Marketing Video Production: 7 Types That Drive Engagement

Here's something that might surprise you.

According to Wistia's State of Video Report, the average business created 18 videos per month in 2025. That's more than four videos every single week.

But here's the problem: most of these videos fail to drive meaningful engagement.

Why? Because brands are creating content without understanding which types of videos actually resonate with their audience. They're throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks.

The truth is, different video types serve different purposes in your marketing funnel. Some build awareness, others drive conversions, and a few do both exceptionally well.

“Different video types serve different purposes in your marketing funnel.”

In this guide, you'll discover the seven types of marketing video production that consistently drive engagement and deliver measurable results. More importantly, you'll learn exactly when and how to use each type to maximize your marketing ROI.

Let's dive in.

Why Video Type Matters More Than Production Budget

Before we get into the specific video types, you need to understand something critical: the type of video you create matters far more than how much you spend producing it.

“The type of video you create matters far more than how much you spend producing it.”

I've seen $50,000 brand videos get ignored while $500 customer testimonials generate millions in revenue. The difference? Strategic alignment between video type and marketing objective.

According to HubSpot's Video Marketing Report, 62% of marketers say getting high engagement is their main priority with video content. But engagement doesn't happen by accident—it happens when you match the right video format to your audience's needs and stage in the buyer's journey.

Think about it this way: someone who's never heard of your brand needs a completely different video experience than someone who's comparing your product to competitors. Using the wrong video type at the wrong time is like showing up to a first date with a marriage proposal. Technically you're communicating, but the timing is all wrong.

“Using the wrong video type at the wrong time is like showing up to a first date with a marriage proposal. Technically you're communicating, but the timing is all wrong.”

The seven video types we're about to explore have been proven to drive engagement across industries and audience segments. But the real magic happens when you deploy them strategically as part of a cohesive video marketing strategy.

Type 1: Explainer Videos That Simplify Complex Ideas

Explainer videos are the workhorses of marketing video production. They take complicated concepts and make them digestible in 60 to 90 seconds.

And they work incredibly well.

Research from Wyzowl found that 96% of people have watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service. Even more impressive, 89% of those viewers were convinced to make a purchase after watching.

“89% of viewers were convinced to make a purchase after watching.”

But here's what separates effective explainer videos from forgettable ones: they focus relentlessly on the customer's problem, not your solution's features.

The best explainer videos follow a simple formula. They open by acknowledging a pain point your audience experiences. Then they agitate that pain just enough to make viewers nod along in recognition. Finally, they present your solution as the logical answer to that specific problem.

Dropbox's original explainer video is a masterclass in this approach. They didn't talk about cloud storage technology or file synchronization protocols. Instead, they showed frustrated people dealing with the hassle of emailing files to themselves and losing work when computers crashed. The solution—Dropbox—became obvious and desirable.

The key to explainer video success is clarity over cleverness. Your grandmother should be able to understand what you do after watching your explainer video. If she can't, you've failed.

Keep them short. According to Vidyard's research, explainer videos under 90 seconds retain 53% of viewers until the end, while those over two minutes lose more than half their audience.

Type 2: Product Demo Videos That Show Real Value

Product demo videos do exactly what the name suggests: they demonstrate your product in action, showing potential customers exactly what they'll get and how it works.

These videos are conversion machines when done correctly.

The mistake most brands make with product demos is treating them like feature lists. They walk through every button, menu, and setting without connecting those features to actual customer outcomes.

Nobody cares about your features. They care about what those features enable them to do.

The most effective product demo videos tell a story. They show a relatable character facing a challenge, then demonstrate how your product helps them overcome that challenge and achieve their goal. The product becomes the hero's tool, not the hero itself.

Slack's product demo videos exemplify this approach perfectly. Instead of showing every feature in their communication platform, they show teams collaborating more effectively, projects moving faster, and work becoming more enjoyable. The features are present, but they're always in service of demonstrating tangible benefits.

According to Animoto's research, 73% of consumers say they're more likely to purchase a product after watching a video that explains how it works. That's a massive conversion lift from a single piece of content.

The sweet spot for product demo length is between two and five minutes. You need enough time to show meaningful value without losing viewer attention. Focus on your three to five most compelling use cases rather than trying to cover everything.

Type 3: Customer Testimonial Videos That Build Trust

Social proof is one of the most powerful psychological triggers in marketing. And video testimonials deliver social proof in its most compelling form.

Here's why they work so well: written testimonials can feel manufactured or cherry-picked. But when potential customers see real people on camera, sharing authentic experiences with your product or service, skepticism melts away.

The numbers back this up. Research from BrightLocal shows that 79% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Video testimonials take this trust factor even further because they're harder to fake and more emotionally resonant.

But not all testimonial videos are created equal. The most effective ones follow a specific structure that maximizes credibility and impact.

Start with the customer's situation before they found your solution. What problem were they facing? What had they tried that didn't work? This context makes their story relatable and helps viewers see themselves in the narrative.

Then show the transformation. What changed after they started using your product or service? Be specific with metrics and outcomes whenever possible. "We increased revenue by 40%" is infinitely more compelling than "things got better."

Finally, let them articulate the emotional impact. How do they feel now compared to before? What would they tell someone considering your solution? This emotional resonance is what turns viewers into customers.

The production quality for testimonial videos doesn't need to be Hollywood-level. In fact, overly polished testimonials can feel less authentic. A well-lit interview with good audio quality is sufficient—the authenticity of the story matters more than cinematic perfection.

Type 4: Behind-the-Scenes Videos That Humanize Your Brand

People don't connect with companies. They connect with people.

Behind-the-scenes videos pull back the curtain on your operations, culture, and team. They transform your brand from a faceless corporation into a group of real humans working toward a mission.

This type of video content drives engagement through authenticity and relatability. According to Stackla's research, 90% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding which brands they like and support.

Behind-the-scenes content delivers authenticity in spades.

Show your team brainstorming new ideas. Document your product development process. Share what happens at your company events. Give viewers a glimpse into the personalities and passion behind your brand.

Patagonia has mastered this approach with their environmental activism and supply chain transparency videos. They don't just tell you they care about sustainability—they show you their factories, introduce you to their suppliers, and document their environmental initiatives. This transparency builds trust and loyalty that transcends typical brand-customer relationships.

The engagement metrics for behind-the-scenes content are impressive. Sprout Social's data shows that behind-the-scenes videos generate 2.3 times more engagement than other video types on social media platforms.

Keep these videos casual and conversational. The goal isn't perfection—it's connection. Smartphone footage with natural lighting often works better than overly produced content because it feels more genuine and accessible.

Type 5: Educational Content Videos That Establish Authority

Educational videos position your brand as a trusted authority in your industry. They provide genuine value to viewers without asking for anything in return, building goodwill and credibility that pays dividends over time.

This is content marketing at its finest.

The key to effective educational video content is addressing questions your target audience is actually asking. Don't create content about what you want to talk about—create content that answers the questions keeping your potential customers up at night.

HubSpot has built an empire on this approach. Their educational video library covers everything from email marketing best practices to sales negotiation techniques. They give away valuable knowledge freely, knowing that viewers who find their content helpful will eventually become customers.

According to Demand Metric, content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing and generates about three times as many leads. Educational video content amplifies these benefits because video is more engaging and easier to consume than text.

The format for educational videos can vary widely. How-to tutorials, industry trend analyses, expert interviews, and case study breakdowns all fall under this umbrella. The unifying factor is that they prioritize teaching over selling.

Length matters less for educational content than for other video types. If you're delivering genuine value, viewers will stick around. Wistia's data shows that educational videos maintain strong engagement even at 10-15 minutes when the content is valuable and well-structured.

The ROI on educational video content compounds over time. A single well-optimized educational video can drive traffic and generate leads for years after publication, making it one of the most cost-effective types of marketing video production.

Type 6: Social Media Videos Optimized for Platform-Specific Engagement

Social media videos aren't just shorter versions of your other content—they're a distinct category that requires platform-specific optimization and native understanding of how people consume content in social feeds.

Each platform has its own culture, format preferences, and engagement patterns. What works on LinkedIn will fall flat on TikTok. What crushes on Instagram Reels might bomb on YouTube.

Understanding these nuances is critical for social video success.

According to Hootsuite's Social Media Trends Report, short-form video content generates 2.5 times more engagement than static images on social platforms. But "short-form" means different things on different platforms.

TikTok and Instagram Reels favor videos between 15 and 60 seconds. LinkedIn performs best with videos between 30 seconds and two minutes. YouTube Shorts caps at 60 seconds but can drive viewers to longer content. Facebook's algorithm favors videos that keep viewers on the platform for at least three minutes.

The production style matters too. Vertical video (9:16 aspect ratio) is essential for mobile-first platforms like TikTok and Instagram Stories. Square video (1:1) performs well on Facebook and Instagram feeds. Horizontal video (16:9) remains standard for YouTube and LinkedIn.

But format is just the beginning. Social media videos need to grab attention in the first three seconds because users are scrolling fast. They should work without sound (85% of Facebook videos are watched on mute, according to Digiday), which means captions aren't optional—they're essential.

The most successful brands create platform-native content rather than repurposing the same video across all channels. This requires more effort but delivers exponentially better results.

Type 7: Live Video That Creates Real-Time Connection

Live video represents the frontier of authentic engagement in marketing video production. It's unedited, unscripted, and unrepeatable—which makes it incredibly compelling to viewers.

The psychology behind live video's effectiveness is fascinating. When viewers know they're watching something happening in real-time, they feel a sense of urgency and connection that recorded content can't replicate. They might witness something unexpected. They can interact and influence what happens. They're part of an experience, not just passive consumers.

The engagement numbers for live video are staggering. According to Facebook's data, people spend three times longer watching live video compared to pre-recorded content. Live videos also generate six times more interactions than regular videos.

The applications for live video in marketing are diverse. Product launches, Q&A sessions, behind-the-scenes tours, expert interviews, event coverage, and tutorial demonstrations all work exceptionally well in live format.

The key to successful live video is preparation without over-scripting. You need a clear objective and structure, but the magic happens in the spontaneous moments and real-time interactions with viewers. Respond to comments, answer questions, and acknowledge viewers by name when possible. This interactivity is what separates live video from everything else.

Technical quality matters less for live video than for other formats. Viewers expect and forgive imperfections in live broadcasts. What they won't forgive is boring content or a host who seems uncomfortable on camera. Practice your delivery, but embrace the authentic, unpolished nature of live video.

The best part about live video? You can repurpose it after the broadcast ends. Edit highlights into shorter clips, transcribe key insights into blog posts, and use compelling moments in your other marketing materials. One live session can generate content for weeks.

Choosing the Right Video Type for Your Marketing Goals

Now that you understand the seven types of marketing videos that drive engagement, the question becomes: which ones should you create first?

The answer depends on your specific marketing objectives and where your audience is in their buyer's journey.

If you're focused on awareness and reaching new audiences, prioritize educational content and social media videos. These formats are highly shareable and help you reach people who've never heard of your brand.

For consideration-stage prospects who are evaluating solutions, explainer videos and product demos become essential. These formats help potential customers understand what you offer and how it solves their specific problems.

When you're working to convert interested prospects into customers, testimonial videos and case studies provide the social proof needed to overcome final objections and drive purchase decisions.

Behind-the-scenes and live videos work throughout the funnel but are particularly effective for building loyalty with existing customers and creating brand advocates who spread the word about your business.

The most successful video marketing strategies don't rely on a single video type. They deploy multiple formats strategically, creating a content ecosystem that guides prospects from awareness to advocacy.

Measuring Success and Optimizing Performance

Creating great marketing videos is only half the battle. You need to measure their performance and continuously optimize based on data.

The metrics that matter depend on your objectives. Awareness-focused videos should be measured by reach, impressions, and view counts. Engagement-focused content should track watch time, completion rates, and social interactions. Conversion-focused videos need to be evaluated based on click-through rates, lead generation, and revenue attribution.

Set up proper tracking before you publish. Use UTM parameters to track traffic sources, implement conversion pixels to measure actions, and configure your analytics platform to attribute revenue to specific videos.

Pay attention to audience retention graphs. These show you exactly where viewers drop off, revealing which parts of your videos work and which need improvement. If you see a consistent drop-off at the 30-second mark, your hook isn't strong enough. If viewers bail right before your call-to-action, your content-to-pitch ratio is off.

A/B test different elements systematically. Try different thumbnails, titles, video lengths, and calls-to-action. Small optimizations compound into significant performance improvements over time.

Taking Action: Your Marketing Video Production Roadmap

Marketing video production isn't about creating every type of video immediately. It's about starting with the formats that align with your most pressing business objectives and building from there.

Start by auditing your current marketing funnel. Where are prospects dropping off? What questions do your sales team hear repeatedly? What objections prevent deals from closing? The answers to these questions will reveal which video types should be your priority.

Create one video type at a time, master it, measure its impact, and then expand to additional formats. This focused approach delivers better results than trying to do everything at once.

Remember that consistency beats perfection. Publishing one solid video per week will generate more results than spending six months perfecting a single piece of content.

The brands winning with video marketing in 2025 aren't necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets. They're the ones who understand their audience, choose the right video types for their objectives, and execute consistently over time.

The opportunity is massive. Video content continues to dominate digital consumption, and the brands that master these seven types of marketing video production will capture disproportionate attention, engagement, and market share.

Which video type will you create first?

Related Resource: For a comprehensive overview of the entire video production process from strategic planning through distribution, check out the complete guide to video production.