Published: March 29, 2018
by Justin Difazzio
We’ve talked at length about how video is king in the field of marketing and advertising. Studies have proven that it’s the best way to retain information and make an impression. Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in text, reports Insivia. So what’s keeping you from incorporating more video into your operations? If it’s the most effective way to communicate, why are we sticking to the same-old tired emails and memos we’re all so sick of reading? Here’s just three quick examples of how you can replace routine communications with video to make a bigger impact.
1. Internal Communications
You know the drill. You check your work email in the morning when you get into the office, and there’s the same task lists you’ve always seen, emails from the boss, and standard proprietary information warnings you’re used to. And then you get the email about yearly training. Your head swims with familiar images of dense blocks of text, audio tracks that just don’t inspire, and hours of reading so you can pass a quiz at the end. Boring!
Wouldn’t it be easier to watch a video that shares the information in a more dynamic way, with animation and narration and music? Like the statistic from the beginning says, video really does help you retain more. One of the fastest growing categories of video on YouTube is how-to videos. The reason for this? They’re effective! Doesn’t this seem like a better way to retain important information and make annual training less of a task? And since everyone reads at a different rate, you could use video to standardize the time it takes to get through material.
What about those communications from the boss? Seeing their face in your email as they deliver updates and inform employees about changes or successes or daily task lists could help to lend an air of authenticity and authority to messages. It’s hard to fake communication from the head honcho, too, so you know what’s being said comes from the top.
In line with that, video can be hosted on a secure site, so not just anyone can view the content within. It just takes one misfired email for company secrets to be released into the wild. Protect your proprietary information with an option like this, instead of in text that could be photographed or printed or just passed on via email. Need more convincing that video is the way to go?
2. Quarterly Newsletters
Social media changed everything. Communication is no longer a one-way street. Sending a newsletter doesn’t increase business like it used to. Word-of-mouth advertising is far more effective and easier to get than ever before. A catchy video released on social media can replace your quarterly newsletter and reach 50-100 people a day—A DAY!—for free—FOR FREE! And the people that see it can fire back. They can ask questions. They can express interest or give their support.
Click rates on text-based newsletters sent via email aren’t the greatest these days. With email boxes clogged with spam and sales messages, membership communication and social media notifications, your email could likely get looked over. And in a crowded inbox, you might not get noticed at all. That’s why sending your newsletter updates via video with a simultaneous release on social media can reach far more people past even those contained in your mailing list.
If you’re worried about appearing on camera, animate! Show some shots of the facility or of employees doing what they do. Do voice overs. Or simply hire someone to deliver the script you prepare. There are plenty of options to help spread the word about what you’re doing via video. According to Forbes, almost 60% of executives would rather receive things via video anyway! Give people what they’re already asking for, and get your message heard.
3. Introductions
Like we said in our blog series about ROI (Series Part 1, Series Part 2, Series Part 3), sometimes the best way to make an impression is with video. Think of it as a digital handshake. You don’t want to give the client cold fish. Lead with video and get that firm, reliable introduction they won’t forget.
Video is often the first thing a potential client sees when they search for you. Search engines return 157% more organic traffic when you’re using video, says Brightcove. You don’t need a multi-million dollar study to know that’s an investment that will pay for itself. And the people that find you that way? You’re making a good impression. Video can set the tone for your company and leave a potential client with the feeling that you are competent, creative, knowledgeable, and fun. Even a good handshake can’t do that!
When you launch it, be sure to make that introduction video sharable online, because your reach for organic marketing grows leaps and bounds when people can pass a video on to their friends who may not have heard of you. And those friends they share with? They have friends, too. Who knows how many pairs of eyes that video could reach? I can guarantee you it will be more than a cold block of text explaining who you are.
And that’s just three simple examples of how video can spice up your communications. Think of all the ways we didn’t even mention! With better retention rates, increased visibility on search engines, and the fact that your clients and employees are literally asking for it, what’s stopping you from implementing video communication in your office life? Replace interoffice communication. Do away with boring newsletters. And introduce yourself with a vigor your clients won’t soon forget. No matter what your scene, video can improve your communication in ways you haven’t even considered.