Pick videos that answer a buying question
Start with the questions customers ask before hiring you. A short introduction from the owner shows personality. A walk-through of your process explains what happens after they call. A tour of your location helps people find you. A short demo shows a product in use.
Avoid generic brand videos with music and drone shots but no information. If a video does not answer a question or reduce a worry, it is decoration.
Keep them short and front-loaded
Put the useful point in the first fifteen seconds. Most small business videos work best between 30 seconds and two minutes. For detailed how-to content, longer is fine if it has chapters and a clear title. Plan the script as a list of three or four points, and say them in plain speech.
Look at the camera, speak slowly and keep sentences short. Natural is better than polished.
Equipment and basics
A recent phone, a tripod or a stable surface, and good light are enough. Sound matters more than picture: record in a quiet room and consider an inexpensive clip-on microphone. Shoot with the phone horizontally for the website and consider a vertical version for short social videos.
Check the background for things you would not want shown, like paperwork, screens and street names.
Do a test recording and watch it on a phone before filming the real thing. Check that your face is lit from the front, that the audio has no echo, and that nothing in the frame distracts from what you are saying. Ten minutes of testing saves a full reshoot.
Add captions and a transcript
Many people watch with the sound off, and viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing need captions. Most hosting services generate captions that you can edit for accuracy. Posting a transcript below the video also gives search engines text to read and gives visitors another way to skim.
Check names and technical terms by hand, because automatic captions often get them wrong.
Host it so the page stays fast
Uploading a large video file directly to your web host can slow the whole site. Use a video platform and embed it, and set the embed to load only when the visitor clicks play. Use a still image with a play button as a placeholder.
Do not set videos to play automatically with sound. It annoys visitors and many browsers block it anyway. Keep the first screen light, since it affects speed measures such as Largest Contentful Paint.
Check the page on mobile data after adding the video. If the page now feels slower, move the video lower or replace the player with a simple link to the hosted version.
Mistakes that waste a good video
Common problems include a long silent intro with a logo animation, a video that cannot be understood without sound, text too small to read on a phone, and a link to nowhere at the end. Watch your own video on a phone, in a noisy place, with the volume off. If it still makes sense, it is ready.
Common questions
Do I need a professional videographer?
Not for simple talking-head or demonstration clips. Hire help for complex, public-facing pieces where quality shapes your reputation.
Should I upload videos to YouTube?
It is a reasonable host and also a search site in itself. Use a clear title and description, and embed the video on your own page too.
This guide is general information. Search engines change how they work and their guidelines; check Google's current documentation for your situation. Nobody can guarantee a ranking.