Why use video in your communication strategy?
In a digital landscape overflowing with content, video has become a must-have tool for any brand looking to stand out [just check out the stats compiled by Wyzowl]. Whether you’re trying to grab attention, build a community, or drive conversions, video delivers unmatched emotional and storytelling power.
But creating a meaningful video isn’t something you can just wing. To truly support your broader strategy, every decision (from the message to the format to how and where it’s shared) needs to be aligned with clear objectives.
Here are 12 key questions to ask yourself before kicking off your next video project.
1. What’s the main goal of this video?
Before you even think about the script or visual style, you need to define the strategic role your video is meant to play. It could be:
- Awareness: introducing your brand, products, or services
- Engagement: encouraging interaction (likes, comments, shares)
- Conversion: generating leads, sales, or sign-ups
- Retention: strengthening relationships with existing customers
👉 Pro tip: Stick to one main objective per video. Trying to do too much at once will dilute your message.
2. Who is this video for?
A strong video doesn’t talk to everyone; it speaks to someone. To define your audience, you need to pinpoint:
- Your marketing persona: age, job role, interests, daily pain points (and how your product or service addresses them)
- Their stage in the buyer journey: are they in the awareness, consideration, or decision phase?
👉 Example: A top-of-funnel awareness video targeting a cold audience will need to be more explanatory and educational, while a bottom-of-funnel conversion video for a warm audience can be more direct and action-driven.
3. What’s the core message you want to get across?
No fluff. No tangents. Your audience will only remember one key message, so make sure it’s:
- Clear: focus on one idea at a time
- Concise: hook them in under 20 seconds
- Sticky: use strong visuals and storytelling to make it memorable
👉 Quick test: Try summing up your message in one short, simple sentence. If you can’t, it’s not focused enough.
4. What format and tone work best for your audience?
Your choice of format depends on your goal, your target, and the channel. You must define those before locking in the format. Here are a few popular options:
- Animated explainer video: great for breaking down complex topics
- Interview / customer testimonial: builds trust and reinforces brand credibility through social proof
- Short-form vertical video (Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts): ideal for grabbing attention and reaching a wide audience quickly
- Storytelling / personal branding video: perfect for building emotional connection
As for tone, consider:
- Corporate: reinforces your authority and elevates your brand image
- Inspirational: rallies employees and partners around your values
- Educational: informs, demonstrates, explains, raises awareness
- Playful / humorous: boosts shareability—use wisely and with intention
5. Where will you publish the video?
Each platform has its own rules, preferred formats, ideal lengths, and audience expectations:
- YouTube: a visual search engine, great for SEO. Works well for both short- and long-form content
- LinkedIn: professional and B2B-focused. Both short and longer videos perform well
- Instagram / TikTok: fast-paced, vertical, attention-grabbing and entertaining content. Short-form only
- Website: homepage, landing pages, blog articles—perfect for embedding strategic video
- Email: keep in mind technical limitations (usually a thumbnail or a link, not autoplay)
👉 Pro tip: Always adapt your editing and subtitling to the platform. (Example: silent autoplay is common on LinkedIn and Instagram -> make sure your video works without sound.) And remember: mobile is king. Whenever possible, choose formats optimized for smartphone viewing.
6. How does this video fit into your overall communication strategy?
Your videos shouldn’t live in a vacuum. They should support and align with your broader content ecosystem. For example, a video can:
- Introduce a topic explored in a white paper
- Act as a dynamic version of a blog post
- Fit into a multi-channel conversion funnel
- Be repurposed into multiple bite-sized clips (snack content)
👉 Pro tip: Make sure your video’s visual and narrative tone is consistent with the rest of your brand materials (logo, colors, copy, style, and messaging).
7. Do you have a clear narrative structure?
Even the shortest videos need a storyline. The basic rules of storytelling still apply:
- Problem: what your audience is struggling with
- Solution: what you’re offering
- Benefits: what they stand to gain
👉 Quick tip: For short-form content, try the HOOK – VALUE – CTA method:
- Hook: grab attention right away
- Value: deliver something useful
- CTA: give clear next steps (click, sign up, learn more…)
8. Do you already have assets or content you can reuse?
To save time, cut costs, and maintain consistency, make the most of what you already have:
- Raw, unedited footage
- Recordings from past events
- Internal interviews
- Logos and brand assets
- Existing infographics or animations
👉 Reusing these elements helps you build a modular video content library that’s quick to roll out, budget-friendly, and always on-brand.
9. What are your timeline, budget, and constraints?
Yes, it might seem obvious, but clearly defining these parameters upfront is absolutely essential. We’re saying it anyway, because they’ll shape every part of the production process:
- The production level (motion design, live shoot, voice-over, etc.)
- The size and scope of the team involved
- The expected lifespan of the video
👉 Tip: Build in a 20–30% buffer on your timeline to account for script approvals, design feedback, and client revisions.
10. What KPIs will you track to measure success?
Your performance metrics should match your objective:
- Awareness: view count, completion rate, reach
- Engagement: likes, comments, shares, click-through rate
- Conversion: conversion rate, leads generated, ROI
👉 Pro tip: Use UTM tags and analytics tools (GA4, HubSpot, Matomo, etc.) to track user journeys with precision.
11. Have you defined a production cadence or logic?
A strong marketing strategy isn’t built on a one-off video. It’s built on a series of hybrid, interconnected pieces of content that guide prospects along the buyer journey. That means having a consistent, intentional publishing rhythm.
Ask yourself:
- Is this a standalone video or part of a series?
- Have you planned supporting formats like teasers, short versions, or themed variations?
👉 Pro tip: Plug your video content into a global editorial calendar to keep the big picture in sight and avoid content chaos.
12. Do you have a distribution and promotion plan?
Even the best-produced video will get lost in the noise if no one sees it. To cut through the clutter, you need a solid visibility strategy:
- Scheduled organic posting
- Paid promotion on key platforms
- Internal advocacy (social selling, email signatures, etc.)
- Repurposing for email campaigns or blog content
👉 Advice: Don’t treat promotion as an afterthought. Bake it into the brief from day one to maximize your ROI.
Answering these 12 questions upfront will help you lay the groundwork for a video communication strategy that’s effective, consistent, and trackable.
At NTTRB, we’re here to support you at every step, whether you need help defining your goals, planning your editorial approach, or producing the content itself.
Got video projects in your content strategy? Let’s talk!