With video representing 74% of all online traffic, video content really does rule the internet waves. So it’s no wonder more and more companies are tapping in with employer branding videos to enhance their profile and attract top talent.
Employer brand videos are a great way to engage prospecting applicants and communicate your company’s story, brand, culture, and mission in a way that words and images simply cannot.
Is there a special formula to getting it right? How about getting it more than right, and standing out? Read our tips on creating an awesome employer brand video, and learn from other company videos who have smashed it.
Be concise
There is no one-size-fits-all length. Depending on what you want to say and how you say it, varying lengths will work better. But as a rule of thumb, people have a short attention span, so keep it concise and short. It should be long enough to communicate your message, but short enough to maintain engagement throughout the entire video.
The best way to do this is to define your message and set out your objectives. Ask what you want people to know/believe/feel about your company after watching the video. By defining the purpose of your video, you can tell your message more succinctly.
Show your employees
People connect best with other people, so keep it human. Your employees are your biggest asset, they are the DNA of your company, and they will communicate your culture best.
Candidates want to know if they are a good match with their potential colleagues, and your video can give a candidate an idea of what your workforce is like. Moreover showing your employees will humanize your company.
So how should you direct your employees? You don’t. Be authentic. We all can get nervous in front of a camera so prepare your employees, but avoid being overly scripted, and let your them be themselves.
This very simple yet effective video by HM strips it down to just its people, focusing the limelight on the diverse personalities and individual stories of the company.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMphi3s9v1c
If you want to create a video of employee testimonials, then show workers of all levels and departments – this will enlighten candidates of your full workforce.
Ask simple questions (no more than 5), and let them do the rest. Here are some questions you could ask:
- Who are you, what country do you come from and what is your job title?
- How has your job changed since you started working here?
- What does your job involve?
- Do you have any advice for people thinking of applying to work for the company?
- What’s are the challenges in your job?
- What motivates you?
- How has your work been recognized in the company?
- What is a typical working day for you?
- What is one of the most interesting tasks you have worked with?
- What do you like most about your job?
- What is special about working here?
- How has the company helped you grow?
- What was your first month on the job like?
This video by Pinterest takes candidates behind the scenes of the company, giving a glimpse of office life through employee testimonials. Through the individual stories of their employees, we gain insight into the company’s culture, career growth, products, work environment, core values, and company mission – All under 3 minutes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEUSNT9eO18
Culture
With job seekers placing an increasing importance on company culture, it’s important to communicate your culture right.
Your company culture is made up of your goals, vision, and values – so tell it, show it, express it, and film it. You can do this in a number of ways, perhaps you simply let your people do the talking, or maybe you show your values in what you do, maybe it’s the fun you have around the office, the diversity, or perhaps it’s the change you make in the world. Company culture is unique to each organization, so the best way to communicate it will be unique to you.
Just look how Foundation Medicine showed their values in transforming cancer care in this creative yet simply made video. Their belief is that each patient, story, and employee is unique, and through this simple but clever idea they celebrate individual uniqueness, that together, can collectively “transform cancer care”. Additionally, they engaged their employee by involving their diverse team and tapping into the power of social video with #uniquelyFMI.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC6HMMS_RVA
Think outside the box
We’ve laid out the minimal rules: be concise, show your employees, show your culture. But from here you can run free with how you want to communicate to your audience. Provided that you stay true to your brand and what you represent, you don’t have to be limited to traditional ideas of employer brand videos.
Whether your company preaches commitment, people, innovation, fun, or change – don’t just say it – show it.
GE
Take GE. Now we don’t expect you to possess anywhere near the budget or means of their scale, but we can all learn from their boldness to bring employer branding video to new heights. Through a single story, they unite what it is they do and represent. Yes, the blockbuster production is on a scale that’s unattainable to most, but your company can find the same emotional appeal with your own inspiring narrative that goes beyond corporate avenues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co0qkWRqTdM
Medallia
Or how about Medallia’s “We Are Medallia” video, a spoof of the Broadway play A Book of Mormon. The video features Medallia employees singing the benefits of working for the company. A pretty simple concept that brings together their workers to showcase the fun spirited office culture, whilst addressing their benefits.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpAvkvuVOFY&t=1s
This parody Twitter video about making an employer brand video showcases a cool company that’s not scared to have a laugh at themselves. The meta, tongue in cheek video also shows you how NOT to make a recruitment video, but beneath the well-executed satire, they still manage to address their missions, values and highlight their roles, benefits, career growth, and international achievements, whilst making us laugh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vccZkELgEsU
We can all learn from the masters, but no one knows your brand, culture or story as well as you do, so you need to communicate it best to you. Be authentic, think different, and don’t be afraid to stand out.
