Discover the Different Types of Video Content: Key Benefits & Examples

Video content can boost brand awareness, increase customer engagement, and more.

Different types of video content serve various purposes in your business. Whatever video format you choose, you can use video to communicate information to audiences visually and achieve your objectives, whether that's brand awareness, engaging potential customers in your sales funnels, or educating audiences about topics. Read on to discover more about video content types to incorporate into your business and their benefits.

Types of video content

Businesses know they need to include video in their content marketing strategies but face various format and capability choices^[1], making it difficult to choose the right types of video content. While professionally produced video can sometimes be expensive and challenging to create^[2], it can inform prospects about your business, products, and services and let you reach different audiences across various marketing channels, among other benefits. For example, you can post different types of videos on your website pages and landing pages or invest in social media video production. Alternatively, upload different types of videos to a video-sharing website like YouTube and embed them into emails and other marketing materials. 

So which types of video content should you choose for your business? When considering your options, think about how your video content will align with your overarching digital strategy, brand narrative, and voice.^[1]

1. Marketing videos

This process involves creating videos that promote your brand and its offerings to potential customers. Marketing video content examples include explainer videos, product videos, industry videos, and other types of video content that inform, educate, or entertain your audience. The benefits of producing marketing videos are increased revenue, more conversions, and more web traffic.

Marketing video production involves defining your target audience and learning the video production types they are likely to respond to. You can then plan the topics you want to include in your videos and either produce them in-house or use a video production agency to do your hard work. If you create your own videos, you will need equipment like a camera, microphone, and the right lighting. 

Marketing videos might have a storyline format or include someone from your company, perhaps your CEO, talking about your products and services. Other videos for marketing include infographics or animations with a voiceover talking about a topic, such as how your company offers customers a unique service they can't find anywhere else. 

The goal of marketing videos depends on when prospective customers view them in the sales funnel. You can utilize them at the lead nurturing stage to increase awareness about your offerings and engage with customers. Alternatively, you can use marketing videos when leads are ready to convert into customers. Encouraging viewers to take specific action at the end of the video—such as signing up for a free service or purchasing a product—can increase conversion rates.

2. Product videos 

Product videos tell your audience about a product you sell. Producing these videos involves figuring out the product features you want to include in your content and how you will showcase these features to your audience. For example, a video about a new television might inform viewers about its picture quality, audio quality, dimensions, and user-friendly interface. The benefits of producing product videos are increased awareness about your offerings, which can result in higher conversions and sales. 

Product videos tend to be short, usually a few minutes. That's enough time to increase awareness about your product and engage with potential customers. These videos are usually shorter than explainer videos, which tell an audience how to use a particular product. Product videos, therefore, are promotional rather than informative in nature. 

However, it's important to note that product videos are not commercials. The latter typically have a bigger budget and are shorter than product videos, usually lasting 30 seconds or so, and drive an emotional connection with the person watching them via a strong narrative. Product videos include information about specific videos you won't find in a conventional commercial. 

Product video production also involves framing information about a product in a way that solves the viewer's pain points. A video about a new TV might explain how the product makes life easier for users by easily connecting to the internet, allowing people to access streaming services like Netflix.

3. Business/informational videos 

Business videos are informative in nature. However, they inform their audience about specific aspects of your business rather than a particular product. Business videos might refer to promotional videos designed for an external audience with information about a recent development in your organization, such as an acquisition, or your company's values, mission statement, or culture. Alternatively, these videos might cater to an internal audience, such as employees. Training videos, a subset of business videos, help team members improve at their jobs by learning different skills. The benefits of producing informational videos include increased awareness about your business and improved learning outcomes.

Depending on your audience for business videos, you might post this content on your website or invest in social media video production to engage with potential and existing customers on websites like Facebook. For example, you might upload a video on social media about a company development you want the world to know about. Alternatively, you might keep business videos in-house and post training content or sensitive business materials on your intranet or internal channels. 

Business video production involves different members of your team. External videos that showcase your company to customers require marketers who can define your objectives and target audience. Internal training videos involve HR professionals that can help you communicate information to employees and improve compliance with legal frameworks in your industry.

4. Brand videos

A brand video focuses on communicating your company's values, mission, and culture. Again, you can create these videos for an internal or external audience. For example, you might want to produce a video for new hires in your organization about how your company values diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The benefits of brand videos include a greater audience understanding of your brand values and what your company stands for. 

Brand video production for external audiences like potential customers can also be valuable. For example, you might want to create a video that explains your commitment to local good causes or your passion for the environment. Consumers prefer brands with aligned values and corporate purpose.^[3] Making types of video production that showcase your obligation to social issues can help you connect with your audience on a deeper level and increase awareness about your company. 

Unlike other types of business videos like training videos, brand video content benefits your audience by creating an emotional connection. These videos might tell viewers about your brand's purpose and why it cares. That can be difficult to communicate in content, so many businesses use third-party video marketing agencies to create brand videos for them.

5. Industry video

Industry videos inform audiences about an aspect of your industry, such as developments and trends in your niche. These videos can still engage customers and increase awareness about your company. However, the primary focus of industrial video production is to educate your audience. Industry video content examples include thought leadership videos and other types of video content that talk about recent goings-on in your industry. The benefits of industry videos include the ability to increase credibility and authority with your audience. 

Industrial video production involves a great deal of research. You might cite findings from a recent study or whitepaper in your niche and include data visualizations like charts and infographics to convey important insights. Your video might have a voiceover that explains industry developments and trends or includes a piece-to-camera from an established authority figure in your business, such as your CEO.

6. Educational videos

Educational videos focus on educating your audience. Unlike industry videos, educational videos feature content around a specific topic rather than an industry development or trend. These videos can help you teach skills to an internal or external audience, depending on your learning objectives. Educational videos might include lectures with slides or interviews with instructors. The benefits of producing these video types include improved learning engagement and participation. 

You can charge external audience money for educational videos or allow people to access them for free. These videos are rarely promotional but might include a call-to-action (CTA) at the end that encourages an external audience to access paid-for resources such as an online course.

7. Explainer videos

Producing explainer videos can help potential customers use a product or service. For example, you can communicate how to install a new software tool and utilize its features. Explainer videos are short, typically under 10 minutes, and provide a primer on a learning topic. Viewers can access more information about using a product by accessing your website's tutorial documents and FAQs. The benefits of explainer videos are improved customer service and engagement. 

Explainer videos are rarely promotional because they cater to customers who have already purchased your product. These videos tell your audience how to get more value from your offering rather than raising awareness about your company. 

However, explainer videos can also drive conversions when consumers watch them before purchasing your product. For example, a potential customer, still in the lead nurturing phase, might see how easy it is to use a software tool in an explainer video and then sign up for a trial. Research shows that 89% of people are swayed to make a purchase after watching an explainer video.^[4]