How to Create an Impactful Company Culture Video
Here’s why it matters and how to do it:
Purpose: Attract talent, engage employees, and build brand trust.
Steps to Create:
- Set Goals: Define your audience (potential hires, employees, other stakeholders) and measurable outcomes (e.g., increase job applications by 20% in 6 months).
- Tell a Story: Use real employee stories, highlight core values, and add emotional depth.
- Plan and Produce: Choose the right video style (documentary, testimonial, high-concept, animation), involve employees, and consider professional help.
- Edit and Share: Use engaging visuals, clear calls-to-action, and share on platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube, and your website.
Measure Success: Track metrics like viewer engagement, application rates, and employee feedback to refine future videos.
A great company culture video is authentic, well-planned, and speaks directly to its audience.
Ready to start? Here’s your step-by-step guide.
How To Create The Best Company Culture Video
1. Set the Purpose and Goals
Defining your audience and objectives right from the start sets the stage for a video that connects and delivers results. Before jumping into production, make sure your company culture video aligns with your overall business goals.
Identify Your Audience
Shape your video’s message and tone based on who you’re speaking to. For example, potential hires want a glimpse into your workplace culture, employees appreciate recognition, and stakeholders care about how your brand is perceived. When developing a concept, consider using tools like surveys or feedback sessions to help you understand what matters most to each group.
| Audience | Primary Needs | Content Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Potential Hires | Understanding workplace environment | Day-to-day culture, growth opportunities |
| Current Employees | Feeling valued and connected | Team achievements, shared values |
| External Stakeholders | Brand perception | Corporate responsibility, company impact |
Define Measurable Goals
How do you define success? Clear, measurable goals will prove that your video strategy is working. For example, you might aim to increase job applications by 20% within six months or improve employee satisfaction scores by 15% in a quarter. Although “video views” and “time watched” can be important to track, they don’t necessarily mean you’ve achieved your business objective (unless that objective is awareness). Platforms like Vimeo and Wistia will allow you to track these analytics.
| Goal Type | Metric | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Recruitment | Increase job applications by 20% | 6 months |
| Employee Engagement | Improve satisfaction scores by 15% | Quarter |
If your company is growing, you might focus your video on attracting new talent. On the other hand, if you’re strengthening internal culture, employee engagement could be your main objective.
With your goals in place, you’re ready to create a narrative that brings your company culture to life.
2. Create a Story
A strong narrative is the foundation of an engaging company culture video. A well-crafted story can reflects your organization’s values, keeps viewers’ attention and helps them retain the key messages.
Feature Employee Stories
Real employee experiences are at the heart of impactful culture videos. Use unscripted interviews and candid moments to create a sense of authenticity and consider featuring employees across departments and roles. For example, Crum & Forster’s culture video features employees discussing how the company prioritizes a people-first and supportive workplace environment [1].
| Story Element | Purpose | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Journey | Highlights growth opportunities | Appeals to those seeking career development |
| Day-to-day Experience | Shows workplace reality | Offers a genuine look into the company |
| Team Collaboration | Displays culture in action | Underscores positive team dynamics |
Emphasize Core Values and Traits
Anchor your content in your organization’s core values to ensure it aligns with your brand and resonates with your audience. Tribe’s profile of Ed Grover highlights how one employee’s actions exemplify broader company values.
When highlighting values, focus on:
- Demonstrating values through real employee actions
- Showcasing how these values impact both employees and customers
- Including unique workplace traditions that set your company apart
Use Emotional Elements
Adding emotional depth helps create stronger connections with viewers. For instance, Samsara’s video focuses on personal employee motivations, while Zendesk’s documentary-style approach blends office footage, volunteer activities, and voiceovers to highlight both professional and personal aspects [1][2].
Once your story is solid, the next step is to bring it to life through thoughtful planning and production.
3. Plan and Produce the Video
With your story framework ready, it’s time to focus on the nuts and bolts of creating your company culture video. This phase requires detailed planning to ensure your vision translates effectively on screen.
Get Employees Involved
Authenticity is key. To best capture authentic answers, avoid sharing questions with interviewees in advance. An over-prepared interviewee will sound scripted.
Schedule filming at times that work for your team, brief participants on the main points, and capture candid moments. Include employees from different departments and experience levels to reflect your company’s diversity and teamwork.
Consider Professional Help
Hiring professional video services can make a big difference. Experts can save you time by handling everything from planning to editing. An experienced production company can mitigate the risk of a bad final product and can help you create a video that truly connects with your audience. Companies like Tribe Pictures specialize in corporate storytelling and can help you achieve your goals.
After production, the next step is refining your video for maximum impact and sharing it strategically with your audience.
4: Edit and Share the Video
Edit for Impact
Editing plays a key role in making your video look polished and keeping viewers engaged. Focus on creating a smooth narrative flow. Transitions between scenes should feel natural, and no single moment should drag on too long. This keeps the audience interested while highlighting the main points.
Incorporate your brand’s identity by using consistent colors, logos, and fonts. For instance, Clari’s culture video seamlessly integrates brand visuals with employee testimonials, painting a clear picture of their collaborative work environment [1].
| Editing Element | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| B-roll footage | Adds depth and visual interest | Shots of team meetings, office interactions |
| Graphics | Highlights important points | Displaying names and titles, visualizing data |
| Sound design | Creates emotional connection | Background music or workplace sounds |
| Transitions | Ensures smooth scene changes | Fades, jump cuts, motion graphics |
Once the editing is complete, make sure your video encourages viewers to take action through clear and strategic calls to action.
Include Calls to Action
While not always necessary, calls to action (CTAs) can turn viewers into active participants. Place them thoughtfully, especially at the end of the video, to prompt immediate responses.
Use CTAs to guide viewers toward specific actions, such as:
- Visiting your careers page for job opportunities
- Connecting with your team on LinkedIn
- Sharing the video to expand its reach
These small but intentional steps can boost engagement and help your video achieve its goals.
Choose Distribution Channels
To maximize visibility, share your video across platforms where it will have the most impact:
| Platform | Best For | Key Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Company Website | Career pages, About Us section | Embed it prominently on relevant pages |
| Professional networking, recruitment | Consider shorter “social media” cutdowns of the main film | |
| YouTube | Long-form content, searchability | Use optimized titles and descriptions |
| Internal Tools | Employee engagement, onboarding | Include in new hire materials |
Tailor the video format to fit each platform. For example, create shorter clips for LinkedIn while keeping a full-length version for YouTube. Track performance metrics like views, engagement, and click-through rates to see what’s working and adjust your strategy as needed.
Conclusion: Evaluate Success and Plan Ahead
Once your company culture video is live, it’s important to assess its impact and refine your approach to keep it effective over time. By analyzing performance and making adjustments based on data, you can ensure the video continues to represent your organization accurately.
Monitor Video Performance
Keep an eye on these key metrics to gauge how well your video is doing:
| Metric | What to Track | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Viewer Engagement | Views, watch duration, drop-off points | Pinpoint strong content and areas needing tweaks |
| Business Impact | Application rates, career page visits, employee sharing | Evaluate recruitment success and internal interest |
| Cultural Alignment | Employee feedback, internal adoption | Ensure the video reflects your culture accurately |
Improve Future Videos
Research from Quantum Workplace shows that “65% of employees say their company’s culture has changed post-pandemic.” [2]. If your company hasn’t updated their video content since 2020, it may be time. Consider using analytics from old video projects to inform the development of updated video projects.
Plan regular reviews – ideally once a year – to keep your video aligned with your evolving workplace culture. Focus on elements that resonate most with your audience, ensuring they reflect your company’s values and goals. This approach keeps your culture video a valuable tool for both recruitment and employee engagement.
