Small-Business Video Marketing: 9 Affordable Ideas

Your goal is to paint a vivid picture of your product to captivate potential customers—but the process feels too complex or out of budget. How do you bring your product to life without overspending? After all, 83% of people want brands to use more video in their communications—but video can get pricey. 

The good news: Creating compelling product-focused videos is more accessible than ever. With the right tools and strategies, you can showcase your unique product offerings without breaking the bank. 

Discover practical marketing options, real-world examples, and budget-friendly tools to help you stay within your budget.

Ready to dig into types of video marketing that build trust and credibility? Here are examples that pull in prospects without busting the budget.

1. Customer testimonial and case study videos

Satisfied customers are the best validators and sources of social proof. 

That’s why case studies and testimonial videos are among the best sales tools. Gather authentic testimonials from your most enthusiastic customers and turn these into engaging videos that build trust. 

Or use a video marketing platform like Loom to transform real-world case studies and customer feedback into interactive, evergreen marketing content for you to share time and again. Instead of self-promoting, let happy customers sing your praises by sharing why they chose your product or service and how it benefited them.

This social proof validates your product and highlights your unique selling proposition. It’s easy to hop on a video call, record the conversation—with the customer’s permission—and let the customer testimonials speak for themselves.

2. Explainers and product demo videos

Your marketing should make your product’s value crystal clear. Consider using explainer and product demo videos to accomplish this. Besides being visually appealing in a way that chunky text and boring screenshots aren’t, they’re great at breaking down exactly what your product does and how it solves problems without feeling overtly pushy. 

Explainer videos are perfect for introducing new products or complex features, building brand awareness, and showcasing your solutions to prospects’ problems. Explainers are clear, concise, and far more engaging than information-dense blog posts.

Product demonstration videos offer hands-on demos of how your lead can use your product in their business. Solve your lead’s biggest headaches with a personalized screen recording of an unbeatable feature in your platform. Loom lets you record right from your browser.

Having the best product isn’t enough. If your audience can’t see how it helps them, they won’t buy. Explainer and demo videos bridge that gap, making your product’s benefits clear and compelling.

3. Personal introduction videos

A personal introduction video puts a face to your name and helps your prospects understand your product in a relatable way.

Personal introduction videos, like this one from Loom Account Executive Charles Dennis, are a friendly gesture that can boost sales and turn potential customers into loyal new customers. From sharing interests and roles to offering helpful product tips, intro videos blend personal stories and product promotion.

Infuse your videos with personality and humor to give potential customers a glimpse of the real you. This openness helps your introduction elicit a sense of trust and familiarity—like a virtual handshake that makes customers feel seen, heard, and valued. 

4. Educational videos

Imagine what you can teach your prospects. Instructional videos deliver helpful content and establish authority by painting your product in a broader context. 

Educational videos help customers see how your product benefits them within their industry or specific use case. Even if they’re not ready to buy now, they’ll be more likely to return because they’ll remember the value you provided. 

For example, a small insurance agency researching customer service chatbots comes across the educational clips you recorded with Loom and uploaded to your company website. Then, the primary decision maker in customer support buys your tool five months later to implement what they learned—because your educational videos were the catalyst for the decision.

5. Thought leadership videos

According to a Semrush survey, 44.1% of organizations producing thought leadership content publish videos. Are you? If so, maybe you noticed these videos position you as an authority. Your authority influences customer perceptions and decisions. Notably, 47.6% of thought leadership content doesn’t just influence—it generates leads and sales.

6. FAQ videos

How often during the sales process do you hear the same old questions? It’s not a stretch to predict that small businesses lose hours of potential sales time each year answering the same questions asked by different customers. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) videos, like this one from the Loom team, are a one-stop solution to common customer queries. 

FAQ videos may not initially pack the same punch as testimonials or product demos, but they do save time, answer customer questions, and streamline communication. They’re also low stakes; you don’t need a hefty budget to produce them. With Loom, click the record icon and answer the question while sharing your screen. 

Tally the hours you spend answering the same questions over and over. What could a small-business owner accomplish by reclaiming those hours? After frontloading some time and effort, you now have handy FAQ videos to send via email, share on social media platforms, or embed on your landing pages. Each hour a customer spends watching these videos is an hour saved for your team to focus on the work that matters.

7. Behind-the-scenes videos

Behind-the-scenes videos give your audience a slice of life—a little peek into your company culture and processes. This could be a tip your customers can implement in their own businesses or a video snippet of how you’re helping a customer.

In Joe Thomas’s video, he shares how he uses Loom daily to do his work efficiently. It’s a layered video that shows his processes and teaches viewers how to use Loom in their businesses. 

Inviting viewers behind the scenes fosters goodwill and connection. It humanizes your brand. These days, authenticity, trust, and credibility are valuable. Creating these brand videos will strengthen your image and demonstrate that there's more to your small business than transactions.

8. Founder and influencer interview videos

The allure of origin stories isn’t limited to superheroes and villains. Shows like Shark Tank and podcasts like NPR’s How I Built This hook people because they tap into our innate curiosity about success stories. Like these productions, founder and influencer interview videos show the drive and resilience of entrepreneurs.

This video from Lea Does LinkedIn creator Lea Turner offers a glimpse into the personal journey behind her brand. 

The interview builds authenticity by capturing the creator’s struggles and growth. This video type presents the interviewee in a relatable and inspiring way. When audiences connect with a founder’s journey, they’re more likely to empathize and remain loyal to the founder’s brand. 

Pro tip: To capture a live interview with Loom, adjust the “system audio” setting before recording. This lets you nab the computer audio, including the live stream from video conferencing tools like Zoom or Skype. You’ll end up with a Loom recording of the whole chat. 

9. Paid ad videos 

Paid video ads are a megaphone that broadcasts your message to a wider audience. Exit Five’s Dave Gerhardt and Brian Kotlyar discuss how the effectiveness of an ad depends on its concept and messaging.

The beauty of paid ad videos lies in their flexibility. Whether it’s an engaging educational video or an inspiring founder interview, any of the above video types can be a paid ad that reaches a broad audience. 

For a more traditional approach, consider a commercial-style ad. These eat a more significant chunk of your budget but can also capture attention. Regardless of the approach, paying for ad space on social media platforms for a larger reach is an effective way to boost visibility.

Videos offer a human touch, a sense of realness that traditional print marketing can’t always capture. They foster connection—crucial in a market where 76% of consumers say they’re more likely to buy from brands they feel connected with instead of competitors. 

You can use videos to make the most of this connection's impact. These how-tos will help you craft a video marketing strategy that resonates.

1. Have a plan

A clear brief and vision for video marketing campaigns keep everyone on the same page. Here's how to map out your process:

• Research: Identify your target audience and what they value to shape the content’s direction and tone.

• Keep it brief: Record 90- to 120-second videos that capture and retain attention in emails or social media.

• Dive deeper where it counts: Satisfy an audience already engaged with your brand with in-depth content.

• Draft your script: Cover all the essential points with a jargon-free script or notes.

• Get feedback: Refine your script and overall message before recording it.

• Gather your tools: Set up your space with a microphone, headphones, notes, slide decks, and other supplies. 

• Practice first: Experiment until you’re familiar with your tools and content.

Keep in mind that proper planning can be the difference between a watched video and a watched video that resonates.

2. Record your video

With a plan in hand, it’s time to hit record. First, choose your recording tool. Loom is a video marketing tool that makes creating software demos, how-to videos, and personalized product marketing videos easy. It captures your screen and webcam to add that personal touch to your videos. Here’s how to make recording a clear and engaging video a seamless process:

• Use call-to-action (CTA) features: Incorporate clickable, in-video CTAs and email requests that make it easy for viewers to act.

• Speak clearly and slowly: Ensure your message is understood.

• Improve accessibility: Add captions and subtitles for viewers who watch without sound.

• Connect and engage: Make eye contact with the webcam at the start and end of your video.

• Share an outline: Keep it easy for your viewer to follow along with what you’re presenting. 

• Tell a riveting story: Lead with a strong hook and end with a clear CTA. 

• Add emotion, humor, or surprise: Bring relatable and memorable moments to your video.

• Show, don’t tell: Use Loom to record your screen while explaining your product’s features and nuances in a personalized way.

A well-produced video brings your message to life. With Loom’s user-friendly screen and webcam recorder for Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, and Google Chrome, recording your videos is a breeze.

3. Distribute in the right places

Creating an engaging video only gets you halfway to your goal. You also need to share the video in the right places. Here’s how your videos can fully reach your target audience:

First, consider where you’ll share it. When you understand the style, format, and content types for different platforms, learn where your audience is hanging out and share your video there. What is your audience watching on these platforms? Once you know, make yours different enough to stand out.

Video marketing isn’t a one-and-done process. Creating content tailored to your audience is a strategic, consistent effort. Once you’ve banked a few videos, set a regular uploading schedule, whether once a week or twice a month. Consistency helps potential customers know when to expect new content and gives them an idea of what content to expect.

Clever distribution boosts your content’s reach and impact—but distribution is irrelevant if you don’t understand what resonates with your audience. Loom’s engagement insights can help you learn what customers want. Track metrics like views, completion rates, and click-through rates. These marketing stats are great ways to measure your video content marketing campaign’s performance.

Pining for some good news? It’s this: Producing engaging video content doesn’t need to leave you shaking your piggy bank for that last dime. Here’s how to save without compromising quality:

• Don’t buy fancy video production equipment: Use a smartphone or webcam, AirPods, and LED lights or natural light.

• Repurpose existing content: Recycle your most-viewed blog posts or presentations into video content.

• Use affordable software: Download Loom for high-quality video recording, editing, and AI tools that create polished video and audio. 

• Share video content: Use free or already-paid-for channels like emails, your website, and social media feeds.

• Chop longer videos: Segment them into shorter ones for your digital marketing campaigns. 

Creativity often outweighs budget when creating engaging video content. Start turning your audience into raving fans without having to overspend.

Take your video marketing from daunting to doable by showcasing product benefits and generating excitement for new features. With Loom, you’ll have the tools to produce and share high-quality videos quickly and efficiently.

Ready to discover just how easy creating your next marketing video can be? Create engaging marketing content under budget with Loom.