Why Most Videos Get Ignored

And how to fix yours in under five minutes.

Photo by Joey Huang on Unsplash

Before I upload a video, I pause and ask myself something I used to ignore.

Why am I posting this?

It sounds obvious. But looking back, I didn’t always do that.

I’d record a video, maybe about a blog post or a new offer, and I’d post it thinking, “I hope this helps someone,” but if I’m not kidding myself, I wasn’t sure who it was really for other than “my target audience.”

Sometimes it worked. Someone would watch or share it. But most of the time, it got a few likes, maybe a comment, and then nothing.

That shifted when I realized my videos weren’t hitting the mark. It was time to give them direction, not just airtime.

Give Your Video a Job

Here’s what I mean. If you’re going to spend time creating a video, even a short one, it should point to something specific:

• A newsletter you want more subscribers for

• A lead magnet you just launched

• A blog post you want more traffic to

• A program you’re enrolling for

• A message you want people to repeat

When your video has a job, it’s easier to:

• Figure out what to say

• Keep it short

• Write a clear caption

• Add a link or call to action that makes sense

• Track whether it did what you hoped

Without that clarity, your video blends in. Another hopeful effort lost in a scroll.

Why Clarity Matters

The algorithms don’t care if your content is helpful.

They care if people engage. And people engage when a video speaks clearly to a specific need or goal.

If you want your video to lead to real results — like clicks, shares, replies, or clients — then it can’t just be nice to have.

It needs to be useful and focused.

Giving your video a job helps you get out of your head and into the viewer’s world.

Try This Before You Hit Post

Next time you’re about to post a video, ask these two questions:

1. What’s the one thing I want someone to do after watching this?

2. What will help them take that next step?

Then, adjust the caption and call to action to support the next step. If the video itself doesn’t make that clear, consider editing or reshooting with that goal in mind.

A Prompt to Help You Focus

Open your AI of choice and try this:

I’m about to create a video about [your topic]. The goal is to [get more leads, grow my email list, drive traffic to a blog post, etc.]. Suggest a clear call to action for my caption and what to say in the last 10 seconds of the video to support that goal.”

Use the result as a guide. Edit as needed so it still sounds like you.

What Else Might Help Your Video Strategy?

Sometimes the real block isn’t strategy. It’s fear.

Fear no one’s watching. You’re repeating yourself. You look awkward. 🙋‍♀️

But clarity quiets that fear.

When you know why you’re posting and what you want to happen next, it becomes easier to show up. Even when you feel raw, or like no one’s watching.

Get tips for repurposing your videos in this article:

Refresh, Repurpose, Repeat

---

5 Prompts to Refine Your Video Strategy

Want to go deeper? These prompts are for you if you're ready to tighten your messaging and improve video results without spending more time recording.