What is a B-Roll?

You’re watching a customer testimonial. They’re talking about how your tool saved their team 10 hours a week.

But instead of just their face on screen, you also see:

• Their team working in the office
• A screen recording of your platform
• A close-up of them using your app

That extra footage? That’s B-roll, and it’s one of your most valuable tools in video storytelling.

B-roll Definition

B-roll refers to supplemental footage that’s used to enrich the main narrative or cover edits in a video. It supports the primary footage (called A-roll), which usually includes interviews, direct-to-camera shots, or narration.

B-roll is often:

• Cutaways to relevant scenes
• Contextual clips showing a product, place, or person in action
• Atmospheric shots (office, workspace, close-ups)
• Screenshots or UI walkthroughs

Used well, B-roll makes your content feel polished, engaging, and real, especially in marketing videos where visuals need to show what words can’t fully explain.

Why B-roll Matters in Marketing Video

• Keeps attention by adding visual variety
• Illustrates key points and gives context
• Hides jump cuts or rough edits
• Brings emotion or energy to interviews
• Strengthens branding through visual cues

Whether you're creating case studies, thought leadership clips, or commercial ads, corporate video, B-roll is what takes your video from good to pro, without more dialogue, scripting, or post-production costs.

Real-World Examples of B-roll in Action

1. Salesforce – Customer Story Videos

In nearly every Salesforce customer video, interview clips are paired with B-roll footage of office scenes, hands-on demos, and team meetings.

Why it works: It brings the story to life and shows their product in context, without needing long explanations.

2. Asana – Product Tutorials

Asana often overlays B-roll UI animations on top of screen recordings and voiceovers. These show exactly how a feature works as the narrator explains it.

Why it works: It improves understanding and helps the viewer visualize workflows in action.

3. Mailchimp – Brand Campaigns

Mailchimp’s creative videos include fast-cut B-roll clips like people designing, walking through city streets, or writing in notebooks, adding vibe and rhythm to brand voice pieces.

Why it works: It sets tone and energy without needing extra dialogue or voiceover.

Best Practices for Using B-roll

1. Plan B-roll during pre-production

Don’t treat it as an afterthought. In your shot list or script, include notes like:
🎥 “Overlay with team using dashboard”
🎥 “Cut to product-in-use shot during feature mention”

2. Capture evergreen footage

When shooting original content, grab extra footage that can be reused:

• Office shots
• Hand scrolling on phone
• People collaborating
• Close-ups of logos or product
• Team laughing or reacting

You’ll thank yourself later.

3. Use B-roll to smooth transitions

If an interview has a visible jump cut, add a quick B-roll clip over the edit. It keeps the audio intact while covering the visual disruption.

4. Match the emotion of the A-roll

Don’t just throw in generic stock footage. Make sure your B-roll reflects the tone and energy of what’s being said.

For example:

• Talking about innovation? Show team brainstorming.
• Discussing ease of use? Show someone quickly navigating your UI.
• Describing impact? Show charts, customer wins, or field use.

5. Edit with rhythm and restraint

Too much B-roll can feel chaotic. Let the A-roll breathe, use B-roll to highlight, not overwhelm.

B-roll vs. A-roll – What's the Difference?

In short: A-roll talks, B-roll shows.

Bottom Line

B-roll isn’t just extra footage, it’s the bridge between message and meaning.

Done right, it turns talking heads into stories, explanations into experiences, and content into something your audience actually wants to watch.

And in marketing, where attention is hard-won and time is short, B-roll is the visual glue that holds your video strategy together.