The UK stays in lockdown which means one thing: video-calls are here to stay! But in having replaced all communication that was once physical, the sheer volume of and time spent on video calls is causing a major problem. So how can companies use video to differentiate their offering and make sure their communications stand out?
Problem 1: Saturation
The use of video has exponentially increased over lockdown – whether that is general videos, video calls or webinars. Shootsta saw a 33% increase in the amount of videos being produced by enterprise companies from March to December 2020 versus the same period in 2019 – despite companies being unable to access camera equipment. Webinar Platform TwentyThree also reported that 89% of organisations ran more webinars in 2020 than the year before. Making your key messages stand out, then, is a major challenge for some businesses.
The solution? Every message doesn’t have to be delivered via a two-hour video call. On-demand videos for example, are those that your audience can consume in a shorter, more digestible format, allowing you to fit into a schedule of a busy team that is most probably working across different time zones. These types of videos won’t be as long as a live call, and will be more effective. They are more digestible than a lengthy email and provide more clarity. They are more human, personable and engaging – and best of all, won’t encounter any wifi issues.
An example of this in action is our own The Shootsta Show, a series of on-demand content where members of the Shootsta team teach you all you-need-to-know about professional videos.
Problem 2: Replacement
Since working from home, employers largely have replaced meetings with video calls, and this is causing inefficiencies. Most of these meetings are one way presentations with minimal interactivity.
The solution? If you need to deliver information, think about using pre-produced webinars or videos (rather than you just talking at the camera to a sea of icons and frozen faces)! These are a great way to deliver glitch-free video experiences for your audience which can be watched anytime, but combined with interactive features such as Q&A’s for that ‘live’ element. With pre-recording you also have the ability to include guests, experts or clients from different locations to share the stage.
Problem 3: Attendance
Video calls often steamroll day-to-day tasks, pulling people out of their busy working days. Not to mention the fact that the average video meeting lasts 1 hour in the UK. In addition, some recent surveys have found that 45% felt overwhelmed by the number of meetings they attended, with 71% wasting time every week due to unnecessary or cancelled meetings.
The solution? A short informative video needs no extensive diarising, a few key visuals and targeting messaging to convey your key points in 4 minutes (on average, according to the 2019 Vidyard Benchmark Report). Using a video like this allows would-be attendees of these meetings to formulate more meaningful questions and responses in their own time and take in the content in a way that doesn’t disrupt their working day.
A brilliant example of a video done in this way comes from PwC, explaining how their insight week will be run online.
Problem 4: One size doesn’t fit all
Video chats are not suited to all interactions, particularly ones with many people. Yet companies have held astronomically large video conferences to ensure all staff are briefed at once. Stories have emerged of video conferences being used to fire staff and deliver tough management decisions.
The solution? Produce animation or other video mediums to suit the different needs. Animation helps explain processes that can be difficult to visually interpret, not to mention is far easier to produce from a client point of view.
The post How to stand out in a world of video-based events: 4 problems and 4 solutions appeared first on UKTN (UK Tech News).
