In this guide
Video marketing can help a business explain its work, answer customer questions and show products or services in use. Start with one audience, a useful subject and a plan for where the video will appear.
For organisations that have not used video regularly before, getting started can feel complex. There are creative decisions, technical considerations, and practical questions about process, budget, and resources.
This guide covers audience planning, the work involved in production and how to organise footage for future use.
Start by understanding your audience
Before any filming begins, it is important to be clear about who your video marketing is for. Different audiences respond to different styles, formats, and levels of detail.
You may be creating detailed product videos for a specialist audience, educational content for existing customers, or simple introductory videos for people discovering your business for the first time. Each of these scenarios requires a different approach.
Review relevant videos for examples of what to show and how much detail your audience needs. Use that research to prepare your own brief. Our video production brief guide covers the information to include.
Understand the investment involved
Video marketing requires an upfront investment of time, planning, and resources. For many businesses, producing video in-house means purchasing equipment, learning new skills, and dedicating staff time to an unfamiliar process.
A production partner can manage filming, sound, lighting and editing. Your team still needs to provide subject knowledge, arrange access and review the work. Agree on those responsibilities before booking.
Budget for planning, filming, editing, additional versions and distribution. Compare the cost with the uses you have confirmed, rather than assuming regular production will automatically save money.
Choose a production partner who understands strategy
Ask a prospective production partner how they would approach your audience, message and intended uses. Relevant examples and a written scope make proposals easier to compare. Read our advice on choosing a video production company when assessing prospective partners.
Good video marketing is collaborative. It works best when internal teams and production partners work together to define objectives, develop scripts or talking points, and plan filming efficiently.
Agree on the message, who approves the edit and which versions you need for each channel before filming.
Build a reusable video content library
One of the biggest advantages of ongoing video marketing is the ability to build a content library over time. Interviews, B-roll, and supporting footage can often be reused and repurposed across multiple campaigns.
Reusing suitable footage may reduce later filming needs. Keep files organised and check that the people, products, branding and permissions remain appropriate for each new use.
A well-planned video library supports sales, marketing, internal communication, and client education without having to start from scratch each time.
After publishing, review how people found the video, how much they watched and whether they took the intended next step. Use those findings to decide what to make or change next.
If you are looking for a production partner to help you plan and deliver effective video marketing, get in touch with Dream Engine to discuss the right approach.
Planning your first videos
Getting started with video marketing: frequently asked questions
Make the audience, work and intended uses clear before filming.
Where should a business start with video marketing?
Start with one audience, a useful subject and a plan for where the video will appear. Decide what viewers need to understand and what you want them to do next before planning the filming.
What should the video production budget include?
Allow for planning, filming, editing, additional versions and distribution. Your team also needs time to provide subject knowledge, arrange access and review the work. Agree on responsibilities before booking.
How should I compare video production partners?
Ask how each partner would approach your audience, message and intended uses. Compare relevant examples and written scopes, including production responsibilities, approval stages and the versions needed for each channel.
Can footage be reused for future marketing videos?
Suitable interviews and supporting footage may be useful again. Keep the files organised and check that people, products, branding and permissions remain appropriate for the new use before including the footage.
Ryan Spanger is the founder and managing director of Dream Engine, a Melbourne video production company established in 2002. Over the past two decades, he’s produced hundreds of videos for businesses, government departments, universities and healthcare organisations across Australia. Ryan specialises in helping organisations explain complex ideas through clear, engaging video content, with particular experience in corporate communications, training and education.
