“Do I have to use video?”
If you've ever asked yourself that, especially as an introverted business owner, you’re in good company.
I hear this question all the time from service-based business owners who want to market their businesses authentically but feel uncomfortable with putting themselves out there, let alone their face on camera.
So let me just start by saying this:
👉 No, you don’t have to use video.
👉 But I invite you to make this decision with clarity about your marketing strategy and not from a place of fear or pressure.
I’m not here to tell you that you should or shouldn’t use video.
That decision is 100% yours to make.
What I am here to do is help you figure it out—with curiosity, clarity, and space to choose for yourself.
Not because everyone’s saying, “You have to do video.” (You don’t!)
Not because extroverted marketing tactics insist you must use video. (You don’t!)
Not because video is the only way to grow your audience. (It’s not!)
But because you get to choose whether video supports how you want to show up, connect with, and serve your audience.
So, let’s walk through 5 key questions to help you decide if video belongs in your marketing strategy… or not!
But first…. Let’s back up for just a second and get clear on why we’re even talking about this in the first place.
Why Video Is a Big Deal in Marketing (And Why It’s Okay If You Don’t Use It)
Video is powerful.
It grabs attention, builds trust, and helps your audience connect with you in ways that written copy or static images can’t always match.
Here’s what the research shows (source: Wiseowl):
- 89% of businesses are using video as a marketing tool
- 95% see video as an important part of their overall marketing strategy
- 88% say video helps generate leads
- 84% say video has directly increased sales
- 87% of people have been convinced to make a purchase by watching a video
Impressive, right? Those are certainly the kinds of things we want for our businesses!
But let’s pause for a second…
Just because video can be effective doesn’t mean it has to be part of your plan.
Video is a tactic, not a requirement.
Designing a marketing strategy that works for you and your business is about choosing the right tools.
Your marketing strategy and the tactics you choose need to:
✅ Align with your goals
✅ Feel doable and sustainable
✅ Draw on your strengths
✅ Fit your bandwidth
✅ Work for your audience
If video doesn’t check all of those boxes, it’s okay to say no! You have many other tactics to choose from.
And if it does? Let’s help you make that decision with confidence.
Ready? Here we go…
5 Questions to Help You Decide if Video is Right for You
The five strategy-based questions below are designed to guide your decision about whether to incorporate video into your marketing strategy.
So you’re not basing your decision on what’s trending, what you should do, or what someone else is telling you to do.
Instead, you’ll base your decision on what’s true for you and your business.
1. How Do You Envision Video Fitting Into Your Strategy?
The question to ask: Does video support my goals, or is it just another thing I think I “should” do?
It’s vital that we start here because your strategy should determine your tactics, not the other way around.
In other words, the best way to determine which tactics to use (and yes, video is a tactic) is to first get clear on your strategy — what you’re trying to achieve and how you want to show up. Then you can choose which tactics will support that plan.
If you start with tactics (as many people do!) and then pull them together to design your strategy, you’re likely to end up with a scattered, exhausting marketing approach that feels out of alignment and doesn’t actually work for you.
If video aligns with how you attract, serve, connect with, or convert your audience, it might be worth exploring.
If it doesn’t? That’s valid, too. You get to choose to set it aside and focus on something that does work for you.
For example: If you’re using Instagram to help your audience find you, Reels and video stories could be a powerful fit. If your business relies on tutorials, demos, or educating your audience, video can elevate how you deliver that and enhance your prospective customer’s experience.
But if your strategy leans on long-form written content and SEO, maybe video isn’t your highest priority right now. And that’s okay.
⭐️ Your strategy should determine your tactics—not trends, pressure, or expectations.
2. What’s Really Holding You Back From Trying Video?
The question to ask: Is my resistance to video based on strategy or how I prefer to show up… or is it fear, perfectionism, or a story I’ve told myself?
Sometimes what sounds like, “This isn’t for me,” is really: “I’m afraid I’ll do it wrong.”
That’s totally normal.
And honestly, it’s not unreasonable.
Video comes with a learning curve. It can feel really awkward at first, and no one wants to go through that uncomfortable beginner stage. But if you’re curious about video and your answers to the other questions listed here point to “yes,” it could be worth it.
If fear is stopping you…
or if you feel like you have to do it perfectly the first time
or if you’re worried about the repercussions of “doing it wrong”...
and your answers to all the questions in this list point to video being a good fit for you
Then it might be time to shift your mindset, and either let go of some of the fear that’s holding you back, or choose to move forward despite that fear.
Let’s take a closer look:
If fear is the only thing stopping you, it might be keeping you safe… but is it also quietly holding your business back?
Fear doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do video.
It just means you need to approach it gently, with support, compassion, and a mindset that supports growth, not shame.
You don’t have to be fearless.
You just have to be curious.
I’m getting ready to run a video workshop in my group coaching program. We aren’t even running it until next month, and already, the members are starting to play with video in their marketing. They’re stepping up bravely and trying it on, even before we start.
Why?
Because they have a safe, positive, supportive space where they can explore video on their terms, and that’s giving them the courage to try. And I am so proud of them!
🧠 If fear is driving your decision, try to gently separate it out so you can also look at it strategically.
3. What’s Your Natural Communication Style—Writing or Speaking?
The question to ask: Does speaking, or using visuals to tell a story, feel like a natural way for me to communicate?
Some people think more clearly when they write. Others process their ideas by talking.
Knowing this about yourself is gold when you’re deciding how you want to show up in your marketing.
For example, I’m totally a verbal processor. I often don’t know what it is I want to say until I start talking. Once I’ve talked through it, I can capture my ideas in writing much more easily. That’s one reason why video works well for me.
Many of my introverted clients, on the other hand, tend to prefer to write first and speak second.
That doesn’t mean they can’t show up on video! It just means that they feel more confident about it when they’ve made space to get their thoughts in order first.
If that sounds like you, video can still be a great fit.
Just make space in your process for outlining or scripting ahead of time. This can help you feel more prepared, more confident, and more grounded, and it’ll allow you to show up more authentically!
🌀 Understanding your default mode of communication helps you find a format that feels like flow—not friction.
4. Who Are You Trying to Reach… and Do They Watch Videos?
The question to ask: Is my audience already engaging with video, and could this be a way for me to connect with them?
You don’t have to guess. Go look!
- What kind of content are your ideal clients already engaging with?
- Are they commenting on video posts on social media or YouTube?
- Do they make their own videos?
Quick caveat: This question is not a deal breaker!
If you find that they *don’t* watch video, it doesn’t mean they *won’t*. It’s possible that no one is making the kind of videos that they need!
So if your answer to this is “no”, I invite you to think of it as “not yet”.
If all of your other answers to the other questions listed here are “yes,” this one might be showing you that there’s an opportunity just waiting for you!
How might this look for you? Here’s how some of my introverted clients are using video:
- One of my clients is a career coach. She posts videos on LinkedIn because that’s where her audience hangs out. And since video is still less common there, it actually helps her stand out.
- Another client — a life coach — has been recording videos for Facebook and Instagram for years. It’s how she connects with her audience and she has a regular audience that watches and engages with every video.
- And another client, an author of children’s books, doesn’t create her own video content. But when she gets interviewed, they are usually recorded by the host and she’ll post those on her Instagram channel. They get tons of engagement!
So when it comes to whether your audience watches videos, think of this as a question of opportunity.
👉 Find out how your audience is already engaging with video… and then use that as helpful data, and not a deal breaker.
- Are You Willing to Ride Out a Short, Imperfect Learning Curve?
The question to ask: Am I open to spending the time and effort it’ll take to figure it out?
Let’s be honest: The first few videos?
Awkward.
Clunky.
Maybe a little cringe. 🤦♀️
That’s normal… and it’s ok!
It took me an entire afternoon just to hit record on my first video… and then it was just two minutes long because I was freaking out and had to get out of there fast!
I did Facebook Lives for years to avoid editing.
(Just the idea of editing overwhelmed me—until I found tools that made it doable and realized I actually love editing!)
All this to say: Video comes with a learning curve…
But it’s a *skill* which means that it’s totally learnable.
And you’ll be surprised at how much you evolve through the process… including what you’ll learn about yourself.
So if you’re leaning towards saying “yes” to video:
✔️ Give yourself a 3-month runway.
✔️ Name your start date
✔️ Put a plan in place
…And see how it goes.
I recommend these best practices:
- Do it weekly so you truly get to try it on
- Hold it loosely and allow it to all be imperfect
- Don’t judge the experience until you get to the end
- Show up for yourself and walk through the process over and over.
- Don’t aim to go viral or to get all the views.
You’re just going to experiment. Play with it and see how it feels.
🎥You don’t have to be great when you start. You just have to be willing to try it on.
The point of these questions is to help you choose from a strategic perspective, rather than from fear.
Remember: You don’t *have* to do video!
But if it seems reasonable to you to bring video into your marketing strategy, you can do it on your terms.
If it helps you communicate clearly, build trust, or connect more meaningfully with your audience, it’s worth considering!
And if it drains you, distracts you, or feels out of alignment with your strategy? It’s absolutely fine to say no.
Make your decision based on your goals and your strengths. Not fear. Not *should*.
You get to choose.
And the answer that’s right for you is right for your business.
I’d love to know..
Which of these 5 questions gave you the most clarity?
What if your marketing strategy was custom tailored to your introverted, quiet style?
