Experimenting With Personal Brand Videos—Any ROI?

Introduction: The Power and Promise of Video in Personal Branding

Video has been hailed as the ultimate tool for connection—unfiltered, dynamic, and engaging. Recognizing the rise of TikTok, Instagram Reels, LinkedIn stories, and YouTube shorts, I decided to test the impact of personal brand videos on my own digital presence. But is all the hype worth it? Would investing in video content actually yield measurable returns on time, effort, and perhaps even a bit of budget?

Setting Up the Video Experiment

I mapped out a simple plan—create and publish a series of short, intentionally branded videos across the platforms where my target audience actively hangs out. My goals were clear:

• Increase audience engagement: Measure likes, comments, shares, and direct messages.
• Drive website traffic: Look for lifts in clicks and conversions linked to video content.
• Strengthen brand recognition: Track follower growth and recurring audience mentions.
• Prompt real business opportunities: See if videos create partnership or client leads.

I committed to posting regularly for one month, documenting format, frequency, and topic variations to pinpoint what worked and what didn’t.

Behind the Scenes: Creating the Content

Some initial lessons emerged right away:

• Authenticity beats polish: Candid, smartphone-shot clips outperformed studio-quality attempts. The audience connected more with the real stories and unscripted moments.
• Consistency matters: Regular uploads, whether daily or weekly, created anticipation and habit among my viewers.
• Educating and entertaining is a winning combo: Videos that taught lessons, shared brand tips, or revealed my personality and humor saw spikes in interaction.

Each week I refined my approach—experimenting with hooks, calls-to-action, backgrounds, and CTAs to draw in viewers. I mixed how-to videos, trend reactions, behind-the-scenes peeks, and personal stories.

The Data: Measuring ROI in Engagement and Action

Engagement Metrics

• Likes and Comments: Video posts consistently drew 2–3x more engagement than images or text-only updates.
• Shares and Saves: Useful video tips and stories were frequently reposted, expanding reach far beyond my follower base.
• Direct Messages: Authentic video content prompted conversations, questions, and requests for advice—an instant way to deepen relationships.

Website Traffic

• Clickable CTAs: Linking to my site or landing pages embedded in video captions generated noticeable lifts in click-throughs and conversions.
• Follower Journey: Reviewing Google Analytics, I saw traffic spikes immediately after video posts, confirming audience movement across platforms.

Brand Impact

• New Followers: My account growth rate doubled during the experimental period, with many new connections referencing video content that “hooked” them.
• Recognition and Recall: My brand became recognizable faster through recurring video elements—intro sequences, visual branding, and catchphrases.

Business Opportunities

• Leads and Partnerships: Direct inquiries from collaborators and prospects increased, often referencing a particular video as their point of entry.
• Speaking and event invites: Several organizations invited me to join webinars or panels based on my video content’s perceived expertise.

What Worked, What Didn’t

The experiment revealed some nuances:

• Shorter is better: Videos between 15–60 seconds garnered the highest completion rates.
• Actionable value wins: Sharing tips, actionable advice, and quick inspiration kept people saving and sharing.
• Polished promos flop: Overly produced, hard-sell videos underperformed compared to authentic, story-driven ones.

Lessons Learned

• Video builds trust: Seeing and hearing you humanizes your brand and accelerates relationship-building.
• ROI isn’t just financial: Brand videos pay off in engagement, influence, opportunity, and top-of-mind awareness.
• Experimentation is key: Testing hooks, formats, and platforms reveals what your unique community actually cares about.

Conclusion: Is There Real ROI?

Personal brand video delivers tangible returns across engagement, reach, and reputation—but only when it’s approached with authenticity and a clear purpose. My experiment proved that with the right strategy, videos are more than just digital noise; they’re a powerful driver of growth and business opportunity. If you’re wondering whether to invest in brand video, the answer is clear: start now, iterate fast, and watch as your ROI multiplies in ways that go far beyond the numbers.