• Wondering how to reach the best candidates? Check out how utilising video in your employer branding could be your secret weapon! 

Videos are entrenched in our lives in this tech-obsessed era. We use video chats to catch up with family and friends, especially those living abroad; YouTube for entertainment and how-to vids to learn new skills etc.  

Compelling research stats to show why you need to use videos in employer branding.

1) Up by at least 50% on the previous 3 years, in May 2016 the YouTube user base was more than 1 billion. In 2015, Cisco reported 55% of all mobile data traffic came from video. By projection, you’d expect these numbers to be significantly higher now in 2021, especially with the pandemic trend for remote work at home e.g., Zoom meetings and conferences.

2) A CareerArc study recorded 75% of job seekers want to know about your employer brand before even applying for a job. They want to know what your organization is like, whether they’ll fit there happily and want to hang out during afterwork activities. Currently, the best tool to achieve this is video – its authenticity appeals to potential candidates. 

3) CareerBuilder found job postings with video had a 34% greater application rate. A CV-Library poll of thousands of candidates similarly reported 80% of them were more likely to apply for a job with a video in the job description. 

4) Research shows that 54% of millennials visit YouTube every day. By 2030, it’s predicted that 75% of the workforce will be millennials. It doesn’t take a genius to work out your recruitment should be focused on this generation and since they consume information by watching more online content than any other age range, if you don’t incorporate video in your recruiting process, you’ll be behind the 8-ball in targeting this job seeker group. 

How to be on the ball to make winning videos for employer branding.

Almost anyone can pick up a smartphone, point and record to make and share videos instantly. But there are other choices to consider. It’s important to check out your devices and be in the know about what they offer, as well as which type of tool will be the most effective for your employer branding. Great employer branding videos thrust into the limelight your company’s mission, vision, values, culture, benefits and recruiting. It’ll be made easier if you’ve done your research and have a clearly defined employer brand. 

Know your video equipment:

1) Phones/ tablets:

Advantages: convenience. There’s no extra costs and you can take them anywhere. These work well for: company events, virtual tours of your workplace and short, behind the scenes ‘sneak a peek’ type looks at what your employees are working on. Share these on social media to give candidates an authentic, casual look at your company culture. If you’ve done a top job, job seekers may even share these with friends and create the potential for a viral video – a perfect outcome for your reach! 

Drawback: they can be shaky since they’re handheld. It’s better to invest in a phone tripod.

2) Webcams:

This camera on your laptop/computer is a good option for longer employer brand videos.

Advantages: The footage is consistent and clear since it’s captured on a stable surface. It’s useful because the person in front of it can usually see themselves on the screen which makes it suitable for employee testimonials, video messages from management, and intro and outro vids from other significant people in video interviews.

Drawback: They have limited filming mobility since the camera’s attached to a larger, more cumbersome device. They are unsuitable for e.g., tracking or bird’s eye view footage.

3) Video cameras:

These are a go to for creating videos of both stationary and moving footage. All the footage will be of the same quality.

Advantages: They’re portable and can be stabilized on a tripod. Use one if you’re planning to edit together different scenes or video files; you’ve got a professional videographer that knows how to operate it; you want the best quality.

Drawbacks: You need to learn how to operate one or hire a freelancer who can; they can be costly, so you need to mull over whether the purchase is worth it for your organization.

Video Planning pointers.

1) Have a game plan, even for candid footage, to make sure what’s said and done makes a captivating impression and no one goes off on a tangent.

2) Decide who will be in it. Anyone on your video does more than represent your company. S/he needs to speak in a way that relates to the target candidates. Consider who will: highlight your company’s diversity; have a strong, appropriate online presence, are articulate and able to chat about your company in their own words, have a compelling employee story to share.

3) Track down suitable locations beforehand, considering: any unwanted sources of lighting causing inconsistencies, such as from the sun or a window; chances of interruptions from office activities; intrusive locale noises. You don’t want to ruin your video by ignoring these.