Authenticity is everything in marketing: whether you’re talking to customers, fans, followers, or employees. And utilizing user-generated video is the simplest way to create authentic employee communications content. This blog post breaks down why and how businesses and organizations can use user-generated video for their HR, Employer Brand, Employee Engagement, and Internal Communications content…

60 percent of companies don’t have a long-term strategy for their internal communications. So it’s little surprise that 74 percent of employees feel like they’re missing out on company news.

For proper engagement, employees need to feel like they’re more than just a cog in a wheel.

Leaders need to practice authentic communication, and now more than ever, they need video to do it.

User-generated video is content shot by a non-professional. It doesn’t require costly, inaccessible equipment, and it can appear on a business’s website or social media properties almost instantly.

Read on to learn WHY and HOW organizations can harness user-generated videos to create authentic internal and employee communications…

Your competitors are likely doing it.

Videos have quickly become a staple in business culture and operations.

2019 research claimed that nearly 95 percent of global Fortune 500 companies have adopted video for marketing and internal communications use cases.

85 percent of enterprises are using video for internal communications such as on-demand company updates and executive communication.

If you aren’t creating video and incorporating it into your business strategy, you’ll quickly be left behind.

It’s a way to differentiate yourself.

Do you think your employees would rather read a long e-mail newsletter or watch a two-minute clip of their executives having a conversation with them?

Video will distinguish you from the other streams of communications that hit your employees.

It’s also a way to showcase the people in the company.

For example, one of your leaders could be a phenomenal speaker, or one of your employees might have a unique hobby outside of work.

Video allows you to be creative and show off the unique qualities and attributes of your organization’s workforce.

HOT TIP: Many of the businesses we work with often come to us saying “How can I use user-generated video on social media? I work in a really unsexy industry.” We see you financial services/healthcare/software folks…

 

The answer is show off your real people! People like seeing people. Tell your employees origins stories, what they like about their job and the fun stuff they get up to outside of work. These videos will be good for sharing your company culture on social media and they’re also perfect for recruiting.

Show off your organization in a genuine way with candid, user-generated video captured by your real employees.

It’s Easier to Relate to Authentic Employee Communications.

Companies may shy away from using video because they feel like they need to deliver a perfect cinema-quality product or that they need expensive labor and equipment to produce a video.

User-generated videos not only level the playing field but they allow companies the chance to dominate the playing field.

They give the opportunity for viewers to connect with actual humans, rather than blocks of text.

As one Forbes article noted, “People trust people more than elaborate productions.”

A personal message delivered by a live person will resonate with your users more powerfully than an email.

And these videos don’t need to be perfectly filmed or even use scripts. They can be serious or entertaining.

Short clips of your employees and executives talking humanize your brand, showing off the people who make up and lead your company.

Self-shot videos will always feel more authentic to your employees.

User-generated videos drive engagement and improve productivity.

Right now, employee engagement is a massive problem for organizations. According to Gallup, only 15 percent of companies worldwide report that their employees are engaged.

Alarmingly, disengaged employees can cost companies between $450 and $550 billion per year. (!!!) On the other hand, when employees are engaged, profitability improves by 21 percent. Better still, studies show that businesses with highly engaged employees outperform their peers by 147 percent.

To feel engaged, employees need to feel connected to the business’s mission, leadership, and other employees.

And user-generated videos are a path to connection.

Beca utilizes user-generated video shot by their own team to showcase their employees, share their real experiences of working at Beca and recruit new employees with authentic, relatable video content.

It can play a critical role in onboarding.

Did you know that 20 percent of employee turnover happens within their first 45 days of being on the job?

Video is a crucial channel for connecting with and onboarding employees in a personal, memorable manner.

For example, you can create welcome videos with a message from the CEO. Additionally, you can create videos about IT and security to help them navigate the company’s internal processes, or even virtual training to teach them about the company’s history, offerings, and departments.

New employee orientation at your company can feature these educational videos, and add quizzes at the end to reinforce knowledge.

If your organization hires remote employees video is the perfect way to keep messaging consistent and ensure your team is always on the same page, no matter where they are in the world.

There’s a low barrier to adoption.

Again, you don’t need expensive equipment or a highly trained videographer to create user-generated videos!

You can use a smartphone and add a few inexpensive tools like a tripod, stabilizer, or external mic if you want to get fancy.

HOT TIP: Your phone can be used for not only capturing video, but also capturing high quality audio. Read this post to learn our best tips for recording audio with a phone.

For on-screen talent, you can work with anyone in your organization to shoot quick video clips. Put the word out and you’re bound to get volunteers that have a secret talent for directing or just don’t mind being in front of the camera.

And working with EditMate will ensure the edited videos are polished, professional, on-brand, and worth sharing. 

Authentic Employee Communications are Now a Must

As organizations grapple with how to improve employee engagement, videos will transition from being nice-to-haves to must-haves.

Turn to user-generated videos as an authentic way to connect with your workforce and produce authentic employee communications.

It’s proven to improve collaboration, morale, and productivity.

Get started today with EditMate.