Rough or Ready? How to Choose the Right Video Angle for B2B Marketing

Summary
Decisions, decisions. Should B2B videos be polished and perfect? Or real and unedited? Here are the pros and cons.
By Sheena McKinney, Business Operations & Marketing Assistant at Heinz Marketing
Most 2025 trends and prediction posts for B2B sales and marketing list video as an emerging as a powerful tool to engage prospects, nurture leads, and drive conversions. Are you are embracing the importance of crafting the right type of video content to effectively communicate with your audience?
A common decision point is whether to opt for polished, highly-produced videos or embrace the authenticity of unedited, raw video footage. Let’s explore the pros and cons of each approach to guide your video strategy.
Polished, Highly-Produced Videos
Pros:
- Professionalism and Brand Image:
- A polished video showcases professionalism, significantly enhancing our brand image and conveying trustworthiness and a commitment to quality. It symbolizes the expertise and sophistication that Heinz Marketing prides itself on.
- Sleek visuals and seamless editing can attract and hold the attention of our audience, making it easier to command respect in a crowded marketplace.
- Engagement through High-quality Visuals:
- Utilizing high production value can captivate viewers, which is particularly beneficial for detailed product demonstrations or complex subjects that demand high engagement.
- Reusability and Longevity:
- High-quality content often gets repurposed across various platforms and campaigns, maintaining its relevancy and freshness over time.
Cons:
- Time and Resource Intensive:
- Production can be costly and time-intensive, requiring specialized skills and equipment. However, the investment often pays off in the long term through increased engagement and brand enhancement.
- Longer lead times might challenge agility in responding swiftly to market trends or urgent needs.
- Potential Lack of Authenticity:
- There’s a risk of highly polished videos coming across as insincere or staged, potentially reducing relatability and credibility with an audience that values transparency.
Unedited, Raw Videos
Pros:
- Authenticity and Relatability:
- By using raw, unedited videos, you may be able to foster genuine connections. Real stories featuring real people resonate more with audiences seeking transparency, thereby strengthening trust.
- This approach makes your brand more approachable and customer-focused.
- Cost-efficiency and Agility:
- Lower production costs coupled with quicker turnaround times allow for increased flexibility. This is advantageous for informal updates, spontaneous live streams, and prompt responses to market changes.
- Enhanced Interaction and Engagement:
- Platforms favor live and unedited content due to its interactive nature, allowing you to potentially engage your audience in real-time, fostering dialogue and strengthening relationships.
Cons:
- Perceived Lack of Professionalism:
- There’s a risk that unedited videos may appear amateurish, which can impact perception if professionalism is a core brand requirement.
- Intricate topics might not get the attention deserved due to lack of visual polish.
- Limited Control Over Messaging:
- With less editing, there’s less control over message delivery, which can lead to miscommunication and diluted key points.
Conclusion
The choice between polished and unedited video depends on your unique needs, target audience, campaign and brand objectives. Try both– look at the data! By strategically integrating both styles into our video strategy, you can effectively leverage the strengths of each to enhance your client engagement and drive success in today’s noisy world.
Need some recommendations?
If you want some great, raw and real conversation with incredible thought leaders, Challenger Sale Co-Author Brent Adamson and President of Heinz Marketing, Matt Heinz, watch Coffee with Brent and Matt, live every Friday (and on-demand) for a discussion filled with plenty of B2B insights and a lot of Tom Foolery.
Or for a bit more polish, but still “real talk” tune in weekly to Sales Pipeline Radio, live on LinkedIn Thursdays (and on-demand).
The show is about 20 minutes, fast-paced and full of actionable advice, best practices and more for B2B sales and marketing professionals.
Join Matt, literally, in the conversation.
Both shows are streamed live (nothing more real than that!). This means you can comment and interact with the hosts and maybe have your rebuttals, insights and comments brought up on screen. If watching on-demand (which we confess is lightly edited), leave your comment or questions here.