How silent videos are taking social media by storm (+ 2025 data)

You just created the perfect video. The music hits at all the right moments, your voice is sharp, and that trendy sound bite? A chef’s kiss. But here’s the rub – most of your audience will never hear any of it.

Welcome to the reality of modern content consumption, where your masterpiece is more likely to be viewed on a quiet morning commute, in a crowded office, or while shifting in bed next to a sleeping partner – all with the sound firmly muted.

In this article, I’ll show you how to create silent videos that stop scrolling and drive engagement, even when viewers can’t hear them. We’ll cover best practices and real-world examples to help you master the art of silent video marketing.

Content

• Why silent videos are more important than ever
• Key elements of successful silent videos
• Best practices for creating silent videos
• Examples of silent videos that stop scrolling that I love

Why silent videos are more important than ever

The social media video landscape has evolved dramatically, and the numbers tell the story. According to our latest State of Marketing report:

• Short-form videos lead the way among marketing formats with an adoption rate of 29.2%.
• Visual content (including images with 29%) dominates marketing strategies
• 17% of marketers plan to increase their investment in short-form video in 2025

This shift isn’t just about following trends — it’s about going where the ROI is. Our data shows that short video, images and live streaming consistently deliver the highest returns among all content formats.

Key elements of successful silent videos

1. Have a platform-specific strategy.

Let’s dive into the platforms marketers are betting on in 2025. According to our latest research, here’s where investment is flowing:

• YouTube (29.6% increase in investment): Users often watch with sound, but create for both experiences
• Instagram (28.8% increase in investment): Fast, visually striking content dominates
• TikTok (up 27.6% investment): Fast trending content wins

I’ve found that understanding these platform-specific trends is critical to success. For example, while YouTube may receive the largest investment, each platform requires a unique approach to silent video strategy.

2. Adherence to the “three second rule”.

If you’re not familiar with this rule, you have three seconds to grab attention before your viewer decides to scroll or click on something else. Here’s how to fix it:

• Use bold, eye-catching visuals right out of the gate.
• Start with your most compelling piece of data or insight.
• Create a moment that compels viewers to see more.
• Use bright colors or unexpected images to stop scrolling.

3. Focusing on clear visual storytelling.

Your video should communicate effectively without relying solely on audio:

• Focus on action and movement.
• Use facial expressions and body language to convey emotions.
• Create a clear visual progression of ideas.
• Maintain high contrast for mobile viewing.

This does not deter you from adding audio to your video. Go ahead and choose an audio or voiceover that complements your work, but make sure viewers can receive the message with or without it.

4. Using strategic text overlay.

When it comes to silent videos, the text on the screen carries the message. You need to include professional signage that complements your visuals and conveys clear calls to action at strategic moments.

And if you’re looking for an easy way to fold that valuable text overlay, at the right moments and for the right time, check out HubSpot’s Clip Creator, where you can easily add:

• Professional subtitles that complement your visual presentation
• Key statistics or data points as text layers
• Clear calls to action at strategic moments
• Marked lower thirds for speaker identification

5. Including interesting motion graphics.

While I’m not the most skilled video editor, most video editors make it easy to add smooth transitions between scenes. Keep viewers interested with:

• Animated icons and illustrations
• Progress bars or timelines
• Dynamic text animations

Now that we’ve covered the key elements, keep some best practices in mind before you publish your next video.

Examples of silent videos that stop scrolling that I love

1. Delicious on BuzzFeed

Tasty on BuzzFeed shares recipe videos that don’t require volume — or time — to enjoy. Although the premise of this channel seems so simple, Tasty videos reach millions of people per month.

Tasty’s virality on social media has something to do with the fact that the videos can be watched without sound, and a few key things make them so successful.

What I like:

• Hyperlapse-style shooting instantly creates visual interest
• Approach to solving problems with the “5 ingredients or less” format.
• Bold text complements, rather than dominates, visual elements
• Cooking demonstrations take center stage

For advice: Let your audience’s search behavior guide your content strategy – Tasty specifically creates videos based on searches for popular recipes and trending food topics.

2. Glam, Inc.

Glam, Inc. shares lifestyle videos on Facebook and YouTube, with their most popular videos being their “100 Year” retrospectives that look at a century of popular trend changes.

And while the decade-specific background music in this video is fun, you can hit the mute button and continue learning about the history of women’s workout clothes.

• Clear focus on one subject on a simple background
• Time-based storytelling format (“100 years” series)
• Strategic timing with the season of New Year’s resolutions

For advice: Time your content to coincide with natural peaks of audience interest (such as New Year’s resolutions for fitness content).

3. Tech Insider

Tech Insider is the technology news division of Business Insider that publishes unique science and technology video with explanations which do not require sound. This one uses cool visuals break down a complicated concept.

The animations used in this video grab attention in busy social media feeds, and the callout work illustrates the story, step by step.

What I like:

• Uses animations to simplify complex concepts
• Answers common questions
• Visual storytelling step by step
• Attention-grabbing visuals

For advice: Start with a common question your audience asks, then break down the answer into clear visual steps.

4. Refinery29

Refinery29 posts creative lifestyle inspiration videos, like the hair demo video here. It is used bright colors to attract attention. The bright colors help viewers make this video stand out compared to the lighter Facebook News Feed, YouTube homepage, and other silent social networks they can rely on.

What I like:

• Bold, bright colors that appear in social content
• The format of professional advice builds authority and trust
• Format under 15 seconds for maximum engagement

For advice: Use color strategically to stand out in predominantly white/light social media feeds and use recognizable names in headlines for immediate context.

5. BuzzFeed Video

BuzzFeed publishes videos on a variety of topics. This one is popular for several reasons.

First of all, it is funny.

Emotions are a useful tool in advertising, and content that encourages positive reactions, such as laughter, encourages engagement. To convey humor without sound, content needs to be highly visual, and Buzzfeed makes it easy to skim — even if you can’t hear what they’re saying.

What I like:

• A humor-first approach
• A simple, clear concept
• Easily digestible format

For advice: Keep concepts simple – if you can’t explain the premise of your video in one sentence, it may be too complex for silent viewing.

6. NowThis

NowThis News, a social media outlet, produces only video content — a neat way to get news, if you ask me. NowThis publishes video news segments that work with or without sound, with descriptions and video content working together to show and tell viewers what it’s really about.

What I like:

• Headlines that create an emotional impression
• Descriptions and visuals work seamlessly together
• Strategic use of shock value for engagement

For advice: Choose angles that trigger emotional reactions (surprise, concern, curiosity) in your headlines – NowThis has found that negative headlines often do better than positive ones.

Get your message across – even if it’s silent

Whether you work for a B2B software company or a news outlet, you can use video to tell your brand story in a more engaging way. If your video doesn’t require sound, all the better to share it on social media.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in January 2017 and has since been updated for comprehensiveness.