As 2025 takes off, one of the most transformative trends in the digital marketing world is the increasing dominance of video content. With social media platforms evolving and consumer expectations shifting, video has quickly become the central pillar of any successful digital marketing strategy – whether you’re B2B or B2C. In fact, HubSpot’s recent research underscores video’s effectiveness, revealing that 73% of marketers consider video marketing a vital tool for achieving business goals.
In this article, we delve into why video marketing is so impactful, presenting a data-driven overview of the benefits, strategies, challenges, and emerging trends shaping the landscape over the past year and how it will continue to do so in 2025. Understanding these key insights will help you create a video marketing strategy that delivers results.
Why Video Marketing Matters in 2025
Video marketing continued to thrive throughout the past year, driven by several crucial factors, from the evolution of social media prioritising video content, to a clear consumer preference for video over other types of content, with 89% demanding more video content from brands. HubSpot’s data clearly demonstrates that video is not only an engaging format, but one of the most effective tools for achieving business goals, with almost three-quarters of marketers surveyed asserting that video directly influences their business outcomes.
In terms of performance, around 30% of content creators post between 8 and 10 videos per month, highlighting the frequency with which video is used. This frequency is matched by the high engagement rates videos generate on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. These platforms have shifted their algorithms to prioritise video content in users' feeds, which has made video one of the highest-return media formats for marketers. This, in turn, pushes businesses to focus on creating high-quality, engaging video content.
Key Statistics Driving Video Success
Platform preference for video content:
Social media’s preference for video content isn’t just a passing trend; it’s a fundamental shift. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have fundamentally altered the way users engage with content, with video being the key driver of engagement. This growing popularity of short-form videos can be attributed to the fast-paced, attention-driven consumption habits of modern consumers. Marketers who utilise this medium effectively can reach wider audiences, foster deeper engagement and ultimately, drive higher conversion rates.
Source: HubSpot
High ROI:
One of the most compelling reasons why video has become a cornerstone of digital marketing, is its proven return on investment (ROI). Video consistently outperforms other content types in terms of engagement and conversions, with many businesses reporting higher engagement rates and sales when video is included in their strategy, particularly when delivered via YouTube. According to HubSpot’s research, Video marketing continues to deliver the highest ROI across media formats. 86% of video marketers say video has helped them increase traffic to their website, proving its value as an essential tool for achieving business goals.
Source: HubSpot
Impactful Video Marketing vs. Cost Efficiency
As video continues to gain significance in modern marketing strategies, it's crucial for businesses to work with smart video tools to streamline processes and optimise efficiency. It’s no longer just about producing more video content; it’s about using advanced video technology to make production faster, cost-effective, and scalable.
By incorporating video into your existing toolkit—through AI-powered platforms, CRM systems, marketing automation tools, and analytics—businesses can automate and optimise video workflows. This not only reduces the manual effort involved in video creation but also improves overall efficiency, enabling businesses to scale their video production without a proportional increase in costs.
By using the right video tools, businesses can create a seamless, integrated process that enhances both productivity and the customer experience. This smarter approach ensures that video marketing efforts deliver greater value while maximising the return on investment from existing digital assets.
Personalising Engagement
In 2025, businesses will increasingly rely on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools like HubSpot or Salesforce to drive personalised customer journeys. Video is a powerful tool for achieving this personalisation, allowing brands to deliver tailored content that resonates with individual customers. For instance, integrating video content into email marketing campaigns or automated workflows can significantly enhance engagement and click through rates. Video can also be used to nurture leads, as prospects are more likely to engage with video content compared to traditional text-based emails.
You might think personalising videos is too costly. Here's an example video using an avatar of our very own Chris Watson-James which was created in minutes. Chris filmed a 30-second video of himself and then imported a script into this AI-powered tool which created the following video. No time needed to film it, the script can be adapted to create as many versions you need, and the result is pretty mind blowing!
Enhancing Video Searchability with AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way businesses create and optimise video content. AI tools, such as those integrated into video hosting platforms like YouTube or Vimeo, allow businesses to automatically generate video titles, descriptions, and tags that enhance searchability and visibility. AI-driven video creation tools like HubSpot’s Clip Creator streamline the video production process, helping businesses create high-quality content quickly and efficiently.
Moreover, AI can improve video search rankings by optimising metadata and analysing viewer behaviour. This helps businesses ensure their videos are being discovered by the right audience at the right time, increasing engagement and driving traffic.
Source: HubSpot
AI and Automation in Video Production
AI isn’t just about automation—it also plays a key role in enhancing video quality. AI tools can improve visuals, enhance effects, and streamline video editing processes, ensuring high-quality output with less effort. For example, AI-powered video editing tools such as Descript can automatically cut and trim videos, add transitions, and even generate subtitles, drastically reducing the time and cost involved in production. Tools like these are so effective that we not only use them for our own videos but also for our clients. This enables businesses to produce more videos with fewer resources, making video marketing more accessible and cost-effective.
Source: Descript
Using Video for Long- and Short-Term Marketing
Video is notoriously great for engagement and therefore tends to be used for brand awareness and longer-term marketing strategies. However, you can also use video to drive leads and revenue quickly. It’s all about using the right messaging and landing visitors on optimised pages. Don’t fall in the trap of trying to combine short- and long-term goals within one video though, as it will likely confuse viewers and result in poor performance. Google provide a great example of a successful short and long term campaign from UK retailer Boots.
Top Metrics for Measuring Video Success
As the power of video marketing grows, measuring its success becomes increasingly important. In 2024, marketers placed a premium on engagement, with 43% citing it as their top metric for evaluating video content performance. Beyond engagement, other crucial metrics include watch time and view count, both of which provide insights into the content’s quality and reach.
Engagement is King
To assess video success, engagement is the leading indicator. Comments, likes, shares, and saves all show how well a video resonates with its audience. However, engagement must be paired with other metrics to provide a more comprehensive understanding of success. It’s essential to go beyond just views and look at how audiences are interacting with the content. Higher engagement often correlates with stronger brand loyalty and higher conversion rates.
Watch time: This metric provides a direct indication of content quality. Watch time is particularly valuable because it indicates how long viewers are staying engaged with the video. If people are watching a video to the end, it suggests the content is compelling and relevant.
View count: While less significant than watch time, view count still offers insight into how many people were reached by the video. Each platform has slight variations in how views are counted, ranging from a minimum of 30 seconds watch time to autoplay and looping videos being counted, but generally, a view is registered when the video is watched long enough for the platform to consider it as "engaged" or "viewed" by the user.
Tracking Drop-off Rates
Another key aspect of video analytics is drop-off rates, which show at what point viewers lose interest in the video. Identifying where viewers drop off can help you optimise future video content, ensuring you maintain audience interest throughout.
Optimal Video Length and Formats
The ideal length for video content is continually evolving as consumption habits shift. In 2025, short-form videos remain the dominant content type, with 83% of marketers working with videos that are under one minute. These bite-sized videos are perfect for capturing quick attention on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
However, long-form videos (6 minutes and over) still have a place in content strategies, particularly for educational videos, brand storytelling, or in-depth product demonstrations. Both types of videos have a place within your broader strategy, and the key is determining the optimal length depending on the message and platform.
Source: HubSpot
Strategies for Overcoming Budget Limitations
Despite its effectiveness, many businesses face challenges when it comes to video marketing. HubSpot’s data highlights that 81% of companies have dedicated video budgets, but almost half of them (47%) spend less than £20,000 per quarter. Budget constraints, limited time, and a lack of creative ideas can hinder production. However, these challenges can be overcome with strategic planning:
- Repurposing Content: Reusing existing content, such as turning blog posts into explainer videos, can reduce production costs.
- Utilising User-Generated Content (UGC): Encouraging customers to create video content for your brand is a cost-effective way to produce authentic, relatable content.
- AI-Driven Tools: Leveraging AI for video editing, script generation, and metadata optimisation can streamline production, saving time and money.
Check out our User-Generated Content case study for our long-standing client Joseph’s Wigs for inspiration.
Shaping Your 2025 Video Marketing Strategy
We predict that in 2025, video will remain the most effective and engaging form of content. By embracing AI techniques and integrating video into your strategy, your business will be able to unlock greater value from your digital assets. Whether it's improving video searchability, enhancing engagement, or driving conversions, video content is poised to remain central to successful marketing strategies.
With the right approach and strategy, video marketing can deliver unparalleled results. If you're ready to double down on your video marketing efforts or need to get started, download HubSpot’s full report for further insights or reach out to Innovation Visual to find out how we can help you embrace video to generate revenue in a cost-effective way.
