Some years ago, producing a video felt a bit like launching the next big hit film. We’d brief a production crew, book a location, hire talent, and block out weeks of post-production time – all to end up with a single 90-second clip that lived proudly (but often quietly) on a homepage.

Fast forward to today. Video hasn’t just transformed. It’s exploded, fragmented, and become a non-negotiable part of how we communicate, market, and connect.

As a creative agency that’s lived through the shift, here’s how we’ve seen video turn from glossy one-offs into an always-on, ever-adaptable marketing essential.

1. Platform Shift: Television to TikTok

“Video content” often meant broadcast-quality ads or YouTube explainers. Now, we operate on a social battleground. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn have reshaped how we think about format, tone, and timing.

Today, a vertical 9:16, 15-second TikTok can outperform any ad campaign no matter the budget, if it hits the right tone and trend, you will be on to a winner. Everyone is looking for authenticity and convenience now a days, and in the goldfish era where we need to grab attention and engagement within the first 3 seconds, speed beats perfection.

Over 75% of video consumption happens on mobile devices, this means that mobile-first optimisation is essential. It should always be taken into consideration when producing content, designing with silent autoplay, captions, and mobile friendly formats from the outset in mind.

2. Content Shift: Brand-Led to Audience-First

10 years ago we found that clients would ask for a video that would help achieve a singular goal whether that be to promote a product or to explain how a product worked, today we are seeing clients wanting more out of their video content, “How can we create a video that solves a problem, tells a story, or makes someone feel seen?”

Modern video marketing is less about showcasing features and more about starting conversations, educating, or entertaining. Brands have had to learn to be less “look at us” and more “we see you.”

Keeping on top of trends and understanding your customers’ needs, pain points and where they hang out online can help you develop video content that speaks to them in a way that is more open and authentic, providing them with valuable content they actually want to see and engage with.

3. The Production Shift: High-End to Hands-On

Thanks to smartphones, AI tools, and user-friendly editing software at the end of our fingertips, video creation has become faster, cheaper, and more agile. Yes, 100% there’s still a place for beautifully crafted cinematic work (and we still love making it!), and we have some great example work of this, but there’s also power in quick-turn, lo-fi content that feels real and in-the-moment.

We’ve gone from weeks of planning to same-day edits, from studio lights to ring lights.

We’ve found that one of the best ways to produce video content is through a content cake, we produce long-form high production video and chop this up into relevant and bite-sized short-form content.

This enables us to develop high-value, high-efficiency content strategies that meet all required objectives though the sales funnel, allowing us to attract, engage, convert, and retain. Producing content in this way allows you to be agile, it saves time as you don’t have to keep repeating production processes, maximises ROI as you stretch your budget across results, and it allows you to create a cohesive story that is tailored to specific audiences and platforms.

Here’s a quick tip: Plan your long-form content with slicing in mind. Script soundbite moments. Prompt voiceover and audio for quote-worthy insights. And, frame content for different audiences up front.

4. The Performance Shift: Vanity Metrics to Real ROI

Video views used to be the holy grail. Now, we’re asking better questions:

– Did it drive action?

– Did it fit the funnel?

– Did it stop the scroll?

Data has become sharper, attribution more accurate, and success less about “going viral” and more about hitting the right people with the right message at the right time.

Today’s video strategies are informed by data like never before, with real-time analytics that tells us what’s working and what needs tweaking. A/B testing has become standard, measuring performance of different creative, hooks, CTAs, music choices, and voiceovers. Our creatives work closely with our digital teams to help their understanding around what creative works, unpacking all elements of a video can result in continued success.

5. Tech Shift: AI, Interactivity & the Next Wave

Today’s video doesn’t just play, it adapts. With interactive video, shoppable content, and AI-generated scripts, voiceovers and even visual content, we’re entering a new phase where video can be personalised at scale.

And tomorrow? Expect hyper-targeted storytelling, real-time rendering, and mixed reality experiences that blur the line between viewer and participant.

So, What’s Next?

At Switch, we believe the golden rule of video still stands: Tell a great story. But how you tell it and where, when, and to who is ever-changing and changing fast.

If the last 10 years were about experimentation, the next 10 will be about integration. Video is no longer a tactic. It’s a language. And we’re fluent. But we’re always learning.

This is what one of our Partners, Steve Eldred had to say:

“Video provides us with a wonderful platform to connect emotionally and directly with our audiences, and enables us to build trust in a much more visceral and memorable way.

When we are allowed to introduce video into our meta campaigns, the increase in engagement compared to static assets is significant, when measured through key metrics such as link clicks and CTR. A recent campaign produced a 300% increase in link clicks, and our campaigns are regularly delivering a CTR of 3-4%, against an industry average of 1%.

The same goes for animation, where sometimes we see even higher increases in engagement.

And of course, working in such a multi-faceted medium is very fulfilling for creatives who crave excitement from their work, and want to tell stories in a powerful way. That compelling balance of sound and vision, when conceived and executed with skill and flair, creates drama and ultimately delivers great bang for the buck”.

We’re always here to help you make a change. Let’s talk video.