If a picture is worth a thousand words....

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what must a video be worth?  Videos increase engagement on landing pages, assist in a touchless sales process, build audiences; but video can be very intimidating.  You don't want to spend a fortune on something that may be ephemeral, but you also don't want to look lame using shakey phone videos.  How do you know what to do?  

First of all - when considering video start with your message and your target audience.  you can use video production of all types if it is appropriate for what you are doing.  For example, lets say you want to provide some tips on how to use your software for trial customers.  It's totally appropriate to have an engineer or support person record some video on their computer and post it.  Now let's say you want to make a big splash at a trade show, and explain something new to an audience that is roaming around- that requires a much flashier production to catch people's eye- and keep them looking.
The starting point is the same- what do you want to say to whom?  

You dont have to choose between bad phone video or $50,000 productions - you do have to put some thought into what you are doing.