Ijharul Islam
91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, 82% of video marketers say it gives them a good return, and 63% have used AI to create or edit video, up from 51% a year earlier. Those figures come from Wyzowl's State of Video Marketing 2026, the longest-running survey of its kind (12 years), which asked 266 marketers and consumers in late 2025.
Below are the numbers most worth quoting, grouped by question, each with its source. We've used two sources we could read in full on 26 October 2026: Wyzowl's report and Pew Research Center's 2026 social media survey, plus platform help pages for benchmarks. More on planning and measuring video in our video marketing guides.
The short answer
Key 2026 numbers: 91% of businesses use video (Wyzowl); 93% of video marketers call it important; 82% report good ROI, down from 93%; 63% have used AI for video; 92% will spend the same or more; 71% say 30 seconds to 2 minutes works best. 84% of U.S. adults use YouTube (Pew), and 95% of 18 to 29-year-olds.
Key takeaways
- Adoption is flat at about 90%: the question is no longer whether to use video but which kind.
- Reported ROI fell 11 points in a year (93% to 82%) while AI use rose 12 points: more video, more competition.
- Short wins in marketers' experience: 51% say 30 to 60 seconds works best.
- YouTube is both the most used (82%) and the channel most often rated effective (69%).
- Wyzowl's sample is small (266) and Wyzowl sells video, so use these as direction, not precision.
Disclosure: we make QuickVeed and show how to do this in it, along with other ways. Details about other products come from their public pages, checked in October 2026 and linked at the end.
How many businesses use video marketing?
| Statistic | 2026 | Earlier | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Businesses using video as a marketing tool | 91% | 61% in 2016 | Wyzowl 2026 |
| Video marketers who call video an important part of strategy | 93% | 78% in 2015 | Wyzowl 2026 |
| Non-users who plan to start in 2026 | 67% | - | Wyzowl 2026 |
| Top reasons for not using video | 'Not needed' and 'too expensive', 24% each | - | Wyzowl 2026 |
Live action is the main format for 51% of video marketers, animation for 23% and screen recording for 19%. 59% make video in house, 32% use a mix, and 10% rely on an outside vendor.
Does video marketing work? ROI and results
| Marketers who say video has... | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Given them a good ROI | 82% | 93% |
| Increased user understanding of their product | 93% | 99% |
| Increased brand awareness | 93% | 96% |
| Helped generate leads | 85% | 88% |
| Directly increased sales | 83% | 84% |
| Increased web traffic | 82% | 82% |
| Increased dwell time on their site | 82% | 84% |
| Reduced support queries | 57% | 62% |
Every benefit was reported a little less often than in 2025, and ROI fell most. One reading: as video becomes the default, it stops standing out. Marketers mostly judge success by views (67%) and engagement (63%); only 32% use bottom-line sales. Video marketing metrics explains what to track instead.
How many marketers use AI to make video?
63% of video marketers have used AI tools to help create or edit marketing videos, up from 51% in 2025, the biggest one-year jump in Wyzowl's 2026 report. Typical uses are scripts, voiceovers, captions, avatars and resizing for each platform. AI video ideas for small business and AI avatar vs a real presenter cover where AI helps and where it doesn't.
How much do businesses spend on video?
- 46% of video marketers spend a third of their marketing budget or less on video; 17% aren't sure what they spend.
- 49% plan to spend more in 2026, 43% the same and 8% less (92% the same or more).
- 38% say video is getting more expensive to make, 30% cheaper and 32% about the same.
- 41% spent money on video ads in the past year, up from 36%.
For production costs by route, see explainer video cost.
What video length works best?
71% of video marketers say videos between 30 seconds and 2 minutes work best: 51% pick 30 to 60 seconds, 20% 1 to 2 minutes and another 20% 30 seconds or less. Only 9% pick anything over 2 minutes. That's marketers' experience across all uses, not a platform rule; the best video length for each platform gives the platforms' own guidance.
Which channels work best for video?
| Channel | Marketers who used it | Rate it effective |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube | 82% | 69% |
| 70% | 50% | |
| 69% | 56% | |
| 68% | 55% | |
| Webinars | 56% | 42% |
| TikTok | 40% | 29% |
| X | 29% | 16% |
| Snapchat | 16% | 8% |
Audience reach points the same way. Pew Research Center's 2026 survey (30 January to 18 June 2026) found 84% of U.S. adults use YouTube, 70% Facebook and 51% Instagram. Among 18 to 29-year-olds, 95% use YouTube and 65% TikTok.
What do viewers say about brand video?
| Consumers who... | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Have watched an explainer video to learn about a product or service | 96% |
| Have been convinced to buy by watching a video | 85% |
| Want to see more video from brands | 84% |
| Have bought or downloaded an app after watching a demo | 80% |
| Say video quality affects how much they trust a brand | 89% |
Asked how they'd most like to learn about a product, 63% chose a short video, 12% an article, 7% an infographic and 5% a sales call. The video types marketers make most are covered in types of marketing videos.
How far should you trust these numbers?
Use them for direction. Wyzowl's 2026 sample was 266 respondents split between marketers and consumers, so a few points' change from one year to the next can be noise; Wyzowl also sells video production. Self-reported ROI is an opinion, not a measurement. Pew's survey is far larger and independent but measures platform use, not marketing results. Your own analytics beat any survey: compare like with like using engagement rate benchmarks and your own past videos.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of businesses use video marketing?
91% in Wyzowl's State of Video Marketing 2026, up from 61% in 2016.
Is video marketing worth it?
82% of video marketers told Wyzowl it gives them a good ROI in 2026, down from 93% in 2025. Measure leads and sales from your own videos to know for your business.
How many marketers use AI for video?
63% have used AI to create or edit marketing videos, up from 51% a year earlier (Wyzowl 2026).
What is the best length for a marketing video?
71% of marketers say 30 seconds to 2 minutes works best, with 30 to 60 seconds the single most common answer (51%).
Which platform is best for video marketing?
YouTube: 82% of video marketers use it and 69% rate it effective, the highest of any channel in Wyzowl's survey, and 84% of U.S. adults use it (Pew 2026).
Try it with your own video
Make more short videos from what you already record. Turn one long recording into captioned short clips with the trial credits. QuickVeed plans start at $18/month, and new accounts get a 14-day trial with 250 credits, no card needed. Sign up or see pricing.
Sources
Competitor details in this post were checked against these public pages in October 2026. Products and prices change, so confirm with each vendor before you decide.
