Video content is the heavyweight champion in today’s digital ring. Whether it’s YouTube, Instagram Reels, or the ever-frenzied TikTok, video is where people are spending their time. And when you know how to use video marketing, you can empower the viewer to become the buyer. Why? Because videos get shared 12 times more than text and images combined.
In this article, we’ll walk through 10 video marketing best practices. From defining your goals to choosing the right platform, scripting your message, and making sure people see and engage with your content. If you’re serious about building a video strategy that gets results, let’s read on.
What is Video Marketing?
Video marketing is the use of video content to promote your product and brand across various platforms. Video marketing taps into the way people naturally consume information.
Today, we’re wired to engage with audio visuals marketing more than plain text. That’s why platforms like YouTube, Instagram Reels, and TikTok have exploded in popularity.
Done well, video can help you educate prospects, boost trust, explain complex solutions, or drive action. And when it’s embedded in a broader digital marketing strategy, video becomes a powerful tool for scaling brand visibility and conversion.
How to Use Video Marketing to Grow Your Business
Define Your Goals and Audience
The starting point of any digital video strategy is to know what you’re trying to achieve. Ask yourself: Are you trying to get your brand on the map? Generate some quality leads? Or push viewers to hit “buy now”? The tone, length, and even where you publish–it all changes based on that goal. Equally important is your audience. Who are you talking to? What do they care about? What problems do they need to be solved?
Understanding how to use video marketing to grow your business means getting these basics right before anything else. Drill into those questions, and your video starts writing itself. This clarity also makes a huge difference. Want to align your CRM and marketing goals so your videos hit the right audience at the right time? This guide to CRM marketing automation breaks it down.
Choose the Right Type of Video Content
Choosing the right content type is half the battle. You’ve got explainer videos to clarify what you do. A product demos for features. A tutorial video that educates. And testimonials video for social proof. Then there’s vlog branding—a great way to humanise your brand.
The challenges are you’ve got to match format with intent. Someone at the top of the funnel? Hit them with something bite-sized and educational. Further along? A demo or detailed case study might seal the deal. The point is a solid video marketing strategy is about picking the right one for the right moment.
Plan Your Content and Messaging
Winging it might work sometimes, but consistency is king in marketing. Figure out your brand’s voice – are you quirky? Seriously? Helpful? Stick to it. And map out your content. An editorial calendar sounds fancy, but it just means planning what you’ll say and when.
Pro tips for video marketing in this phase: Keep your core message consistent across platforms. But tweak how you deliver it for each social media environment. Instagram isn’t Twitter (X), LinkedIn isn’t TikTok. Viewers can smell inauthentic content a mile away.
Write a Script and Storyboard
A solid script keeps things concise and engaging, while a storyboard ensures smooth visual flow. Start with a hook that speaks to your audience’s pain points or sparks curiosity. Follow with clear value statements, and wrap it up with a strong call-to-action. Even vlogs benefit from some structure—viewers appreciate content that respects their time and delivers value efficiently.
Optimize Thumbnails and Titles
Think of thumbnails as mini-billboards—they should be bold, high-contrast, and emotionally compelling. Titles matter too. SEO video marketing isn’t just about what’s in the video—it starts with the cover. Use contrast. Add a face. Stick a keyword in the title without making it look spammy. Platforms like YouTube, Reels, and Instagram all reward early engagement, so grab attention fast.
Select Tools/Partners to Help With Video Marketing
You don’t need Hollywood money to create videos that convert. There are solid tools out there that make professional-looking videos possible—whatever your budget. Yes, these list of tools would have seemed impossible just five years ago:
- Editing software: We’ve seen amazing results from free options like CapCut, though Adobe Premiere can be worth the investment if you’re producing regularly
- Animation Platforms: When budgets are tight, tools like Vyond or Powtoon can turn complex concepts into engaging explainers without a full animation team
- Analytics: Don’t fly blind—combine native platform insights with Sprout Social to track what’s working
- Scheduling: The consistency game is easier with proper content calendars and publishing tools.
For additional references, our review of the best marketing automation tools in 2025 might be just what you need. But remember, tools are only half the story. Sometimes it makes sense to bring in a partner who can help scale what’s working.
Choose Platform to Distribute Your Marketing Videos
One of social media video marketing best practices is to know your audience and know your platform. So, please don’t just spray and pray. Customize your video slightly for each platform. Consequently, a straight cross-post often feels a bit off. Meet people where they are. So, these different platforms have different strengths:
- YouTube: Great for long-form, SEO-friendly content.
- TikTok: Perfect for short, authentic clips targeting younger audiences.
- Instagram Reels: Balances creativity with business features.
- LinkedIn: The place for B2B, thought leadership, and more professional content.
Launch and Promote
You’ve put in the work—now get it seen. Use teasers to build hype, email to get it in inboxes, and paid boosts for extra reach. But don’t stop there. Engage with comments. Share via your team. Repost on different channels with fresh captions. Video marketing best practices aren’t just about what you post, but how you promote. In practice, consider these:
- Give your email list a heads-up.
- Get your team to share it.
- Consider putting a little budget behind it to reach a wider, targeted audience.
- Jump into the comments early on.
Maximize Your Video for SEO
SEO video marketing goes beyond keywords. Sure, titles and tags matter. But so does the file name, the transcript, and where the video lives on your site. Drop your keywords naturally. Add subtitles. Create supporting blog content that boosts relevance. Make playlists to increase watch time. And yes, test everything. Need a clearer view of how your video content feeds into your overall marketing performance? Take a closer look at marketing data visualization to uncover insights hiding in plain sight
Repurpose as Needed
Don’t let a good video collect dust. A single video can transform into multiple assets:
- Short clips for TikTok and Reels.
- Audio podcasts for commuters.
- Blog posts with embedded video for SEO.
- Quote graphics and GIFs for social sharing.
So, always use these patterns: Repurpose, remix, recycle. Evaluate. Repeat.
That one vlog branding piece you made? Could be three weeks’ worth of content with the right approach. Repurposing doesn’t just save time—it multiplies your reach without redoing the work.
Measure the Success of Video Marketing Campaigns
Data-driven optimization separates strategic video marketers from content creators. So here are several fundamental metrics to track in many digital video strategies:
- View count and watch time (engagement depth)
- Click-through rates on calls-to-action
- Conversion attribution
- Audience retention graphs (when viewers drop off)
- Social sharing and earned media
- Comments and community building
Use the analytics tools on each platform to measure the metrics. Also, you can use it in third-party tools, like Sprout Social or the Octobits dashboard. Even more, this list of marketing automation metrics can help you focus on what drives the impact. The main goal here is to see what’s resonating. When you know the numbers, you can analyze them, and figure out how to grow your video performance next time.
Your Next Steps
Please remember, video marketing is more than fancy tools or viral trends. It’s about solving problems, showing value, and telling stories your audience cares about. If you are figuring out how to use video marketing, try to start small. Be consistent. Learn fast. And always be ready to tweak what doesn’t work. And if you’re ready to build a video strategy with teeth, we’re here to help. So, let’s talk!
