Video Marketing Works. When Properly Produced.
Video Marketing, I tested algorithm changes. Live video works. But only if it’s properly produced. No Apologies. Full Stop. We used to believe raw, unpolished content was authentic—that audiences craved the unfiltered, rough-around-the-edges approach. We bought into the narrative that high production values made content feel staged or corporate. We thought the way to connect was to just turn on a camera and let it roll, imperfections and all. That assumption cost us reach, repeat views, and actual revenue. The data we tracked across multiple campaigns told a completely different story. High-production UGC content consistently outperformed low-production content in every metric that mattered—watch time, shares, conversion rates, and return on investment. The content that looked professional got distribution. The content that looked amateur got ignored. Words like amateur, unprofessional, cringeworthy echo the buyer’s viewpoints. We realized the platforms weren’t rewarding authenticity for its own sake. They were rewarding content that kept viewers engaged long enough to serve more ads. Production quality directly influenced retention, and retention directly influenced algorithmic distribution. The shift happened when we stopped treating production value as optional. We invested in lighting, audio equipment, and environments that made subject matter experts look credible on camera. We maintained authenticity while eliminating the visual and auditory friction that caused viewers to scroll past. The results were immediate. Reach expanded. Repeat views increased. The ROI on campaigns with higher production standards outpaced everything we had done before. This pattern held across industries. The creators making sustainable revenue were not the ones filming in their bathrooms with poor lighting, crappy cameras and horrible audio—they were the ones who understood that production infrastructure amplifies message clarity without sacrificing genuine delivery. Authenticity and production quality are not opposing forces. They work together when you understand that audiences respond to content that respects their…
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