A good video can do more for your brand than a dozen posts ever could. It grabs attention, explains your message fast, and stays with people long after they’ve scrolled past. Unfortunately, many companies miss the mark. They pour time and money into videos that don’t quite land, then wonder why the numbers fall flat.
The problem isn’t always the product or the platform. It’s the approach.
Little mistakes like unclear goals and poor storytelling can make big differences in how your audience reacts. Let’s look at the most common video content mistakes that hold brands back, and how to fix them with tried-and-tested video marketing tips before they drain your budget (and patience).
It’s easy to think that great gear and a few clever shots will do the trick. Many teams pour energy into editing, lighting, and visual flair, only to end up with a video that looks amazing but doesn’t really convert or bring any tangible results.
Good video marketing starts long before the camera turns on. Yet that’s where most content mistakes begin.
Companies often skip the groundwork. They don’t define goals, know who they’re talking to, or decide what action they want viewers to take. The result is a slick video that doesn’t connect.
If there’s one piece of advice to remember from all the video marketing tips out there, it’s this: strategy first, camera second. What happens before the shoot often decides how well the final video performs.
Video marketing can look simple from the outside. Hit record, post online, wait for views, right? But that’s where most brands trip up.
The biggest problems usually have nothing to do with fancy cameras or editing tricks. They start way earlier. Let’s look at where things go sideways and how to steer clear before you start recording.
A lot of brands jump straight into production mode the moment a video idea sounds exciting. Cameras roll, scripts get written, and everyone hopes the final cut magically takes off.
The issue? No one stops to ask what success actually means. Views? Sales? Without a target, even the best-looking video ends up feeling directionless.
Keep in mind that every video needs a job. Some are meant to build awareness and get your name in front of new people. Others aim for consideration, where the audience already knows you but needs more reasons to trust you. Then, there are conversion videos that push someone to take action, like booking a call or buying. Each goal changes how you plan, film, and measure success.
Suppose a company creates a polished explainer video about its product, expecting it to instantly bring in sales. It flops, not because it’s bad, but because that type of video works better for awareness, not closing deals.
The fix is simple. Match each video to a single, measurable outcome. Maybe that’s watch time, lead form fills, or the number of demos booked. When you know what the video is supposed to do, it becomes much easier to tell if it actually worked.
One video might get you attention for a day, but that attention doesn’t last. Brands often treat video like a campaign checkbox. They make one video, post it, and call it done. The problem is that audiences don’t build trust from a single clip. They connect with consistency.
Social platforms reward it, too. Algorithms push creators and companies that keep showing up. Think about YouTube channels that grow fast. Most don’t rely on one viral moment. They post series, themed playlists, or regular updates that bring viewers back each week. That rhythm keeps people engaged and tells the platform you’re worth recommending.
The Heinz A.I. Ketchup ad is a great example of consistency paying off. The campaign used AI prompts like “ketchup street art” and “ketchup synth-wave,” and every result still looked like Heinz.
They did not merely create one post and call it a day. Instead, they came up with variations to keep the campaign going.
A good fix is to think in formats, not one-offs. Plan short recurring pieces: weekly tips, quick how-tos, or behind-the-scenes stories. This way, your team stays organized, your audience knows what to expect, and your results improve with each new video.
You could make the most beautiful, cinematic video in the world, and it still won’t perform if it’s in the wrong format. Each platform plays by its own rules, and if you don’t adapt, your content ends up looking out of place.
YouTube loves horizontal videos because people are watching on bigger screens. Instagram Reels and TikTok? They’re vertical, fast-paced, and designed for thumb-scrolling.
The same goes for video length. Upload a 3-minute clip to TikTok, and most viewers will swipe away before the punchline. On LinkedIn or Facebook, go too short, and you might not have enough time to land your message.
Even though Reels and TikToks are short-form video content, they drive a lot of engagement due to the platforms’ nature. For example, this 11-second TikTok from Ryan Air has over 7 million views.
The fix? Start shooting adaptable content. Frame your shots so they can work both vertically and horizontally. A video production company can help you in this process, as its expertise lies in this area. They’ll leave safe margins around your subject and avoid text near the edges.
Plan your hooks differently for each platform, too. For example, go for a bold face or quick movement for TikTok and a stronger narrative intro for YouTube. Research from LazyLines revealed that hooks that pique curiosity are the most effective, followed by controversial and negative hooks.
The internet’s attention span is brutally short. Most people decide in three seconds if your video is worth watching. That’s why the first few seconds are everything.
One of the biggest mistakes brands make is starting with a long logo animation or a slow cinematic build-up. You’ve seen it: dramatic music, fade-ins, maybe even a voiceover that takes forever to get to the point. By the time anything interesting happens, your audience is long gone.
Don’t make this mistake because it’s the reason you’re not able to capture the initial spark that keeps completion rates high and signals to algorithms that your content deserves to be pushed further.
Ditch the drawn-out intros. Instead, open with something energetic. It could be a person’s face, a quick action shot, or a question that immediately teases the story ahead. That’s what Dove has done in this video. The question creates curiosity and makes you want to watch the video till the end.
Similarly, if you’re creating corporate videos, focus on real human moments that capture attention quickly. That’s what Bolt has done in this company culture video.
Here’s the truth: views alone don’t mean success. Sorry, we didn’t mean to bum you out.
But it’s easy to feel good when your video hits a big number, but that stat doesn’t always tell you who watched, for how long, or if it actually made them do something.
A million views might sound amazing, but if most people bailed after three seconds, that video didn’t perform well. Instead, focus on metrics that show real engagement and impact. These include watch time, click-through rate, average percentage viewed, and conversions.
Each of these tells a different part of the story. Watch time shows how captivating your content is, and CTR reveals how strong your thumbnail and title combo is. Average percentage viewed helps pinpoint where people drop off, while conversions are where your business actually benefits.
Your key video marketing metrics should also align with your goal type. If you’re aiming for brand lift, you’ll care more about reach, watch time, and shares. If it’s conversion, your attention should shift to clicks, form fills, and website traffic. You can use tools like Wistia or Sprout Social that help you see the bigger picture.
What happens when you create a stunning video, but no one is able to find it? It doesn’t get seen. Too many brands stop after uploading their video. They don’t work on SEO or repost their content anywhere. And then they wonder why engagement flatlined.
Distribution and video SEO are the real growth engines most people ignore. The basics matter more than you think: clear, keyword-friendly titles, relevant tags, eye-catching thumbnails, accurate captions, and smart embedding. These details tell both humans and algorithms what your video is about, and that’s how you get discovered.
Don’t forget the power of cross-promotion. Embed your videos in blog posts, drop clips into emails, and repost highlights across your social platforms. A video that lives in multiple places works harder for you. We cover this in more detail in our video distribution playbook.
Another tip to keep in mind is to post natively on each channel instead of just linking from one platform to another. Schedule re-shares a few weeks apart to reach new viewers. And if you’re serious about organic reach, optimize your descriptions with phrases your audience actually searches for.
This one trips up so many brands. They go all-in on cinematic shots, expensive gear, and dramatic voiceovers, only to realize the video doesn’t match the goal. It’s the classic overproduced or underproduced trap.
For example, a small business might spend thousands on a high-end ad that looks like a Super Bowl commercial, but it only gets a few hundred views. Meanwhile, another brand creates a simple, authentic video on their phone that goes viral because it feels real. Auntie Anne’s Instagram page is a testament to this.
Production quality should always fit your purpose. A brand launch in the real estate space? Go for high polish with professional crews and top-tier real estate video production. But if your goal is education or social storytelling, use a conversational style. The message should shine louder than the lighting setup.
Before planning your next shoot, pause and look at what you’ve already published. A quick audit can show what’s working and what needs attention.
Use this checklist for analysis:
A pro tip is to test one change at a time, like your title, thumbnail, or opening hook. When you change everything at once, it’s hard to know what actually made the difference. Focus on one variable so that you can replicate the same tweak in the future.
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If your videos aren’t bringing in real results, it’s time to rethink your approach. Strong creativity alone won’t cut it; you need a smart video marketing plan built around clear goals, platform-specific formats, and measurable outcomes. Make sure you avoid the content mistakes we’ve shared, and you’ll end up with videos that connect with the right audience and fit into a bigger plan that moves your brand forward.
INDIRAP makes this process easy. Our full-scale video production extends to paid social campaigns, branded content, explainers, recruitment videos, and so on. We handle everything from video strategy Chicago to creation and distribution. All you have to do is marvel at the results.
Book a free, no-obligation Discovery Call today to get the best-in-class video content from our video production company Chicago.
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