Did you know that our attention spans have dropped from 2.5 minutes to just 45 seconds in the past two decades? That's part of the reason video marketing has become so prevalent, considering people are more likely to watch something quickly rather than read a lengthy text post.

Businesses are taking advantage of this shift. Around 89% of organizations use video as a marketing tool, whether it's on social media or any other medium. However, we're no longer in the age where a generic explainer video can do it all.

Today's buyers expect more. So, your video strategy has to evolve beyond surface-level content. It needs to align with the journey your audience is on. In this article, we explain the best types of videos for every stage of the buyer's journey so that you can target them with the right visuals.

A Quick Overview of the Marketing Funnel

Let's quickly refresh our memory on the marketing funnel before getting into the video types. The marketing funnel typically has the following stages:

• Awareness: Here, you tell people about your brand through content that appears in social media ads or targeted search advertising.
• Consideration: Potential customers who are now aware of your brand are starting to consider it an option. They might do keyword searches or visit your website.
• Decision/Conversion: In this stage, potential customers make the purchase, subscribe to your service, or take any other desired action. They may do so via your home page, product videos, etc.
• Retention: The customer is satisfied with their purchase and continues to use your product or service.

The customer journey isn't always linear. People may jump back and forth between different stages or skip some altogether. However, if you have the right videos waiting for them at the right time, they'll likely have no trouble getting to the conversion and retention stages.

Which Videos to Create at Every Stage of the Marketing Funnel

When creating marketing videos, you should refer to the description of the customer's buyer journey above. The videos should align with the customers' needs at that time. We break it down for you below.

Awareness

At this stage, your audience isn't shopping. They're probably not even aware of your presence. So, your videos must introduce your brand to them so that they can start moving along the buyer journey.

However, you need to show up with value. Let them know that you understand their pain points and that you're here to help.

The best types of videos to make at this stage are short-form brand videos, such as Instagram Reels and TikTok videos. Glossier did a remarkable job at this. The company invested in physical advertising by plastering the NYC subway with their new perfume. Then, they created a Reel showing the subway, which got over 100k views on Instagram.

The company combined the impact of video content with the power of location targeting, resulting in a successful marketing campaign. Since their aim was only awareness, they did not prompt viewers to go buy the perfume but simply to keep an eye out for the train, eventually leading them toward consideration.

You can also create educational videos on high-level topics if you're in industries like finance or marketing. Similarly, in B2B spaces, thought leadership videos can be highly effective in establishing your brand as an industry expert.

For example, Viral Nation, a digital marketing agency, posts videos featuring its experts discussing trending topics in the field. These videos establish the agency as a credible source for all this digital marketing, leading to increased brand recognition and trustworthiness.

Hosting webinars is another way to showcase your thought leadership. They allow for interactive discussions and Q&A sessions with industry experts. Plus, they serve as valuable lead-generation tools by collecting attendee information.

Where to Distribute 

Since your audience probably doesn't know you yet, you want to be as visible as possible. They may find you while scrolling on social media or searching for something online.

The best platforms for this stage are:

• Social media (Instagram Reels, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube Shorts): Short, punchy, scroll-stopping content that sparks curiosity.
• YouTube (organic search): Educational content that ranks for common questions.
• Display ads & programmatic video ads: Great for retargeting cold traffic with top-of-funnel messaging.
• Blog Embeds or Content Hubs: Supporting videos can boost time on the page and improve SEO.

Use strong hooks in these videos and optimize them for silent viewing by adding captions or visuals. 

Key Metrics to Track

In the awareness stage, you want to get as many views as possible. So, track metrics like views, impressions, watch time and engagement rates. The higher, the better.

Consideration

By this point, your audience has built up some level of curiosity. They've named their problem and are actively looking for a solution. So, your videos need to tell them that your offering is just what they need.

Some videos to create include:

• Product Explainers: Show how your product works and what it can do for the users. Keep the language benefit-driven and simple so that the audience can easily understand and relate to the product.
• Demo Videos: You can also create demo videos to show your product in action. Use animations or visual metaphors to simplify complex mechanisms or ideas.
• Case Study Videos: For products where you can provide proof of success, such as construction businesses, create case study videos. If the customer is available for a video testimonial, that's even better.
• Webinar: In awareness, webinars are merely informative videos. However, at this stage, they are more product-focused rather than educational.

Slack uses its YouTube channel to create videos for this stage. The company has a quick-start guide on its YouTube page with over 145k views.

Similarly, Salesforce has a webinar targeting clients in the consumer goods industry, which shows how the company's new offering, Agent Force (a platform to build AI agents), can facilitate operations in this field.

Where to Distribute 

Prospects want to get a better sense of your brand and how it fits into their lives. Use the following platforms to distribute your videos.

• Email Nurturing Sequences: Deliver webinars, product explainer videos, and testimonials directly to the inbox.
• Dedicated Landing Pages: Use targeted videos to deepen trust.
• LinkedIn or Facebook Retargeting Ads: Use tailored video snippets to appeal to the viewers' pain points.
• YouTube (playlists): Position your brand as an authority with in-depth content. 

Key Metrics to Track

Now, you need to monitor click-through rates and session duration. Ideally, a good marketing campaign would lead to higher click-through rates and longer session durations. Similarly, keep an eye on social proof indicators, such as retweets, likes, shares, or comments on your social media videos.

Decision

Your potential customers are now close to making a decision. They may be comparing you to competitors to determine the best option. Your video content should be persuasive and focused on alleviating any remaining hesitation they may have.

Personalized video pitches are effective in this scenario. However, they're usually more time-consuming and require a deeper understanding of the customer's needs.

You can also include case studies or testimonials from satisfied customers to build trust and credibility. Loom, a popular video messaging platform, allows you to record personalized videos and easily share them with potential customers.

Also, create comparison videos to show your product or service's attributes compared to alternative options. Similarly, videos covering FAQs can also steer prospects toward decisions.

You can also create team spotlight or behind-the-scenes videos to show potential customers the people behind your brand and give them an insight into your company culture. For example, Canva has a Reel showing some of its verified experts to let people who are interested in taking Canva's courses know they are in safe hands.

Where to Distribute 

The best platforms to host your sales funnel videos at this stage are:

• Sales Outreach Emails: As we've mentioned, Loom is a useful tool to send personalized video messages.
• CRM-Integrated Landing Pages: Let the video do the last-mile selling. Include comparison breakdowns, ROI stories, or FAQs.

Key Metrics to Track

Monitor call-to-action clicks, video completion rates, and conversion rates in this stage. You want the videos to bring you as many sales or subscriptions as possible.

Retention & Advocacy

The marketing funnel doesn't stop after the sale. In fact, loyal customers are the best marketers, and video helps them share your story in their own words.

For example, user-generated content establishes trust in your product or service. You can compile user-generated videos or simply repost them on your social media platforms. These videos will help push prospects into the consideration or decision stage of the funnel.

Aerie often reports user-generated videos that show customers wearing their clothes in their day-to-day lives. Since these videos are more organic than paid content or model-featured content, they get more engagement.

As for the customers who are in the retention stage, create onboarding and training videos for them. Use videos to show them how to make the most of your product or service. For example, Canva has a 60-minute video playlist on YouTube that shows subscribers how to use its mobile app.

Similarly, you can use videos as a customer support tool. Instead of having customers call in or email for assistance, create video tutorials that they can refer to anytime they have questions or issues with your product.

Where to Distribute 

In this stage, you need to distribute videos on platforms where you have a relationship with existing customers. These videos for the sales funnel go to:

• Private Communities: Share videos in Facebook Groups, Slack Channels, or LinkedIn groups.
• Social Media: Celebrate your customers and show UGC on social media, especially on Instagram Stories and LinkedIn.
• Customer Onboarding Flows: Use in-app or email-based quick-start and "how-to" videos to reduce friction.

Key Metrics to Track

Here, you should track metrics like customer satisfaction, referral clicks, user-generated content submissions, and repeat views. All these metrics can be tracked using tools like Google Analytics, social media analytics, video analytics tools, and customer feedback surveys. They will help you understand your video's impact on customers and their journey with your brand.

How to Repurpose a Single Video into a Full-Funnel Campaign

Video production for the sales funnel can be an expensive and time-consuming process. However, you can sometimes repurpose the same video for different stages to make the most out of it.

Let's say you create a 3-minute customer testimonial featuring a SaaS client who saw a 40% productivity boost after switching to your platform. Now, what if that one video could fuel your entire funnel?

Start at the top. Clip the boldest 10 seconds of the testimonial, such as the moment your client says, "We cut our manual workflows in half in 60 days."

That becomes a hook for Instagram Reels, TikTok, or a YouTube Short. Pair it with motion graphics and subtitles, and you've got scroll-stopping awareness content.

Then, create a trimmed version of the testimonial that focuses on the client's pain point and decision process. Add light branding and a CTA. Use this version in email sequences, landing pages, or retargeting ads. Here, the same story builds trust and positions your product as a clear solution.

At the decision stage, go deeper. Embed the full-length testimonial in your sales follow-up emails.

Let it do the talking where a live call can't. You can even create a side-by-side comparison video featuring highlights from this testimonial next to a brief rundown of your competitors. Now, you're helping buyers decide with confidence.

Finally, you can close the loop with advocacy by turning behind-the-scenes moments like the recording day or client bloopers into lighthearted social posts. You may also invite the client to record a follow-up update to show how they're scaling further with your help. These small touches strengthen loyalty and inspire others to share their stories, too.

Let INDIRAP Create Stage-Specific Videos for Your Marketing Funnel

You've got the vision to create videos for the sales funnel, but you lack the time and resources to bring it to life. Let INDIRAP handle video production for your organization. From the first spark of awareness to the final post-purchase moment, we produce content that speaks directly to where your audience is in their journey.

With our video production services, you don't need to juggle agencies or manage ten moving pieces. INDIRAP's fully done-for-you approach means we handle creative strategy, filming, editing, and distribution in one seamless flow. Book a free, no obligation Discovery Call today to discuss your video production needs with our Chicago video production company.