I’ve just read hosting platform Wistia’s “State of Video 2025” report.
Here’s what you need to know.
Its findings are that video performance has very little to do with volume or trends. Video performs best at the point of decision. Not the point of distraction.
Over the past two years CMOs have spent most of their time optimising performance, team structures, and paid channels for their videos. With AI accelerating the video production side of marketing, the question is no longer how to create more video. The real question is where video actually matters.
Across thousands of companies, the strongest play rates appeared on Contact pages at around thirty two percent. Thank You pages and Course or Video Library pages typically sat in the thirty three to thirty five percent range.
These are the areas where your visitor is already motivated. They are in the middle of an action. They are seeking clarity, reassurance, or confirmation that they are making the right choice. Video in those spaces feels like guidance rather than advertising.
What does this mean for you?
Short form and quick promotional videos were the weakest performers. Overall engagement declined by approximately seven percent year on year. The sharpest drop occurred in the three to five minute range where performance fell by around ten percent.
This is not due to audience fatigue. It is expectation.
If the viewer does not quickly feel they are in capable hands, they move on. Not because they dislike you but because the signal of competence did not arrive in time.
Reducing friction for your buyers when they are choosing
The strongest format was instructional or how to videos. These hold attention because they reveal judgement, control, and operational mastery. In aviation who you trust carries real consequences.
Showing how you approach risk, decision making, or compliance is far more persuasive than polished summaries. “Here is how we onboard clients” will outperform “Here is what we do” every time.
This makes messaging clarity critical. A video placed at a key decision point should achieve a single objective. It should give the viewer enough clarity to relax.
- Introduce the problem you solve using the same language your customers use. State who you are and why your approach works.
- Show the steps rather than tell.
- Speak as if the viewer is intelligent busy and already halfway through a choice. (Which of course they are
- Presentation matters just as much as what you say. A calm team member speaking directly to camera or a partner walking through a scenario conveys credibility. It mirrors the experience the viewer would have if they met you in person.
Your practical takeaway
As you plan for 2026 consider a simple question.
Where in your client journey does hesitation typically occur and what would change if that moment carried a human face, a steady voice, and a sense of competence?
I am spending a lot of time helping organisations address exactly that point.
If it is on your mind too feel free to reach out.
All best,
Liz – Lady in Red | Aviation Video Storyteller
P.P.S. As I have been saying for many months…LinkedIn has been the go to platform for B2B marketers for some time. Trust me, it’s getting busy out there. So ensuring you’re visible is not just a nice to have.
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