If you do not connect with your audience you will not engage them. This is why emotion is a critical element of effective communication through video production. A well told story is able to make that rare personal connection with your audience. By emotionally investing viewers you can influence them and establish a connection to your brand. By creating an emotional connection with your target audience, whether they are potential clients, investors, customers, you will helps establish brand loyalty and make your investment in corporate video pay dividends.
Know Who You’re Talking To
There is no one solution for building up an engagement with your audience. To establish that connection, you need to know who your audience is. When planning your video, be specific. What is the age group? What do they want? What are their interests and what do they want to get out of your business?
Audiences can see through pandering and empty jargon. So in your script you need to address their needs directly in a way that shows your credibility. Once you display your credibility through genuine emotion and sharing your knowledge, that’s when you really begin to engage. If the viewer trusts what you’re saying, then you already have them on your side.
You should also plan ahead about the why, how, and where they will be watching your video. Will the video be hosted on YouTube or other social media outlets? If you answer these questions in the planning stage, you will save yourself from a video that doesn’t meet your needs.
Tell A Story
Once you’ve answered these questions and you know your target audience, you need to figure out how to best engage them. The most effective videos tell a story. Instead of telling the world why you’re the best, show how your business has helped in someone’s life, or how your company has helped another business reach new heights of success. If your company has an interesting history, use that to your advantage. People love a rags to riches story. Loyalty to a brand can often depend on a customer sharing the same values. So don’t be afraid to put what you value most in your videos. For instance, if it’s a family business, show how important the family has been since day one. Viewers also love being able to see real success stories. If you can demonstrate what a powerful impact your company has on real people, the viewer might just think, “maybe these guys can help me too.”
Engage Visually
The visual style and “look” of your video will speak volumes about your organisation. You need to have a strong visual identity that shows through in your video, whether it be through colours, a recognisable face that people will associate with your brand, or a particular production style that suits your brand. You can show off your best assets in the video, whether it’s your headquarters, your customer service staff, or beautiful shots of your products. Strong production values will further add to the engagement of your audience. The visuals will always come second to the story, but when the two combine in one video, it can be a very powerful combination.
If you’re looking to create a video that really engages your audience, get in touch with us today.
Ryan Spanger is one of Melbourne’s most respected and sought-after video production professionals. Ryan founded Dream Engine in 2002, and specialises in helping medium to large corporates, government departments, and the non-profit sector to connect with their audience more effectively by using video.
