What are internal communications videos, and why use them?
In our 8+ years making video, it’s been great to see how the structure of organizations have changed to reflect the evolving digital world. Work from home policies are on the rise, some companies utilize an entirely remote workforce, and global expansion is possible for even the smallest startups.
However, this new look workforce makes it difficult to ensure that all of your employees, members, or contractors are on the same page. Sure you can send out a newsletter or send a few messages on Slack, but it’s tough to tell who is connecting with the content.
That’s where internal communication videos come in. They’re a great way to align your people through engaging, important, and bite-sized video content. Also, given that you can track how many people are looking at the content (and even who) you’ll have insights into what topics are resonating and what ones are falling flat.
What are some characteristics of an internal communications video?
- Three minutes or less
- Clear and concise
- In your brand voice
- Audience-specific
- Consistent
When and how should I use an internal communications video?
Whenever you need to roll out mass communication to an entire company or department, it’s a good idea to consider putting that content into an internal comms video.
We’ve seen them replace company-wide emails, departmental intranet posts, or on-boarding handbooks, as these are typically wide-reaching efforts. As is true with a lot of internal communication, it’s important that these messages come from the top and management is behind the distribution (and, hopefully, production) of them.
This is our second year working with Demo Duck and they were fantastic from start to finish. They were patient while we solicited participants for our testimonial videos and were on top of the project whenever we found someone.
Amy Boese, ASCP
How does Demo Duck approach an internal comms video production?
We find it important to approach the content in a similar fashion to that of our educational video content, where we’ll dive into understanding the subject matter you’re trying to get across, who will be benefiting it and how. That’s where you come in! Luckily, you’ll get to know this audience quite well since it’s your own people and you can even give us a good understanding of how they’ll consume the video content (laptops, on lunch break, etc.)
A lot of times we find it beneficial to select certain members of your team to be featured in the video in order to help personalize the experience and get people excited about the production. This also allows us to create more videos at a lower price per video (yippee!). We’ve typically animated more dense subjects that need a visual aid to communicate the content clearly.
Internal communication video production examples
'Speak Up' Hotline Animation
Microsoft IT Supply Chain Animation
SIA Respect in the Workplace Animation
How do you measure success for an internal communications video?
By tracking views and engagement, you can see what your people are most excited to learn about and what percentage of them have watched it.
How much does an internal communications video production cost?
An internal communications video series typically costs between $10,000 – $15,000 per episode depending on the style (live action, animation, testimonial).
How long does an internal communications video take to develop?
An internal communications video often takes 8-12 weeks, with production typically moving a little faster than videos that are external facing.