In this episode of the special podcast mini-series 'Beyond the Book', Ben dives into one of the most overlooked pillars of effective video strategy — truly understanding your audience. Using the “Think > Feel > Say > Do” empathy framework from his book Engage, Ben unpacks how audience clarity transforms every other part of your content strategy.

You’ll learn:

• Why vague targeting kills results
• How to map your audience using real insight
• And how empathy leads to more powerful, high-converting video content

🎯 Key takeaway: If you don’t understand who you’re talking to, your video strategy is built on sand.

Grab your copy of Engage or explore the full Video Strategist Masterclass at

👉 engagevideomarketing.com/book

In this episode of the Engage Video Marketing Podcast, Ben Amos discusses the pivotal moment that transformed his approach to video production, emphasizing the need for a strategic framework. He introduces the seven elements of effective video strategy, which include understanding the audience, defining goals, creating relevant content, planning distribution, optimizing for performance, measuring success, and finally, production. The episode highlights the importance of strategy in achieving meaningful results from video marketing efforts.

• The turning point in my career was realizing the importance of video strategy.
• Many creatives face the challenge of delivering content that doesn't meet client expectations.
• Understanding the audience is crucial for effective video marketing.
• Defining clear goals is essential for measuring success.
• Content must align with the audience's needs and the video's purpose.
• Distribution planning is often overlooked but vital for visibility.
• Optimization can significantly enhance video performance.
• Metrics should focus on meaningful data, not just vanity metrics.
• Production decisions should follow strategic planning.
• A strategic approach can transform video marketing outcomes.

In this first episode of the Beyond the Book mini-series, Ben unpacks a big idea from his new book Engage: The Definitive Guide to Video Strategy — and it might surprise you: most businesses don’t need a video. At least, not right away.

You’ll learn why strategy must come before production, how to spot the common “solution-first” trap, and what to do instead to ensure your video content drives real business results.

🎯 Key Takeaway: Diagnose the problem first — let the solution follow.

Grab your copy of Engage and access the Video Strategist Masterclass here:

👉 engagevideomarketing.com/book

👉 www.engagevideomarketing.com/vsm