Employee video (video created by your team, autonomously) is a very specific format. You have to trust your teams to create quality and professional videos, even without state-of-the-art devices. It might be difficult for employees to master this content: that’s why we share with you 7 tips to produce perfect employee videos!
1# Monitoring existing employee videos
A well-done watch is both a source of ideas and a good way of giving yourself an internal frame of reference. Take inspiration from the best by adapting to your means. Look at what your competitors, customers or partners are doing to create your codes by observing what works with your targets and what can help you stand out.
Konbini and Brut are shaking up the norms with short videos and a good dose of dynamism. In view of the popularity they generate, many have adopted these codes to boost their communications. As a general rule, to create engagement, rely on short, rhythmic videos.
The “Will it blend?” series by professional blender producer Blendtec has been racking up millions of views on YouTube for over 10 years by simply showing its CEO blending the most eccentric objects suggested by its audience, including an iPad!
2# Inventing your own employee video formats
Creating your own format, with your own theme, tone and design, has three main advantages:
- You will save time with a reusable format,
- Your videos as a whole will represent a harmonious and coherent whole,
- Your content will be differentiated, unique, and associated with your brand.
To develop a format, take as a starting point the profiles of your different audiences (preferences, habits, needs) as well as the subjects you wish to communicate on. Identify the interests of your targets that will let you bring your topics naturally. And identify the right type of communication: testimonial, slice of life, demonstration, report…
Invent but know how to sort out your ideas. As Steve Jobs said, “Focus means saying no to the jundred other good ideas that there are”.
Finally, create a layout (in accordance with your visual identity, of course) for each type of video: product presentation, customer testimonial, tutorial, etc.
A standardised video format will be easier for your collaborators to reproduce: prepare a few examples, templates and the necessary elements for them (music, intro, etc.).
3# Create an editorial plan
Whatever your objective, a good content strategy requires an editorial plan to organise its production. This is especially true if you need to make time in your collaborators’ diaries for them to produce their own videos.
To be effective, a schedule must specify the publication date as well as the deadlines for preparation and production, the subjects covered and the associated collaborators. We also suggest that you create categories to help you find your way around. Finally, include a distribution schedule that can include posts to your networks or other planned communications. A well-stocked schedule will help you avoid the “blank page” syndrome.
And if you are not already doing this for your piece of content production, we recommend that you create an editorial board with your stakeholders. It’s a good way to come up with new ideas, to bring up topics (customer experience, the arrival of a new employee) and to get everyone on the same page for the next step. And it’s a good way to validate the pieces of content produced and taking feedback.
Finally, don’t forget to monitor and record progress and results so that you can analyse what has been effective and what needs to be improved.
4# Prepare your piece of content
As suggested above, you should use standardised formats that will allow you to prepare and implement each project more quickly. What’s more, by preparing each video project well, you will save time when editing.
For each video project, ask your collaborators to define :
- The audience: this will help determine the tone and level of knowledge.
- The objective and the subject: this will guide the points to be covered.
- The script: if you can’t write down everything that will be said, at least write an outline. The script can save you time in creating subtitles.
- The location/context: this will enable you to plan the right equipment (microphone, lighting)
5# Think about storytelling
We are not going to give you a long speech on storytelling. For us, storytelling is simply the use of proven narrative mechanisms to make your video communications more effective and engaging. We all prefer to listen to a story or anecdote rather than a monolithic speech.
Moreover, playing on the emotions and narrative devices we are used to lets us get our message across better. And in the context of training, it is also a good way to ensure better retention of information.
So ask your employees to tell their stories, naturally, refining their narrative to be clear and precise about the protagonists, the events…
Here are a few tips on how to suggest story ideas to your employees:
- A mishap that happened to them and what they learned from it
- A project where there was a difficulty that they were able to solve (and how)
- A moment when they faced one of their fears
- A funny anecdote at work (but one that will not offend anyone)
- An assignment in a particular environment (abroad, in a new environment)
- A major change in their career (promotion, distinction)
- A trick they have found that makes them more effective in their job
6# Listening to your staff
Entrusting the production of video content to your staff represents a major change in the habits of the group and the people involved in your programme.
It is therefore important, as with any transition, to seek feedback from your colleagues, listen to them and understand them. This will help you to avoid frustrations and misunderstandings and to make the necessary improvements to make your programme grow.
Try to understand how the performance or speech felt. How does each employee feel, especially as they are surely out of their comfort zone?
Training is the key to moving forward and correcting the course if necessary. Incorporate feedback from your employees into your training modules.
7# Checklist: before starting
Sharing the pieces of content
Sharing is the key to the success of your communications strategy. It is a subject that should be addressed before you even start producing content.
Sharing is all the more complex when services are decentralised and the sharing of large files is blocked. Anticipate!
User involvement
Know which colleagues will drive your project forward with their enthusiasm and which ones will hold back (it is not difficult). And show everyone what your programme has to offer them: additional training, onboarding, a feeling of autonomy, pride in “doing it yourself”, or an increase in skills…
Editing is time consuming
Whether your video is 2 or 10 minutes long, you need to set aside a fairly substantial amount of time for editing so that the final result meets your expectations and the quality standards expected in business.
Your editorial schedule must take into account the time allowed for editing, often several hours of work – something the video beginner tends to forget.
8# Bonus: why Kannelle could help you create the perfect employee video?
Our vision
We believe in the value of autonomy as a source of pride and fulfilment for employees. We are also convinced that employee video is a fabulous way to create more dynamic and authentic communications.
Our ambition is therefore to enable your employees to become more competent and autonomous in video creation. To do this, we have designed a complete video solution.
An all-in-one app
The Kannelle app is the ideal pocket studio. Scripting, capturing, editing and dressing are all done directly in the app.
Pre-designed and customisable scripts guide your collaborators through the creative process, which is more efficient than managing rushes after a shoot.
Once the project has been completed and chalked up, depending on the parameters configured (business charter, music), the final video can be shared or saved for later use.
A management platform
The Kannelle platform is designed to ensure good visibility of projects in progress, to keep brand elements up to date (music, logos, intros, outros, colours, fonts, etc.) and to manage contributors. It also lets you collaborate and validate the videos produced to guarantee the quality and harmony of the productions broadcast.
Support
The members of our Love Office are available to help our customers get started, learn about our solution, discover the basics of video, and then tackle more advanced topics. They are always ready with tips to improve the quality and interest of the videos produced with Kannelle, whether it be via our newsletter, our webinars or our coaching sessions.
