The 5 Business Videos Every Small Company Needs Before Running Ads

If you’re thinking about running ads, boosting posts, or turning on Google traffic, there’s a hard truth most small businesses don’t like hearing…

Ads don’t fix weak marketing. They amplify it.

If your brand, website, and messaging aren’t doing their job, paid traffic just helps more people bounce faster.

That’s why professional corporate video production and business video production should come before ad spend, not after it. The right videos don’t just make your business look better…they make your marketing work harder.

This guide breaks down the five business videos every small company should have in place before running ads, why each one matters, and how they work together as a system instead of random content.

By the end, you’ll understand how to turn video into assets that support your website, your brand, and your lead generation…not just your social media.
But first, let’s go over…

Why Most Small Business Ads Fail

Most small businesses blame their ads when results are weak. In reality, the problem usually lives somewhere else:

  • The website where the ad lands doesn’t build trust

  • The brand messaging is unclear

  • The business isn’t showing proof of quality service

  • The content feels promotional instead of helpful

When someone clicks on an ad for your service or product, they’re coming to find out if you are legit before they decide to buy or hire you for anything.

That decision happens very quickly.

This is where video marketing services and SEO-friendly web design stop being “nice to have” and start becoming conversion tools. The right videos remove doubt, explain value, and create an emotional connection before a sales conversation ever happens.

Video Is Not Just Content

Most businesses treat video like social media content. Something to post, something to share, something to keep the algorithm happy.

That mindset is going to limit your growth.

The right way to think about video is as a marketing inbound system. Just like your website, your logo, and your brand identity, your core videos should work for you every day, even when you’re not posting.

Now let’s break down the five videos that make that system work.

1) The Brand Story Video

What It Is

Your brand story video is your digital first impression.

It answers three questions every potential customer is asking, even if they don’t realize it yet:

  • Who are you?

  • Why should I trust you?

  • Why should I choose you instead of someone else?

It’s a positioning tool.

A strong brand video tells people what kind of company you are before you ever talk about what you sell.

Why It Matters Before Ads

When someone clicks an ad, they don’t land in “buy mode.” They land in “evaluate mode.”

They’re scanning for signs of legitimacy, professionalism, and alignment with their problem.

A well-produced brand video instantly signals:

  • You’re established

  • You’re confident in what you do

  • You take your business seriously

This is one of the fastest ways to increase perceived value without changing your pricing.

Where It Should Live

Your brand story video should not be buried on a YouTube channel.

It belongs on:

  • Your homepage

  • Your About page

  • Your main Services page

  • Your pinned social media posts

  • Your sales emails

This is why my web design services integrate video placement into the page structure instead of treating it as an afterthought.

What Makes a Brand Video Convert

The strongest brand videos follow a simple structure:

The Problem

Call out the frustration your customer is already feeling. If they are on your website, that means that they are already in the market for your services, but you have to make it clear that you understand their world and that you can help.

The Perspective

Explain how you see the problem differently from everyone else.

The Process

Show how you solve it in a way that feels structured and intentional, not improvised.

The Invitation

Tell them what to do next without pressure.

This approach works for small business video production and large corporate video production alike because it’s rooted in providing clarity, not hype.

How It Connects to Your Website

A brand video should reinforce your written messaging, not contradict it.

If your website says you’re premium, but your video feels cheap, your credibility just dropped a bit.

If your website says you’re simple, but your video feels complex, you just confused a potential customer.

2) Testimonial Video Production

Why Video Reviews are Better than Written Reviews

Star ratings and Google reviews help a ton. But people trust faces, voices, and stories more than text.

That’s why customer testimonial videos consistently outperform written reviews, especially for service-based businesses and local markets.

A real person on camera saying “This changed my business” carries more weight than 50 anonymous five-star ratings.

The Psychology Behind Video Testimonials

When someone watches a testimonial video, their brain isn’t processing information. It’s processing emotion.

They’re picking up on:

  • Confidence

  • Tone

  • Facial expression

  • Body language

These signals answer the most important question on a buyer's mind…

“Will this work for someone like me?”

The 3-Part Structure That Converts

The most effective testimonial video production follows this framework:

Before

What was the problem? What wasn’t working? What were they frustrated with?

During

What was it like working with your company? What stood out?

After

What changed? What result did they get?

This structure turns testimonials into salespeople.

Where Testimonial Videos Belong

Most businesses only use testimonials on social media.

That’s a mistake.

Your testimonial videos should live on:

  • Your homepage

  • Your services pages

  • Your website footer or trust section

  • Your Google Business Profile

  • Your sales emails

  • Your proposal follow-ups

This is where web design services and video marketing services work together to create a conversion system instead of just random assets.

3) Product or Service Demo Video

Education Sells

If people don’t understand what you do, they won’t buy…no matter how good your ad looks.

A product demo video or service walkthrough pre-qualifies leads before they ever contact you.

This is one of the most underrated forms of business video production because it saves time on sales calls and filters out bad-fit prospects.

What a Demo Video Actually Does

A strong demo video:

  • Explains your process

  • Sets expectations

  • Highlights your differentiators

  • Answers common objections (why does it cost so much, why do I need this now..etc)

By the time someone reaches out, they already understand your value.

Why This Matters for Ads

Paid traffic brings volume. Demo videos bring quality.

Instead of spending time convincing people of what you do, you spend time helping them decide if they’re a good fit.

This is how video production services increase deal quality, not just lead quantity.

Where to Use It

  • Services pages

  • Landing pages

  • Proposal follow-ups

  • Retargeting ads

  • Email campaigns

4) Short-Form Social Video System

Attention vs Conversion

Short-form video is not designed to close deals.

It’s designed to earn attention.

Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and LinkedIn reward consistency and relevance.

This is where social media video production and short-form video editing create reach, not revenue. Don’t think that just because you are posting a reel everyday your sales are going to go up. Short-Form Videos are meant to bring traffic in.

How Short-Form Feeds Long-Form

The role of short-form content is simple:

  • Introduce your brand

  • Build familiarity

  • Drive traffic

It pushes people toward:

  • Your website

  • Your brand video

  • Your demo video

  • Your testimonials

    This creates a loop where attention turns into awareness, and awareness turns into leads.

A real video repurposing system turns one long-form video into:

  • Multiple social clips

  • Website embeds

  • Email content

  • Ad creative

That’s how you scale your online reach without burning out.

5) The Trust-Building Website Video

The Missing Piece on Most Sites

Most websites rely entirely on text to build trust.

That’s slow. And only 10% of people retain what they read on a website anyway.

A short, well-placed website video can:

  • Increase time on page

  • Improve conversion rates

  • Raise perceived value

    This is one of the highest ROI uses of corporate video production.

What This Video Should Do

It doesn’t need to be long.

It needs to:

  • Welcome the visitor

  • Reinforce your positioning

  • Guide them to the next step

Think of it as a digital receptionist.

Why Design Matters Here

If the video is placed poorly, it gets overlooked.

This is why SEO-friendly web design and video production services should be planned together, not separately.

Placement, page structure, and messaging determine whether the video works or just exists.

How These Five Videos Work as a System

When these pieces connect, marketing stops feeling random.

Here’s the flow:

  1. Short-form video earns attention

  2. Brand video builds trust

  3. Demo video explains the value

  4. Testimonial video removes doubt

  5. Website video directs traffic

That’s not just content.

That’s a growth system.

Build the System Before You Run the Ads

If you want marketing that actually compounds instead of constantly needing to be “fed,” this is exactly what my Complete Business Makeover is designed to do.

I don’t just help you create videos or redesign your website. I help you build a connected system that turns attention into trust and trust into consistent opportunities.

If you want, schedule a call, and we can map out:

  • Which videos your business needs first

  • How they should connect to your website

  • How to turn them into a long-term growth system instead of one-off content

If you’re interested, we can start here: https://anthonybmedia.com/business

Anthony Baez

Founder of illo sketchbook.

https://www.artbyantb.com
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