Everyone says video is the future. Some have been saying it for ten years.

There is truth in both positions. Video works, but not all video, not everywhere and not for every business. For SMBs considering a video investment, it is worth distinguishing between video that does a concrete job and video that primarily justifies a budget.

What video is actually good for

Explaining something complex If your service or product is difficult to understand from text alone, a short explainer video can do remarkable work. Two minutes of animation or screen recording can replace ten paragraphs of text, and produce far better comprehension.

Building trust and personality Video of the people behind the business (genuine, not over-produced) creates a connection that text struggles to match. A short introduction from the founder or team is an effective trust-builder for businesses where the relationship matters.

Demonstrating process or result Tradespeople, designers, architects and others who deliver something visible have a lot to gain from showing work in motion. Before and after, timelapse of a project, a walkthrough of the finished result.

Testimonials A customer quote in video is more credible than the same quote in text. Not because text is dishonest, but because video is harder to fabricate.

What video is rarely good for

Homepage backgrounds with drone footage and dramatic music Looping video backgrounds look impressive in a presentation. On the website they slow load times, distract from the message and rarely add anything visitors appreciate after the first second. Use them with great caution.

Replacing text customers actually want to read People evaluating a purchase read. They scan for prices, process, references and the specifics they need to make a decision. A video that demands three minutes of attention to convey what a bullet point communicates in five seconds is not a good trade.

Signalling that you are "modern" Video for video's sake is rarely a good investment. The question should always be: what specific job is this video doing, and does it do that job better than the alternatives?

Practical considerations for SMBs

Production quality versus authenticity A well-lit, clearly filmed mobile video of you explaining something relevant can outperform an over-produced agency showreel: because authenticity builds trust. Do not use production quality as an excuse to do nothing, but do not wait for the perfect production either.

Hosting Never upload video directly to your website. Use YouTube or Vimeo and embed it. Direct uploads destroy load time.

Subtitles Many people watch video without sound, at work, in public, with their phone on silent. Caption your videos. It also improves accessibility and gives search engines content to index.

A concrete goal What should the video lead to? More time on the page? The contact form opened? A specific decision made? If you do not know what success looks like for the video, you will not know whether it is working.

The question to ask first

Before investing in video, ask: what specific problem does this video solve, and is video the best format to solve it?

If you answer that question well, video is probably right. If you answer "we should have video because everyone else does," it probably is not.

Want to discuss whether and how video could add value to your website? Get in touch.