10 Types of Videos That Drive Results for Business (2026 Guide)

There is no single "perfect" video. A 15-second TikTok clip might explode brand awareness, but it rarely closes a high-ticket B2B sale. Conversely, a 45-minute webinar is gold for qualified leads but terrible for cold traffic.

The "spice of life" here isn't just variety—it's strategy. In 2026, successful video marketing means matching the right type of video to the right stage of your customer journey.

Whether you're a startup founder or a seasoned marketing director, these are the 10 types of videos that are actually driving results right now—not just racking up vanity metrics.

1. Product Demos (Show, Don't Tell)

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a product video is worth a thousand clicks. These videos eliminate guesswork by showing exactly how your product solves a problem.

In 2026, product videos have shifted from polished, high-budget "commercials" to authentic, functional demonstrations. Viewers want to see the UI, the workflow, and the actual results—not just cinematic b-roll.

Best for: Conversion (bottom of funnel).
Key tip: Keep it under 2 minutes. Focus on the "Aha!" moment where the user achieves their goal.

2. Customer Testimonials (Social Proof)

Herd mentality is powerful. When a prospect sees someone like them succeeding with your product, the risk of buying drops significantly. Testimonials are arguably the most effective trust-building tool in your arsenal.

The best testimonials aren't scripted praise; they are stories of transformation. "I had this problem, I tried X and Y, then I found [Your Product], and now I have this result."

Best for: Building trust and overcoming objections.
Where to put them: Landing pages, pricing pages, and email nurture sequences.

3. Educational How-To Videos

"How to..." queries are among the most popular searches on YouTube and Google. By answering these questions, you position your brand as a helpful expert rather than just a salesperson.

For example, a company selling coffee beans might create a video on "How to brew the perfect French Press." They aren't screaming "BUY OUR BEANS," but when the viewer needs beans, guess who they trust?

Best for: Search traffic (SEO) and brand authority.
Tool tip: Use Loom for quick screen-recording tutorials or Camtasia for more polished edits.

4. Explainer Videos

An explainer video is an elevator pitch on steroids. It simplifies complex concepts into digestible, engaging content, often using animation (motion graphics) to illustrate abstract ideas.

These are critical for SaaS companies or businesses with innovative products that require a bit of education. If your product takes more than two sentences to explain, you need an explainer video.

Best for: Homepage headers and cold traffic.

5. Short-Form Video (Reels, Shorts, TikTok)

We can't ignore the elephant in the room. Short-form vertical video is dominating engagement. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts prioritize content that grabs attention in the first 3 seconds.

For businesses, this isn't about dancing trends. It's about micro-tips, quick updates, and cultural relevance. It's high-volume, lower-production-value content that keeps your brand top-of-mind.

Best for: Brand awareness and viral reach.

6. Live Streaming

Live video offers something pre-recorded content can't: real-time interaction. Webinars, Q&As, and live product launches allow you to answer questions instantly and build a community connection.

Platforms like Zoom and Restream make it easy to broadcast to multiple channels at once. The raw, unedited nature of live video often feels more authentic to viewers.

Best for: Deep engagement and community building.

7. Behind-the-Scenes (Company Culture)

People buy from people. Behind-the-scenes (BTS) videos humanize your brand. Show your office dog, your team brainstorming, or the manufacturing process of your product.

This transparency builds a deeper emotional connection. It says, "We aren't a faceless corporation; we're real people working hard for you."

Best for: Recruitment and brand loyalty.

8. Interactive & Shoppable Videos

This is the frontier of video marketing in 2026. Interactive videos allow viewers to click hotspots, answer polls, or choose their own path through the story. Shoppable videos let users click a product inside the video to add it to their cart.

This drastically shortens the path to purchase. Instead of "Watch video -> Search for product -> Buy," it's just "Watch -> Click -> Buy."

Best for: E-commerce sales.

9. Personalized Sales Videos

For B2B sales teams, the generic "Check in" email is dead. Personalized video messages—where a sales rep holds up a whiteboard with the prospect's name or records a screen share analyzing the prospect's website—have significantly higher open and response rates.

Tools like Vidyard have made this scalable, but the impact comes from the personal touch.

Best for: Cold outreach and account-based marketing (ABM).

10. User-Generated Content (UGC)

UGC is content created by your users, not your marketing team. It's unboxing videos, reviews, and social mentions. Because it's not polished or paid for (usually), it carries immense authority.

Encouraging your customers to share their experiences—perhaps via a contest or branded hashtag—gives you a library of authentic content to repost.

Best for: Authenticity and social proof.

Choosing the Right Video Type (Comparison)

Struggling to decide where to start? Use this guide to match the video type to your current business goal.

A Note on Video Hosting

Creating the video is only half the battle. Where you put it matters just as much. For social content (TikTok, Shorts), native upload is best. But for the videos on your website—your demos, testimonials, and explainers—YouTube is often a liability.

YouTube is designed to steal your traffic, not convert it. It will show ads, recommend competitor videos, and try to pull your visitor away to YouTube.com. For business video on your site, you need a dedicated professional host.

If you're serious about video lead generation, choose a player that keeps the focus on your brand.

Frequently Asked Questions

The landscape of video is huge, but you don't need to conquer every format at once. Pick the one that solves your immediate business problem—whether that's lack of traffic (Shorts), lack of trust (Testimonials), or low conversion (Demos)—and execute it well.

Once you've created that content, ensure it loads instantly and looks professional on your site. SmartVideo handles the technical side of video hosting so you can focus on creating content that your viewers love.