5 Reasons Every Startup Needs a Corporate Video

Video is thriving. Fuelled by the rise of mobile search, online video has become a key means for people to satisfy both their information and entertainment needs. Video is widely expected to outpace written content in the near future. It will account for an estimated 70% of all consumer internet traffic by 2017.

The importance of corporate video production therefore cannot be underestimated. What was once considered a desirable extra has become a marketing necessity. Video provides an opportunity to engage with audiences, attract new customers, and move ahead of the competition. Startups that fail to incorporate video into their marketing strategies do so at their peril.

What is a corporate video?

Corporate video production refers to audio-visual material that a business commissions to use for marketing or internal communication purposes. Such material might include product, service, information, or training videos.

Corporate videos are often created specifically for B2B environments where a limited and targeted audience can view them. However, the growth of digital technology means there is often an overlap between corporate videos and other forms of visual communication, such as TV and web advertising.

Depending on the environment in which people will view the video, corporate videos can take on many forms. They can include live action interviews, scripted dramas, animated sequences, or case study presentations.

Who uses corporate videos?

Businesses operating in any sector can use corporate videos as an essential marketing and communications tool. Companies working in media, finance, public, and private sectors all use corporate videos every day. Their videos could be for presentations and conferences or for educational and entertainment purposes.

Corporate videos are also useful tools for companies wishing to create a powerful search engine presence. Video generates three times as many monthly visitors to a website and can increase organic web traffic by up to 157%. It is at the cutting edge of internet marketing. And the rapidly evolving mobile video landscape means it is probably here to stay.

Why make a corporate video?

The human brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than it does text, meaning video is one of the most efficient ways of engaging an audience. By creating an identifiable brand through video, you can instantly connect staff with clients and broadcast your startup’s image across multiple platforms.

You might want to promote your business, train new employees, report back to stakeholders, or create a memorable conference presentation. Nothing will get your point across like a carefully planned corporate video. Here are five ways you can use one to benefit your business.

1. Promote your brand or a service you offer.

Creating a powerful promotional video gives your business an opportunity to tell an authentic and compelling story that brings your brand to life. A well-made sequence can capture the attention of potential clients, reinvigorate your brand, and establish your reputation. A powerful video will give you an invaluable edge over your competition.

The best brand videos are those that tell inspiring stories with which the viewer can emotionally connect. By inspiring your audience to think and talk about your brand, a good promotional video will turn viewers into brand champions.

A brand film can focus on a particular service you provide, charity fundraising and awareness, or simply illustrate your corporate image. You can incorporate numerous elements into the film, such as interviews, testimonials, and animation. This variety will ensure the video truly reflects the nature of your business culture.

2. Explain a new concept to clients or colleagues.

Ideas, which are intangible, will often need explaining to staff or clients. When this situation occurs, it’s imperative that the viewers’ or listeners’ attention is maintained to ensure they continue taking in the new information. One of the best ways of keeping your audience’s attention is through an explainer video.

An explainer video is a short and informative video that combines clear and concise language with entertaining visuals. Companies often use these videos to explain a new or complicated concept. Startups can use explainer videos in a number of ways. The videos might clarify the details of a new policy or illustrate what you actually do for potential clients.

This video format not only serves as a tool for presenting explanations but also attracts and retains more viewers than text or verbal descriptions. The average attention span of a visitor to a website landing page is less than 8 seconds. But if there is a video on your page, visitors will stay an average of two minutes, representing a 1500% boost in customer facetime.

The most effective explainer videos are often animated. Sometimes it’s impossible to film real life processes, such as the stages of pregnancy or the way the internet works. But animation allows you to visually depict the undepictable. Animation is also beneficial because special effects and animal mascots tend to stick in people’s minds. A video being memorable increases the chances of it going viral.

3. Use video to simplify internal communications.

A recent Deloitte survey found that having a sense of purpose at work is extremely important to millennial workers. Almost 10% of respondents said having purpose and meaning in their work is the main reason why they chose their employer. Millennials want to know how they fit into the organisational puzzle and how the company makes a difference in the wider world.

As a result, it’s important to be transparent about organisational goals. Regularly reinforcing an employee’s purpose will increase engagement and ultimately drive business results. Many companies communicate via cumbersome marketing documents or through nondescript PowerPoint presentations. But video presents a unique opportunity to share far more personal and emotive messages within a workforce.

Video is ideal for startups that want time-strapped employees to engage in company news. Video is instantly accessible to employees and integrates with their daily online experience. It is also much easier and quicker to digest than a long document or presentation.

You can produce corporate videos to deliver branded messages, make news announcements, congratulate employees, and communicate business results. In doing so, you allow all of the members of your organisation to understand and feel they are part of your overall corporate strategy.

4. Highlight your successes with case studies.

Case study videos are a creative way of highlighting business successes in order to land a particular message. Using video to tell a company’s story is far more compelling than using text or still imagery. It’s much easier to communicate a unique selling point by showing, rather than telling, how your product or service is better than the competition’s.

Not only do case studies improve a company’s credibility but they can also win business pitches. Case studies drive sales via click-through engagement and portray company members as convincing thought-leaders in their field. Furthermore, videos are more authentic if you use messages from your customers, rather than those from the business itself.

You can present video case studies in a number of ways. For example, you can embed them on your company website to function as a customer engagement asset. Or you could send them out as material in an email newsletter. Alternatively, you can post case study videos on social media to improve brand image. You can also play them in presentations and pitches to engage potential clients and secure new projects.

5. Capture a live event to maximise its longevity.

Months of planning and hard work can go into an event, but when the big day arrives, it is often over as soon as it begins. Covering a live event with a corporate video is the best way to capture the highlights of the day and maximise the event’s longevity.

By capturing the live action, you will be able to broadcast the event’s key moments to a wider audience. The video will allow attendees to relive the excitement and enable others to experience the event if they were unable to attend.

It’s important to let your event video tell a story. As well as covering the main event and key speakers, include behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with attendees and organisers. Background footage helps to capture the atmosphere, scale, and success of the event.

An event video can be used for a number of promotional, marketing, or morale building purposes. Showing keynote speakers or posting short snippets of the events to social media channels can promote brand awareness. Furthermore, if an event is an annual affair, you can use an event video to pre-launch the next edition with highlights of the previous year’s events.

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Emma Baxter

This guide was written by Emma Baxter, Senior Creative and Marketing Manager at TellyJuice – a London based video production company with years of broadcast experience for all types of business.

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• 5 Reasons Every Startup Needs a Corporate Video - November 30, 2016