It’s on camera now, short-form, long-form, repurposed, narrated, voiced-over, and published faster than you can say “optimize.” Whether you're working with local businesses or big brands, one thing is universal: video content is the star of the marketing strategy. And content agencies are the directors.
But behind every engaging video, viral clip, or high-performing campaign is a well-oiled machine of tools. And if your toolkit is clunky, outdated, or scattered, you're burning time, money, and maybe even your momentum.
Let me walk you through the tools a content agency actually needs to streamline the workflow and scale without losing sleep or clients.
1. Let’s talk hardware
Sure, you can edit on your laptop, but if you’re managing multiple video projects, uploading 4K, adding animation, screen recording, exporting for TikTok, YouTube, Wistia, and beyond, hardware matters.
Here’s your baseline setup for high-quality video production:
- A fast computer: Think M4 MacBooks, custom PCs with GPUs that eat Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve for breakfast.
- Cameras: DSLRs, mirrorless (Sony ZV-E1 is a beauty), or even iPhones with cinematic mode.
- External mics: Rode Wireless GO II or Shure MV7, because if your audio’s trash, the video won’t save it.
- Lighting: Softboxes, key lights, or even cheap ring lights. Video content needs clean lighting, especially for social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
- Storage: SSDs, cloud backups. Never trust your project to live in one place. Ever.
2. Now the fun stuff: software that edits while you sip your coffee
The reality: Agencies live and die by workflow.
You’re juggling revisions, voiceovers, overlays, social media content, video clips, podcasts, animation... Editing should not be the bottleneck.
Submagic
Submagic is what happens when video editing meets brainpower. It’s an AI video editor built to help agencies, coaches, influencers, and creators crank out engaging video in minutes, not hours.
What makes it agency-gold:
- 3-click workflow: Seriously, it’s so easy your intern could nail it.
- Magic clips: Turn long-form videos into short-form bangers with AI that finds viral moments.
- Subtitle generator: Hands-down the most accurate I’ve tested. Plus, the caption templates pop. They’re not just “in video”, they belong there.
- Auto zoom, AI transitions, sound effects, background music, yes, it’s all there.
- AI b-roll generator: Add overlays that actually match your script. This one’s a time saver for content creators and agencies alike.
If your agency edits 10+ videos per week, Submagic pays for itself in workflow alone. Your editors will love it. Your clients will think you hired more people.
Adobe Premiere Pro + After Effects
Still the industry standard for full customization. Great for advanced features and motion graphics. But slower, more manual. Better suited for high-budget, polished productions or commercial spots.
Descript
Great for podcast edits, screen recordings, tutorials. Useful if you're doing video content marketing or webinars.
Canva
Not for editing, but for templates, video overlays, lower thirds, and all your graphic design needs. Canva’s video editor is decent for beginners, but not scalable for high-volume work.
3. Audio: Don’t sleep on it
Video creation isn’t just visuals. Bad audio kills attention faster than a TikTok scroll.
Use:
- Adobe Podcast Enhance (free tool that’s basically audio sorcery)
- Submagic’s audio cleanup: Automatically enhances voice clarity while balancing background music.
- Epidemic Sound / Artlist: License-free music libraries for voiceovers, tutorials, or short-form edits.
Bonus tip: Never publish without headphones-on listening. Even high-quality video needs a second audio pass.
4. Invoicing, billing, and staying sane
Even the most viral video doesn’t pay the bills if you don’t invoice. Keep it clean.
- Bonsai / Hello Bonsai: Freelancer-friendly with contracts, time tracking, and proposals.
- QuickBooks: If you’re scaling and need more robust tools.
- Stripe / PayPal: For collecting payments from international clients. Simple. Works.
Don’t forget to charge for revisions. That’s where time (and profit margins) go to die.
5. Sprinkle on some extras: analytics, hosting, and automation
Want to run a serious video marketing agency? You need to track, test, and automate.
- Vimeo / Wistia: High-quality video hosting with analytics and client-friendly sharing.
- Loom: For internal feedback and client walkthroughs.
- Notion / Trello / ClickUp: Project management for your creative team.
- Zapier / Make.com: Automate your content creation process, from uploading videos to posting across social media platforms.
- Google Analytics + UTM builder: Measure video marketing effectiveness, especially in content marketing campaigns.
If you’re running a content agency focused on video content creation, here’s your toolkit:
Must-haves:
- Hardware: Fast computer, solid mic, clean lighting.
- Submagic: AI-powered editing, subtitle generator, viral clip maker, workflows that actually scale.
- Adobe: For pro edits and custom projects.
- Canva: For social templates, thumbnails, and design elements.
- Audio tools: Enhance, edit, and mix like a pro.
Business tools:
- Invoicing: Bonsai, QuickBooks.
- Hosting: Wistia, Vimeo.
- Project management: Notion, Trello.
- Automation: Zapier, Descript workflows, Submagic exports.
Agencies that win don’t just create professional video, they optimize the creation process. They build systems that support their clients, their team, and their bottom line.
And if you're still using five different tools to do what Submagic does in three clicks? It's time to upgrade your toolbox.
Need help setting up your agency’s video workflow? I’ve been there. Happy to share what worked, what flopped, and what saved me hours every week. Let’s chat.
