These are the trends in video employer branding for 2019
Constant change in employer branding is nothing new. It's just getting faster and faster. The days when you could bring new talent on board with a nicely written company brochure or a weekly yoga class for employees are long gone. Video production agency Faeh+Faeh lists nine video employer branding trends for the current year.
1. show us your videos - also in employer branding
We don't need to mention here that video content is no longer a trend. The positive marketing effects of moving images can now be read about in many blogs and info newsletters and proven via sober analysis and evaluation of view figures. As a result, the number of new films is increasing rapidly.
As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult to be found and seen. Digitization, with its new, networked channels for employer brands, offers an optimal basis for differentiating oneself in various ways through videos. However, it is imperative that the stories arrive in the right form, on the right channel and at the right time. Viewers are becoming more demanding. So are the algorithms.
2. in the middle instead of just there - interactive videos
Netflix recently released its first interactive series of the hit show "Black Mirror". Interactive videos have also been used in employer branding in the past. The gamification aspect was often used for the corporate cultural fit.
Using interactive videos in employer branding makes perfect sense. Interactivity puts the viewer "in the driver's seat. They go from being passive to active players. This significantly increases the time spent on the website and positively influences the conversion rate and engagement. In addition, they differentiate themselves from the classic employer branding video.
3. "Storytelling is king" - people for people
This trendy term has been haunting the HR industry for some time. But "storytelling is king" is more relevant than ever, because it refers to the general development in the employer market. Potential applicants want more than ever to get a glimpse behind the (real) scenes of a company. For a long time, companies were unable or unwilling to comply with this wish. Today, an open view into the company serves as an important differentiator in order to survive in the battle for talent.
What is the benefit of storytelling?
- Reducing the fear of changing jobs
- Building identification with the company
- Sympathy for employees/work colleagues
- Refute prejudices
- Referral marketing
Stories move people and therefore the right content is very central.
4. one size fits all is game over
With the target group in mind, it makes sense for campaigns to spotlight different characteristics. "One size fits all" fails to address the individual and thus authenticity is also invalidated.
Especially in larger companies with different departments, it is essential to pay attention to the individual employee groups and teams and their special nooks and crannies. A digital marketeer has different ideas and wishes for his work environment than an employee on the shop floor.
The completed employer branding film therefore does not necessarily have to appeal to the CEO or the HR manager within the commissioning company. Rather, it is important that it serves the intended target group and arouses interest.
It helps if these questions are answered during the conception phase:
- Who is our target group?
- What do these people do?
- What are these people interested in?
- How do these people speak?
- Where do we find these people?
If necessary, it is also helpful to work with personas. Among other things, we also want to arouse the interest of passive searchers in advance. These are the top performers and/or top talents from competitors or industry outsiders who could be of great value to our own company. They are satisfied in their current function and only through our employer branding are they made aware of us as an opportunity.
5. provoke to activate
Just as in traditional marketing, the topic of activation is also an important hot topic in the area of employer branding in 2019. Because the best employer branding film is of no use if no added value can be seen or if no action is called for. Because without activation, measuring the added value of the employer branding campaign remains vague. It helps to be self-critical during the concept phase and throughout the entire process - does the film offer added value? Is there a call-to-action? Does it convert the selected target group?
6. draw the short straw - not with new talent
Our attention span is getting shorter and shorter. This is regardless of how old we are or which generation we belong to. This has a big impact on the length of videos. The longer the more; "the shorter the better".
"Most-viewed videos have a length of 31-60 seconds "There is no general, generally applicable length recommendation. The possible uses of videos in HR and employer branding are too varied for that. In addition, the length should definitely be individually adapted to the channel, the target group and the place of consumption. It may also make sense to work with teasers (short clips), especially in social media channels. The first three seconds of a video are also very important. This is where the viewer decides whether to stay tuned, fast-forward or zap away. The key message should also be recognizable within the first 10 seconds.
7. see and be seen
The best employer branding film is of no use if it is not seen. A professional and authentic film is important. But it is just as important to think about the target group, the channel, the format and especially the appropriate marketing. In this context, seemingly small details, such as the choice of thumbnail or even the title selected, are of great and decisive importance for the performance of the videos.
8. high has format
The vertical format trend is exciting and should be taken seriously. Even if not all channels allow vertical format (yet) and the content does not make sense in all channels, there is a strong movement towards vertical. Instagram, for example, is focusing heavily on vertical video content with its recently launched IGTV. YouTube is also starting to introduce vertical format films, at least in the ad space.
The vertical screen mass places completely new demands on visual storytelling and production, but at the same time also offers new possibilities. It remains to be seen whether this will catch on. However, the constant 1/4 turn of the mobile or tablet is already often too tedious for many, especially younger people.
9. uses the commute as a "communication channel
Whether it's on a Monday morning, without motivation on the current job or after an exhausting or frustrating day at work: the commute to work is the perfect opportunity to get in touch with potential talent. Whether on foot, bus, streetcar or train - what is better suited for this than a mobile-optimized video? No other advertising medium can deliver a message as briefly and effectively - be it with sound or with easy-to-read subtitles.
But "mobile first" and adapting the format to the channel is undoubtedly very important in connection with video content. The trend towards "even more mobile" will increase and, among other things, Google and the SEO / SEA rules will also go in this direction accordingly.
Conclusion of the Video Employer Branding Trends 2019
The best employer branding film is of no use if it is not seen. That's why it's important at the start of the project that all relevant key points are included and taken into account. In particular, the target group and its consumption channels should be approached individually. To ensure that this is not only done from the company's point of view, we recommend involving a competent external partner to guide the way to a successful employer branding process.
