Video has become the default way people consume content, but most marketers still feel unprepared to make it.
Even though 98% of marketers say video is essential to their strategy, only 38% feel confident creating it...and 83% don’t even know where to start. The Ultimate Guide to Video Marketing report explores this paradox: marketers love video, but few feel ready to deliver at the pace audiences demand.
We surveyed over 800 senior marketers across the UK and US, and spoke with experts from Hootsuite, ElevenLabs, Cognism, Plot, Motion, and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute to understand what’s driving both the opportunity and the overwhelm. What emerged is a picture of creativity under pressure, and the beginnings of a shift as AI tools start to close the confidence gap.
Below, we've shared a summary of the stats and our findings.
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Video is vital, but confidence is lagging
Almost every marketer we spoke to (98%) said that video is important or very important to their marketing strategy. Yet, only 38% feel confident creating it.
In fact, 62% of marketers say they experience at least one negative emotion when asked to make a video. Two-thirds report feeling stretched, overwhelmed, or creatively blocked.
There’s also a generational confidence divide. Millennials and Gen Z are significantly more confident and twice as excited about creating video compared to Gen X. The next wave of marketers seems ready to embrace the camera.
Marketers are juggling more formats than ever
Over four in five marketers are producing multiple video types simultaneously (often ten or more at a time). From product demos and explainers to testimonials and thought leadership clips, the demand for variety is intense.
The pressure to create across multiple channels doesn’t make it easier. We found that in order to gain traction, marketers are expected to post frequently and tailor content for every platform:
- Instagram, three to five times a week
- TikTok, three to five times a week
- LinkedIn, up to twice a day
- X (Twitter), two to three times a day
That’s a huge content load for any team to sustain.
The real challenge lies in the process
When asked what makes video creation hard, marketers pointed to some consistent themes:
- 37% say they lack ideas, time, and tools
- 31% struggle to adapt content for different platforms
- 29% find editing too technical and time-consuming
- 63% feel the pressure to be creative
Interestingly, half of all teams use a hybrid model, working with both in-house and external resources. However, the confidence levels don’t differ much.
Marketers know what they need to succeed
When asked what would make them feel more confident about creating video, marketers were clear about what they wanted.
Around 30% say they need clear creative briefs and directions. When a vision is set in stone, it’s easier to navigate the creative process. In addition, 29% said they wanted a user-friendly, all-in-one video tool.
Hence, it can be said that creativity isn’t the real culprit for a lack of confidence. The real problem is a lack of structure and simplicity.
AI is becoming part of the video workflow
Nearly seven in ten teams (69%) already use AI to support video creation. And for many, it’s no longer experimental.
AI helps marketers create more content, repurpose existing assets, and save time on editing. In fact, 24% of marketers are now generating videos with AI more than twice a month.
But while enthusiasm is high, the relationship with AI is complex.
- 59% still publish videos they’re not fully happy with just to meet deadlines
- Around 30% worry about trust
As Sabba Keynejad, CEO and co-founder at VEED said, "The best marketers won’t be the ones who use the most AI — they’ll be the ones who use it most thoughtfully."
Expert insights: What great video looks like
Capture attention, don’t chase it
Professor Steven Bellman of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute reminds marketers that attention isn’t infinite.
“Our brains are wired to notice movement and novelty,” he says, “but once something becomes familiar, we stop paying attention.”
This is why short-form video continues to dominate: it delivers novelty before the brain tunes out. Bellman’s research shows that the first three seconds of a video carry the most weight in driving brand recall. To win those seconds, marketers need to open with motion, faces, or surprising visuals that feel fresh in a crowded feed. But while fast cuts and dynamic scenes can buy attention, he warns that chaos isn't key, but it's pacing and clarity that make viewers stay.
Branded video is about story, not spend
According to Christina Le, Head of Marketing at Plot, the best branded videos start with strategy. “Before you hit record, you need to know what you want your audience to feel and remember,” she says.
In an era where every scroll brings another ad, emotion and storytelling are what separate forgettable content from brand-building moments. Le advises thinking “B2C, not B2B”: even corporate buyers respond to humour, relatability, and human storytelling. She points to brands like Liquid Death, which win attention by amplifying truths their audience already finds funny, rather than chasing shock value.
Ad creative: test fast, learn faster
James Mulvey, Head of Content at Motion, believes that the best-performing ad teams treat video creation like an experiment, not an art project.
“Batch three to five short videos per teammate each week, test what works, and remix the winners,” he says. Motion’s analysis of $100M in ad spend revealed that both high-production and lo-fi ads can succeed, but only if teams learn quickly. Mulvey’s “sprint approach” to testing formats helps brands uncover which messages, hooks, and creators resonate before investing heavily in any one idea. Humour consistently emerges as a top-performing ingredient, but only when it feels natural to the brand’s voice. “Ugly can win,” he adds, “but lazy can’t.”
Trust is the new influence
For Eileen Kwok, Social and Influencer Marketing Strategist at Hootsuite, the future of influence is internal. “People want to follow people, not brands,” she explains. Traditional influencer campaigns build awareness, but credibility increasingly comes from employees — the people closest to the brand’s story.
Hootsuite’s research shows that authentic, emotive videos led by employees drive 65% higher engagement and over 100% higher CTR on platforms like LinkedIn. The secret lies in humanising expertise: encouraging staff to speak plainly, share real experiences, and connect insights to their day-to-day work.
Product walkthroughs that actually convert
Alec Wilcock, Content Lead at ElevenLabs, sees product videos as the bridge between awareness and conversion.
“A great product launch video explains value in under sixty seconds,” he says. “A great walkthrough earns loyalty.” His approach focuses on clarity, pacing, and relevance: show the audience what they’ll gain, cut every unnecessary second, and use visuals to prove value rather than explain it. Wilcock also recommends aligning walkthroughs with trending conversations. He says, “Find something the internet already cares about and show how your product enhances it."
The key is intention. Long-form walkthroughs should educate and inspire, not overwhelm; social recuts should make the story instantly relatable. When done right, these videos do more than demonstrate features, showing viewers what's possible.
AI Video: From Experimentation to Transformation
Finally, Sabba Keynejad, reframes AI as the next creative revolution: “AI video creation is making it possible for non-creators to produce exceptional content, faster than ever. The barrier to entry for great video is gone.”
He describes three stages of AI adoption:
- Experimentation – Automate small, repetitive tasks.
- Integration – Build AI into your video workflows.
- Transformation – Create systems that scale video production automatically.
“The real transformation comes when AI stops being a test and becomes part of how you plan, produce, and scale content,” he adds.
Want the full picture?
This summary only scratches the surface. The full Ultimate Guide to Video Marketing dives deeper into expert insights, proven frameworks, and real-world examples that can help you build confidence, creativity, and results in every frame.
