Published on October 12th, 2016 | by Guest

Top tips and trends in making corporate video for social media

Why make a corporate video?

Corporate video advertising is looking over its shoulder at the traditional TV commercial. Sharing video on YouTube and Vimeo has never been easier, and millions of viewers are multiplying exposure by sharing their favourite finds on social media. It comes as no surprise to learn that video sharing has the potential for your message to be seen by literally millions of people. Spending time and money on a great corporate video means you get to sit back and let others promote it for you.

Making use of this medium is a pretty big deal, but you’ll need to do your research to reach your target audience. It’s no use streaming video to promote products for the over 40s on Snapchat. Before you get started decide which platforms will work best for you. The millennial demographic is hard to ignore. With 18 to 34 year olds spending more time on their mobile devices than in front of the TV, it’s no wonder that corporate video is becoming the hot pick for connecting with audiences. Understanding the key goal of your video and identifying with your target audience is key to making it a success.

Tips to consider before making your corporate video

Know the maximum time length for the social media platform you are intending to use. Twitter, for example, recommends keeping videos under 30 seconds.
It’s important to consider the platforms you are using – some will require simple content, some complex.
Focus on one message.
Get straight to the point – you need to capture interest in the first few seconds of the video.
Choose the right headline – you need to grab attention.
Consider your target audience and show how you can improve their lives, solve their problems or save them money. ‘How to’ videos are a great way of connecting audiences with your product.

Trends in creating a successful corporate video

Showing a bit of personality

Corporate videos used to conjure up an image of something dry and dull. With the advent of smartphones and social media that is all changing. Video marketing has become the go-to medium for bringing your message to life.

Creating a connection with your audience is the ultimate goal. Having a suitable spokesperson for your company is a great way of injecting personality and growing that bond. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a real person. Personality can be created by images and sounds that reflect your brand. Using employees and customers in corporate videos is proving successful as most audiences relate to real people.

Creating a story

Good storytelling is a great way to build corporate reputation. It’s an effective way of engaging with people and getting your message across. Creating content with a narrative is the perfect way to make you stand out from your competitors. Think John Lewes and Marks & Spencer. Your story needs to be geared to your target audience. Grey Goose Vodka’s latest ‘Fly Beyond’ video campaign is a fabulous example of brand story telling connecting to the luxury consumer.

There’s also the opportunity to leave audiences wanting more, by creating a series of videos. Telling a story using a series of videos allows you to develop a relationship with the audience. It’s an opportunity to create loyalty and increase brand awareness. Grey Gooses’ Fly Beyond is a long term campaign.

The funny side of business

Showing a bit of humour can be a great way of connecting with your audience. It will depend on your type of business as to whether that’s an appropriate approach. Humour in poor taste won’t do you any favours. On the whole, humour does tend to work, largely because it establishes a rapport, and laughter is something everyone can identify with. Being able to poke fun at yourself can boost your likeability and set customers at ease. The US company Dollar Shave Club didn’t take itself too seriously and created a corporate video that’s had over 23 million hits on YouTube to date.

Music for corporate video

Whatever the content, any corporate video needs a soundtrack that engages and inspires the intended audience. Music is another channel for connecting with your target audience. Choosing a soundtrack that has a cultural relevance to the people you want to reach will help build an emotional connection with your brand. There are many different approaches to the music choice and much will depend upon the amount of dialogue in your video and your expected video’s lifespan. If it’s a short campaign leading up to an event, popular current tunes can have a real impact. You’ll also need to consider licensing. Using a video production company may be money well spent for overseeing the project and making sure all of the boxes are ticked.

Mobile phones and vertical view

There’s no getting away from it, thanks to the smartphone, mobile video viewing is growing as a share of all digital viewing. It’s bang on trend, especially amongst millennials, and in the world of corporate video production it has to be taken seriously. If it’s the millennials you want to engage with, then vertical video as an advertising format has to be a consideration in your marketing campaign.

Article credits: Written by Mike James, an independent content writer working together with Logan Photography.

Tags: corporate, making, tips, top, trends, video