09.10.2024 Donna Spencer
91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool. For 90% of businesses, it’s improved brand awareness. And for 87%, video has increased sales, according to Wyzowl.
Despite these benefits, many businesses struggle to adopt video content due to lack of time, cost, and not knowing where to begin.
In a recent LinkedIn Live, Sarah chatted to Rob Glass about video content creation. Rob, an engineering graduate who worked for the BBC, now trains individuals and businesses to create impactful videos.
The Three Types of Video
Rob explains there are three types of video:
- Tutorials, where you give someone instructions or information.
- Storytelling, which is good for engagement.
- Performance, where something beautiful happens.
Stories are key because they create engagement.
How to Incorporate Video into Employee Advocacy
- Authenticity Matters: Avoid overly scripted content. Let employees be themselves to build trust with the audience.
- Focus on Engagement: Rob emphasizes the importance of engaging the audience over having great lighting or a fancy set. The goal is to make an impact, not just a video.
- Keep it Short: Wyzowl’s stats suggest the optimal video length is between 30 and 60 seconds, followed by 1-2 minute videos.
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Can AI Speed Up Video Editing?
Rob uses tools like VN (Vlog Now), which offer AI features such as closed captions and automatic editing. Descript is another useful tool that transcribes videos and removes fillers and pauses.
However, Rob and Sarah agree that authenticity is irreplaceable. AI can assist but can't replicate genuine human emotion and connection, which are essential for engaging content.
Descript is a video editor with some AI features. It can transcribe long videos into text and cut out fillers and long pauses, for example.
Some tools now create videos based on written instructions, but Rob doesn’t see the point in this.
As Sarah shares, people trust people.
“Authenticity taps into the emotional parts of our brain. If you miss that, you miss what makes a video engaging.”
When Rob worked with the NHS on a video about children’s flu vaccines, it was designed to put other children at ease. AI couldn’t reconstruct the genuine smile of a child at the end that said everything was fine. We’d never trust it because it isn’t real.
What To Talk About in Videos for Dry Industries
For drier industries such as finance, Rob recommended talking about company values – that’s where stories often start or link back to.
The type of stories you tell will reflect the company values and what you want to get out of it.
You could also try:
- A day in the life: showcase daily routines and behind-the-scenes activities.
- Proud moments: highlight achievements and milestones.
Rob mentioned a story that was caught by accident, when the Managing Director was filming another video. Someone spilled their drink, so the MD helped them clean it up.
It showed that the MD was the kind of person who’d helped anyone. It was serendipity that they were filming that day.
This genuine moment captured the MD’s character and humanised the brand.
Employees will create videos whether businesses like it or not. So, businesses might as well give them some support, structure, and training to do what they’re already doing. It’s good for the company and good for employee engagement.
How to Recognise Perfectionism (And Stop it From Becoming an Issue)
Rob advises striving for perfection, quoting John Lasseter from Pixar, ‘Our films don’t get finished, they just get released.’
He tries to use that attitude.
He’s also noticed that there’s a peak. Once you hit it, the more you work on something, the worse it gets. So, you have to learn to notice that and let go of things the audience won’t notice but that hold you back.
Sarah also thinks the more you do something, the quicker you get.
The Best Video Kit For Employee Advocacy
- Stabilise Your Camera: Ensure the camera setup is steady.
- Improve Audio Quality: Use lapel microphones, AirPods, or Bluetooth microphones. Good quality options are available for around £20.
Rob recommended making sure the camera setup isn’t shaky.
Sarah suggests rewarding employees involved in content creation with branded microphones, making them feel valued and encouraging participation.
The Role of AI in Video Creation
Rob believes AI can support video creation but insists on maintaining a human element. AI might assist with tasks like editing, but human authenticity drives engagement.
Shortly after the interview, fashion and lifestyle magazine SheerLuxe, a popular UK lifestyle and fashion magazine, received backlash for introducing an AI ‘fashion and lifestyle editor’ named ‘Reem’ to its nearly half a million Instagram followers.
Its audience criticised the brand for impossible beauty standards, depriving another journalist of a job, and using AI to improve diversity instead of hiring a journalist of colour.
The company said that the AI wasn’t created to replace anyone, but to ‘experiment with AI’ and that no jobs were compromised. It admitted it hadn’t communicated those things well.
The Role of AI in Video Creation
Sarah summed things up perfectly at the end of the interview: ‘It isn’t about making a video. It’s about what are we trying to do at the end of this video? Whether you’re helping organisations or employees are doing it, it’s about making the impact.’
We need to find the connection between values, stories, and pride. Not everyone has to stand up and do a corporate selfie video. We can humanise the brand with employee stories like a day in the life, talking about thoughts, and sharing expertise.
If you want help bringing your employee or leader stories to life, get in touch to find out how Tribal could help you humanise your brand.
