As businesses across the country are fully or partially re-opening, some employees are returning to their offices, while others are remaining remote until further notice. While there are still a lot of unknowns for businesses in all industries, one thing is certain – there’s no such thing as going back to “normal” in the immediate future.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all aspects of business operations, including how we communicate with both our employees and various external audiences. Pre-existing communication techniques may never – and perhaps should never – be the same.
Our recent blog post discussed how strong internal communication was key for leaders navigating through various challenges, with an emphasis on the importance of video. For years, statistics have supported video as a top marketing medium, and with face-to-face communications limited over the last few months (and likely for several months to come), we’ve grown to appreciate video even more.
While daily Zoom meetings and weekly virtual happy hours may not remain a constant for some companies, there are a few ways you can maximize video usage to strengthen communication.
Get Cozy on Camera
According to Pop Video, video helps viewers retain 95% of a message compared to only 10% retention when reading it in text. While some leaders are still not comfortable on video, it’s critical to find opportunities to improve this skillset.
Here are some tips for appearing more comfortable on camera:
- Maintain a conversational tone. While we recommend putting together talking points to guide your narrative, avoid reading them word-for-word. Use them for support, but you don’t want to appear too scripted or uncomfortable.
- Look directly into the camera. This makes video messages more personal. While this may not seem natural at first, practice it a few times and envision having a conversation with someone on the other side of the camera.
- Bring in a support person to ease nerves. If you have a leader who doesn’t enjoy being in the limelight, pair him/her with someone they work closely with who is comfortable on camera. One strategy we’re employing with a B2B client is a fireside chat webinar, where two individuals collaboratively provide tips/insights on a specific topic versus one person presenting solo.
Invest in the Right Areas
The playing field for video production value was evened while news casters and CEOs alike were confined to the resources and backgrounds available within the four walls of their homes. This has opened doors for every company to produce impactful video content on a lower budget, but there are a few places we recommend not to cut corners.
- When possible, invest in professional editing services. Post-production can help take an okay video to the next level and is especially important in more formal, external facing videos. While ad-hoc, unedited/unscripted videos can certainly be an effective part of your video strategy, minimal editing and clean-up (even through an iPhone video editing app) can increase your chances of people taking the time to stop and watch.
- If you’re taking on the task of filming video at-home, check out our quick tips for setting up a high-quality shot. Even the best editing can’t fix some lighting and audio issues.
- Explore every way a video can be repurposed throughout your company’s communication channels. Example: Longer videos can be edited to one-minute or less clips for use on social media.
All Eyes on Digital
Now more than ever, brands are expected to have an active digital presence. Employees and consumers alike will expect the same efficiencies and modifications put in place throughout the pandemic to become the “new normal.” Meaning – if you started using video to communicate with employees and your customers/clients during the pandemic, don’t stop now that we’re entering a new phase.
Video has the power to improve user experience in areas like virtual trainings, continued education, online ordering and simply staying connected. As your company looks to review processes and procedures put in place because of COVID-19, consider how video can become a permanent fixture in your communications moving forward.
Reach out if you’re interested in learning more about Franco’s video services and how this tool can be used to elevate both internal and external communications.
Digital Account Executive Catherine Pace and Senior Designer Ashley Dupuy Mancuso contributed to this post.
