12 Proven Strategies to Maximize the Value of Video

Netflix killed Blockbuster, and it's coming for business video next. Today's always-on, hyper-personalized world has made on-demand content the gold standard for audiences of all types, including business professionals.

Thankfully, consumer-grade streaming isn't restricted to binging the final season of Ozark. Companies can level-up their approach to video with Brightcove CorpTV, a solution that creates a dynamic, uniquely branded streaming experience that's accessible at any time and on any screen.

Consumer-grade streaming is the shiny new vehicle everyone wants to drive. But every car needs gas, and high quality content is the fuel for your branded streaming service. Here are a dozen proven strategies for creating and programming compelling video content that connects with audiences.

1. Curate the content you currently have

In most cases, companies aren’t starting from scratch; in fact, many businesses have thousands of videos in the can. With Brightcove CorpTV, you can easily upload existing assets into a single library and then publish the best of the best to your streaming experience.

2. Create brand-new content

Launching with never before-seen videos makes sense if your audience or communications objectives are new. A big-budget effort isn’t necessary. You can produce professional looking videos with a smartphone and inexpensive video editing software.

3. Keep content fresh

It’s essential to think like a media company. Rather than producing lots of oneoff videos, create episodic series with new releases every week or month. Combine frequent updates with push notifications, so you’re constantly bringing people back to your app.

4. Tailor content to audience segments

Build audience-specific channels with videos that speak to their primary objectives, interests, and concerns. Create channels for different market segments, functional groups, user communities, levels of expertise, and more.

5. License third-party content

Quickly scale your streaming service and grow your audience with videos from leading news and entertainment brands. Take advantage of sources like Video Elephant and Veritone Licensing to add more variety and value to your channel.

6. Leverage live events

Events like a user conference or employee all-hands meeting are an excellent launching pad for a company streaming service. Use the excitement of the livestreamed event to capture audience attention and then extend reach and viewership with on-demand event recordings.

7. Find inspiration internally

Fellow employees are often a great place to start when hunting for topics and on-air talent. Look beyond the executive ranks to subject matter experts at all levels of the organization. Their passion and first-hand experience will add a relatable human touch to your videos.

8. Be authentic

Whether you’re appealing to employees or customers, your video content should reflect who you are and what you stand for. Is your company scrappy? Innovative? Buttoned up or down to earth? Everything about your video content should be consistent with your brand and culture.

9. Be crisp to be captivating

The optimal length for a video depends on your goal, audience, subject, and viewing platform. In general, shorter is better—and more bingeable. The first seconds of a video are critical; they must be immediately engaging, or you risk losing the viewer’s interest.

10. Use content analytics

Constantly refine your content strategy with deep, cross-device insights into what your audience is watching. Keep tabs on which videos are most popular and where viewership drops off. Data points like these allow you to learn what works and grow smartly over time.

11. Create automated playouts

Use Brightcove Cloud Playout to program a mix of live and on-demand content from your existing assets. A simple drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to assemble and edit a video playout (i.e., playlist) and stream it at a scheduled time or in a repeating loop.

12. Ensure that content is easily searchable

Use metadata and tags to help categorize, organize, and find relevant assets. This makes it easier for the team managing your app to create channels and playlists and for your audience to zero in on the videos they want to watch.