Consistency Is the Real Video Metric

‘Charlie bit my finger’ is my first memory of a video going viral. It was 2007. Almost two decades ago! I’ve just re-watched it and I’m not sure it would go viral if it was released now. Not because it’s not cute or funny - it’s incredibly authentic. But because algorithms now dominate and dictate what we see in our feeds now, plus viewers will now ask, “is this AI-generated?”. The landscape has changed dramatically since 2007! 

'Charlie Bit My Finger' YouTube hit in 2007

I chat to many business owners about their video marketing content and our Social Shorts offering, and what I hear a lot is “if you can make videos that goes viral, let’s do it.” 

The parents of baby Charlie did not intend for this video to go viral. Most organic videos that have gone viral were purely accidental. I use the word ‘organic’ as nowadays, with algorithms and paid ad sales (non-organic), companies who have the marketing budget to invest in paid ads and a content manager to manage it, have more chances for a video to get more engagement. 

For those who don’t have social media managers or a big marketing budget, we shouldn’t be building content strategies around the hope that this one video will take off. It won’t! Or if it does, it’ll be brief, unpredictable and rarely tied to actual business outcomes. People don’t buy from you because one video got lots of views and bam, you've hit your metrics (you're measuring wrong!). They buy because they’ve seen you before.….and again…. and again. Consistency is key.

Particularly in B2B, buying decisions are rarely impulsive. They’re considered, multi-touch and pretty slow for various reasons. One video, no matter how well produced, is unlikely to be the silver bullet you're seeking.

What actually influences decision-makers is:

• Consistent exposure

• Seeing a brand’s thinking over time

• Understanding how they approach problems

• Recognising their perspective before a sales conversation even begins.

For companies, short and consistent content shifts the focus from single moments to sustained presence. This approach does a few important things:

• It supports long sales cycles by keeping the brand visible between touchpoints;

• It allows messaging to evolve without waiting for the next major campaign;

• It reduces creative risk by spreading it across multiple pieces rather than one;

• It creates space to test, learn and refine based on real audience response.

  
  

Individually, these pieces may feel modest. Together, they build familiarity, credibility and momentum. Occasionally, one video will outperform expectations. That’s not the goal, but it’s often the by-product of showing up consistently.

Lower Stakes Create Better Content Systems

When video content is designed to be short and repeatable, you start to think and operate differently:

• The pressure to say everything at once disappears;

• Content becomes easier to approve;

• Content becomes easier to adapt;

• Content becomes easier to sustain alongside broader marketing priorities.

Rather than asking “Is this big enough?”, you ask yourselves “Is this useful, clear and on-brand?” Again, consistency is key.

Showing Up Is a Strategic Choice

At Big Boat Films, we work with companies who want content systems, not one-off wins. Short-form video plays a central role in that system (not as a trend) and as a practical way to communicate consistently without inflating production or expectations.

You can’t plan something viral. But you can plan to show up intentionally and consistently.

For most companies, it shouldn’t be a compromise, it should be part of your company strategy.

We can help your video marketing efforts with our Social Shorts service offering. 

Drop me a message on: aimee@bigboatfilms.com