Video Marketing Statistics Forbes: The Complete 2025 Guide

Video marketing has evolved from a nice-to-have addition to an absolute necessity for businesses across all industries. According to research cited by Forbes and other leading marketing publications, the numbers tell a compelling story about why video should be at the center of your marketing strategy in 2025.

The Dominance of Video in Digital Marketing

Video marketing statistics Forbes has highlighted reveal that the medium has become the cornerstone of successful digital campaigns. The data shows that 93% of marketers consider video a crucial part of their overall strategy, marking video content as one of the most important tools in a marketer's arsenal.

Perhaps even more impressive is that 95% of marketers in 2025 view video as an essential marketing tool, up from 88% in 2024. This surge represents a clear consensus: video isn't just competing with other content formats—it's dominating them.

The Incredible Engagement Power of Video

Forbes research has uncovered some remarkable statistics about video engagement that every marketer should know:

Videos are shared 1,200% more frequently than links and text combined. This staggering figure demonstrates the viral potential of video content. When you create a video, you're not just creating content—you're creating a shareable asset that can exponentially expand your reach.

Users spend an average of 88% more time on websites with video content. This extended engagement time translates to more opportunities to convert visitors, build brand awareness, and establish trust with potential customers.

The retention rates are equally impressive: viewers retain 95% of information from video compared to just 10% when reading text. For businesses trying to communicate complex products, services, or ideas, this retention advantage is game-changing.

The ROI That Speaks for Itself

The financial impact of video marketing is undeniable. According to the latest data, 90% of marketers report a positive return on investment from their video marketing efforts. Even more compelling, 87% of marketers have witnessed an increase in sales after investing in video marketing.

For executives specifically, the impact is measurable and immediate: 65% have navigated to a vendor's website, and 39% have called a vendor after watching a marketing video. These aren't passive viewers—they're engaged prospects taking action.

Click-through rates tell a similar story, with video content driving a 96% increase compared to other content types. When you combine higher engagement with improved conversion rates, the business case for video becomes crystal clear.

Current State of Video Marketing Adoption

In 2025, 89% of marketers are actively using video in their marketing strategies. While this represents a slight dip from the 91% peak in 2023-2024, it still shows that video marketing remains nearly universal among forward-thinking businesses.

For those who haven't yet embraced video, the tide is turning. An impressive 68% of marketers who haven't adopted video plan to start in 2025, signaling that the holdouts recognize they can no longer ignore this powerful medium.

Platform-Specific Insights

Understanding where to deploy your video content is just as important as creating it. Here's what the data reveals about platform usage:

YouTube continues to dominate as the second most popular website globally after Google, with users spending over a billion hours daily on the platform. The platform is projected to reach 2.85 billion monthly active users by 2025.

Social media platforms have shifted dramatically toward video-first strategies. Facebook is moving toward becoming a 100% video platform, and Instagram has publicly stated it considers itself a video-sharing platform above a photo platform.

For B2B marketers, LinkedIn shows impressive results, with video posts earning 3x more engagement than text-only content. Company websites remain the top destination for video content at 67%, followed by email marketing at 49%.

Mobile Video Consumption Trends

The mobile revolution has fundamentally changed how audiences consume video content. Currently, 70% of YouTube watch time comes from mobile devices, and over 75% of all video views happen on mobile.

By 2025, approximately 3.47 billion people globally will watch videos on their mobile phones, representing 42.6% of the world's population. This mobile-first reality means that optimizing for mobile viewing isn't optional—it's essential.

Vertical video formats have seen a 61% jump in popularity as companies seek to optimize content for mobile users. Additionally, 85% of mobile videos are watched without sound, making captions and visual storytelling more critical than ever.

The Short-Form Video Revolution

Short-form video content has emerged as the format delivering the highest return on investment for marketers. This format, popularized by platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, is now used by 29.18% of marketers in their content strategies.

When asked which content format they plan to invest more in for 2025, 17.13% of marketers chose short-form video, making it the top choice for increased investment.

The power of short-form extends to engagement rates, with videos under 5 minutes achieving an engagement rate of nearly 50%, though longer videos (over 60 minutes) maintain impressive play rates of 58% for highly specialized content.

Consumer Behavior and Video Content

Understanding how consumers interact with video content is crucial for strategy development. The statistics reveal compelling behavioral patterns:

Over 50% of consumers say online video has helped them decide which products and brands to buy. Video content isn't just entertaining—it's actively influencing purchase decisions at scale.

80% of customers begin their customer journey by watching branded videos on YouTube, demonstrating that video plays a critical role in the awareness and consideration phases of the buyer's journey.

Product videos specifically show remarkable impact, with product pages featuring video experiencing 47% higher engagement rates. Additionally, explainer videos can reduce product returns by 35%, saving businesses significant costs while improving customer satisfaction.

Content Types and Production Insights

What types of videos are companies creating? The 2025 data shows that the most popular video types are:

• Product demonstrations and explainers

• Educational and instructional content

• Social media videos

• Webinars and live events

• Customer testimonials and case studies

Production approaches vary, with 55% of marketers producing videos in-house, 14% outsourcing to vendors, and 31% using a hybrid approach. This distribution suggests that video production has become accessible enough that more than half of companies can handle it internally.

Budget considerations are also evolving. According to research, most companies operate with video marketing budgets of less than $5,000, proving that effective video marketing doesn't require massive expenditures. The key is strategy, not necessarily spending.

The AI and Technology Factor

Artificial intelligence is reshaping video marketing capabilities. Currently, 18% of businesses leverage AI tools for their video content production, with auto-generating captions and transcripts being the top AI use case at 59%.

Looking forward, 96% of marketers believe AI-driven personalization will be a game-changer for video marketing. This includes personalized video messages based on customer data, dynamic content that adapts to viewer preferences, and automated video creation tools that reduce production time and costs.

E-Commerce and Social Commerce Growth

Video's impact on commerce cannot be overstated. Social commerce sales are expected to exceed $85 billion in 2025, with video content playing a central role in driving these sales.

Live shopping events have gained significant traction, with global livestream sales expected to hit $500 billion by 2025. This represents a massive opportunity for brands to create interactive, real-time shopping experiences that blend entertainment with commerce.

Video Advertising Spend Projections

The financial commitment to video advertising continues to grow at an impressive pace. In the United States alone, overall video ad spend will reach $130.97 billion in 2025, up from $111.55 billion in 2024.

Mobile video advertising will account for $85 billion of that total, with $60.94 billion specifically dedicated to mobile social media video ads. Connected TV (CTV) advertising will represent $33.35 billion, showing the diversification of video ad spending across platforms.

Key Challenges and Barriers

Despite the overwhelming evidence supporting video marketing, barriers to adoption still exist. According to the data:

• 37% of marketers say they haven't adopted video because they don't know where to start

• 26% cite lack of time

• 16% are uncertain about ROI

• 11% perceive video creation as too expensive

• 64% see video as the most difficult content type to create

These challenges, while real, are increasingly being addressed by more accessible technology, abundant educational resources, and the clear demonstration of ROI from early adopters.

The Connected TV Opportunity

Connected TV (CTV) is emerging as a significant opportunity for video marketers. In 2025, 238 million people in the U.S. will watch CTV content, with more than 175 million using Smart TVs to access this content.

What makes CTV particularly appealing is audience engagement. 40% of marketers believe CTV has a "highly engaged opt-in audience", representing viewers who have chosen to consume content rather than passively receiving it through traditional broadcast channels.

Video Content Consumption Patterns

Understanding when and how audiences consume video helps optimize content strategy. Current data shows:

• The average American watches 17 hours of video per week

• 78% of people watch video online every week

• 55% engage with video content daily

• Video is expected to account for 82% of all consumer internet traffic by 2025

These consumption patterns indicate that video has become the default content format for many internet users, not just a occasional alternative to text or images.

What This Means for Your Business

The video marketing statistics Forbes and other industry leaders have compiled paint a clear picture: video marketing is no longer experimental or optional. It's a proven, high-ROI marketing channel that consumers prefer and engage with more than any other content format.

For businesses not yet investing in video, 2025 represents a critical inflection point. Your competitors are likely already using video, your potential customers expect it, and the platforms where your audience spends time prioritize it algorithmically.

The good news? Getting started is more accessible than ever. You don't need Hollywood-level production budgets or professional equipment. Many successful video marketing campaigns use nothing more than a smartphone, good lighting, and authentic messaging that resonates with target audiences.

Taking Action on These Video Marketing Statistics

Based on these compelling statistics, here are practical steps to implement video marketing in your business:

1. Start small and iterate: Begin with simple video types like product demonstrations or team introductions

2. Optimize for mobile: Ensure all video content works perfectly on smartphones, including vertical formats where appropriate

3. Add captions by default: With 85% of mobile video watched without sound, captions are essential

4. Measure and adjust: Track engagement metrics, conversion rates, and ROI to refine your approach

5. Diversify platforms: Don't rely on a single platform—test video across your website, email, and multiple social channels

6. Embrace authenticity: Consumers respond to genuine content more than polished perfection

7. Invest in education: Address the knowledge gap that prevents many marketers from getting started

The Bottom Line

The data is overwhelming and consistent across multiple research sources, including Forbes: video marketing works. It drives engagement, builds trust, generates leads, and increases sales. With 95% of marketers viewing it as essential and 90% reporting positive ROI, video has proven itself as one of the most effective marketing channels available.

As we progress through 2025, the question isn't whether your business should be using video marketing—it's how quickly you can implement an effective video strategy to stay competitive in an increasingly video-first digital landscape.

The statistics don't lie: video marketing is here to stay, and businesses that embrace it now will have a significant advantage over those that wait. Whether you're a small startup or a Fortune 500 company, the time to invest in video marketing is now.