With more people working remotely than ever before, video is powerful and important communication tool for any leader. Follow the easy steps in this downloadable quick guide to create videos that help deliver your leadership message.
As a medium, video is a great way to engage audiences. It displays non-verbal communication better than other mediums, providing a powerful opportunity to trigger an emotional response in viewers and build trust. Video also helps to bridge the gap for employees working remotely. The short story? People find videos more engaging and more memorable than any other content type.
Step 1: Plan your message
The first step is to plan what you want to stay and the outcome you want your message to support. A useful framework is to consider what you would like your audience to think, feel and do once they have viewed your video.
The next step is to structure your message using this simple framework:
- BEGINNING: Greet your audience and introduce your topic
- MIDDLE: Explain why your topic is important, how it will impact your audience
- END: Finish with a call to action or explain what will happen next.
How long should a video be? TOP TIP – Keep it short
The ideal length of a video will depend on the topic or kind of message you are conveying and could range from 30 seconds for a quick introduction to 3 minutes for a more serious business update. For most cases, you should aim for your message to be 90 seconds or shorter.
Step 2: Think about the delivery
The ideal is to create a video experience where the viewer feels that you are speaking to them directly as if you were having a one-on-one conversation with them. Follow these basic guidelines to help fine-tune your delivery:
- Just be yourself – this will help you come across as personal and authentic
- Think of a single person who represents your audience. Look directly at the camera and imagine you are talking to that single person.
- Vary your voice as you would in a normal conversation.
- Think about the kind of tone and energy you want to bring to your video.
Step 3: Film your video
It is natural to feel nervous or uncomfortable the first few times you make a video. The more often you do it, the more comfortable you will become. Don’t worry about being perfect, being your authentic self is far more engaging.
Here are a few basic guidelines to help your video look more professional.
Orientation – Film your video in landscape (horizontal) and use the camera on the back of your phone for better quality footage.
Background – choose a background that is pleasant but not distracting. Be careful of standing too close to a wall.
Lighting – Aim to have even light on your face. Avoid standing in front of a bright window or wall.
Frame the shot – Place the camera at your eye level (if the camera is too high or too low your features will appear disproportionate.
Frame yourself in the middle of the screen, allowing equal space around you.
Don’t stand too close to the camera.
Posture – Don’t slouch. Sit upright. Good posture and calm body language convey confidence and signals that you engaged.
What to wear? – Choose clothing with a solid colour instead of patterns or prints. Avoid light pastel colours or whites against a very light background.
Start and end the video with a clean shot and remember to speak slowly and clearly for the best result.
Tools and equipment
All you need to get started is a smartphone, but the following items can help you to achieve a more professional outcome.
A tripod or mount to help keep your camera steady
A lapel/ lavalier microphone to record your voice.
If you need help in remembering your message, you can download one of the many free autocue apps available. We recommend that you only use the app as prompt and avoid reading your full message. Reading could make your eyes appear shifty and can create distance between you and your audience.