-- How much video do you use in your internal communications? Do you wonder if there should be more in your next internal comms strategy? It can be hard to allocate precious time and resources towards something if you're not entirely confident in how to produce one, and even what the end result will be.
Here's our top tips to make sure your first internal comms video won't be your last:
1. Make a plan Start with a detailed video strategy. Set dates for important milestones like picking a team, completing the script, shooting footage and finishing the edit. Be realistic, and try not to deviate from the plan.
2. Choose your team Be ruthlessly honest about the areas in which you will need the most help, whether that means the scripting, shooting, editing or all of the above. If you call in professional help, check out our blog How Great Marketers Find Great Production Houses'.
3. Know your audience An internal comms video viewed by employees should look and feel very different to a video destined to be viewed and shared on social media. Be human, employees want to connect and relate to your brand. Put a face to the name and make connections between upper management and the rest of the business.
4. Hone your message Can you summarize the message of your video in a couple of sentences? Many employees will be short on time and working to strict deadlines. In general the simpler the message, the more effective it will be. A common mistake is letting your CEO waffle on about something abstract.
Online video hosting site Wistia provide some intelligence: videos under 1 minute enjoy 80% viewer retention up to the 30-second mark, while videos 2-3 minutes in length still enjoy 60% retention. 5-10 minute videos see over 50% drop off halfway through the running time.
5. Get creative With your audience and message in mind, it's time to flex some creative muscle. You must decide how you are going to communicate your message. Maybe try a local coffee shop or a familiar setting and deliver the piece to camera there. The video will feel more personal, natural and authentic than a studio setting. A good team (see point #2) is invaluable here.
6. Increase the production value We recently scrutinized why you shouldn't cut corners with consumer video tools. If your videos look bad, most employees will abandon them quickly. Getting a decent camera or even a media asset management platform can go a long way. By increasing the perceived quality of your video you are sending a clear signal that the communication has importance and should be watched throughout.
7. Niche content for specific departments Company wide comms are great but often can be untargeted. Unless your message applies directly to their work, most employees aren't going to care about the details. Consider producing some short form content to targeted groups of employees so you can engage them specifically. By using video to deliver communications to smaller groups of people, you are sending the message that it's important that they listen to what is being said.
8. Have some fun It's important to develop a video that resonates with your audience. Humor often helps, and even something as simple as appealing visuals can add flavor to a dry message. They might turn out to be the most memorable ones since nobody is expecting your internal comms video to be entertaining.
9. Craft a call-to-action What should employees do after watching the video? Sign up for a new service? Follow new human resource regulations? The key to getting your employees to understand and remember what you want them to know is engagement. After your intended audience gets your core message, they need an action point. Even if your video's purpose is to inform, encourage employees to share it with fellow team members.
10. Analyze your video Be sure to measure and evaluate your video's performance through analytics. You can probably track how many of your team have opened your email. But how do you know how long your employees are taking to read your content, and how deeply they're engaging with it? One obvious metric is drop off rates (see point #6), others include views per video, traffic source, social engagement levels and conversion rates. Armed with that information, you can target employees more precisely on your next internal video.
Hopefully these tips will help you create a successful video. Now it's your turn, share your experiences of producing your first internal comms video in the comments below.
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