarah Jenkins)
- Why should the viewer listen to them? (e.g. Head of Sustainability, Acme Energy)
Keep lower thirds on screen for 4 to 6 seconds. That gives the average viewer enough time to read both lines twice without cluttering the frame.
2. Chapter Cards & Narrative Topic Transitions
For longer corporate videos (such as internal training, annual reviews, or comprehensive case studies), chapter cards break the video into digestible sections.
A chapter card resets the viewer’s attention before moving to the next subject, giving the video clear structure.
3. Kinetic Typography & Metric Callouts
When a speaker states a strong number, such as ‘We increased our client pipeline by 140% in six months,’ kinetic typography animates the number into view at that moment, so it registers instead of passing with the rest of the sentence.
Animated numbers draw the eye at the exact moment the claim is made, which helps viewers retain crucial information and recall it after the video ends.
4. Full-Frame Title & Closing CTA Cards
The opening title introduces the video; the closing card prompts the viewer to take action.
An opening can be a company name or logo before the footage starts, or a section divider. A closing card can be a clean logo animation, website URL, and a direct call to action, such as ‘Book your free quote at wemov.com.au.’
The Golden Rules of Video Typography Design
- Use clean sans-serif fonts (e.g. Plus Jakarta Sans, Montserrat, Inter).
- Maintain high contrast with a subtle gradient backing plate or soft drop shadow.
- Keep text within the title-safe zone: 10% clear of the screen edge.
- Avoid script or cursive fonts, which are hard to read on fast mobile feeds.
- Limit kinetic text to 1 to 3 words per burst to avoid a wall of text.
- Space titles out. Using them too often dilutes their impact, so reserve them for the most important points.
- Preview the video with titles in place before finalising, and check timing, placement, and legibility against the footage rather than in isolation.
- Test the final video across multiple screen sizes, since a title that reads clearly in a desktop preview can appear crowded or misaligned on a phone screen.
Video typography is completely different from print design. Video is dynamic, moving, and viewed on screens ranging from a 6.1-inch iPhone in bright sunlight to a massive 85-inch 4K boardroom display.
Font Selection
Geometric sans-serif typefaces such as Plus Jakarta Sans, Inter, Roboto, Montserrat, or Helvetica Neue are the standard choice. Sans-serif typefaces render clearly across the compression formats used by platforms like YouTube and Meta, without the pixelation or blurring that can affect finer serif details.
High Contrast & the Drop Shadow Test
Avoid placing white text directly over a busy or bright background. If a speaker moves in front of a white wall or bright window, the text can disappear.
Instead, add a subtle, blurred black shadow (20–30% opacity) behind the text, or place a semi-transparent branded bar behind the lower third.
Title-Safe Margins
Different platforms place interface elements, such as TikTok’s like button, Instagram’s handle, or YouTube’s progress bar directly over the edges of the frame.
Keep critical text within the central 80% of the frame so platform interfaces never cover a speaker’s name.
Designing for the Sound-Off Mobile Generation
A significant share of social media video is watched with the sound off. On-screen text also supports viewers with hearing impairments, which makes it an accessibility consideration as well.
There are two main ways to carry a video’s message without audio: burned-in captions and motion title overlays. Each suits a different context, as shown below.
| Burned-In Dynamic Subtitles | Motion Design Title Overlays |
|---|---|
| Full word-for-word transcript | Key highlights and visual markers |
| Karaoke-style bouncing highlights | Branded font hierarchy and custom colours |
| Essential for social feeds (9:16) | Suited to corporate case studies |
Pairing burned-in captions with styled lower thirds covers both sound-off mobile viewers and desktop viewers watching with sound on.
How WeMOV Integrates Brand Guidelines into Motion Titles
When we collaborate with enterprise clients like Domino’s, Chobani, or Suncorp, we build titles around each brand’s own visual language. Our motion graphics team extracts your exact brand book:
- Primary and secondary hex colours: Applied to graphic bars, bounding boxes, and typography accents.
- Licensed corporate typefaces: Embedded directly into our animation software.
- Motion curves and easing: Matched to your brand’s visual language, whether that’s playful and energetic or restrained and corporate.
Partner With WeMOV for Your Next Video
WeMOV combines filming with motion design so every part of a video, including its on-screen text, is considered and consistent with the brand behind it.
Explore our motion graphics and production services across Australia:
Get a free quick quote to find out what your next production would cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a lower third in video production?
A lower third is a graphic overlay placed in the lower section of the screen that displays key contextual information, most commonly the name, job title, and company of the person speaking on camera.
How long should a lower third stay on screen?
A lower third should stay on screen for 4 to 6 seconds. This gives viewers enough time to read the name and title comfortably without obstructing the footage.
What is kinetic typography?
Kinetic typography is the technique of animating text on screen in sync with spoken dialogue or music. It is used to emphasise statistics, quotes, or product benefits visually.
