How Much Does Video Marketing Cost?

The first question that comes to mind when preparing your video marketing budget is “how much does a video cost?”

The easy answer is, video marketing can cost anywhere from zero dollars (if you have already invested your time into learning the skills and money into gear) to a few hundred thousand dollars (if you want all the bells and whistles).

Every video is unique in project scope, so pricing differs drastically based on the type of video, where it’s living, and the amount of time it takes to create.

Video marketing should be a determined line in your budget before the year begins. Don’t get bogged down in the specifics. Settle on a number that won’t break the bank but is generous enough to create valuable content.

If you have invested in video marketing before, you can base your budget on the content you created in the past. If you are investing for the first time, here are a few price ranges that are worth considering.

Video production gear has become increasingly more affordable for prosumers, and thanks to YouTube, free/cheap education is easily accessible to everyone.

If you have zero budget whatsoever, consider contacting local colleges and working with recent graduates that might be looking to build a portfolio. If you have a small budget to work with, consider purchasing some affordable gear and producing content in-house until you can set aside a budget

Businesses have the option to hire someone internally to create video content as well as outsource projects to contractors. This allows you to save money by mix and matching your needs.

Choosing to have your internal staff shoot the video and then contract out the editing labor you will save money. Or vise versa, choosing to contract a videographer with professional gear to shoot the video and then have your staff edit it in-house will save you money.

This is where most businesses land when determining their first-time video marketing budget. It’s enough to get started and to gather some important engagement analytics. These types of videos can be used anywhere your customer’s visit (social media, websites, blog posts) and are intended to introduce them to your brand.

• Customer support FAQs
• Social media shorts
• Client testimonials
• Promo video

Businesses that have utilized video marketing consistently for more than a year, typically fall into this range. They’ve seen the return on their investment and are hungry to engage a stronger audience following. The following types of videos can be used to engage new and existing customers and move them into the first stage of your sales funnel.

• Product how-to videos
• Industry Expert series
• Video marketing packages
• Event videos

If you are investing a larger budget into your video marketing strategy you are more than likely either creating long-form or long-term content.

Long-form content is videos that have longer watch times (sometimes ranging from 15 minutes to a few hours) and a guaranteed engaged audience. Long-form video is most commonly used for:

• Employee training
• Educational video courses
• Event videos

Long-term content is videos that have a longer shelf (a few months to a few years) and are accompanied by a designated communications calendar. Long-term video is most commonly used for:

• Sales funnels
• Websites & landing pages
• Email campaigns
• Social Media