Our answer would be “Absolutely Vital”! However, as we are a film production company I guess you would expect me to say that. So, let me share some insights that demonstrate why you should use video if you want your audience to connect with you and your company.
In recent years, the number of videos we view online has grown dramatically and we are increasingly using our smartphones and tablets to find and watch video content.
To put this into context, over 160 billion hours of online video is being viewed globally a year with 300 hours of video being uploaded to YouTube every minute! 50% of YouTube traffic now comes from mobile devices. In fact, 18-34 year olds are watching 53% more online video than in 2013.
Viewers who watch video via their smartphones account for 30% of all video views. An increase of 200% compared to this time last year and an increase of 400% on 2012.
Are your recruitment videos being viewed and shared by your target audience?
Facebook is the number one video sharing social site (59.4% globally) So, if you have a Company Facebook page, then fantastic! Facebook users are watching 1 billion videos per day. Videos receive over twice the rate of engagement from sharing compared to average posts.
Video is also a great way to broadcast your content to viewers who don’t follow your page or may have missed your original posting.
To demonstrate how video has increased in recent years, let’s use the John Lewis Christmas advert as an example. I am sure you all saw the ‘Monty the Penguin’ advert this Christmas? Below are the number of views and shares for each advert over the last three years.
| Year | Views on YouTube | Title of Advert | Key Message | Number of Shares |
| 2012 | 5,646,587 | The journey | Give a little more love this Christmas | 436,884 |
| 2013 | 15,005,033 | The bear & the hare | Give someone a Christmas they will never forget | 1,176,990 |
| 2014 | 22,256,076 | Monty the penguin | Give some a Christmas they have been dreaming of | 513, 232 |
The 2014 video had a 48% increase in the number of views. Yet ‘The bear and the hare’ advert in 2013, received more than twice the number of shares than Monty the Penguin with 1,176,990 shares. So, what is it about ‘The bear and the hare’ video that prompted people to share it?
If you create a video that has impact, your viewer is more likely to want to share it with their friends and family. The ‘mobile share’ of our video consumption is predicted to jump to 50% this year with ‘happiness’ being the most likely emotion to trigger a video share.
Monty the penguin was sweet, however, it didn’t have the same level of ‘emotional hook’ as a hare giving a bear his first Christmas! A mother buying a Christmas present for their child ‘however sweet’, didn’t compare with someone going above and beyond for their neighbour with such an emotional gesture.
This is a great example of how story telling can get your message across to your audience and confirms using video as part of an effective marketing strategy is the right way to go.
So, how do you ensure your video content stands out in a way that entertains and informs your viewer?
Video content should provide value, entertain and create an emotional connection that gives your audience a reason to take time out of their busy day. Especially when there is so much content out there vying for their attention.
If you would like help with creative ideas from a film production company who understands and has a genuine passion for the graduate and early careers industry, get in touch. We would love to share our ideas and help you to make an impact with your target audience.
Sue Coles
Senior Learning & Development Consultant