We have a new round of video skills workshops. To celebrate we’re publishing this handy decision making flowchart to see when best to use live video, recorded video or no video at all.

by Dan Slee

For the last two years we’ve delivered workshops to help comms people get the most out of what is a hugely growing area of communications. I’ve loved doing it.

Why offer these workshops? Go on any bus, train or home and you’ll see the smartphone or tablet is ubiquitous. We’re using it to find out vital information or just catch-up with friends.

Eighty per cent of the internet will be video by 2019, say Cisco in a study. More than 70 per cent of the population have smartphones and almost three quarters regularly watch video that’s less than five minutes long.

Should comms people use video?

Absolutely. In the old days, a video production company could have come in and delivered the video for you. There’s still a place for that. But the smartphone in your pocket can shoot broadcast-quality footage and editing apps can allow you to trim and polish your footage to create shareable content.

The three important video and comms questions

Don’t make a video for the sake of it. Ask yourself why a video would help you deliver the communications you are looking to do. Ask too, if the two-way element of a live video would help you, too.

Q1: Is what you want to communicate visual?

The first question decides which path to take. Is it visual? Do you have a fire appliance and a fire crew who are willing to safely start then put out a fire? If you do and your message is around fire safety you’re part way there.

If you don’t have anything visual, don’t worry. Move onto the next question.

Q2: Is there value to be right here right now?

Sometimes, there’s a benefit of doing something live. It’s a breaking news story, like elections or an incident. Or there is merit to being there at that spot. A behind-the-scenes tour, for example. By going live you have the ability to interact in realtime. So a Q&A on a topic would best work live. I’ve blogged here on potential use cases. With tools like Periscope for Twitter and Facebook Live for Facebook you now can go live. Your phone is an outside broadcasting unit.

Q3: Can we record something eye-catching, engaging or has a story?

If the answer is yes to eye-catching, engaging or has a story, a recorded clip may be the answer.  The 85-year-old museum assistant who can talk the hind-leg off a donkey is perfect for this. Record 10 minutes and edit a 30-second clip, for example.

Maybe you don’t need a video

Both myself and Steven Davies and Sophie Edwards who I’ve delivered the video skills workshop with would say that video is a cure-all. It isn’t. Sometimes, it isn’t a video, it is something else. As ever, the right channel for the right audience at the right time.

We’d love to see you at a workshop

Our ESSENTIAL VIDEO SKILLS FOR COMMS workshop helps you understand the strategy you’ll need for your organisation. We then look at how to plan, shoot, edit and post good video. I deliver this along with our associate Steven Davies.

July 19 LEEDS. For more information and to book click here.

July 21 LONDON. For more information and to book click here.

October 5 BIRMINGHAM. For more information and to book click here.

October 17 LONDON. For more information and to book click here.

Our SKILLS YOU NEED FOR LIVE VIDEO workshop is new. You’ll need a different approach and different tech to broadcast good live video. Here we’ll show you how along with our associate Steven Davies.

June 20 LEEDS. For more information and to book click here.

July 18 BIRMINGHAM. For more information and to book click here.

September 28 MANCHESTER For more information and to book click here.

October 17 LONDON. For more information and to book click here.

October 19 EDINBURGH. For more information and to book click here.

October 31 MANCHESTER. For more information and to book click here.

A free download: COMMS VIDEO DECISION MAKER FLOWCHART 

Dan Slee is co-founder of comms2point0.

Picture credit: Florida Memory / Flickr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Original source – comms2point0 free online resource for creative comms people – comms2point0

Comments closed