A strong Video Content Strategy, supported by an experienced an Video Production Company based in Manchester, helps you measure every view, click, and enquiry to prove your videos deliver a real return.
Why measuring video ROI matters
Many companies produce videos without a clear plan. The result is content that looks good but fails to earn its keep. Every business, whether in Technology, Finance, Manufacturing & Engineering, Property & Real Estate, Power Generation & Renewables, or Professional Services, should expect their video to perform a job. That job might be to win clients, close deals, support recruitment, or reduce sales time.
To do that, you need a strategy. A Video Content Strategy connects creative ideas with business goals. Without one, it’s impossible to measure whether the money spent with a Video Production Company Manchester has delivered value.
You wouldn’t invest in equipment, property, or software without tracking its return. The same rule applies to video. A clear plan with measurable goals turns content from a cost into an asset that generates leads, sales, and efficiency gains.
1. Start with clear goals
Before you think about cameras, graphics, or scripts, decide what success looks like. Every video needs a defined outcome.
Ask yourself:
What do you want the viewer to do after watching?
How will this action contribute to your wider business goals?
How will you measure that change?
Examples:
Technology firms: Use demo videos to reduce sales meetings per deal from four to two.
Finance companies: Create explainer videos to raise qualified enquiries for a new service by 20%.
Manufacturing & Engineering: Produce factory videos to attract three new international distributors.
Property developers: Use walkthroughs to generate 100 direct enquiries for a new development.
Professional Services: Record insight pieces to drive 30 inbound leads from LinkedIn in 90 days.
When goals are specific, you can set the right metrics to track success.
2. Choose the right metrics
The most common mistake is chasing vanity numbers. Views, likes, and shares don’t prove business impact. The right metrics depend on your goals.
Below are the most useful categories to track:
Awareness metrics
These show how far your video has reached.
Views and impressions
Average watch time
Completion rate
Example: A renewable energy firm produces a brand film. It gets 30,000 views and an average watch time of 42 seconds. That’s solid awareness data but not business value yet.
Engagement metrics
These measure how many viewers interact with your content.
Click-through rate
Comments, form fills, or downloads
Email sign-ups
Example: A property developer embeds a video on a campaign landing page. The page’s conversion rate rises from 2% to 5%. That’s measurable engagement.
Conversion metrics
These connect content to real outcomes.
Leads generated
Sales closed
Revenue gained
Cost savings
Example: A manufacturing firm spends £10,000 on a product video strategy. It produces 25 qualified leads in six months, converting five into sales worth £250,000. ROI = (250,000 – 10,000) ÷ 10,000 = 24x.
Long-term metrics
Videos often create indirect returns.
Improved brand recognition
Shorter sales cycles
Higher customer retention
Example: A consultancy uses onboarding videos to train new clients. Support calls drop by 40%, saving 100 staff hours a quarter.
3. Understand the full cost and return
You can’t measure ROI without knowing total costs. Include everything involved in creating, distributing, and managing the content.
Production costs: Filming, editing, captions, and project management.
Distribution costs: Paid ads, social promotion, and hosting.
Internal costs: Staff time spent managing shoots and enquiries.
Once you have these numbers, calculate ROI using:
ROI = (Return – Cost) ÷ Cost
Example:
An estate agent invests £5,000 in video marketing
This covers 10 property videos (£500 each)
The average Altrincham property sells for around £625,000
With a 1.25% commission rate, each sale earns £7,812
Selling all 10 properties brings in £78,120 in commission revenue
ROI = (78,120 – 5,000) ÷ 5,000 = 14.6, or 1,460% return
Even if video played a role in only half of those sales, the return would still exceed 700%.
For an agent, this means a relatively small spend on video content can help listings stand out, attract more enquiries, and move properties faster — all while delivering measurable, repeatable returns.
4. Set up tracking from the start
Many businesses forget this step. Without tracking, you can’t prove results later. Set it up early.
Practical steps:
Add UTM tags to every video link to trace traffic sources.
Track conversions in Google Analytics, HubSpot, or your CRM.
Create a dashboard showing leads, conversion rates, and sales from video campaigns.
Include lead source questions on forms to confirm video influence.
If you’re using LinkedIn, YouTube, or Vimeo, check platform analytics regularly. Most show audience drop-off times, device types, and regions. Use that to shape future content.
Example: A finance firm runs three short explainer videos across LinkedIn and YouTube. Analytics show LinkedIn viewers watch twice as long and click through 60% more. They shift the next budget entirely to LinkedIn ads.
5. Analyse and refine your Video Content Strategy
A good video strategy is built on repetition and review. Look at performance data every quarter.
Ask:
Which topics perform best?
Which formats drive the most conversions?
Which channels deliver the best cost per lead?
Then act on it.
Example process:
A technology company tests three types of videos: case studies, tutorials, and testimonials.
Tutorials generate 5x more leads.
The company shifts budget to tutorials, shortens length to 90 seconds, and doubles total conversions next quarter.
Refining your strategy this way saves money and increases impact over time.
6. Common mistakes to avoid
No clear goal. Without a target, ROI is impossible to prove.
Focusing on views. Views alone mean little without action.
Poor tracking setup. Data gaps make reporting weak.
No repurposing. One video can create many edits for web, social, and email. Failing to do so wastes potential.
One-off thinking. Treat video as an ongoing marketing asset, not a single project.
7. Practical examples by sector
Technology
A SaaS firm invests £8,000 in animated explainers. Videos increase trial sign-ups by 30%. Each trial is worth £200 in monthly revenue. ROI = (Added monthly income × 12 months – 8,000) ÷ 8,000.
Finance
A regional accountancy produces short advice clips for LinkedIn. One post reaches 10,000 views, 300 clicks, and 12 qualified leads worth £4,000 each.
Manufacturing & Engineering
A factory creates a 2-minute process video for trade shows. It cuts meetings per deal from five to two, saving 20 staff hours per sale.
Property & Real Estate
A developer films walkthroughs of a new site. Direct website enquiries rise from 40 to 120 in a month. Six convert to sales worth £900,000 combined.
Power Generation & Renewables
A renewables contractor creates a video case study to use in tender bids. It helps secure two new contracts worth £2m.
Professional Services
A legal firm creates a series of videos explaining complex regulations. The series ranks in search results, increasing organic leads by 25% within six months.
These examples show how measurable goals turn videos into profit-generating tools.
8. Work with the right partner
Producing results takes planning. A capable Video Production Company Manchester can help you:
Define business objectives before production begins.
Choose formats that fit your goals and audience.
Build a tracking plan from day one.
Repurpose footage for different platforms to stretch your investment.
When both creative and strategic planning align, results follow.
Final thoughts
Video should pay for itself. When planned with purpose and measured properly, it does more than look professional. It reduces sales time, strengthens brand trust, and supports growth.
If you’re unsure where to begin, start by listing your goals and comparing them with the videos you already have. Identify which ones earned measurable returns and which didn’t. That will guide your next step.
When you need support building a Video Content Strategy, or want help measuring your results, partner with a Video Production Company Manchester that understands business metrics as well as visuals.
Your videos should earn their keep. With clear goals, tracking, and review, they will.
