Video has moved past “content format” and become something closer to a default behavior. Before someone searches for a service, they’ve usually already watched something.
According to HubSpot’s State of Marketing 2026 — a survey of more than 1,500 marketing professionals — the three content formats with the highest return on investment are all video: short-form (49%), long-form (29%), and live-streaming (25%). Short-form video was also identified as the single most leveraged media format across both B2B and B2C organizations.*1
Ninety-one percent of businesses now use video as a marketing tool. Ninety percent of consumers watch short-form video daily on their phones.*2 A message delivered through video is retained by viewers at a rate dramatically higher than the same information delivered through text.*3 And 82% of consumers say watching a video directly influenced a purchase decision they made.*4
Global short-form video ad spending surpassed $111 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $145 billion by 2028.*5 These numbers are not describing an emerging trend. They are describing the market as it already operates.
The footage your competitors aren’t using
Service businesses — dentists, plumbers, HVAC contractors, attorneys, accountants, landscapers, physical therapists — sit on some of the most compelling raw material for video content that exists. Every working day generates footage that agencies would charge thousands to replicate: the transformation, the process, the moment a client sees the finished result for the first time.
A contractor doing a final walkthrough of a bathroom that three weeks ago was rotting tile. A dentist explaining a treatment plan in plain language before the procedure. A CPA showing a client their first year with properly structured books. An HVAC technician walking through a system that was failing in June and is ready for another decade.
This material builds awareness with people who don’t yet know the business exists. It builds trust with people who found the business and are still deciding. It converts people who are ready but haven’t yet called. And it generates referrals from existing clients who share what they watch. Video is doing all of that — at every stage of the relationship — and most service businesses are producing none of it.
What DTC brands spend thousands to create, you generate every day
The consumer products industry has understood for years that trust is built through video, not claimed through copy. DTC companies, subscription brands, and e-commerce startups spend $1,000 to $5,000 per video on creators specifically to manufacture the sense of realness — the behind-the-scenes, the transformation, the satisfied customer — that service businesses generate every single day without trying.
Research consistently shows that consumers trust user-generated and unscripted video more than polished brand content.*6 The raw, real, slightly imperfect video of a plumber explaining what he found in the wall is more persuasive than a produced ad — because it demonstrates expertise without performing it.
70% of viewers say they trust a brand more after watching a values-driven video — compared to 40% who feel the same after reading a blog post.*7
Three ways video marketing works throughout the customer journey
01
Awareness: Getting found before the search.
A contractor who posts a finished walkthrough reaches people who don’t yet know they need a contractor. A dentist who posts a quick explanation of a procedure reaches people who haven’t looked for a dentist in a few years. Video surfaces your business in feeds and search results before intent even forms — which means you’re already familiar by the time someone starts looking.
02
Evaluation: Building trust before the call.
When someone finds your business and isn’t sure yet, video closes that gap faster than anything else on your website. It shows the team, the process, the standard of work, and the care behind it — none of which a logo or a service list can communicate. By the time someone calls after watching your videos, the decision has largely been made.
03
Retention and referral: Staying visible after the job.
A client who hired you once and sees your content in their feed remembers you when someone in their network asks for a recommendation. Video keeps the relationship warm without a phone call or an email. It works while you’re on the job, asleep, or between seasons — reaching both the clients you already have and the people they know.
Video is the medium through which most buying decisions now begin and end. The businesses that understand this are already in motion — and the gap between them and those still relying on word of mouth alone is widening.
The footage exists. The audience is already watching. The question is whether your business is on screen.
Is your business investing in video
that your audience wants to watch?
Volp Agency
Volp Agency is a team of specialists in copywriting, design, paid traffic, and audiovisual production — built around one result: more qualified clients for your business. We travel to our clients anywhere in Massachusetts to film. We produce institutional videos, YouTube content, Instagram Reels, and TikTok — all shaped around your brand’s identity and what your audience wants to see.
*1 HubSpot, State of Marketing Report 2026. Survey of 1,500+ marketing professionals. Short-form video ranked as most leveraged media format; top 3 ROI-driving formats are all video: short-form (49%), long-form (29%), live-streaming (25%).
*2 Wyzowl, State of Video Marketing 2026: 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool. Popular Pays Blog, 2025: 90% of consumers watch short-form video daily on their phones.
*3 LoopEx Digital / multiple research compilations, 2025. Message retention rate for video content significantly exceeds text-based content.
*4 Marketing LTB / multiple sources, 2026. Over 8 in 10 people (≈82%) say watching a video influenced a purchase decision.
*5 Vidico / Statista, 2025. Global short-form video ad spending surpassed $111 billion in 2025, projected to reach $145.8 billion by 2028.
*6 Zebracat / Stackla, 2025. UGC-style videos are trusted by 69% of consumers vs. 52% for brand-produced video; 79% of consumers say UGC directly influences purchase decisions.
*7 Zebracat, Video Marketing Statistics 2025. 70% of viewers say they trust a brand more after watching a values-driven video, vs. 40% after reading a blog post.