Why West Michigan Businesses Are Investing More in Video Content in 2026
A few years ago, video was the thing bigger companies did and everyone else skipped. That's changed — and not just because of social media trends. Here's what we're actually seeing on the ground with West Michigan businesses, and why the shift makes sense.
LinkedIn Has Become a Video Platform
B2B buyers — the marketing directors, HR managers, and executives who make purchasing and hiring decisions — spend real time on LinkedIn now, and the platform's algorithm has shifted hard toward favoring video content over static posts. Don’t get us wrong, we know they can be tedious or cheesy at times, but that’s all the more reason to work with someone that knows what works, and what gets lost in the media churn. That said, organizations that show up with video are simply getting more visibility than ones posting text and static images alone.
Hiring Got Harder, and Video Helps
The labor market in West Michigan has tightened across plenty of industries. Recruitment videos, "what it's like to work here" content, and leadership messaging on video all help organizations compete for talent in a way a job posting alone can't. Candidates want to see the culture before they apply, not just read about it. This is a great opportunity to showcase who you are and what you do, but even more importantly WHY you do.
Trust Signals Matter More Online
More B2B buying research happens before a sales conversation ever starts. A prospect researching your company will find your website, your LinkedIn, your Google Business Profile — and a well-produced testimonial video or brand film does more to build trust at that research stage than another page of text.
Production Costs Have Become More Reasonable
Video production used to mean a five-figure minimum and a multi-week timeline. That's no longer universally true. Efficient production workflows, smaller and more capable gear, and producers who know how to plan a shoot day to maximize output (we wrote about that here) have made professional video accessible to organizations that wouldn't have considered it five years ago.
It's Not Just for Marketing Anymore
Internal communications, training, onboarding, leadership updates — video has moved beyond the marketing department. Organizations are realizing that a well-made internal video saves real time and creates consistency in a way that a written policy document or a live training session repeated over and over simply can't match. Add to that the flexibility that it gives you as an organization, and it can be a great investment.
What This Means If You're Still on the Fence
You don't need a massive budget or a complicated production to start. A single, well-planned shoot day — a testimonial, a brand piece, some team content — can be repurposed into months of usable material across your website, LinkedIn, recruiting, and sales conversations.
The organizations seeing the most value from video right now aren't necessarily the ones spending the most. They're the ones being intentional about what they need, why they need it, and who they are before they ever book a shoot.
If you're thinking about adding video to your marketing or internal communications and aren't sure where to start, that's a normal place to be. Start your project or book a discovery call and we'll help you figure out what actually makes sense for your organization.