People still watch a lot of video, but the numbers behind it have shifted. The average person now spends about 17 hours a week watching online video, down from 19 hours a few years ago, according to industry tracking from Demandsage. That's not a sign video is losing ground. It's a sign attention has gotten harder to earn, and businesses that treat video as an afterthought are the ones losing viewers. Below is a current, sourced breakdown of the stats that actually matter for a business trying to grow with video in 2026, along with what they mean for you.
The headline number: 91% of businesses now use video as a marketing tool, and 82% of marketers say it delivers a good return on investment, according to Wyzowl's 2026 Video Marketing Statistics report. Video isn't a nice-to-have anymore. It's close to table stakes.
How Much Video People Actually Watch
Before looking at what video does for a business, it helps to know how much of it people are watching, and where.
Average time a person spends watching online video every week, down from 19 hours in 2022.
Demandsage, 2026Of consumers watch video content primarily on a mobile device rather than a desktop or TV.
Demandsage, 2026Of consumers say short-form video is the most engaging type of content they watch online.
Demandsage, 2026Of consumers prefer short-form video when they're researching a product or service.
Demandsage, 2026The takeaway is simple: your audience is mostly watching on a phone, in short sessions, and they'll favor a tight, well-edited clip over a long, unedited one. If your videos are shot for a big screen and never trimmed down, you're already losing part of your audience.
Video's Impact on Sales and Marketing Performance
This is the section that tends to convince a skeptical business owner. Video isn't just watched, it moves people toward a purchase.
Of video marketers say video has directly increased sales for their business.
Wyzowl, 2026Of video marketers say video has helped them generate leads.
Wyzowl, 2026Of people say watching a video has convinced them to buy a product or service.
Wyzowl, 2026Of people have watched an explainer video to learn more about a product before buying.
Wyzowl, 2026That last stat is worth sitting with. If you don't have a clear explainer video on your homepage or product page, you're asking nearly all of your visitors to make a decision with less information than they want.
What Consumers Expect From Brand Video Today
Audiences aren't just watching more video, they're getting pickier about what they'll sit through.
- 84% of consumers say they want to see more video from the brands they follow (Wyzowl, 2026)
- 89% of consumers say video quality directly affects how much they trust a brand (Wyzowl, 2026)
- 71% of people believe videos between 30 seconds and 2 minutes are the most effective length (Wyzowl, 2026)
- 30% of both B2B and B2C marketers now lean on short-form video as their primary format, compared with roughly 18-19% who favor long-form (Demandsage, 2026)
What this means for you: Quality now reads as trust. A shaky, poorly cut video doesn't just underperform, it can actively make people trust your brand less. This is one of the biggest reasons businesses hire a professional editor rather than publish raw footage.
Budget, Production, and How Businesses Are Making Video Happen
Here's where the numbers get practical: what businesses are actually spending, and how they're getting videos made.
Of marketers plan to spend the same amount or more on video marketing in 2026.
Wyzowl, 2026Of marketers have spent money on video ads in 2026, up from 36% the year before.
Wyzowl, 2026Of businesses create their video content entirely in-house.
Wyzowl, 2026Of businesses use a mix of in-house filming and an outside editor or agency for post-production.
Wyzowl, 2026That last figure lines up with how most of our clients actually work. Filming in-house, whether that's a phone camera or a proper setup, is usually the easy part. It's the editing (cutting footage down, pacing it for attention, adding captions and sound design) that takes real time and skill, which is why a hybrid approach is so common. See our breakdown of how long editing a video actually takes if you're trying to plan around it.
Where Video Fits Into the Customer Journey
Video isn't just for the top of the funnel. It shows up at nearly every stage of how a customer decides to buy.
- Awareness: short, scroll-stopping clips on social media introduce your brand to people who've never heard of you
- Consideration: explainer and demo videos help someone evaluate whether your product actually solves their problem
- Decision: testimonial and case study videos give a hesitant buyer the social proof they need to commit
- Retention: onboarding and how-to videos reduce support tickets and keep customers from churning
If you want a more detailed walkthrough of how these stages connect, our guide on building a video marketing funnel maps out exactly which type of video to use at each stage.
What to Do With These Numbers
Taken together, these statistics point to one conclusion: video works, but the bar for a video that actually performs keeps rising. Shorter, better-edited, mobile-first content consistently wins, and audiences are increasingly judging your brand's trustworthiness by how polished your video looks. If you're already filming but the editing side is where things stall, our editors handle that part so you can keep the camera rolling. You can also hire a dedicated editor if your volume of content has grown past what you can manage on your own.
FAQ: Video Marketing Statistics
How much video content should a business be publishing?
There's no fixed number, but consistency matters more than volume. A business publishing one well-edited video a week will usually outperform one posting five rushed, unedited clips, since 89% of consumers say video quality affects how much they trust a brand.
Is short-form or long-form video better for engagement?
Short-form generally wins on engagement. 66% of consumers rate it as the most engaging content type, and 73% prefer it specifically when researching a product or service. Longer video still has a role for tutorials or in-depth reviews, but it needs a strong hook to hold attention.
Does video marketing actually increase sales?
Yes. 83% of video marketers report that video has directly increased sales, and 85% say it's helped generate leads, according to Wyzowl's 2026 report. The effect is strongest when the video addresses a specific question or objection a buyer has.
Should video production be handled in-house or outsourced?
Most businesses use a mix. Filming in-house keeps content authentic and timely, while handing editing to a professional keeps the finished product polished and consistent, without requiring someone on staff to learn editing software.
What video length performs best?
71% of people say videos between 30 seconds and 2 minutes are the most effective length. That said, the right length depends on the platform and the goal, a quick product teaser and an in-depth tutorial don't need to follow the same rule.
Filming is the easy part. If editing is what's slowing your video output down, our team of human editors can turn your raw footage into polished, on-brand videos on a flat monthly rate.
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