Video shows movement, process, and personality in a way a still photo can't. It also takes more effort to produce well and, done carelessly, can slow a page down more than any number of photos would. Whether it's worth it depends on what specific job it's being asked to do.
Where video genuinely adds something photos can't
A short walkthrough of a finished project, a quick clip of the work actually being done, or a brief personal introduction from the business owner all convey something a photo gallery can't: motion, voice, and a sense of the real people behind the business.
Where a photo does the job just as well
A simple before-and-after doesn't need video to be convincing; a well-shot photo pair often communicates the transformation just as clearly and loads far faster. Video for the sake of having video, without a specific job it's doing better than a photo would, isn't worth the production effort or the page weight.
Keep it short
A homepage video longer than 30 to 60 seconds risks losing most visitors before it makes its point. This isn't the place for a full company history; it's a quick, specific glimpse.
Host it properly, don't just embed a huge file
A video file hosted directly and played inline without proper compression or a streaming platform behind it can badly hurt page load speed. Using a platform built for video delivery, or a properly compressed, optimized file, avoids turning a nice feature into a performance problem.
Always have a strong static fallback
Not every visitor will watch a video, and some will be on a connection too slow for it to load quickly. The page should still make sense and convert without the video, using photos and text as the foundation, with video as an enhancement.
Questions
Do I need professional video production?
Not necessarily. A well-lit, well-composed phone video, shot with the same basic care as a good photo, can work well for a short, simple clip. See phone photography tips for showing off finished work for principles that carry over.
Should video autoplay?
Generally no, especially with sound. Autoplaying video, particularly with audio, is disruptive to most visitors and can actively hurt the experience rather than help it.
Does video help with SEO?
Indirectly, mainly by keeping visitors engaged on the page longer and by being eligible for its own search visibility (like video results) if hosted and marked up correctly. It's not a substitute for the page's core content and structure.