Nick BuchheitWhen you’re trying to increase awareness of your brand, someone on your marketing team is likely to suggest video. This advice might not sound revolutionary, but videos are one of the most effective tactics marketers have in getting out your message. Audiences share video content 1200% more than text and image-based content and retain 95% of what they watch over 10% of what they read!
Before you go all in on video, there’s an important aspect you must consider what type of viewers encounter your messages.
Passive video consumption is a typical behavior where viewers have a video running in the background but don’t interact with what they’re watching. While passive watching still exposes viewers to your content through impressions, it’s nowhere near what you get from an actively engaged audience.
An engaged audience is vastly different from a passive one. They feel like they’re participating and are compelled to follow through with a call to action (CTA) at the end of a video. Including an engaging video in your content marketing strategy can increase your conversions by 80%.
Your viewers are inundated with video throughout their day, and the burden of hooking them is on you. Increasing audience engagement is the key to creating relationships with your viewers that encourage brand trust and loyalty.
As a business, your videos must earn each audience member’s attention. They don’t owe you anything, and each engagement with your content is proof you’re doing something right.
We’ve got a potent mix of ways to make your corporate videos more engaging. If you’re ready to start creating content your audience can’t ignore, read on!
#1 Focus on Your Narrative Hook
Grabbing your audience’s attention from the beginning of your video is essential. A familiar tactic creators use involves what we like to call the narrative hook. These rhetorical devices make it simple to create audience engagement, and a common approach is to incorporate questions at the top.
Ask Questions
Provocative questions that hint at a compelling answer are one way to earn and keep your viewers from disengaging from your content. Questions also present your audience with a problem that needs solving, something you can do in your video. If your viewers stick through your video to the end to find the answer to your question, they’ve decided your content is worth their time.
Your questions might take the form of a “what if…” or an interesting fact that begs for further exploration. Appealing to their curiosity is the perfect way to invite your audience to engage with your story fully.
Make a Strong Offer
Audiences aren’t likely to care much if your hook doesn’t come from a clear point of view. Whether they agree with it or not, viewers want to hear where your perspective is coming from. Make a choice about the emotional tone of your video, and go all in!
#2 Center Your Audience
Corporate videos that are all about your business don’t have much room for the audience. Putting them front and center in your narrative gives them a stake in the outcome.
Ownership and Perspective
Employees and customers both want to feel like they’re part of an unfolding story. They’ll engage more when they feel a sense of ownership over the content.
Instead of telling your corporate story from an “us and them” perspective, consider shifting to more inclusive language. Using “I” and “we” gives your viewers a sense of belonging that encourages them to engage.
Look at the Data
The other piece of this tactic involves clearly defining your ideal audience. Similar to your customers, you should cater to what your intended audience wants. Explore new channels for your content where your audience is already present. For some, that could mean tailoring content for use on TikTok or Instagram; for others, it might mean shooting long-form content for YouTube.
Some trends that you may want to consider:
- 69% of viewers say they watch videos on their smartphones over other devices
- Silent videos with text overlay or subtitles are increasingly popular, with 79% of LinkedIn users saying it’s the only way they watch videos online
- Formatting videos for platform-specific audiences (i.e. horizontal for YouTube, vertical for Instagram and TikTok)
Whatever audience you want to engage with your video content, meeting them where they are is half the battle. The other half is providing content that keeps their attention and tells your story.
#3 Respect the Viewer’s Time
Older generations didn’t have to think about being constantly bombarded with messages throughout their day. Content moved at a much slower pace, and audiences had time to absorb it before moving on.
Modern audiences are accustomed to the exact opposite. Life seems to move at a much faster pace, so much so that most video platforms allow for 1.5x up to 2.0x speed. In most cases, audiences don’t consume your content at that speed, but they expect to get what they came for quickly.
Respect your viewer’s time by staying on topic in your videos and giving solutions sooner rather than later. When a short video explainer is effective, you don’t need a ten-minute monologue about why. Focus on connecting with them by providing them with a benefit instead of pushing your products or story. They’ll appreciate that you seem to understand the challenges they face and want to help them overcome them.
#4 Engage in Storytelling
Part of human nature is to look for the story. We evolved to seek a narrative, and no matter what kind of video you’re making, it should tell a story. Storytelling uses tools like imagery, language, and sound to engage an audience.
Narrative structure helps to organize your story. Generally, you’ll introduce your main character and give them a problem to solve. Then, they’ll go through a period of conflict and arrive at a solution. A story arc is part of every great corporate video.
The Hero’s Journey is an excellent tool to use when analyzing your own corporate story. Check out our blog on Creating a Story Arc for Corporate Storytelling for more!
Know Your Purpose
Before jumping into a video shoot, you should understand what your purpose for creating the video is. Clarify what you want your viewers to do or feel at the end and consider how best to get them there. Once you have your purpose, focus on the themes and stories that support that goal.
Viewers feel more engaged when they can understand the “why?” behind a piece of video content.
The 5 Ws
When you’re creating your story, you should break down the who, what, when, where, and why of your journey.
- Who is the hero or focus of the narrative?
- What is the problem they’re trying to overcome?
- When do they need to solve the problem? Is there a ticking clock that motivates them to try?
- Where in their journey do we join them? Do we see the beginning of the story or join somewhere near the climax?
- Why do the need to solve the problem? What happens if they don’t solve it?
By understanding these elements, you can create dramatic tension that pulls your viewers into your story!
A perfect example of this is the film about the man behind Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. What better way to move product than by telling an inspirational story about a rags-to-riches hero?
Check out the trailer for the film.
#5 Use Visualizations Strategically
While your audience loves to see you and connect with your story, they also expect to see some video magic. These can include visualizations of data, animations, virtual reality, or mixed reality elements.
Animation and Motion Graphics
Animation is one of the oldest forms of visual storytelling, and with computers, it’s now much faster and more affordable to produce. Working with a video producer, you can create stunning visuals for a fraction of the cost! Consider things that animation does well when deciding if it fits your brand. If you want to accomplish something that’s impossible with actors and cameras, it might be your best option.
Motion graphics are commonly used for logos and branding. They enhance the impact of your brand through movement and sound. Music and copy combine to engage viewers in your ads, title sequences, and explainer videos.
Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Reality
Taking your videos out of the traditional setting and embracing emerging technology can help you engage an audience in new avenues. Three different technologies can enhance your viewer’s sense of reality and bring them up close and personal with your corporate story.
While not strictly connected to video production, including them as part of a video can showcase immersive apps.
- Augmented Reality blends what viewers see through their cameras with enhanced features from your app or video. These could be QR code-activated features overlaid on a sign or packaging that reinforces your brand.
- Virtual Reality usually involves some kind of goggles or headset that blocks out the viewer’s surroundings. Videos in this environment are totally immersive and include visuals and sound.
- Mixed Reality involves elements of augmented and virtual reality. In this setting, viewers can see and manipulate virtual objects within their “real” environment. Much like holograms in science fiction, this technology allows rendered objects and images to coexist in the world.
#6 High Production Value
While your nephew might do a great job of shooting and editing together a video on his phone, that’s not the approach you should take when creating a corporate video. Similarly, several AI engines can generate videos that look and feel adequate, but your viewers can tell the difference.
Part of respecting your viewers and your content is investing in high production value corporate video. Most viewers on YouTube expect high quality in what they see, even in amateur producers. Because many of your viewers are watching on HD televisions or smartphones, even small production issues can result in them moving on in the first few seconds.
We know that not everyone can afford to work with a high-end video production company. Instead of stressing about that, focus on working with the best company that you can afford. Give them a clear creative brief detailing your needs, and then let them do what they do best!
#7 Use Plain Language
Every field of industry has its own corporate jargon and acronyms. You might not recall how difficult it was for you to learn what everything meant. Unless your intended audience is a group of industry experts, your audience won’t want to stop and look up what they mean. Use plain language to speak to your viewers so they’re not left wondering what you just said.
Focus on keeping your language accessible to the widest possible audience using simple, clear language. Your viewers will appreciate you taking the time to plan and structure your video in such a way that anyone can follow and comprehend it. When you script and storyboard your content, consider having someone unfamiliar with your industry read it for clarity.
#8 Invest Time and Energy in Creating a Strategy
If you’re going to spend time and resources to create a corporate video, you should have a clear understanding of the role it plays in your marketing strategy. Just throwing your story out there without a plan can be a waste of time.
Strategy Planning
Before you even start talking to a video production company, you should sit down with your marketing team and plan. In your initial discussions, you should consider factors that will make your content more effective in reaching your goals.
With video content, one of the main goals is almost always to reach a specific audience. Even if you think you already understand your target audience, spend some time getting to know them better! Use market research to your advantage and plan a strategy that aims directly at your ideal customer profile.
High-Quality Creative
Production value is important, but so is the use of high-quality creative in your video. This term covers everything from writing, environmental design, visualizations, and music. Investing in these areas shows your audience that you’re committed to quality and respect them as savvy viewers.
Music
Your in-house team may have a song that they want or a vibe they’re trying to create. As professionals, we know how important it may seem. In many cases, artists won’t license their music without hefty royalties attached. Work with your video production team to find a piece that captures the spirit you want without breaking the bank.
Visualizations
Even if your budget won’t allow for hiring an animation team, there are some options. Your production company may have an animator on staff who can meet your needs. Alternatively, you can work with one of the many platforms online that allow for custom motion graphics and visualizations.
Combining a winning strategy with top-notch creative is the best way to keep your viewers engaged in your video content.
#9 Use Real Locations
We know it’s tempting to feature your CEO talking to the camera for most of your corporate video. There is a place for this kind of direct address to the camera, but don’t overdo it. Viewers are used to seeing charts, animations, changing locations, and dynamic camera movement in videos, all of which create visual interest.
Visual interest aside, using real locations in your videos gives your viewers an insider look into what makes your business “human.” If you must do a talking head-style shot, think about what your ideal audience wants to see and shoot there!
#10 Include a Powerful Call to Action (CTA)
How do you know when your video’s been successful in reaching your intended audience? Views are one metric, but when your goal is engagement and conversions, it’s not enough. If you’re not getting the engagement you want, it might be your CTA that’s the problem.
A powerful CTA is the difference between converting your viewers and losing them altogether. When you consider your desired action, take your audience into account. Think about what kinds of actions they’re likely to take and focus there.
Contrary to what you might think, they don’t have to come at the end either. You can place your CTA after your intro, midway through your video, or at the end. Take a peek at your bounce rate to see where it might be more effective for your videos.
Consider the language that you use in your CTA. It should be direct, to the point, and compel your audience to take action immediately. You can appeal to a sense of duty, loyalty, or emotions to achieve your desired outcome.
Remember, the action should be clear and easy to complete.
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Conclusion
Video is one of the most powerful tools you have to speak directly to your stakeholders, employees, and customers. Create engaging content that will do the heavy lifting for you and create lasting impressions with your viewers. A strong strategy and creative approach will leave your audience feeling connected to your brand and story, so much so they’re ready to engage with all of your content!
At Covalent, we understand what it takes to tell your corporate story through video. Our expert team of strategists and creatives have all the tools you need to make stunning, effective content that captures the essence of your business.
Let’s take it to the next level together!