It is fair to say that we have passed a tipping point in the use of video to help companies get their message out to all audiences.

And it’s no surprise that with the explosive development of video enabled devices the expectation exists, amongst internal and external stakeholders, that video is part of a company’s communication mix.

•    80% of executives say video improves productivity and efficiencies (Wainhouse Research)
•    Consumer usage of View on Demand (VoD) is expected to double by 2019 (Cisco)
•    55% of message interpretation is from facial expressions and body language (Forbes)

Take for example smart phones. They can support video calls using FaceTime, Skype or Google Hangouts. They can record in Ultra high definition. Mobile video is expected to increase 11 fold between 2015 and 2020 to become 75% of all mobile data. (Cisco mobile data forecasting)

This trend to video feels irresistible and there is lots of evidence showing video engages audiences more deeply than other forms of communication.

•    The average internet user spends 88% more time on a website with video in it (Mist media)
•    59% of senior executives prefer video to text when both are available (Forbes insight)
•    Companies who use video get 41% more web traffic from search engines  (Aberdeen Group)

So what is the right way to meet this expectation amongst stakeholders and make your stakeholder communications more engaging?

Currently there is a lot of excitement around enterprise video solutions, cloud based teleconferencing and unified communication platforms but these  can also involve a lot of cost.

The ubiquity of smart devices with the ability to record video combined with the availability of free editing software opens up the world of high volume/low cost user generated clips but that does not always translate into high quality content, and there is still a key role for the more traditional corporate videos where you invest in higher production values and professional crews but that often means you have to expend a lot more time and money.

Each of these approaches to video production undoubtedly add value to the communication mix but if a company is just starting to embrace video then it may be sensible to test the medium with a single video execution and assess.

A good first step is to use a moment when the world is already looking your way – at company reporting season. Use your biggest box office draw – often the CEO. And keep it simple – a short focussed interview.

A CEO interview at results is easy to create and effective for several reasons, including:

•    The key messaging is already refined
•    The appetite for face time with the CEO is high
•    The content can be made work for internal and external stakeholders
•    The interview production process is compact and provides a complete rehearsal
•    The video informs the agenda for the day and is a gateway to the complete content

Post results website and player analytics can provide quantitative data on the views of the interview, which can be enhanced by anecdotal feedback from the audience and allow for an informed opinion of how to integrate video into your communication strategy.

At Citadel-MAGNUS we believe that video need not be expensive and that the ROI on video content can be easily measured using freely available analytics tools.

User Generated content can be extremely cost effective and may be the preferred method for capturing employee engagement and sustainability video projects. Higher production values are more appropriate for corporate brand and reputation communications.

Citadel-MAGNUS take a structured approach to supporting the use of video amongst our clients, which includes:

•    assessing if and where video fits within the communications mix
•    conducting an audit of a client’s technical capabilities to use video as a communications tool
•    identifying if a single execution, series of videos or annual package of video is appropriate
•    defining and agreeing a detailed brief to underpin each video production
•    managing the pre-production, production and post-production resources for each project
•    hosting a ’wash-up’ meeting to gather feedback and lock in learnings

This approach ensures our clients generate video content that improves the quality of the corporate communications mix and positively contributes to business outcomes.