Video has taken the world of content by storm. Brands across all sectors, in all industries are utilising video content as part of their marketing strategy as a way to convey key messages, showcase a product launch or introduce a key spokesperson. Initially, video content was more favoured by consumer brands as it offered a more light hearted and often fun approach to content. Nowadays, this couldn’t be further from the case as we’ve seen more and corporate brands getting in on the action when it comes to video.
That said, the go to approach for video for corporate brands tends to be quite formal and focused on simple pieces to camera. With video content dominating the online world – cutting through the noise and ensuring your content stands out is vital for brands, meaning that sometimes these type of videos just won’t cut it. With that in mind, here’s out top seven tips to help make a corporate video more engaging.
Add music to your video
Music has this really powerful feature that means it can instantly determine the mood of a piece of content as it really sets the tone. Consider this for your corporate video. Figure out what it is that you want your viewers to take away from your content and then consider the music in light of this. Do you want them to feel uplifted, intrigued, educated or informed? Whatever it might be, adding music that conveys and adds to this messaging can be really impactful and help create a much more engaging video by bringing it to life.
Consider introducing animation
Animation is a really clever and creative feature that can take your corporate video content to the next level. If you want to keep this simple to ensure it aligns with your businesses brand guidelines, start by animating the name of the talking head that appears on screen as opposed to having it appear statically. This can make your video content more dynamic and appealing to the viewer. If you want to take it a step further and really show your creative flair, consider adding additional animated elements throughout that will really engage your audience. This could include animated objects or text on screen to break up the talking head footage. This would make your video stand out more by adding a different element to the content and keeping the viewer engaged.
Be dynamic in your approach to filming the content
Talking head videos in the style of a piece to camera can work well for certain topics and to convey certain messages. However, generally speaking – that alone isn’t the most impactful type of content. There are some really simple but effective ways that you can take a talking head video to the next level and make it much more engaging. One is trying to find different angles when shooting the person by introducing dynamic camerawork. This could include filming the talking head walking down a hall or in relevant location to add some movement to the shot and make it feel more upbeat and dynamic as opposed to have someone just sat still.
Include graphics in your video
Something that will grab your viewers attention from the offset can be key to creating a successful and engaging video. Adding a striking graphic as the cover can really help with this and may be more engaging than a talking head. The graphic could take the form or a key message that your video is trying a portray, a question that your viewer may be interested in that is then answered in your video or something simple and dynamic such as a logo. Utilising graphics can be a really great way to help your corporate video stand out amongst the crowd of other talking head videos and be much more engaging.
Make sure you choose the right people
Not everyone is a natural when it comes to talking on camera and unfortunately, it’s really easy to spot when someone isn’t! The key when it comes to shooting engaging video content is to identify those that are comfortable on camera and ensure you use them in the content. If someone is uncomfortable or awkward, it will show and your footage won’t be suitable or engaging. To find the most suitable person, running a screen test ahead of your shoot is always advised as this will help relax your spokesperson and will also help determine who will be most suitable for the role. Casting the right person for your pieces to camera can be the trick between an engaging successful video and an unsuccessful one – so make sure you take the time to pick the right people!
Don’t overcomplicate your content
It’s often said that when people find something too complex to digest and get their head around – they switch off and don’t attempt to figure it out. The same can be said for video content! If your audience don’t understand your video or if the video is overcomplicated, it’s unlikely that they will find it engaging. With that mind, keep your content creative yet easy to understand. When creating your corporate video, try to avoid jargon that viewers won’t be able to digest, avoid long and lengthy sentences that don’t quite make sense and most importantly – ensure that the message you’re trying to convey comes through clearly. Sometimes the simple things really are the most effective!
Have fun with it!
Gone are the days when corporate video content needs to be formal and boring. The most engaging videos are those that push boundaries and think outside the box – usually this comes from having some fun with it and getting creative! Be open to ideas and explore what works well for your brand. Ultimately, if your audience can see the video itself is fun and creative, they’re much more likely to engage with it.
At Prohibition, we work with a range of brands across all sectors to deliver quality videos that help portray everything from a product launch, brand key messages and pieces to camera. Get in contact today to find out how we could help you: hello@prohibitionpr.co.uk
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