What Style of Video Performs Best? Our Top Tips To Help Ensure Your Video Marketing Strategy Engages Viewers

Video marketing is all the rage for boosting engagement and conversion rates.

You want in on the action.

But where do you start? There are so many options — how do you know what style of video performs best for your specific business?

We’re glad you asked!

If you’re looking to add video content to your marketing strategy, but don’t know where to begin, we’ve got you covered.

This article explores the different styles of video and how to decide which style of video best meets your needs.

Table of Contents

What Are the Different Styles of Video?

Marketing videos come in all shapes and sizes, including: 

  • Live action
  • Animated
  • Screencast
  • Behind-the-scenes
  • Virtual reality 
  • Whiteboard
  • Text overlay 
  • Motion graphic

What Style of Video Performs Best?

The style of video you should be using depends on several different factors, including:

  • Your business
  • The intended outcome of your video
  • The audience you want to reach
  • Which style of video best compliments your brand
  • Your budget 

If you want to get just the right video for your business, you'll need to consult a professional who has experience with what style of video performs best for your specific business. 

The experienced team at Ridgeline Media Marketing is ready and waiting to discuss your needs with you so you can reach your target audience — and get results.

what video styles perform best

8 Styles of Video & When To Use Each for Your Video Marketing

#1: Live-Action Videos

Rather than relying on digital creation, live-action videos put the focus on reality — featuring real people and real locations. 

These videos can help you create an emotional connection with your viewers by putting a face to your brand, and can be:

  • Funny
  • Educational; or
  • Informative

When Do Live-Action Videos Perform Best?

Here are a few examples of the best types of live-action videos:

  • Tutorial or “how-to” videos: These are a great option for teaching a process or giving step-by-step instructions. People love seeing a flesh-and-blood person and appreciate the “how to” process, making it easy to cultivate empathy and understanding within your audience.
  • Welcome videos: Including welcome videos on your website adds a human touch to your digital interface. They create a friendly vibe and can often be the catalyst for prospective customers to purchase your product or contact you for more information.
  • “About me” videos: About-me videos let you tell your story your way. They’re the perfect choice for allowing prospective customers to see your face and hear your story. Plus, they do a stellar job at building authenticity and credibility.

Example of a Successful Live-Action Video

#2: Animated Videos

Animated videos are the compilation of many still images. When the images are played in rapid succession, they appear to move. 

There are three styles of animation: 

  1. 2D animation is flat, like a cartoon strip or comic.
  2. 3D animation has dimension and depth, like a video game or animated film. 
  3. Stop-motion animation is created by capturing individual frames of real-world objects, like “claymation” movies.

When Do Animated Videos Perform Best?

Animated videos are a great option if you don’t have access to a film crew or actors.

Common types of animated videos include: 

  • Marketing and promotional videos: These videos highlight your unique brand, style, energy, and personality.
  • Explainer videos: These showcase your product or service’s details, making them entertaining and engaging.

Example of a Successful Animated Video

#3: Screencast Videos

A screencast video is a digital recording of your computer’s screen and usually incorporates voice-over narration. 

This style of instructional video is a great way to teach or share ideas. 

A significant benefit of screencasting videos is that they allow the viewer to watch the video’s content at a time that’s best for them.

They also allow the viewer to absorb information at their own pace since they can pause and rewatch the video as often as they’d like. 

When Do Screencast Videos Perform Best?

Common examples of screencast videos are:

  • Tutorials
  • Training videos
  • Video lessons
  • Recorded presentations

Example of a Successful Screencast Video

#4: Behind-the-Scenes Videos

Behind-the-scenes videos do exactly what their name suggests — they give your customers a peek at what's happening behind the curtain.

These videos are the perfect choice for giving your audience a sense of who you are and what you do.

When Do BTS Videos Perform Best?

Behind-the-scenes videos perform the best when they showcase the humanity of your brand. 

A few ideas for great behind-the-scenes videos include: 

  • Your team at work (in the office or at home)
  • A new product or service you're working on
  • What your team loves to do when they're downtime 
  • A tour of your workspace 
  • Company brainstorming sessions
  • After-work events
  • Office pranks

Example of a Successful BTS Video

what video styles perform best

#5: Virtual Reality Videos

Virtuality reality videos record a view from all the possible angles of an environment simultaneously. This innovative video style allows the viewer to see the environment from every angle from any location in the video. 

Virtuality reality videos are currently going viral — and for good reason. 

They are highly engaging and can make the audience feel as if they are actually participating in real time — from the comfort of their own home.

When Do VR Videos Perform Best? 

Virtual reality video works best when you want to capture an immersive scene from every direction.

They’re often used by:

  • Realtors and property managers to show the layouts of homes and apartments
  • Hotels to show the layout of their rooms and the physical qualities of their property
  • Home improvement stores to help customers learn how to redo rooms

Example of a Successful VR Video

#6: Whiteboard Videos

Whiteboard animation videos are created by artists who use a whiteboard (or something resembling a whiteboard) to tell a story with pictures. 

The creator may choose basic stick figures or more complex constructs to explain a practical process or concept in an easily digestible way.

When Do Whiteboard Videos Perform Best? 

Whiteboard videos are great for presenting number-heavy content. Whiteboard videos allow the presenter or artist to alternate between talking and writing — maximizing viewer comprehension. Since they make it easy to alternate talking and writing to maximize viewer comprehension. 

The most engaging whiteboard videos include: 

  • Thought bubbles
  • Graphs
  • Diagrams
  • Charts

Example of a Successful Whiteboard Video

#7: Text Overlay — Typography — Videos

Topography videos use text overlay to highlight key messages in your video content to focus your viewer’s attention right where you want it.

For example, you might use: 

  • Thick, large, or vibrating words to bring attention to a specific idea
  • Thin, small, or gently flowing words to convey a soft and effortless feel

When Do Text Overlay Videos Perform Best? 

Text overlay videos are a great technique to use when you have a single, simple concept or emotion to share with your audience

Including this type of text in your videos makes your content more user-friendly — especially if you plan to promote your videos on social media.

Example of a Successful Text Overlay Video

#8: Motion Graphic Videos

Motion graphics is a style of video animation that uses text and shapes to communicate, but doesn’t usually tell a story, but share ideas and information. 

They generally use …

  • Music
  • Sound
  • Voice-over 

… to convey ideas in an easily digestible, energetic, and powerful way. 

Creating motion graphics videos allows you to share a good amount of information quickly. Even if your audience isn’t consciously reading every word in your video, their subconscious is getting the gist. 

When Do Motion Graphic Videos Perform Best? 

Motion graphic videos are the ideal choice when you’re trying to describe a:

  • Service
  • Product 
  • Result 

Example of a Motion Graphic Video

Ridgeline Media Marketing Knows What Styles of Videos Perform Best for Different Businesses — Let Us Help You Reach Your Target Audiences

Now that you know the different styles of marketing videos, it’s time to decide which one is right for you.

But if you’re like many businesses, that can feel like an overwhelming decision. 

The professionals at Ridgeline Media Marketing can help.

We’ll listen to your goals, determine the best way to reach your audience, and create a one-of-a-kind video that will get results. 

Contact Ridgeline Media Marketing’s professional team to learn more or schedule a strategy call, today.  

what video styles perform best