The Rise of AI Video: How Small Businesses Can Now Compete with Big Brands
The Play Button Revolution
As video marketing pioneer Michael Litt said, “The play button is the most compelling call to action on the web.” Video captures attention faster than any other medium—but for small businesses, it’s long been the domain of big budgets and professional crews.
That’s changing fast. AI now lets you cut video production time in half without blowing your budget on outsourcing. From automated editing to script generation, AI video tools are rewriting what’s possible for small teams.
AI Adoption Is Everywhere
In Goldcast’s 2025 State of AI in B2B Video report—based on over 500 marketers across company sizes—91% of marketers are already using AI in their strategy. Most are using it for content creation (60%), analytics (51%), and email marketing (49%).
And the momentum is only growing:
77% say AI adds the most value in content creation and video production.
84% believe AI will be critical to achieving their marketing goals within three years.
For small businesses, that’s a clear signal: the tools are no longer futuristic—they’re necessary.
Why Video Still Reigns Supreme
Almost every marketer surveyed (97%) uses video, with 89% calling it “very” or “somewhat” important to their overall strategy.
Video isn’t just engaging—it converts. It helps you explain products, show customer stories, and stand out in a crowded digital feed.
Even better, AI lets you multiply your effort:
Turn one long video into a month’s worth of social snippets.
Generate blog posts or newsletters directly from transcripts.
Add captions, translations, or voiceovers instantly.
That’s content repurposing magic.
How AI Cuts Costs and Saves Time
Traditionally, producing professional video meant hiring editors, voice actors, and agencies. But with AI:
85% of marketers report significant cost savings from using AI tools.
74% have reduced their need to outsource editing or post-production.
More than 40% save three or more hours per project through automation.
For small businesses, those hours are gold—time you can reinvest in customer service, strategy, or sales.
The Top Tasks AI Handles Best
Here’s where AI shines most in video production:
Automated editing (43%) – Cut, trim, and add transitions automatically.
Captions and transcripts (42%) – Instantly generate accurate subtitles.
Clip creation (41%) – Turn webinars or product demos into short-form videos.
Repurposing (90%) – Reuse content for socials, blogs, and emails.
Think of AI as your always-on video assistant—fast, affordable, and increasingly smart.
Challenges (and How to Beat Them)
The top barriers small teams face include:
Lack of expertise (37%)
High tool costs (34%)
Limited time or team size (35%)
But AI doesn’t replace human creativity—it amplifies it. As one marketer put it: “AI can’t tell our story for us—it just helps us tell it better.”
The trick is to start small. Pick one AI tool that fits your workflow—something like HeyGen, Pictory, or Descript—and learn to automate one repetitive task (like creating short clips or transcripts). Build from there.
The Future: AI and Small Teams Win Together
Nearly 80% of marketers plan to increase investment in AI video tools within three years, led by medium-sized companies that are nimble enough to experiment but big enough to see fast ROI.
The small business advantage? Agility.
While larger teams need to navigate red tape, you can test, learn, and pivot faster—experimenting with new tools as they launch.
How to Get Started
Choose a video AI tool: Try platforms like HeyGen, Veed.io, Pika, or Goldcast’s Content Lab.
Start with repurposing: Use AI to break existing videos into social clips or blog-ready content.
Add automation: Generate captions, voiceovers, or scripts using ChatGPT or Synthesia.
Track performance: Watch which formats drive engagement and iterate fast.
AI is levelling the playing field for small businesses. You don’t need a production crew or massive budget to create compelling, professional-quality video anymore.
What you do need is curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to experiment.
As the Goldcast report concludes:
“The only way to gain expertise, prove ROI, and earn leadership buy-in… is to embrace it.”
