Vertical video for local businesses: less production, more customers

Short video has captured attention on social media, and local businesses have it easier than they think: showing how you work, answering a typical question or sharing a before-and-after is more than enough content.

Why it works for small businesses

What wins people over isn't the production, it's the usefulness and the face behind it. A thirty-second video explaining why it's worth checking something before summer builds more trust than a polished ad with no message. Your knowledge of the trade is the script, and that's something your competitors can't copy.

There's also a clear competitive advantage: most local businesses still don't post video consistently. Those who do take over a space that's still pretty empty.

How to film it without overcomplicating things

The basics

• Always shoot vertically
• Look for natural light or face a window
• Speak clearly and close to the microphone
• Add subtitles: lots of people watch with the sound off

The first two seconds

They decide whether people watch you. Go straight to the problem («if your website is slow to load, you're losing customers») instead of a long introduction. Save the introduction, if any, for the end.

What to talk about when you can't think of anything

You almost always have material without realising it: the questions customers ask you most, a common mistake you see in your industry, a finished job explaining what was solved, or a tool that saves you time.

For one week, note down what people ask you on the phone or on WhatsApp. That's ten videos right there.

Reuse everything you film

That same video works for your Google Business Profile, your website, replying to anyone who asks the same thing on WhatsApp, and your social media. One piece of content, several places: that's how you get the most out of the time you put in.

Set a pace you can keep up

One good video a week for six months is far better than ten in January and none for the rest of the year. Consistency is what builds trust, not volume.

How to tell if it's working

Don't just look at views. The number that matters is how many people visit your website or message you after watching a video. A video with five hundred views that brings in three enquiries is worth more than one with fifty thousand that brings in none.

Look at retention too: if most people drop off in the first few seconds, the problem is the opening, not the topic. Try starting with the conclusion and building on it afterwards.

AI as the assistant, not the star

Artificial intelligence can save you a lot of work around your videos: generating subtitles, suggesting titles, summarising the script or adapting the same content to different formats.

What you shouldn't hand over is the substance. People connect with your real experience and the way you explain things, and no tool can make that up. Use AI to go faster, not to have less to say.

If you like, we'll help you put together a realistic content plan for your business: what to film, how often and where to post it.