Like gold, corporate video tips are a valued commodity, admired by many and could change your everything for your business when put to good use.
They’re incredibly valuable in they actively promote brands and engage audiences.
Corporate video requires a lot more planning and precision to pull off — which you’ll already know if you’ve implemented video content in your business, be it for the benefit of employees, clients, investors or whomever. That’s why it can be very beneficial to engage the service of a corporate video production company who will handle all of this for you.
We can’t stress the importance of effective corporate video enough, it’s why we’ve decided to help you all out with these corporate video tips. Tips that will go a long way as long as you apply them in the right way.
Oh, and the video tips mentioned here will apply to all kinds of videos — some will be relevant to you, whereas others aren’t. It all rides on the type of corporate videos you want to produce. So feel free to cherry pick based on what appeals to you.
Let’s jump in.
Try Something Different With Video Framing
We’re kicking off our big list of video tips with, arguably, the most important, at least from a visual perspective (emphasis on perspective).
Video framing, should we talk about it?
You see, corporate video gets a lot of stick for being too “by the numbers” in that it doesn’t really stray too far from the grain. Sure, your videos need purpose and to appeal to the right people, but who said it had to be drab?
Framing is everything to corporate video — and video, generally. How you position your subjects in front of the camera is a tone setter. It matters, and it has since the days of black and white photos.
Of course, the framing you choose will depend entirely on what it is you’re hoping to shoot. If you’re looking to shoot testimonials, for example, you might find that a tight shot where they look directly into the camera is the best way of going about it.
There are other angles to take (quite literally). One shot that comes to mind is one where your subject looks down to the camera with said camera being slightly tilted to alter the frame.
The point is, you don’t need to follow what everyone else is doing if what you’re doing warrants something creative.
We should know.
Video Framing: Try This For Casual Interviews
Let’s add another framing-based video tip (can never be too short on those).
If you’re looking to produce a corporate video centred around a casual interview, then there are like a million ways to frame it — or, at least it feels that way for anyone looking for new and interesting ways to storyboard this interaction.
We’re going to toot our own horn for a minute, as we’ve actually used this little technique before, but one of the ways that you can make the room feel less like a hostage situation is by simply setting your subjects up in a way where they’re talking just to the left (or right, depending on preference).
This slight change can make a world of difference.
Try it out for yourself and see.
Framing Fundamentals: Rule of Thirds
Some of you reading this will already have a pretty good idea of what the rule of thirds is. For those not in the know, the rule of thirds is a composition guideline used mostly in everything from photography to corporate video.
It’s a universal tool, in other words.
So how does that apply to corporate video tips? Well, the rule of thirds should be a part of the fundamentals, and people sure do struggle in remembering the fundamentals.
Ensuring that your corporate videos follow this grid to the letter will all but guarantee that the videos produced are of a set standard, and above all else, consistent if you’re going to be jumping from one location to the next.
Use More Than One Camera (Multicamera)
Sometimes some of the most obvious suggestions are right there in front of you. Case in point, using more than one camera for a corporate video.
Having more than one camera in the room will not only give you multiple framing options to pick and choose from, but it works wonders as B-roll. There’s no such thing as too much footage — unless you’ve used up all the space on a memory-card, that is.
With multiple cameras operating, you ensure that nothing is left to chance. By taking the multi-cam approach you ensure that whatever isn’t picked up by the main camera is by another. In other words, you limit the risk involved — which is a godsend when it comes time to edit.
Looking to make your explainer videos a lot more interactive and playful? Well this is how you do it.
One of the best duos we’ve seen is that of the standard tripod cam and handheld cam. The fixed nature of the tripod gives you a base, while the handheld camera allows you to be a bit more experimental, or get angles that would take minutes to set up to get right.
The two work in parallel with one another to net you quality corporate video footage, that’s the idea.
Speaking of handheld…
Go Handheld For A Personal Touch
Remember when we said that every one of these video tips will apply to different types of corporate video? Yeah, this is what we meant.
Tripods are cool, and should be used in some capacity — be it for one project, or the next — but you open yourself to all kinds of possibilities by shooting off the cuff.
It creates a sense of intensity as you follow someone around a room, or simply record b roll of students walking through campuses. It puts your viewers in the shoes of the camera, simulating what it might be like to in the room directly.
This is perfect for location tours where you need to move from one room to the next seamlessly, without dragging an expensive camera around the floor with you.
Of course, not all of our clients choose this path, but it works as an alternate option — something that could put them ahead of a potential competitor, who knows.
This is perfect for creating movement, but what about static shoots?
Aren’t there any more tips on those?
Brainstorm Your Ideas
Going for the first idea that comes to mind is a sure-fire way of wasting money nine times out of ten. And this idea could be a good one, but in an ideal world, you should be sitting down with other members of the team to work out what you need and the best angles to approach your corporate video wants/needs.
For example, a company selling a range of tech products, might be better suited in coming up with a rather experimental approach to selling their products.
If your brand identity is vibrant and you want to showcase that, then doing something like an unboxing video is a very indirect way of approaching an explainer video. Just look at the Unagi video below to see what we mean:
Without brainstorming, a video like this might have never came to pass. Setting up an initial brainstorm meeting could be the play to get your corporate video ideas up and off the ground.
No Idea Is Too Out There
This tip ties back to what we were just talking about in terms of brainstorming. It actually plays into the whole ‘brainstorming is effective regardless of how you cut it’ type of thinking that we’re trying to promote.
So, what do we mean by ‘no idea is too out there’?
Essentially, every idea you come up with good or bad can help influence what you choose to do in the end. It’s good to have options for obvious reasons, and you never know when one of these ideas could form another video at a later date.
There are obvious limits to what is/isn’t possible due to time/money restraints, but that shouldn’t limit your creative freedom.
Some of our best video ideas have come from spit-balling, as in throwing some of our craziest ideas against the wall in order to see what sticks.
Watch What Your Competitors Are Doing
We say this all the time for a reason: pay attention to what your competitors are doing.
There’s no shame in scouting corporate video ideas from those in the same market/space as you. Besides, we can all but guarantee that your competitors already have eyes on you to see how you’re doing it.
From your competitors, you can learn:
- What type of content your audience is interested in
- How long to make a corporate video
- Which videos to avoid if they aren’t getting the views
- Where the videos are shared (website, LinkedIn, etc.)
Look For The Video Gaps
There’s one detail we’ve left off the list seen above and that’s this: by studying your competitors, you also outline the gaps/areas for improvement.
Gaps need filling, and your corporate video content could do just that. You might find that the industry you work in is full of very to the point styled videos, and your ‘in’ could be to create content that is a lot less formal, just with an informative edge.
This gap isn’t going to present itself, you need to look for it. Again, it’s one of the main reasons why you should be studying your competitors as there’s always something to learn — more so for the startups who are just say finding their feet.
Video Tips 101: Shorter Is Better
The length of your videos should be considered well in advance. A long video that runs for minutes at a time will need to be engaging, otherwise your viewers will turn off or just focus on something else.
Shorter is 100% better when it comes to corporate video length, and we know that for a fact. According to one study, the top YouTube videos average just under three minutes each in duration. It’s not a long window at all, and we aren’t saying you need to make your videos exactly three minutes or below.
Some videos will need to be longer to display all relevant information, although you should aim to be as concise as possible, for the sake of your audience’s attention.
We get it.
Your videos include every least bit of detail, and you can’t cut a single second more (despite having a 15 minute video). But it could be costing you business, and it could be affecting the impact, say, a product demo might have if it were snappier.
A product demo is a great example to use as people who generally search for this type of content are only after the answer to one single question, most of the time anyway. That question is: what is it?
Everything else is secondary, meaning you need to get in, say your piece, and let them decide for themselves if it’s for them or not all within a tight timeframe.
It can be a balancing act to get right, but sure. You might find you need to remove certain parts, but you can always put the additional info in the video comments if needed.
Keep Social Media In Mind
Most corporate videos are worth sharing on social media, which might also influence how long or how short your videos are.
A shorter video works wonders on platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, where your viewers might be less likely to sit around and watch anything over 10 minutes. Something short and snappy could get you the attention you’re looking for.
You could even take the corporate videos you create, and splice them into a 30 second preview video, encouraging viewers to see the full version on your site or YouTube — or both.
Social media is your ticket to more views and more engagements around the corporate videos you roll out. There’s also the possibility of going viral, which can increase website traffic and impressions tenfold!
You can amplify the power of your corporate videos even more when paired with other strategic marketing techniques such as blogging.
An area we know all too well here at Canny.
If you had to trim certain bits from your corporate videos for the sake of time, then repurposing said info in a blog format is a great way of getting that info out there. Furthermore, you can link off to your videos from your blogs — or embed them into the posts themselves for maximum reach.
Production Value Trumps All
Production value separates the men from the boys, and the quality corporate videos from the mediocre ones. It’s also how you separate yourself from your competitors, rather than taking their videos beat for beat and altering just enough so that you don’t get sued.
So what is covered under the broad blanket of production value? Well, everything you can see on screen and hear through the video, basically. Not to mention the types of transitions used within the edit (that’s a big one).
Because there are just so many videos out there — corporate or otherwise — people are a lot more choosy when it comes to the content they consume because of the bar getting higher and higher.
It’s forced businesses to think differently about how they approach video-based content. And if you don’t look/sound the part, then you’re more than likely going to be swept to one side.
By reading this post all about corporate video tips, we’re assuming that you need some assistance in the corporate video department? And production value is one of those things that requires the help of a creative agency to ensure that the quality is set to your expectations.
Delivering on your corporate video expectations is what we do best here at Canny. We create tailor-made video content that ticks all the boxes and gets you results. This applies to all kinds of corporate videos. Videos such as:
- Location Tours
- Testimonials
- Product Demos
- Event Videos
- And More!
Our team is very adaptable, and can fit the shape of whatever corporate video you have in mind.
You point, we shoot.
Get in touch to find out more!
Try To Establish Continuity
Continuity is so important to the quality of any production, more so in corporate video where everything you do is under this microscope.
Let’s look at a quick definition of what continuity is before we talk about it some more: Continuity is the principle of making sure that all details in a film or TV show are consistent from shot to shot and from scene to scene (thanks to MasterClass for that one).
Consistency is how you grow your business, and consistency is what you’re going to need in your videos for them to keep your viewers hooked.
One of the worst things to do is to simply jump from one location to the next with no rhyme or reason.
You need your videos to be seamless, and move from one location to the next in a very natural fashion — all to bring them to a natural point in front of your CTAs (more on those in a second).
This is very important for testimonials, where what your subject is saying/wearing should line up. Continuity issues caught on camera can often be solved/sorted within the editing process, but not all mistakes can be fixed. Meaning you should try to establish continuity from the jump.
Or risk having to go back and reshoot certain parts.
A Video Tip Must: Don’t Forget The CTAs
Your call to actions (CTAs) are how you turn viewers into customers. The CTA is arguably the most important part of the funnel, as it’s the part where you tell your viewers what you want them to do directly.
For a location tour video of a college campus, your CTA could be ‘Enrol Now,’ or ‘Download Our Latest Prospectus.’ These messages can be echoed verbally, on screen through a graphic, or in the caption of the video itself.
Did you know that viewers retain 95% of a video compared to 10% in a text format (Insivia). In other words, get your CTAs in there to capitalise on your corporate videos potential!
We’d recommend you use CTAs within the caption and on the screen, doing so will ensure that no information is lost, and that the convincing power of your videos are the strongest they can possibly be.
The engaging corporate videos ensure to include CTAs at the very end to increase engagement, but there’s nothing wrong with dropping them in throughout if you have multiple products or services to sell in one go.
Tell A Story If You Can
Storytelling is a tool as old as time itself, it just works.
We’re not saying you should go off and create a movie script for your corporate videos, not at all. All we’re saying is there’s a lot to gain from including narrative ties to your videos to make them a lot more memorable.
Corporate video doesn’t have to be so cut and dry, you can experiment with multiple threads to really tug on the heartstrings of those watching.
For example, in an onboarding video, you can follow the journey leading up to your business directly. That’s a story in and of itself!
Here’s another one: case study videos. The last thing you should want is to bore your audiences by reading down a list of the various tasks you completed for a client in the past.
Add a storytelling element, make it fun as you describe who the client was, what you worked on, and the results of this partnership.
We’re being broad here on purpose as there are various ways you can implement storytelling in your corporate video — you could say it’s one of the most important video tips to keep a hold of.
We’ve mentioned telling a story just after the importance of CTAs for a reason, and that’s to help you strike the perfect balance between the two of them.
Too much in either direction will impact how your videos are perceived. Too many CTAs can feel like you’re being advertised too much too.
And too much story can make it difficult for audiences to understand what you’re hoping to achieve.
Strike a balance between the two and the rest should snap together like Lego. You’ll have new customers and new interest in your business-doings in no time!
The Ultimate List of Corporate Video Tips
So, were any of these corporate video tips helpful in some way? We certainly hope so, as you begin putting together your own corporate video ideas.
Everything from adjusting the frame to including video CTAs, it’s all important and will go a long way in separating your videos from what everyone else is doing. Coming up with your own style and your own voice, complete with your own graphics/music, will generate more results, guaranteed.
You could probably write an entire book on the various corporate video tips there are out there. Still, those we’ve featured above are worth their weight in gold in terms of what they can do for you when applied the right way.
Whether you work in the recruitment and training sector and want an effective way to onboard new employees, or you work in the beauty sector and you’re launching a new product, video is a powerful medium.
And remember, if you’re still struggling to put these tips into practice, you could always get in touch with us here at Canny.
Simply explain what it you’re hoping to produce, hear out what we can do for you, and then let us take care of the rest!
