If creating video content for your social media feels like something you should be doing, but keep putting off, you’re not alone.

Most service providers I speak to aren’t short on ideas: they’re short on time, energy, and headspace.

Because video content has somehow become this whole thing. 

It feels like you need to plan it, film it properly, say the right thing, edit it, and then do it all again tomorrow.

But video does not have to work like that.

It can be simple, flexible, and something that fits around what you’re already doing.

And one of the easiest ways to start is by using B-roll.

In this blog, I’m going to show you how to actually use B-roll in your content, so it feels manageable and something you can come back to consistently.

B-roll is one of those marketing jargon-y words that gets thrown around, so before we go any further, let’s make it clear what it is.

It’s actually incredibly simple, “B-roll” is just short background-style video clips.

The term originally comes from the movies.

Editors used to have their main footage, called A-roll, which was the primary action, usually people talking or the main scene.

Then they would add in extra footage, called B-roll, to support it.

This could be things like background shots, cutaway moments, or anything that helped tell the story without being the main focus.

That idea still applies now in our video content.

B-roll is any footage that isn’t you talking directly to camera.

It’s the in-between moments that give context, tells a story, or simply hold attention while you share your message.

Some simple B-roll ideas are:

• You opening your laptop at the start of the day.
• Typing away mid-task.
• Making a coffee between client calls.
• Writing in your notebook.
• Rearranging your desk.
• Walking into your workspace.
• Packing up at the end of the day.

These aren’t the big WOW moments, but more the small bits of your day-to-day to share more of the behind-the-scenes and build a connection with your audience.

Through watching more candid, natural clips like these they can know, like and trust you.

In fact, I recommend NOT trying to make these clips super aesthetic or perfectly polished.

It’s important that they feel real and authentic.

On their own, B-roll clips might not feel like much.

But when you add a message over the top, it becomes content.

This is why it works so well.

You’re not relying on the video itself to carry the message.

The clip supports what you’re saying, rather than being the whole point.

That’s what makes it feel easier to create and much easier to stay consistent with.

Instead of filming yourself being a big planned event, which can feel impossible to find the time, energy or motivation for, you can start by capturing what you’re already doing.

That way, you don’t need to set aside time to “create content” – you’re simply noticing small moments throughout your day that could become content later.

This is what makes B-roll such a useful starting point. 

It removes the pressure and gives you a simple way to begin.

If you’re not sure how this all fits together, it can help to think of it as a simple three-step process:

1. Capture footage
2. Edit it into short clips
3. Add your message

You don’t need to overcomplicate it beyond that.

Once you understand these three steps, it becomes much easier to actually use video in your content.

1. Capture footage (keep this simple)

The easiest place to start is by capturing small moments as you go about your day.

You don’t need to film anything complicated –a short clip of something you’re already doing is enough.

If you want to make this even easier, you can also batch a few clips together when you have the time or energy.

That might look like setting aside 20 to 30 minutes to capture a handful of simple moments in one go, so you have content ready to use later.

This works really well if you know you’re going to be busy or you want to take the pressure off needing to film every day.

If you’re not sure how to actually film these clips or what setup to use, I’ll be sharing a separate blog that goes into that in more detail.

2. Edit your clips into something usable

Once you have your footage, the next step is to turn it into short, usable clips.

A good approach is to record slightly longer clips, even just 10 to 20 seconds, and then trim them down.

This gives you more flexibility when you come to edit.

For most content, you only need a short section of that clip – around three to seven seconds is usually enough.

This is because your video is not doing all the work on its own: it’s there to support your message, not replace it.

Keeping your clips short also makes your content feel more natural and easier to watch.

3. Turn it into content with a clear message

Once you’ve got a short clip, what then? How do you best use it in your content?

Without a message, a video clip is just a video clip.  With a message, it becomes content.

Start by adding text over your video. You might share something your audience needs to hear, something you see come up again and again in your work, or a small shift that would make their life easier.

You can use:

• a short hook at the beginning to capture attention
• a simple line of context so people understand what they are looking at
• or a key takeaway you want them to leave with

One thing that makes a big difference here is your hook.

A “hook” is the line of text people read that hooks them into engaging with your content.

So that piece of text does a lot of work! You need a hook on your video and the first line of your caption too.

For video, the hook is the first line of text people see when your video starts, and what will make someone pause for a second instead of scrolling straight past.

The hook needs to feel relevant enough that your audience thinks, “Oh, this might be for me.”

Simple hooks like:

“The best tip I can give you is…”
“This is exactly what I’d do if…”
“This might sound simple, but…”

can work really well because they’re clear and easy to engage with.

With a B-roll video like this, it’s the clip that keeps attention, and it’s the hook that builds connection.

I’ll be sharing more on hooks in another post, but for now, the main thing to focus on is keeping your message simple and easy to understand at a glance.

Example: This video uses simple timelapse B-roll with a hook over the top to encourage viewers to read the caption.

You might actually already have more content than you think!

If you scroll back through your camera roll, you may find clips you’ve taken without even realising they could be used.

Moments from your workday, your setup, your routine, or even things you filmed and never ended up posting. Or you out and about, a nice sunset or view.

Instead of letting those go to waste, you can turn them into content by adding a message that reflects what you want to say now.

And the same clip can be used more than once. You can come back to it with a different perspective, a different caption, or a different piece of text on screen.

Remember, only you see every post – your audience won’t remember they’ve seen it before, and even if they do, I doubt they’d care!

This is where content creation can start to feel much easier.

You’re not needing to constantly film – just using what you already have, more intentionally.

Example:
I’ve reused a clip of me drinking in a cafe in a few different ways, including as a stand alone clip below and as part of a montage, and each one felt like a completely different piece of content.

You can turn photos into video content, too!

If you take photos on your iPhone using Live mode, you already have video content without realising it!

A Live Photo captures a few seconds of movement before and after the image, which means it can be saved as a video.

To do this, open your Photos app on your phone and find a Live Photo.

Tap the three dots in the corner and select “Save as Video”.

You’ll now have a short video clip ready to use, just like any other piece of B-roll!

This is such a lifesaver for when you forget to film anything, but you have taken a quick snap of your coffee or a selfie, etc., and can then be used in a video in a more dynamic way than a flat photo.

It’s such an easy way to create video content without needing to film anything new.

Example: This video is made up entirely of Live Photos! Would you have guessed it?

Once you start capturing these clips, you’ll realise how many ways you can use them.

Because B-roll isn’t just one type of content. It’s the foundation for most of the video content you see working well right now.

If you think about the three main types of videos you can use in your business, B-roll fits into nearly all of them.

1. 1. You’ve got your more text-led videos, where the message sits on screen and the clip holds attention in the background.
   2. You’ve got slightly longer or more layered videos, where you might combine a few clips and add a voiceover over the top.
   3. And then you’ve got talking videos, where you’re speaking directly to camera, and B-roll is used to break things up and keep the viewer engaged.

In all of these, you can use the same clip – it’s what you do with it that changes.

One thing that makes a big difference here is how you place your text.

If your text is too high, too low, or too close to the edges, it can get cut off when people are scrolling.

This happens more than you might think, especially with buttons and captions sitting over the screen.

Keeping your text centred and clearly visible makes your content much easier to read, and much more effective without any extra effort.

You might have heard that content should be tailored for each platform.

And while that is great in an ideal world, it is pretty unrealistic for those of is without an in-house marketing team.

So, if you’re a service provider with limited time and energy, this isn’t something I’d worry about.

I’d much rather you create one piece of content and actually share it, than get overwhelmed trying to create five slightly different versions and end up posting nothing.

You can use the same B-roll clip across Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube Shorts (or any other platform for that matter).

In most cases, it’ll work just as well.

If you do have more time and want to experiment, you absolutely can.

For example, you might tweak the text slightly, change the caption, or shift the angle depending on the platform.

But that’s a bonus, not a requirement.

That kind of experimentation is useful, but it’s very far down the list of priorities when it comes to marketing. Getting your content out there consistently, in a way that feels manageable, matters far more.

Your video content isn’t there to carry your entire marketing strategy.

It’s there to support it.

A simple piece of video content can lead someone to read your caption, join your email list, or start exploring your work.

When your content is clear, it doesn’t need to be complicated.

And when it’s simple to create, you’re far more likely to stay consistent with it.

If you’re reading this and thinking, “I could film clips like that, but I wouldn’t know what to say with them,” that’s completely normal.

Most of the time, the block isn’t the content itself. It’s the clarity behind it.

If you’re local to Bristol, this is exactly what we work through inside the Brand Compass Edit.

We get clear on your message and your content direction first, then capture a bank of photo and video content for you that you can use across your marketing for months later.

What a load off!

If you’re not local, this is also what I focus on inside The Party Starter.

I can help you take what you already have and turn it into a clear, simple content plan, so your content supports your business rather than overwhelming it.

Because your content shouldn’t feel like something you’re constantly trying to keep up with.

It should feel like something that fits into your business and your life. 💜