The Secrets to Making the Perfect Company Culture Video

Nowadays, videos are the easiest way of conveying a memorable message or story to a large audience within a few minutes – which is why culture videos perform so well!

A company culture video aims to humanize your brand to your customers or prospective employees by showcasing your values, customs, and beliefs. It reveals who you are and what makes your organization a unique place to work or do business with.

Most of all, they aim to create an emotional connection between your organization and your clients, or potential candidates, along with building empathy and trust.

Sounds awesome, right?

Well, the thing is that doing so it's not always as easy as it sounds. A company culture video can fall short for many reasons (dishonest message, lack of originality, production issues…) which leaves you with a piece of content that fails to live up to your expectations.

But fret not; we are here to help!

Today, we are taking from the playbook of some of the most experienced video companies out there and deep-diving into how to make the perfect company culture video.

Let's go!

Clearly define your company's values, culture, mission, and vision.

Every company has something that makes it unique, so you have to ask yourself: What does my company offers that others don't? What makes it stand out from the competition? What's our vision? Why do people love working with us? Having those things clearly defined will give you a solid starting point.

One of your company culture video's main goals should be inviting people to interact with you - whether to work or do business with. Therefore, if your company identity is not well-defined, your video will send the wrong message or engage people the wrong way. So, before starting working on your video, make sure you have a clear idea of who you are as a company!

Best to focus on one or two core values.

Overwhelming an audience with too much information never works. It's better to only concentrate on those features that are actually worth highlighting.

That said, we're sure your brand has many remarkable characteristics that make it one-of-a-kind, but you know what they say: less is more.

Moreover, don't let the benefits and perks your company offers to overshadow your core values. So, for example, if your company is open to pets in the workplace, you can show it in your video as long as you explain the central purpose behind that decision.

As an example, some of these core values can be:

open and constructive workplace
professional/personal life balance
diversity and inclusion
continuous learning
customer-focused culture

Always, always use real people, not actors!

If you want to show the heart, the human side of your brand, why would you use actors in your video?

The key is to remember here is that your company culture video isn’t trying to sell your product or service - not directly, at least. Instead, you want to show your audience the soul of the company behind the products they love, and for that, you need the people that make it go round.

Also, nine times out of ten, your viewers will notice there is a phony element in the equation, and you will cause the opposite effect. Therefore, using real employees is the best way to convey the right message and fostering empathy in your audience.

Every company always has someone willing to participate in a video. Your employees are the best option to help you outline the authentic side of your brand. Keep things real!

On writing a great culture video script

Although you will focus on real-life stories, events, and people, you’ll most likely still need a script or script-like set up to give your video structure. Let's go over a few tips and tricks that can help you do a stellar job!

Start with a brief that outlines the central points of your video. Answering the following questions will be very helpful: What's the goal of your video? What’s the key focus or main topic you plan to cover? Who is its intended audience?

As company culture videos tend to be less than 3 minutes long, focusing on a single story is vital. You can choose to share a wide range of stories with your viewers: the beginnings of your company, your employees explaining what they love about working for you, or maybe you can describe your more remarkable achievements! All of these can work, but best to choose just one!

Speak in your audience's language. Since videos of this type are short, every word matters. So don't waste them using complex jargon or technical speech if your audience isn't familiar with it. Remember, keeping the tone conversational and friendly is key to great content marketing!

Include your teamwork in the writing process. After all, employees are the ones that know the ins and outs of working in your company.

Conducting and filming an interview like a pro

Unless you are going with an entirely narrative story, a lot of culture videos will revolve around (or at least include) interviews. To get the most out of those, here are a few pointers you’ll want to keep in mind:

Formulate your questions ahead, having in mind the purpose of your video.

Let your interviewees read the questions in advance. This way, they will have time to think about the answers.

Remember you will be interviewing your employees, who may be a bit camera-shy, so making them feel at ease during the shooting will avoid nervousness or anxiety.

Keep the interview natural and let it flow – it's okay if new questions arise!

Pre, production, and post

Creating a video from start to finish can seem a herculean task from the outset - especially if you have no experience with it. And while we would be lying if we said it’s easy, there are certainly some tips you need to take into account to make the whole process go more smoothly:

First, create a filming outline and define the location where you want to shoot your video. If it's the office, let your employees know ahead of time so you don't catch them by surprise. If it's an outdoor location, you should consider logistics, like team and gear transportation.

Second, when it comes to equipment, there is a wide range of options; it all depends on the quality you want to give to your video and, of course, your budget. High-quality smartphones would work, but renting professional equipment is also a good idea. Bear in mind that you will need a camera, a microphone, and lighting equipment for most productions.

Third, once you have enough footage, it's time to edit it, insert music and sound effects, etc. You can - and should - use inserts and brand imagery that help your audience identify your brand. To do that, you will need to use video editing software.

Fourth, remember that effective branding is vital for a perfect company culture video. Your logo, alongside other distinctive branding elements like your company’s color palette, jingles, and the like, should feature prominently on your piece. Making your video unmistakable yours.

Lastly, don't forget music can also set the tone for your video. If you want to highlight the playful side of your company, choose an upbeat song. Or, if you wish to give it a more serious approach, slower music will work wonders!

On promoting and distributing your company story videos

It's ready, well, almost! There is still one more thing to do. You got through the whole process of making a company culture video, and now it's time to talk about the promotion and distribution process, which will depend on the audience you want to reach out to.

Posting your video on the different sections of your website is naturally a great idea. But dream bigger! You should also use it on social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter. Another great option can be to include your video in your newsletter and send it to your contacts as part of an email strategy.

As we mentioned before, one of your video's goals can be to attract prospective candidates, so posting your video on professional networking sites, such as LinkedIn is a smart move.

Lastly, if you want to go further and approach a new audience, you can consider paid distribution as well.

Wrapping Up

To quickly recap, company culture videos are the perfect ally to reach and touch the hearts of your audience. Moreover, they can give your viewers an insight into your brand identity and prompt them to reach out and engage with your brand.

But for those things to pan out, they require a lot of effort, which will pay off if you manage to convey the right message the right way.

As said, the approach you want to give to your video is up to you. You can add an emotional touch to it or even a humorous one. However, you have to remain true to yourself – being honest is the key to make your company shine and stand out.

Victor Blasco is an audiovisual designer, video marketing expert, and founder/CEO of the explainer video production company Yum Yum Videos. Besides running the business, he’s a lifelong student of Chinese philosophy and a passionate geek for all things sci-fi.