What Video Can Really Do For You

Why is video worth your time and money?

Perhaps it feels like the right move because video is so popular today. Or maybe your communications team is encouraging you to get on-screen and you trust their advice. But have you really stopped to think about why video might be the best medium for your message?

It’s because, if done well, video is the communication tool that can best stir people to action.

Video is the Solution to Business Challenges

Many companies turn to video without realizing all it can accomplish. They use it to simply distribute information. Whether it’s news of a merger or year-end figures, they focus on getting the words right and then have their leader read those words from a teleprompter. The video is posted, the news is shared, and the job is done.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with this approach, and sometimes circumstances make it necessary. But here’s the thing: You may not realize it at first, but you probably do want to  accomplish more than just sharing news.

If the message feels important enough for video, it’s likely because you want to move your audience to some kind of action. You want them to see you, connect with you, decide they stand behind your message, and then do something.

When your audience is potential investors, you want them to take a stake in your company. For current employees, perhaps you want them to embrace new leadership or a new company initiative. If it’s prospective students or employees, you want them to bring their talents to your school or organization.

In other words, you don’t want your message to stop with the video. You want it to live on in your viewers so they can help you drive change.

Video Can Make a Leader—and Propel Them Forward

Michael Goodman, corporate communication professor at Baruch College, defines leadership in a similar vein. He says, “A leader is someone that you would follow to a place that you wouldn’t go by yourself.”

Your video can help you do that. It can help inspire your tribe—the people you want to influence and connect with—to do something they’ve never done before. And your communication leads the charge.

This purpose—the need for action—is often overlooked. It’s the reason many companies don’t put much thought or time into preparing for an effective video performance. They don’t realize how much video can do for them if the leader on-screen makes an emotional connection with his or her audience. It can go as far as building a culture and creating your legacy as a leader, as others engage with your vision.