You do not need a channel with weekly uploads. You need six videos that work for years — and you can shoot all of them in one day on your phone.
Video does not replace text. It does something text cannot: it shows there is a person behind the business, and in a small market that is half the decision.
Want a six-video plan for your business?
Tell us what you do and we will send a shot list with a script outline.
The six videos that pay off
In order of return, not difficulty.
| # | Video | Where it goes | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Who we are | Home page, about page | 45–60 sec |
| 2 | How we work | Service page | 60–90 sec |
| 3 | Customer testimonial | Everywhere | 30–60 sec |
| 4 | Answer to a common question | FAQ, social | 20–40 sec |
| 5 | The product in use | Product page | 15–30 sec |
| 6 | Behind the scenes | Social | 15–30 sec |
The third is the strongest and the hardest to ask for. A satisfied customer saying in thirty seconds what you solved persuades more than any argument of your own.
The moment to ask is the same as for a referral: right after the result. The method is in Google reviews.
The fourth is the most underrated: every question you get ten times a month is a video that answers it instead of you.
How to shoot them on a phone
No equipment required. Four things done right:
- Sound first. Bad audio drives people away; mediocre picture does not. A €20–€40 lapel microphone, or shoot in a quiet room with the phone close.
- Light on your face. A window in front of you, never behind. Free, and it makes an enormous difference.
- A steady phone. A tripod or a stack of books. Shaky video reads as careless.
- Vertical for social, horizontal for the site. If you shoot once, shoot vertical and crop.
The sequence that works: write three sentences (what, why, what to do next), say them two or three times, keep the best take. Not a word-for-word script — that sounds read out.
Captions are not optional
Most people watch video without sound, especially on social. Without captions, the message does not land.
Three things that must hold:
- Captions on every video, including the short ones.
- The core message in the first 3 seconds, as text on screen.
- Check the automatic captions. They make mistakes on names and technical terms — correct them.
Automatic captioning is now built into most editing apps and costs nothing.
How long, per channel
| Channel | Length | What works |
|---|---|---|
| Reels / TikTok | 15–30 sec | Problem-solution, fast pace |
| Stories | 10–15 sec per frame | Backstage, questions |
| Product page | 15–30 sec | The product in use, no narration |
| Home page | 45–60 sec | Who we are, with faces |
| YouTube | 3–8 minutes | Guides, answers in depth |
| An image with a link | Video does not play in most clients |
The last row is a frequently repeated mistake: embedded video in email usually does not play. Use an image with a play button that links to the page.
How it fits with your social content flow is in Instagram marketing.
What it costs
| Option | Cost | When it is worth it |
|---|---|---|
| Yourself, on a phone | €0 – €60 (microphone) | Social, frequent content |
| A student or junior | €150 – €400 / day | A batch of core videos |
| A professional | €600 – €2,500 / video | Home page, advertising |
| Motion graphics | €400 – €1,500 | Explaining a complex service |
The combination that works: one professional video for the home page, and everything else on a phone. Social audiences are not expecting production values — they are expecting authenticity.
Want to know what you can shoot yourself?
Tell us what you sell and we will say which videos warrant a professional and which do not.
What to measure instead of views
Views are the easiest and least useful metric.
| Metric | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Share who watched the first 3 seconds | Whether the opening holds |
| Average watch time | Whether the content earns attention |
| Saves / shares | Whether it has real value |
| Clicks or enquiries afterwards | Whether it brings work |
The first is easily fixed: open with the problem or the result, never with a logo or “hi, I’m…”.
Connecting content to outcome is covered in content marketing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to appear on camera myself?
It helps a great deal in a small business, but it is not compulsory. Hands, process and voice do a similar job.
How often should I post?
The six core videos do not change. For social, 2–4 short ones a month is realistic and sufficient.
Do I need a YouTube channel?
Only if you produce educational content. Otherwise use it as a video host for embedding on your site.
Does video slow my site down?
Yes, if you host it yourself. Upload it to a platform and embed it with a preview image.
The same video on every channel?
The same shoot, different crops and lengths. The same logic as with product photography.
The first step
Pick the question you get asked most and answer it in 30 seconds, facing a window, with your phone on a tripod.
Publish it with no editing beyond captions. If that one video saves you five phone calls, you have your answer about the other five.
Next step
Book a free 30-minute call with the team at The Dev Alley. We will look at which videos you need and which you can shoot yourself.