Why You Need To Be Thinking About Video In 2026

If your business still thinks video is something you only have to develop for a big advertising campaign, new product launch, or splashy event, 2026 might be a good year to rethink that.

Video has become one of the most versatile assets a business can create! One well-made video can become a social post, YouTube video, CTV commercial, product demonstration or customer service resource, sales tool, website asset, email hook, even a source of written content for SEO and AI search. 

And customers have increasingly come to expect it, according to a survey from Wyzowl “84% of consumers want to see more videos from brands in 2026”. “93% of video Marketers now consider it a vital part of their overall strategy”.

The question isn’t whether or not to use video, but how much value can you get from the video you’re already creating. The biggest mistake with video is treating views as the exclusive objective. Consider how it can be applied throughout the customer journey.

• Awareness: Short-form video can introduce your business or people, demonstrate your expertise, or give potential customers a reason to remember you. Use this content on Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Facebook, and other social formats. 
• Research: Answer the questions your customers ask before they buy. Explain your process or describe a procedure, or compare different products. These videos act as sales content, rather than just advertising. “96% of people have watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service”
• Decision: Testimonials, product demos, case studies, and comparison videos help remove any last traces of doubt for a customer. “85% of people have been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a video”
• After the Sale: Video can continue working even after the sale is made. How-to’s, instructions, and onboarding videos, FAQ’s or troubleshooting content can reduce the number of questions your sales/customer service teams have to answer. 57% of marketers surveyed by Wyzowl said video has helped reduce support queries.

Video content on your website can help with SEO and AEO if you use it correctly. The idea is to build useful video around the questions your customers are already asking online.

For example: “How much does a heat pump cost in BC?”

Could become:

• YouTube video
• A detailed website article
• An FAQ section
• Short social video
• Sales team resource

One common customer question opens the door to an entire content ecosystem, which matters more as search evolves with AI in 2026. Google is increasingly incorporating AI-generated answers and AI Mode for user search queries. Overviews now account for a significant share of question-form searches, demonstrating the shift in behavior away from website results. 

So while website traffic may be down, this creates an opportunity for business who can consistently demonstrate expertise through a variety of content. Video itself isn’t a shortcut to being recommended by AI, but the info in your videos becomes part of a broader body of useful content for your potential customers and creates additional portals to be discovered. Video should feed your SEO strategy. Think about the questions your customers ask Google every day.

"How much does a heat pump cost?" "What's the difference between these two appliances?" "How long does a roof replacement take?" "What should I do if my basement is leaking?" "Is this service covered by insurance?"

Every one of those questions can become a video, which can be turned into a website article, FAQ, YouTube description, social clip and sales resource.

Almost every industry can benefit from integrating video into their Marketing strategy, but some categories like Home Improvement, Professional Services, Healthcare,  Retail/E-commerce, Tourism, and B2B have a particularly strong opportunity. 

• Home Improvement, Construction & Trades: These businesses sell something that customers often can’t fully understand until someone explains it. Before & After videos, project walkthroughs, how-to content, testimonials, explanations of complicated repairs. 
• Professional Services: The goal here is to establish expertise. Law firms, accountants, financial advisors, insurance companies, etc can use video to make complicated subjects easier to understand.
• Healthcare: Explainer videos, procedure explanations, facility tours, and patient testimonials can make unfamiliar or intimidating experiences easier to understand.
• Retail & E-commerce: Product demonstrations, comparisons, unboxing, tutorials, and ”which product is right for me” videos can move customers closer to a purchase. 
• Tourism & Hospitality: A destination, hotel, restaurant, attraction, or experience is considerably easier to sell when people can actually see and feel what they're going to experience.
• B2B: Video isn't just for consumer brands. Manufacturers can demonstrate equipment. Software companies can show their products in action. Industrial companies can explain complex processes. B2B companies can introduce their people and demonstrate expertise.
  
  

Video is representing more and more of the Canadian Advertising media mix. IAB Canada’s latest revenue report found that Canadian digital video advertising generated $2.79 billion in 2025, up 26% year-over-year. Connected TV accounted for 42.3% of measured digital video revenue, while in-stream video represented another 44.9%. And those numbers actually understate the size of the video ecosystem because the IAB figures exclude Google/YouTube and social media.

For businesses in Western Canada, this is particularly interesting. A local advertiser in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria, or Kelowna doesn't necessarily need to buy traditional television to reach a large audience with video anymore. You can create one strong piece of creative and distribute it across YouTube, social media, streaming TV, and other digital video environments, targeting specific geographic areas and audiences. That's a very different proposition from the costly old "buy a TV commercial and hope the right people see it." strategy.

Businesses often delay video strategies due to cost, time, and resources, but AI is making video production more attainable for all sizes of organizations. Canadian businesses and marketers are using AI tools for editing, scripting, captions, versions, translations, and creative testing. Wyzowl reports that 63% of video marketers used AI tools in 2026, up from 51% the previous year. 

As a business owner, you can create authentic video content that showcases your brand and answers your customers needs quickly. DIY video can often out-perform more polished content, and the flexibility of creating content in-house, allows you to create more content, more often.

However, if you’re looking for an expert to take the reins on video production, you do get better production value; for a premium or professional brand, a poor-quality video could work against you. And a videographer will give you an outside perspective that could help you see your business through the eyes of someone who isn’t familiar with your company. Not to mention the time savings; 19% of marketers cite “lack of time” as a barrier to producing video. A professional production partner can handle the planning, shooting, and editing while you run your business.

Your best video strategy could be a mix of both Professional and DIY. 59% of businesses primarily create videos in-house, while 32% use a mix of internal and external production. 

Hire a professional for the big pieces:

• Brand story
• Customer testimonials
• Case studies
• Product demonstrations
• CTV/YouTube Advertising
• Corporate video
• High-value website content

Then use your phone for more “daily” content

• FAQ’s
• Quick tips
• Behind the scenes
• Staff content
• New product arrivals
• Short commentary
• Timely social posts

Video content is all around us all the time, it’s here to stay, and the smartest marketing and business owners are embracing the format. Whether you DIY or hire a professional, if you’re not investing in video in 2026, you’re missing out!