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Is It Time to Start a Corporate Video Newsletter?
As a leader, are you concerned that your employees aren’t listening to what you have to say? Are you worried that your departments and divisions aren’t quite on the same page? Are you looking for a fresh way to bolster employee morale and engagement?
Instead of writing another memo, why not try communicating your ideas through a video newsletter?
A video newsletter is exactly what it sounds like: a way to take the information often distributed in a written publication and convey it through a pre-produced video. It can then be distributed to your employees via email, through your company’s intranet, or even on an online collaboration platform like Trello or Slack.
Why Video Newsletters?
A video newsletter can be utilized for a wide range of purposes, such as:
Distribution of company news.
Tell your employees about your plans to expand into a new market or change your corporate branding.
Introduction of new people.
If you have just hired some new executives or departmental personnel, it’s an excellent way for your company to get to know them better.
Updates to your product.
If your signature product has a new feature, you can use video to show your employees how it works.
Implementation of safety initiatives
. Illustrating preferred safety practices on video will help employees understand exactly what is expected of them. (Plus, it emphasizes your commitment to the initiative.)
Navigation of change management.
Employees will understand future organizational changes if you explain them in a video.
What’s So Great About Video?
Perhaps your company has relied on text-based communications like emails or memos in the past to relay important information. So you may be wondering what benefits you are likely to reap if you transition to a video newsletter. Here are just a few:
- 1. Video is more personal – and less boring. Think about it: would you rather read a lengthy email or watch your colleague talk to you in a simulated conversation?
- 2. Video is a better medium to disseminate large amounts of information in a short attention span world. Employees may skip important parts of a large text file, but they’re more likely to respond favorably to a video explanation of the information.
- 3. Video is better suited to a digital and mobile world. If an employee is on their lunch break or out in the field, it’s harder to read text on their smartphone than to view a video about the same topic.
- 4. Showing people communicates the message better than telling people. Visual learning has been shown to be superior to text-based communication because people retain visual input better than they do words on a page.
- 5. You don’t sacrifice measurability with video. As with e-mail, you can measure how many people watch the video and whether they clicked on various links so that you can confirm that your message was received and viewed.
Video also makes you more visible to your employees.
Video Newsletter Techniques
Now that you know the advantages of making a video newsletter, how do you go about producing one?
There are a couple of approaches you can take. The first is the “talking to the camera” method, which involves you or someone else communicating information directly to the viewers.
If you’re comfortable speaking in public and/or on camera, this strategy may be well-suited for you. That’s because when you speak to the camera, your personality is more readily revealed to those who are watching.
This process also works well if you need to train or instruct employees about a new system, protocol, or product. You will be more successful in getting your message across if you show people what needs to be done instead of telling them in an e-mail or manual.
The other approach is often referred to as the “interview technique,” where the speaker’s gaze is focused off-camera as if he or she is being interviewed. Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need to establish the presence of an “interviewer” in these videos, but can simply edit together the “responses” of the speaker.
Interview-type videos naturally appear to be more newsworthy or informative, and they lend themselves better to storytelling. And if you want to feature people in the video who may not be natural public speakers (such as employees, customers, or vendors), this strategy simplifies the production process while conveying the information plainly and concisely.
Get Professional Help
One important suggestion: if you decide to begin producing video newsletters, it’s highly recommended that you partner with a professional video production company or crew. These people are experts in achieving the optimal lighting conditions for your video, making sure that the audio is clear and high-quality, and editing the footage so that your message is delivered accurately and succinctly.
Video production personnel also have access to equipment and software that can create attractive virtual backgrounds and professional-looking onscreen graphics or text. Perhaps most importantly, they are very experienced in helping to identify and hone the story behind your information so that it is more easily understood and retained by viewers.
Sure, you can probably create your own video newsletter with a webcam or a smartphone, an inexpensive microphone, and some do-it-yourself graphics and editing software. But if your lighting is bad, your graphics are amateurish, and your background is dull or staged, your employees may be put off by the poor quality of video and be less receptive to your message. Plus, it’s possible that your video could even go viral – for the wrong reasons.
Video Newsletter Tips and Tricks
Your employees are more likely to pay attention to a video newsletter than another memo or piece of e-mail.
If you want your video newsletter to be effective, here are some suggestions:
- Be sincere. People can spot phony sentiments a mile away.
- Be gracious and complimentary. Employees need to know you appreciate them and their value to the company.
- Err on the side of brevity. If the video drones on for too long, then even attentive viewers may lose interest. Five to seven minutes is an ideal length for a video newsletter.
- Avoid inserting confidential information. Videos can easily be distributed outside of your company, so don’t include any private or proprietary information in them.
- Use humor wisely. If you’re naturally good at using humor, then do it. But be sure to avoid controversial or inappropriate topics. (Note: self-deprecating humor tends to work well.)
- Use embedded links. Instead of covering a subject at length, you can embed hyperlinks in your video which can direct viewers to more comprehensive sources of information (like manuals, company policies, or government regulations).
Video newsletters are a great way to connect with employees on a more personal level, which can help them feel like they are an important part of your company. These videos can also increase communication and engagement across your company, which can lead to improved productivity, reduced turnover, and ultimately greater profits. So why not put aside your keyboard and step in front of the camera for your next newsletter? Your employees will appreciate it.
How much will it cost to shoot your video newsletter? Get a quote from us today.
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