Healthcare marketing professionals have embraced video as a compelling communications power tool. Hospitals, medical practices and individual providers have invented dozens of purposes and places to present their marketing story via a video format.
As a quick reference point, take a minute to review our previous article titled: 36 Uses for Video: Magnify Your Healthcare Marketing Big Time. But this adoption curve has been mighty sharp, and sadly, there are times when the well-intended video should never have seen the light of day.
Maybe the “golden rule” for healthcare marketing and podcasts should be: A bad video is more harmful than no video at all. Audiences are gone in less than a minute And often, the greater damage is that they will never return.
Virtually everyone who has watched major motion pictures or network television programs has an inherently high level of expectations about video messages. (And that’s why professional agency work is still a useful resource for your most important work.)
That said, the internally produced video products of hospitals and provider organizations, such as podcasts and relatively simple presentations, need to be of good, professional quality. So, before you leap too quickly into the in-house video bandwagon, consider these fundamental tips:
Have a written plan of purpose, process and payoff. Be clear about your audience, what and why you’re doing the podcast of project, how will it be done, and ultimately, what’s the payoff, benefit for the viewer or measure of success.
Invest in a quality camera; preferably two. The quality of video equipment has gone up, while the costs been coming down. If you’re committed to a continuing plan, invest in the best equipment you can afford. Two cameras provide more production flexibility, plus you have a spare when needed.
Invest in a quality microphone (or two). The best of video products have been ruined by poor audio quality. It’s always going to be an audio-visual product, and good quality microphones are insurance to capture a good soundtrack.
Good lighting creates a professional look. Be prepared to have a balanced lighting arrangement for your video. You may want to invest in a standard three-light package for videos.
The watchwords are: “Tell, don’t sell.” Communicate a message that is interesting and informative. Whenever possible, use a storytelling format that captures attention and engages the viewer.
Be willing and able to rehearse, revise and if necessary, do it over. We’re accustomed to seeing polished and professional videos. And virtually none of what we see as “final” was done in a single take. Expect to do things more than once and improve the final product.
Video podcasts and presentations are highly effective platforms to attract, engage and inform an audience. The challenge for healthcare marketing professionals is to be prepared and thus minimize the risk of something—among a hundred variables—going wrong.
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Stewart, these are great tips! The next time you consider creating a health video or podcast, consider following these action tips.
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