In this guest post, Mike Pritchett (pictured below) from Sydney video production firm Shootsta, says brands shouldn’t fear the word “corporate” when making video content for (potential) customers…

Businesses from around the world spend millions of dollars from their marketing budgets to try and tame the social media monster, but what they don’t know is that there is a hidden gem in the industry waiting to be found. It is the way of the future, and you could save your business thousands of dollars if you do it right.

I know what you’re thinking – anything with the word corporate attached to it can’t be interesting, but I assure you, it definitely can! Corporate video can now be as exciting and fun as watching your favourite cat videos.

It’s no secret that Gen Y and below gravitate towards the likes of Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. However, what many people do not realise is that it is not just Gen Ys that are hooked on social media; it is, in fact, the vast majority of us. An estimated 73 percent of all adults use at least one form of social media. While our smartphones seem to be getting smaller, they are also getting increasingly sophisticated, carrying some of the most hi-tech video specs, making shooting video as easy as clicking record.

One of the vantage points of social media is content production, and it is vital to make sure that you are of use to your viewers, while also providing something that is interesting, entertaining but also useful. At Shootsta, for example, we offer a unique video production subscription service to companies — but with a point of difference. We teach our clients how to shoot their own videos, and we handle all the post-production, with a 24-hour turnaround,  which in return saves them time, and money.

What this means is that we are also across all the latest video technology and trends – and we can experiment on ourselves. For us, a lot of our social media is fun – we try to keep it light and exciting, and we have a specific style with our brand that allows the followers on our social media platform to have a glimpse into our culture.

Some of the best content that people love on social media is also the type they can get value from — and I don’t mean in terms of selling them a product or a service. Everyone knows there’s nothing worse than watching ads on social media.

As a company using social media as a marketing tool, you want to entertain, make your audience laugh or cry (or, if you are exceptionally gifted, both at the same time) or teach them something they did not know before. For instance, think of something interesting and quirky, such as interviewing experts in your industry or promoting your product in an unusual way.

Being organic and authentic – while also making sure the video is high quality and polished –is also key.

Here are our top five tips to making a great corporate video:

• Make it fun: don’t overthink it; just run with it. We find that the best – and quirkiest — ideas often arise out of silly work banter
• Be authentic, but keep the quality: many people think that because they are authentic, they can sacrifice quality. News flash: shooting videos on your phone may seem “real”, but the grainy quality can often look unprofessional. Always make sure you mix spontaneity with a solid hour of editing
• Client first: Think about what your client wants to see, and not what you want to sell them
• Pick your social media channel: While social media may be ubiquitous, there’s a difference between social media platforms. Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, for example, require different types of videos. You may make 20-30 version of the same video and pump that out to different demographics
• Know your target market: Another thing is that with social media, you can know what your target market – it is ridiculous how specific you can get. This means you should be making particular target videos for your niche target audience. For us, a lot of our social media is fun – we try to keep it fun and light

When it is all said and done, it is also important to make sure your video is in line with your brand culture. You can use social media as a window into your company culture, and boost your company’s social media presence while also keeping your audiences engaged.