You have an opportunity for increased viewership of your brand videos. But be mindful that people are fearful amid so much uncertainty. They are not looking for slick sales pitches that take advantage of the situation. Here are four best practices to help you engage your audience with meaningful video content during COVID-19 or any crisis.01

1.Show empathy.

People are scared right now. Your usual messages might be perceived as irrelevant or tone deaf. Chances are you’ll need to switch your communications strategy to one of empathy and understanding. Use video to share reassuring messages from company leaders or tell feel-good customer success stories. Whatever your message, be sure to acknowledge the crisis and show you care about your audience. People might not remember that you were kind to them, but they will never forget if you were a dick.02

2.Be helpful.

During lockdown, people are forced to become resourceful and self-reliant. (Quarantine haircut anyone?) Maybe you can help your audience tackle a task with how-to videos or short educational content. During this difficult time, people are also eager for information on how COVID-19 affects them. Share local updates or industry-specific news to keep them up to date. It’s also a good idea to let people know how they can work with you, perhaps in a modified way, given current restrictions.03

3.Focus on building a following instead of making a sale.

If your business is closed and you’re not making any sales, you can still build a following that will turn into revenue down the road. Brainstorm how your business might replace physical offerings with virtual ones. A few recent examples: tourism destinations offer virtual tours, zoos and aquariums hold informative video chats, musicians give live Facebook concerts. If you are still operating, there’s nothing wrong with making a sale. Just double check that your communications are sensitive to current events.04

4.Don’t wait until the crisis blows over.

It’s important to communicate regularly with your audience, whether your business is open or closed. If you stay top-of-mind with your customer base now, they’ll come knocking as soon as things improve. Hunker down and you risk being forgotten. Fun and entertaining videos are a great way to engage your audience if you don’t currently have a product to promote. Freebies or special discounts are a good bet if you do. 

We’re here to help

Here at Zuzu, we’ve adapted to a “new normal” along with everyone else. That means you can work with us remotely for video editing, design, and brand guidance. We can use your existing footage to edit and repurpose while we can’t go out and shoot. We also have the ability to create short animations to meet your needs.

Please let us now if there’s anything we can do for you. Stay well.