Ask successful copywriters and marketers, and they will tell you that video content is the future of small business marketing. In fact, many say it is the present. Anyone interested in small business marketing must create video content for their business to thrive—or so they believe.
Data shows that the most consumed content online in 2025 is video. Ask any marketing professional, and they will say a small online business cannot succeed without a TikTok or Instagram account, or at least some reels shared on the company’s Facebook page.
More than that, many successful copywriters claim that video is the future of great sales. In fact, many professional copywriters believe that VSL (video sales letter) copywriting is the most lucrative form, and you should focus your time and energy on crafting better video sales letters. These can rapidly increase a company’s revenue; without such video content, a company may struggle in competitive markets.
However, at Thumos Writing, we have a different opinion about video content for small businesses. Although it can be beneficial and is highly recommended, video content is not mandatory. A small online business should consider other elements before uploading video content for the world to see.
Why Video Has Become Mandatory in Small Business Marketing
If every small online business and retailer appears to post video content regularly today, remember this wasn’t always the case. Before the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, a Chinese company launched an innovative social media app called TikTok, which quickly changed how we understand small business marketing.
TikTok’s concept was simple: users post videos shorter than six seconds. This shortened attention span but introduced a new way of doing social media.
Today, every social media platform allows short videos. Not only individuals but also companies post video content. Many businesses report that videos on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok have helped them grow and increase sales.
What Small Business Marketing Actually Needs First
Before creating accounts on all relevant social media platforms to post videos, you should prioritize other aspects of your small business marketing strategy.
As mentioned, video content is important today, but there are a few foundational things your business needs to address before diving into video creation.
Clear Offer and Target Audience
Before creating videos, you must be clear about what you offer and to whom (your target audience). Without these clarifications, you cannot develop an effective video content marketing strategy. Posting videos randomly will lead to random results.
That’s why we argue that video content is not essential for your small business marketing strategy. Before posting even one reel, know what you offer, how you help, and who you serve. Many small online businesses fail because they neglect these fundamentals.
Traffic Source
Ignoring your traffic source is as detrimental as lacking a clear offer or target audience. Without a plan to drive traffic, your small online business will struggle to reach enough—and the right—people.
A solid traffic strategy includes:
- SEO
- Paid Ads
- Referrals
Before posting videos on social media, ensure your SEO is working. Consider the power of paid ads on Google, Facebook, and other platforms. Referrals—recommendations from satisfied clients—can be more valuable than a 20-second video on social media.
Conversion Path
Finally, you need a clear conversion path. In small business marketing, having a plan to convert prospects into paying clients is essential.
For example, use ads to drive traffic to an educational blog post about your product. From there, guide prospects to a sales letter and then to the purchase page.
Other funnels might start by building an email list to send sales emails. Emails currently convert prospects better than video content.
Small business marketing succeeds when systems are aligned, not when formats are added randomly. So, before creating video content, clarify your foundational strategy. Video content helps, but it’s not as essential as many claim.
When Video Content Actually Helps with Your Small Business Marketing
Now that we’ve established that video content is not essential, let’s explore when it can be valuable.
We believe video content and a video strategy are great assets for a small online business for these reasons:
Brand Trust Building
Video content builds brand trust. This is especially effective for service-based companies, but it also works well for product sellers. Once your strategy is clear and aligned, video content can boost website visits, engagement, and sales.
Product Demonstration
The most powerful marketing tool is your product itself. What better way to showcase it than through video demonstrations? Clothing brands often show why their pants or t-shirts stand out. If you sell durable boots, videos showing their strength can increase sales.
For service businesses, short videos with results, testimonials, and educational content support a successful video-content strategy.
Social Media Reach
Educational videos can be excellent top-funnel content. With people scrolling through TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms, potential customers discover your business by chance.
Post relevant, educational content regularly to catch attention and encourage sharing among like-minded people.
Video works best at the awareness and trust stages, not as a complete marketing strategy. That’s why we maintain video content is not essential for small business marketing. If your fundamentals are strong—clear target audience, offer, and conversion path—you can benefit from a well-planned video content strategy.
When a Video Content Strategy Isn’t Necessary
If your small online business:
- Lacks a distribution system (no SEO, email list, or traffic plan)
- Has a low budget and tries to scale production too early
- Offers weak positioning
- Operates in an industry where search intent matters more than visuals
Then video content will not effectively support your small business marketing efforts.
Does Your Company Need Video for Small Business Marketing?
If unsure whether your business needs video content, answer these questions:
- Do you already receive traffic?
- Do you have a clear offer?
- Are you struggling with trust or awareness?
- Do you have distribution channels?
If you answer yes to all four, it’s time to develop a video content distribution strategy. You have traffic, a clear offer, and distribution channels—now you can boost awareness and trust through video.
Some Final Thoughts on Video Content as a Small Business Marketing Strategy
Our conclusion: video content can be helpful but is not essential for small online business success.
Copying the tactic of posting videos without a clear strategy will likely fail. Video content is useless without first addressing the fundamentals.
The best results come from combining different content types purposefully. That’s why you need an overall content marketing strategy.
Strong small business marketing isn’t about sharing more content—it’s about offering the right content in the right order. While video can increase revenue, it should be a later investment after foundation-building.
At Thumos Writing, we don’t offer video content services, but we excel in written content for small online businesses. If you need online content, contact us to discuss your needs, challenges, and goals.
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