Video Storytelling

Video is everywhere these days. You can find it in blogs, anchoring an intranet, on your phone, really it's anywhere there's a screen. Remember the phrase; a picture is worth a thousand words. I think video is worth a million. We are in the age that communicators, leaders and employees are armed with at least one video capturing device. If you have a mobile phone, chances are you've recorded a video.

What does all of this mean to a communicator? There are key points to be aware of in this trend - we must embrace video, video is still storytelling, connect with the audience and small budgets work just as well as large budgets.

Thoughts & Guidelines

• Communicators must embrace video - don't fear it. Video can be used in a variety of ways to share your message, engage your audience and bring value to your organization. It will be up to you to decide what content is made into a video vs. a written communication. The point is to expand your communication channels. I also keep hearing from other communicators and social media leaders that video will become even more important in communication planning. 
• People love storytelling. Just like when we share a personal story in a presentation or tell an employee story in an interview for the intranet, video beckons for the same type of storytelling. Have you ever watched a good documentary without some storytelling? If it didn't have a story to it, you'd probably turn it off. Same goes for the videos we create for our employees and consumers. For example, if you need to tell employees about a new time HR policy, wrap it up with a story (think a skit) vs. having a corporate leader ramble on for 10 minutes without even shifting his posture. Talking Heads are for the 80's, not today. Also, this concept applies to news-style videos. Look below for an example of a story driven video I created to launch a new employee community.
• Connect with your audience. If you're not speaking their language nor sharing your message in a way that resonates, no one will listen. There are a few ways to connect. First choose a set, dialogue and theme that mean something in your organization. If volunteering is important to your employees, blend charity concepts into your story (i.e. film at a food bank). Now think about your spokesperson. Whenever possible, use employees in the video so they can tell story. If it's difficult to find an eager employee to help, make it minimal. Employees can just be an extra or adding bits of commentary. A nice bonus, this also helps with viral sharing. Lastly, humor goes along way if done right. Contrary to some advice I'd received, I suggest using humor where appropriate. Of course, be mindful of the humor you focus on. Always avoid the obvious items like, politics, diversity, etc. Just think, people watch YouTube videos for a reason - it's mostly to be entertained and laugh.
• Don't worry about your tiny budget. I've started an entire employee focused web-series on a zero budget. I borrowed a camera and used free tools and resources. For example, Windows and Apple offer free video editing tools that I used. I was able to add effects and music. Easy and professional. Success can really boil down to motivation and determination. If you plan well (previous points), find free resources (Google it!) and learn best practice techniques for filming and editing, you'll end up with a something your audience will watch. Believe me, you're not going to hear, "I bet they didn't have a budget". 

Real-life Example

Using all of these key ingredients, here's an example of a video I created for the launch of a new employee-based community.

Now what? Share your feedback.
Are you creating videos? What have you learned? What was a success or challenge? Or, are you just starting - what questions do you?