Jeff HiltyEfficient and engaging communication is a crucial success factor for companies of all shapes and sizes. You need to communicate with external as well as internal stakeholders in a way that ensures your messages are heard, understood, and remembered. Which is easier said than done!
Enter corporate video. Luckily, video solves for all these things and more. This is why more and more companies are replacing large parts of their written content assets with video and seeing excellent results from it.
In this article, we’ll have a closer look at corporate video – what it is, how to do it well, and what to keep in mind in 2022 and beyond. Let’s dive in!
What Is Corporate Video?
Corporate video is an umbrella term that basically includes any non-advertisement video content made for a business or organization. Nowadays, most corporate videos are hosted online. They can be published on company websites or social media platforms like Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
Corporate video can be made for external communication with customers or other stakeholders and for internal purposes, such as training or internal comms.
Examples of Corporate Video Use Cases
As companies and organizations are increasingly waking up to the benefits of video communication, the number of use cases for corporate video continues to expand. Examples of common corporate video today include, but are by no means limited to:
- Brand videos
- Training videos
- Email videos
- Social media videos
- Product demo videos
- Testimonial videos
- Tutorial videos
- Investor relations videos
- Recruitment videos
- Product demos
- Internal comms videos
- Product launch videos
- Customer support videos
- Onboarding and workplace orientation videos
- CEO speeches
- Press releases
- CSR Videos
The list goes on and on, and the reason for that is simple. Regardless of your message, and no matter what audience you’re addressing, video remains the most engaging and easily accessible format. Just compare reading a memo to watching a video – which one will convey the information in the most agreeable and less demanding way? Video is the future of corporate communication, which means every organization needs a solid strategy for implementing video as a core tool in their messaging toolbox.
Benefits of Using Video for Your Corporate Communication
Video is the most efficient way to communicate
Engaging all senses at once, video is unique in its ability to convey not only words but also emotions, moods, and atmosphere. Video has an immediacy that other formats lack, making it a far more efficient vehicle for your corporate messages.
People prefer video to text and audio
According to one survey by Wyzowl, as many as 69% prefer video over text when learning about new products or services. So implementing video in, for example, your onboarding will not only mean you get your new hires up to speed quicker; you’ll also give them a better experience.
Video creates emotional connections
One of the most crucial success factors for any organization is employee engagement. So much so that highly engaged teams achieve 21% greater profitability than their less engaged counterparts. Video is a great medium to help people connect with your brand emotionally and actually feel a part of your vision and mission.
This explainer video for PNC is an excellent example of using video in corporate communication. CSR reports are essential to organizations and an opportunity to inform customers and employees about the good they have been contributing to. PNC asked us to take their CSR report to the next level by breathing life into their results with an animated video. Working with our talented designers and motion artists, we were able to turn the facts and figures into a quirky and fun video instead.
Video can be integrated with your brand
Sure, you should have a branded Tone of Voice in all your written material too, but video can take your branded content to the next level. With video, it’s just your imagination that limits what can be done. You can build a branded universe of information to help people understand, connect with, and fall in love with what you do.
People share videos on social media
People are more engaged by video, which means they’re more likely to share video content with their peers and colleagues. In fact, video content, in general, generates 1200% more social shares than text and images combined.
Video feels more authentic and builds trust
Video has that valuable “show don’t tell” quality that is hard to replicate in other formats. Hearing an actual person sharing their real experiences creates a different level of authenticity and trust in your messaging.
Video will help you explain complex concepts
When processes and products are complicated, nothing beats explainer videos. By telling your audience how something works and visualizing it simultaneously, you help them understand your message quicker and retain it longer. Video also allows you to turn any topic into entertaining stories to help people stay engaged with your content.
Video is quick and easy to consume on any device
A lot of corporate communication is today consumed on phones and tablets, and often while people are on the go. Just compare the user experience of trying to read a complicated article on your phone with that of sitting back and watching a video, and the advantages of video become apparent.
Top Corporate Video Trends in 2022
Live streaming
Live video production, aka live streaming, means broadcasting from a live event in real-time. It can be done via an app on your smartphone, with your computer’s webcam and microphone, or assisted by a video production company specializing in this service. Live streaming has been a popular social media and marketing trend for quite some time. Now it’s also finding its way into corporate video production, where the use cases are numerous.
Related reading: How To Leverage Live Video Production (Live Streaming) In Your Marketing
Training videos
You know how new hires all tend to ask the same questions, or how some meetings, pieces of training, and workshops can be very repetitive? Replacing repetitive in-person interactions with pre-recorded videos can help companies save time and scale their operations. Using video for internal training or customer onboarding can save you both time and money – and allow you to focus on things that add more value.
Docustyle videos and interviews
As human beings, we’re hardwired to love a good story. Stories are how we make sense of the world around us and how we understand, remember, and analyze, well, everything in our lives. Nothing captures people’s interest more than another human being sharing their story. With video, the experience is as near that “by the fire” vibe we can get in a digital format. Letting internal stakeholders communicate with video puts a face to their names and makes your company and brand come across as more human, relatable, and trustworthy.
VR, AR, and interactive 360 degree videos
A fast-growing trend is immersive video experiences, such as AR, VR, and 360-degree productions. More and more brands are taking their first steps in the Metaverse, intending to offer engaging, innovative, and unique experiences for customers and employees. The onset of Covid has accelerated this development, with events, conferences, and product launches being digital rather than physical.
Aerial footage and drones
The use of aerial footage is also growing, and understandably so. Starting from afar and zooming in on your location is excellent to add context. And flying through a factory or workplace is a powerful way of showing the scale of operations and adds dynamic movement to your video.
Internal comms video
Internal communication is a crucial key to organizational success, but it’s also an area where many companies struggle. By introducing video into your internal comms toolbox, you will be able to reach your employees with information in a more fun, efficient and engaging way.
Essential Corporate Video Tactics in 2022
Repurposing Old Content Into New Video Improves Communications
We’ve already touched upon this one, but it’s important enough to mention it again. One of the quickest ways to improve your corporate communication is collecting all of your core documents and turning them into videos. It may be email sequences, blog posts, manuals, or handbooks – there are very few pieces of corporate content that won’t benefit from a video make-over. Sometimes it’s a matter of replacing your old content entirely with a video, and other times you’ll get the best result by complementing your existing material with videos.
Visual Coherency To Create Consistency and Builds Trust
One of the benefits of corporate video is that it allows for a whole different level of visual branding compared to text or audio. Watching a video is an experience, and you should take advantage of this opportunity to enforce your brand voice, personality, and message. Remember that your employees are your most important ambassadors. Creating branded, appealing, and inspiring material for internal use is a great way to strengthen team spirit and raise overall engagement.
Related reading: Corporate Video Production Essentials
3 Steps To Building a Winning Corporate Video Strategy For Your Business
1. Start with a content audit
Audit all your current corporate communications and prioritize your most important messages. Studies show that people who watch a video understand and retain the information much better than if reading the same message in plain text.
So, what messages would make sense to turn into videos?
- Messages that are often repeated
- Messages that concern a large number of people
- Messages that have an emotional layer, such as inspirational and motivational messages
- Messages that are complex and can be difficult to explain
- Messages that are central to your business, where you want to make sure the information is understood and retained by everyone
2. Choose The Right Type of Video for Each Message
Once you know what messages you will turn into videos, it’s time to decide what format is best. Let’s say, for example, you want to explain to new hires how your product works. Then a product demo video combining a screencast with an animated explainer will do the trick. Or you want to highlight your CSR projects in your brand communication. Then a docu-style video, where the people involved are interviewed, could be the best option.
Questions to consider include:
- Who will be watching this video?
- On what device will this content be consumed?
- What is the message we want to convey?
- Can this message be divided into shorter sections?
Deciding on the format can be tricky and is often best done in dialogue with your production agency.
Related reading: 7 Ways To Get People To Pay Attention To Your Corporate Video
3. Partner With The Right Video Production Agency
Teaming up with a creative corporate video production company is an essential step on the way to implementing video as part of your communication strategy. Creating impactful corporate videos requires experience and skills, so you want to make sure you find the right partner. Before you get started with your collaboration, there are many factors to weigh in, so don’t make the mistake of rushing this step. And don’t get seduced by the lowest bid, as they often end up a lot more costly in the long run. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the agency you’re considering, and ask to see examples of their projects.
Things to ask about when you’re talking to a video production agency:
- Budget range
- Creative process
- Past successful projects
- References and testimonials
- Prices and awards
Also, keep in mind that ideally, you will be working closely with your video agency on a long-term basis. So it’s important that your personalities match and that you can see yourself collaborating.
Related reading: 5 Steps To Choosing The Right Corporate Video Production Company
Covalent: an Award-Winning Corporate Video Production Agency
At Covalent, we’re known for creating the best corporate videos on the market by combining experience and creativity with a strong marketing mindset. Get in touch to explore how we can help you get started with corporate video production and a more exciting and engaging corporate communication!