What are the benefits and challenges of using video testimonials in employer branding?

In the veterinary space, in particular, video testimonials from potential fellow team members can be the difference between no applications and 10+ - once role, location, and salary are within the expectations of candidates, then it comes down to "Who am I going to be working with?". For veterinarians and vet nurses who are not frequent job changers, this is a critical decision - so offering them the chance to see a snapshot of their potential new workmates and how they talk about the practice is what can take an interested candidate from a suspect to a prospect. Keep them short - 30 seconds and not too fancy or overproduced - genuine is best, then upload to YouTube and post across all your socials. And be ready for the phone to ring 🌞

Agreed! Video testimonials can be incredibly engaging. Be sure to include subtitles if you leverage them in your employer branding content strategy :)

* Recruitment can be driven by creating authentic and compelling insights of your current employees. Videos can showcase company culture along with the work environment. * As they say, show, don't tell. This is what video testimonials accomplish. * In some ways, the testimonial videos humanize the brand, and it no longer remains just a company but rather the employees who make up that company. * Candidates want to know who they will work with and for. * Various testimonial videos can be created that showcase employees' culture, diversity, mission, and day in life.

Authenticity and engagement: Video testimonials provide genuine insights into company culture and employee experiences, making the employer brand more relatable. They help potential candidates connect emotionally with the organization. Increased reach and visibility: Video content is highly shareable on social media platforms, boosting visibility and expanding the reach of employer branding efforts. Engaging videos can attract a wider audience. Production challenges and authenticity concerns: Creating high-quality video testimonials requires time, resources, and technical skills, which can be a barrier for some companies. Additionally, ensuring authenticity is crucial; employees may feel pressured to provide overly positive feedback.

Nothing is more powerful to build an employer brand than the experiences shared by employees. Potential candidates want to hear from real people about what it's like to work at a company, what a day-in-the-life is like, what the culture is like, the opportunities that exist, etc. It's a way to showcase your talent to attract like talent. At the same time, video is the content of choice across all channels, and is a great vehicle to share volumes of authentic employee stories.

The main pluses for using video testimonials in employer branding are the next one: -Bringing more attention of auditory for the promotion -Providing cultural and corporate view -Show more context in short period of time -Touch emotional part of viewers -Better remebers due has an influence on 2 - hearing and sight at once. From the consernc of the video usage the main would say can be next: -It' more expencive than other channels/materials -Should be really great quality or works wise versus -Should be within an appropriate content.

At LVI Associates, we find video testimonials to be a powerful tool for employer branding. They bring a personal touch that written reviews often lack, helping prospective candidates see and feel the authentic experiences of our team. Videos showcase real stories and emotions, which resonate deeply and build trust with potential hires. However, coordinating testimonials can be challenging. From ensuring team members are comfortable on camera to capturing their genuine stories without feeling scripted, it requires thoughtful planning. We aim for authenticity, keeping the process casual and encouraging people to share their true experiences.

Video off the top, screams Authenticity! Video testimonials provide a genuine, human touch, showcasing real employees and their experiences. Videos are more engaging and memorable than text, capturing attention effectively. They offer varied insights into company culture from different employee demographics. Challenges video may present include, producing quality videos requires significant time, effort, and resources. Additionally, maintaining a consistent message across various testimonials can bring challenges. Video testimonials in employer branding can powerfully convey authenticity and engage potential candidates, but they require careful planning and resources to stay effective and relevant.

Instead of complex descriptions of your company/brand features, film a 1-2 minute video with your employees. It's more sincere and personal content that helps candidates trust your brand. Real people and their voices always work better than other marketing tools. In addition to that, you can use video on different platforms such as career websites, review websites, social media, blogs, etc.

Ganz generell eignet sich Bewegtbild-Content sehr gut für das Personalmarketing, da er in der Regel verschiedene Sinnesorgane anspricht. Image- und Employer Branding Videos ermöglichen es interessierten Kandidat:innen, einen ersten Eindruck vom Unternehmen als potenziellem neuen Arbeitgeber zu gewinnen. Demgegenüber bieten Mitarbeiter-Testimonials im Videoformat den Vorteil, dass diese authentische Einblicke in die Arbeit(swelt) echter Mitarbeitende ermöglichen. Dabei können diese Einblicke fachlicher Natur sein, zwischenmenschliche Facetten beinhalten, etc. Im Gegensatz zu aufwändigen Videoproduktionen lassen sich Video Testimonials häufig einfacher und schneller produzieren wodurch die Einstiegshürde vergleichsweise gering ist.

1. Determine a goal. What do you need the video for and where will you place it later? This information influences the scenario, format/size of the video, and future channels for distribution. 2. Prioritize UGC in 2024. It works better than polished professional videos, which always remind you of commercials. 3. Suggest questions for your interviewees to answer, but leave room for creativity and their own vision and thoughts. 4. Remember the timing. Keep the video short, no longer than 2 minutes.

* Creating video testimonials begins with understanding the story that you are trying to tell. It cannot be a forced testimonial: "I like working here; everyone is amazing." * Once you identify the story, create a storyboard that showcases emotions. * Identify people who can tell that authentic story. Be mindful of diversity and different points of view. * People freeze in front of cameras; I know I do. I usually can speak in public, but it's a different story in front of the camera. Make the subject comfortable with regular chitchat. Ensure lighting and other technology are limited. It creates nervousness. Ask the subject to take pauses; it makes editing easier. * Create several B-roll footage of the individuals.

One thing I would add... film in Vertical! Vertical is king right now, because the vast majority of job searching, and researching, is done on mobile.

Here are a 5️⃣ places you can distribute video testimonials: 1. LinkedIn 2. Glassdoor 3. In each job description 4. In company-wide meetings 5. At events your company sponsors To the person reading this - have an epic rest of your day 😊

Attracting talent should be approached the same way as making sales is - through a funnel. Identify where you target candidates are likely to be found; specialized job boards, LinkedIn, Facebook, Search engines etc... - and then distribute your content there allowed. In my experience, having a coherent destination - preferably on your Social Media pages and website, where you can direct all would-be applicants to is the goal. Your content should feature prominently on here. You can also link this destination on every advert you post onto every job board, I.E. funnelling your candidate population to the place where the employer brand can be most felt.

Employee testimonials should be distributed on various channels. It starts with your website and then moves to your social media channels: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok. I would create content specific to those platforms. I would not do Twitter. It's not where people are looking for jobs. Do not forget the job boards; some specialized job boards and reputation management boards allow you to post videos. Have other existing employees share the videos on their social platforms. These videos should have an SEO component that should be tracked and monitored.

Die Videos müssen plattformspezifisch vor- und aufbereitet sein. Deshalb müssen vor der Produktion zunächst die Plattformen festegelegt werden, auf denen die Videos später zu sehen sein werden. Der Zielgruppe entsprechend werden dann die Scripts verfasst - auf Tik-Tok ist der Style nun mal ein anderer als auf Insta. Natürlch produziert man nicht für jede Plattform eine komplett eigene Version - aus einem gut produzierten Unternehmensfilm lassen sich mehrere verschiedene Fassungen herstellen.

If you are in the privileged position of having a library of high quality video testimonials from your employees, you need to ensure you are getting the maximum value from them by sharing them across all of your channels. Embedding videos onto job descriptions dynamically, creating hype reels for social, employee spotlight posts on LinkedIn, sharing on company intranet and comms channels. Video is so easy to repurpose and reskin with additional visual and written components, especially when its UGC and with the help of AI that teams should be aiming to get 3-4 pieces of content out of what used to be a single asset.

Authenticity: Video testimonials are seen as more authentic than written testimonials, as viewers can see and hear the person giving the testimonial. This can help build trust and credibility with potential employees as they can put a face to your organisation. Showcase employee benefits: Video testimonials can showcase specific benefits of joining your organisation that may not be as apparent in written testimonials and potential employees may want to be a part of that. Increase conversion rates: Video testimonials provide social proof and build trust with potential candidates. Seeing real people talking about their positive experiences with your brand, the resonance may drive candidates with similar values to apply for roles.

Leveraging video testimonials is a strategic investment in employer branding. Videos can differentiate you in a competitive talent market and allow you to genuinely connect with potential hires. Videos are also one of the MOST engaging ways to consume content. You can leverage video on your careers page, LinkedIn, and any other place you show your employer brand.

Heutzutage, in Zeiten von youtube, tiktok und Insta sind Videos als Tool im Employer Branding nicht mehr weg zudenken und wirksame Botschafter für Sie als Arbeitgeber. Je authentischer die Videos, je vielfältiger die Inhalte um so mehr machen Sie als Arbeitgeber von sich aufmerksam und geben potenziellen Kandidaten an ihrer Unternehmenskultur vorab teilzunehmen. Videos, die auf den richtigen Profilseite, der Website, social media, präsentiert werden können nach und nach zu einem messbaren Anstieg an Bewerberraten führen. Hier sollte man mutig sein und offen für creative Ideen. Einsatz von Drohnen z.B. um Vogelperspektiven etc. zu bekommen, die Möglichkeiten sich zu präsentieren sind unendlich und nicht unbedingt mit hohen Kosten verbunden

* As they say, show, don't tell. This is what video testimonials accomplish. * In some ways, the testimonial videos humanize the brand, and it no longer remains just a company but rather the employees who make up that company. * Candidates read online reviews, sometimes good and sometimes bad. Video testimonials help them experience and minimize any negative feelings they might have about the company. * Video Testimonials can also be shared via various channels (email, social, website, etc)

By featuring real employees sharing their stories, video testimonials add credibility to an employer's claims about their company culture, work environment, and opportunities for growth. Candidates are more likely to trust the opinions of their peers rather than just reading promotional content. Also, videos are a highly engaging medium that captures attention and holds viewers' interest. Through compelling storytelling, video testimonials can captivate potential candidates and keep them engaged for longer periods, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of the company and its values.

More than anything, the testimonials must be authentic and believable. Too many videos make the mistake of being scripted, too rehearsed, or in a setting that appears to be a studio versus the actual work environment. If done this way, viewers may not believe the content and the company may lose credibility. Testimonials should be conversational and free flowing of information. The subject must be comfortable and engaged in the process. Having a video team who understands this is key. Simply asking questions and repeating until it is done to an acceptable level does not work. A good video team can make a big difference in the final product. Creation of quality testimonials is truly an art of its own!

Effective video testimonials come with challenges such as maintaining authenticity, ensuring high production quality, and managing the diversity of testimonials. A few more challenges include ensuring the testimonials do not come off as scripted, dealing with potential privacy concerns from employees. To overcome the challenges of video testimonials let employees speak in their own words rather than scripting them. Regularly update your testimonials to reflect the current employee experience and diverse workforce.

Employee video testimonials have an inherit dependency - employees taking the time to record and provide content to power the testimonial campaigns. Traditional methods of getting employees in a room with a lead and film crew are not only difficult to scale and costly, but also place a large time and pressure burden on the employees actually taking part in the video. By utilising lower lift and familiar methods of video (mobile phones, laptops etc.), employees will feel more comfortable recording video testimonials and allow teams to build a more robust campaign with higher participation rates.

I like to think of this like Amazon and other similar sites. When I go to review a product, I will trust a video from someone who already purchased the product reviewing it more than I would the vendor's sales pitch. The same is true for candidate videos. The best ambassadors and marketers for your brand is your employees. Why not give them the mic and let them sell your brand, culture etc? It's kind of a no brainer.

The storyline has to be engaging and authentic. People who love their company still know the shortcomings of the organization. It mustn't sound like a used car salesman pitch. People leave the company at some point to pursue opportunities, and now it becomes a laborious task to know who is still in the company. If someone did leave the company, did they were terminated for bad behavior? That creates a wrong brand impression if that employee's video still lingers. Maintaining and cataloging the library of videos is a pain if you need a sound CMS system.

Transparency is key when creating and advertising video testimonials. Prospective candidates can sniff out a scripted, unauthentic video - this damages the company's brand and credibility. Using a video testimonial is a real display of your company culture. Testimonials should feel like "show and tell," regarding culture and company advertisement. You want to produce something that the public can take at face value. If your video feels at all forced or fabricated, you risk not only losing your audience, but also developing a negative reputation. We're all human. We want to see something we can relate to.

The credibility gap that currently exists with employee testimonials in general. Usually slick and polished to perfection, they tend to come across as inauthentic, unnatural and unbelievable with little energy. They become "facades" rather than faces of an organization. Better to create and produce videos that capture authentic moments that occur spontaneously--even with imperfections. Imperfections telegraph both believability and an organization's confidence in its culture.

Traditionally, video testimonials face hurdles like scripting inauthenticity and limited reach. To overcome these, prioritize raw enthusiasm. Encourage employees to record brief testimonials on their phones, capturing genuine reactions. This combats scripting and taps into the power of user-generated content. Next, tackle discoverability. Optimize video titles with relevant keywords targeting the specific challenges your company solves. This ensures potential hires searching online, find your content, maximizing the reach and impact of your employer brand. By focusing on authenticity and searchability, you can overcome the typical challenges and leverage video testimonials to attract top talent. ✨

1️⃣ Pick your employee brand ambassadors carefully. Work with HR and managers to identify the right employees to showcase. All employees are great; some do a great job as brand ambassadors. 2️⃣ Video shoot multiple employees on the same topic. Get the consent and release form signed by each one of them and store it in a proper location. If a showcased employee leaves on not-so-good terms, then you can swap them easily.

Your video content should merely be a component of your attraction method, and should be augmented with high quality copy and visuals that portray the brand and the opportunity on offer. Formatting is crucial too - dimensions matter depending on where the video is posted. video content for LinkedIn is formatted very differently than video content on Instagram Reels, for an example. You should also be optimizing for viewing medium, are your target candidates viewing the video mostly on mobile or laptop? You should look to accommodate for the medium where the most viewers will engage with the video.

Video testimonials can feel stiff and scripted for employees. Here's a unique tactic to boost engagement: ditch the formal interview format and embrace micro-testimonials. Imagine bite-sized video snippets on social media or internal platforms. Employees could answer quick prompts on their phones, like "What excites you most about working here?" or "What's a perk you never expected to love?" This fosters a more casual, authentic feel, reduces production anxiety, and lets employees shine in their own voice. Plus, research by McKinsey & Company shows millennials value purpose-driven workplaces [source: McKinsey & Company - What Millennials Want From Work, 2020].