Building a 2024 Video Marketing Strategy [FREE TEMPLATE]

Editor's Note: This blog post was updated for relevancy and accuracy in October 2024.

This message goes out to business owners and marketers: it’s time for a heart-to-heart about leveraging video in your marketing strategy. If you’re not dedicating resources to video in your 2024 plan, you’re missing out on one of the most impactful ways to engage your audience online. Whether you’re in manufacturing, private golf clubs, senior living, e-commerce, or SaaS, there’s a place for video content in your marketing model.

If you’ve been keeping up, you’ve likely heard thought leaders emphasize the power of video countless times. There's no shortage of stats on the number of videos created each month, the "ideal" video length, or the best times to post. While these details are interesting, they’re not all that helpful unless you’re consistently publishing a high volume of videos each month.

We’ve learned there is still a lot of uncertainty around what types of video should be created, how much to budget per year/project, and how to get started. So, we’ve created a short list of considerations for your video marketing strategy, as well as a few tools that will help you get started.

1. Increase Your Budget for Video

No matter what your video budget is for this year, you should plan to increase it for next year. If you didn't put money toward video last year, now is the time to start. And if you did, you should either begin populating the rest of your website with video content, look to replace your older video assets - or both. If you are not sure how to start, there are resources to help you strategically incorporate video into your marketing budget.

You may have doubts. If so, look to Apple and Facebook. Both companies spend billions of dollars each year to create original video content. These are two very successful companies whose business models didn't need to expand with video; however, these tech giants realized the massive potential of creating video content.

Image via HubSpot

You’re probably thinking, "That's all great, but we’re not Apple or Facebook, and we certainly don't have billions of dollars to spend." You're right, but that's not the point.

What’s important to realize is that we live in a time when every company, regardless of size, has a reason to be budgeting for and creating video content. No matter what your budget is, here are a few simple suggestions:

• $0-$2,500: For this range of budget, you will not be able to spend much, if anything, on a videographer.  Instead, invest your money in a seminar, course, or workshop to learn how a video strategy can make a difference for your organization. Focus on creating free or inexpensive videos for platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or your website. Depending on your budget, you may have the resources to invest in an affordable HD webcam and microphone to help you achieve the best quality possible within that budget range.

• $2,500-$5,000: With this budget, you'll have what you need to afford basic recording equipment, or hire a freelance videographer. But most videographers are not in a position to help you develop a strategy for  your video. Again, we suggest investing a portion of your budget in a class or workshop to help you learn the basics of video content strategy.

• $5,000+: With a budget upwards of  $5,000, you have the means to work with a production company that can advise you on what to produce and how to produce it. If you are not sure what type of company to select as a partner, here's a simple guide to comparing video production companies.

2. Diversify Your Video Content

Just one video on your website won’t fulfill all of your marketing needs. Different types of videos have a unique purpose and drive different results. Certain videos function best as top-of-the-funnel content pieces that answer high-level questions or share the story of your organization. Some videos work better for telling stories to elicit trust and emotion from your viewers; and other videos, like testimonials, showcase your credibility.

Take the time to think about the types of video content that you can create for your business or industry. Here are a few suggestions:

• Look at your most visited landing pages and website pages, how could video enhance the experience of a viewer? The video may enhance the credibility and trust of your company.

• Do you sell products? Would your prospects benefit from a video that walks them through the specifics of your product line?

• Have you told your customers' stories? Whether you are a B2B or B2C company, stories of people who have experienced success with a product or service always make for compelling content.

• Check Quora and Reddit for common questions that your potential customers have about your industry and include answers in your video.

• Do some keyword research around the most searched topics in your industry and create new blogs or web pages with videos to support the content.

3. Plan Your Shoots; Maximize Your Time and Resources

A common misconception is that video costs are calculated per individual video, but that's not always the case. The real cost-saving opportunity comes from smart planning. By mapping out your long-term video strategy, you can often shoot multiple videos in one session, reducing the time, effort, and expense that comes with scheduling multiple shoots.

Whether you’re producing videos internally or partnering with a professional production team, this approach allows you to get more content for your investment. Plus, you can repurpose existing footage to maintain a steady stream of video content over time, maximizing your resources and keeping your video strategy sustainable.

Creating a Blueprint

Here are a few ways that you can maximize your time and money to produce more videos:

• Plan multi-person interviews. Try to capture interviews when all of your essential experts can be in the same place on the same day.

• Focus on quality rather than length. If your experts can communicate a helpful message in a minute, then don't waste more money, time, or resources trying to get your video to the 3-minute mark.

• Have someone who just loves to talk? Try the Gary Vaynerchuk method of video creation. Record only one of your subject matter experts speaking and then cut that material down into shorter videos. Use it in social media, website pages, emails, and more.

4. Own Your Niche

Go to YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok and spend some watching and studying videos that already exist in your industry. Look for ways that you can improve on existing videos, dive deeper into a specific topic, or cover something new. You can develop credibility and thought leadership by creating video content that helps your customers and prospects find the answers they are looking for.

Make sure to cross-reference the video topics you find against basic SEO keyword metrics to make sure your topics have a high likelihood of being found through organic search.

5. Look for More Ways to Share Your Stories

We frequently speak with marketers at companies who believe they "don't have interesting stories to tell," and to that, we respectfully call B.S. No matter what industry you are in, you have compelling stories waiting to be told. You may not be a shiny tech startup in San Francisco, but you probably have an interesting history or a moving customer story. Otherwise, why do you show up for work in the morning and why do your customers go to you?

Telling stories, especially through video, humanizes your brand. It showcases something far beyond your brand messages, it showcases the heart and soul of your company and your people. Learning how to identify those stories can be a bit more challenging. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Share the behind the scenes of your latest product development.
• Tell the stories of your longest-tenured employee or customer.
• Show the everyday life of an employee or tenant.
• Talk about your experience at the latest trade show or industry event.
• Feature the success story of a valued client.
• Showcase a training program or culture initiative.

One of the best ways to identify and organize stories is with a video content-blocking spreadsheet. This simple spreadsheet can help you think more creatively about ways to feature your existing brand stories.

Conclusion

As marketers and business owners, we can't continue to sit back and ignore the fact that video is a content medium that continues to expand its influence all around us. But don't let concerns over scope and scale stop you from getting started. There are several resources, classes, webinars, and workshops that can help you get started with video.

Do your research, make a plan, allocate a budget, and most importantly, take the first step in creating video content that your customers and prospects can use.