How Much Does Video Marketing Cost for Small Businesses?
What does video marketing actually cost a small business? A Minneapolis videographer breaks down pricing, cost drivers, and how to get the most from your budget.
I think video pricing is all over the place.
Most people who reach out don’t expect a video to cost $2,000. Some do. Those are the ones who already see the value. The problem is there’s no standard price in most people’s heads, so when a quote lands in your inbox it’s hard to tell if it’s fair, too cheap, or way too high.
I’m Dom, founder of Nrth Media in Minneapolis. I’ve been shooting for about 15 years, with a featured producer credit on the Emmy-winning Call of Duty League broadcast and a Part 107 certification to fly drones commercially. These days it’s mostly Minnesota small businesses, nonprofits, and creators. Here’s what video costs with me, what moves the price up or down, and how to get the most out of what you spend.
The Short Answer
Most of what I do is custom. But I also built three monthly plans for businesses that need recurring content, which is most of them. Here’s where things start at Nrth Media:
Long-form video (brand story, founder video, hero piece): starts at $2,500 for a full production day. That includes a two-camera interview setup with professional lighting and audio.
Monthly social content: starts at $999/month. The Growth Plan, which is what most clients pick, is $1,500/month. One content day a month, with reels edited and ready to post. The full plan breakdown is here.
Drone footage: add-on starting at $300.
For national context, Vidico’s 2026 pricing guide puts freelancers at roughly $1,000 to $3,000 per finished minute and agencies at $3,000 to $20,000+, with most B2B teams spending $5,000 to $25,000 on a single professional marketing video.
The final number comes down to scope. More on that below.
Why Video Is Worth the Money
Most businesses are already using video. According to Wyzowl’s 2026 State of Video Marketing report, 91% of businesses use it as a marketing tool, and 82% of marketers say it’s given them a good return on investment.
That same report found the top two reasons businesses skip video: they don’t think they need it, or they think it’s too expensive. That second one is why I wrote this.
Small businesses aren’t working with huge marketing budgets either. A 2023 survey put the average at $534 a month. So when video starts at a couple thousand dollars, I get the hesitation. It has to earn its place.
One more thing about that 82%. It’s down from 93% the year before, and I think that’s because more businesses are making video and a lot of it isn’t good. Video that’s planned, shot well, and actually posted still works.
What Makes Video Cost More (or Less)
Scope. That, and how easy the project is to pull off. A smaller, simpler project costs less, and once you start adding days, locations, and deliverables the number climbs.
Things that affect the price:
Number of videos and deliverables. One hero piece is different from a hero piece plus a social ad plus cutdowns.
Shoot days. One day vs. several.
Locations. One spot is simpler than moving between multiple sites.
Interviews. Multi-camera interview setups with lighting and audio take more gear and time.
Drone. An add-on, not something every project needs.
Editing and turnaround. More revision rounds or rush deadlines add time.
The easiest way to stretch your budget is to get clear on scope before we shoot. If you know what the video is for, who it’s for, and where it’s going to live, you won’t end up paying for stuff you don’t need.
The Cheap Option vs. Hiring a Pro
If you don’t need everything I offer, or you just need a smaller version, I’m fine building a custom package. Not every business needs a full production day.
But in my experience, when a client lays out 4 to 8 videos they want, doing that on the cheap just doesn’t make sense.
There are plenty of videographers out there charging money who don’t know what they’re doing. I’ve had clients come to me after the friend with a camera did some work for them. At that point they’re paying for it twice.
My advice: jump on a call and look through their work examples before you hire anyone. That’s how you find the right fit.
Doing It Yourself
More businesses are trying it. Wyzowl found 59% of video marketers make their videos in-house, and 63% have used AI tools to create or edit them, up from 51% the year before.
Here’s where I land on it:
Phone clips are okay if they’re done with intention. Know what the clip is for and who it’s for before you hit record. Random clips with no plan won’t do much.
AI clips are rough. People can tell. More and more of them hate it, and just ripping AI stuff is not a good look for your brand.
One-Off Project vs. Monthly Content
If your business isn’t on social media and all your traffic comes from referrals, you don’t really benefit from posting consistently. If you’re not trying to grow, it’s not necessary.
But for service-based businesses looking to grow, it matters. More eyes mean more potential customers, and that’s what the monthly plans are designed for: consistently shooting and posting social content, month after month, with the option to pause and restart around your other projects.
One-off projects make more sense when you need a specific piece, like a brand story or founder video, that you’ll use for a long time.
Signs You’re Ready to Invest in Video
The clients who see the value right away are usually in one of three spots:
They’ve already started making content and need help.
They’ve seen a competitor doing it.
They’ve reached the point where the only thing left is a brand story or founder video.
If one of those is you, it’s probably time. I wrote more about timing in When Should a Small Business Invest in Video?
Mistakes That Waste Your Video Budget
Going too cheap isn’t the only way to waste money on video. Here’s what I see most:
Not putting in effort or listening to feedback. The clients who get the best results are the ones who stay involved the whole way through.
Having no plan to post. A video sitting in a folder does nothing.
Expecting one video to do everything. One piece can’t be your ad, your website video, and your social content all at once, no matter how good it is.
Expecting an ad to work overnight. It won’t. Putting money behind a video takes time.
Not cross-promoting. Post it on every channel you have.
What to Do With $2,500
Depends on your goals. Some businesses need one strong hero piece, others get way more out of a batch of social clips, and I tailor it to what the client actually needs.
That’s what the free discovery call is for. We talk through your goals, then I put together a brief with my recommendations so you know what you’re getting before you spend anything.
If y’all are trying to figure out where video fits for your business, reach out here and let’s talk.
FAQ
How much does one video cost for a small business?
At Nrth Media, long-form video starts at $2,500 for a full production day. The final number depends on scope: deliverables, shoot days, locations, and editing.
How much does monthly social media video cost?
Plans start at $999 a month for one content day and 4 to 6 reels. The Growth Plan is $1,500 a month. Every plan is month to month.
Does drone footage cost extra?
Yes. Drone is an add-on starting at $300. I’m FAA Part 107 certified for commercial drone work.
Can I just shoot video on my phone?
Phone clips are okay if they’re done with intention. Know what the clip is for and who it’s for before you record.
Written by Dom Ollhoff
I started shooting in 2011 and started Nrth Media in 2020. Most of what we make now is for Twin Cities businesses.
More from the blog.
All articles
What are we making?
Tell us what it's for and when you need it. We'll take it from there.
Prefer email? hello@nrth.media works too.