Published on February 27, 2025
Make corporate videos employees actually want to watch. Engage, inform, and ditch the boring stuff with these proven tips.
Corporate communication videos: the holy grail of internal messaging. Or at least, that’s what companies hope. In reality, most corporate videos end up being digital tumbleweeds — ignored, skipped, or played at 2x speed while employees scroll their phones.
Let’s be real: Nobody wants to sit through a 10-minute video of a talking head droning on about the company’s exciting new initiative. People have better things to do, like actually working or pretending to while watching cat videos.
But here’s the thing: corporate videos can be insanely effective. Studies show that people retain 95% of a message through video, compared to 10% through text. That’s a massive difference.
Video, when done right, isn’t just another corporate gimmick, it’s a game-changer for engagement, retention, and making sure your employees give a damn about what you’re saying.
The problem? Most corporate videos suck. They’re too long, too formal, too scripted, or just plain boring. If you want your videos to actually work, you need to make them engaging, clear, and dare I say — watchable.
So, let’s talk about how to stop making videos people hate and start creating content that properly resonates.
Why Corporate Communication Videos Matter (When They Don’t Suck)
- People Remember Video. Like I said earlier, 95% retention vs. 10%. You do the math.
- Video Feels Personal. A well-made video connects people to the company’s mission in a way a PDF never will. Throw in real employees, leadership messages, and a bit of storytelling, and suddenly, people actually care.
- They Save Time. Nobody wants another bloated meeting or a five-paragraph email full of corporate jargon. A tight, 2-3 minute video can communicate what would otherwise take way too long to explain.
- They Build Culture. Great companies don’t just talk about their culture they show it. Videos help reinforce values, celebrate wins, and create a sense of unity. Assuming they’re not boring as hell.
Why Most Corporate Videos Fail Miserably
Before we fix things, let’s diagnose what’s broken:
- They’re Irrelevant. Employees check out the second they realize a video has nothing to do with them. Generic content = instant disengagement.
- They’re Stiff and Scripted. Nobody wants to listen to a corporate robot reading a teleprompter. Real talk: People engage with authenticity, not scripted monotony.
- They’re Too Long. If your video is longer than three minutes, you better be giving out free pizza to those who finish it.
- They Look Like Crap. Bad lighting, poor audio, and pixelated visuals scream “we don’t really care about this”. So why should employees?
- They’re Passive. If your video is just a one-way info dump, don’t expect engagement. Interactivity is king.
Alright, enough about what not to do. Let’s fix this mess.
7 Rules for Making Corporate Videos People Watch
1. Keep It Short. Really Short.
If it takes you more than three minutes to get your point across, you’re doing it wrong. Cut the fluff, focus on one core message, and deliver it quickly. Employees are busy so respect their time.
2. Talk Like a Human.
Ditch the corporate mumbo-jumbo. No one wants to hear about synergies or strategic alignments. Be conversational. Be real. If it sounds like something you’d say to a friend over coffee, you’re on the right track.
3. Show, Don’t Tell.
Don’t just say your company values diversity, show diverse employees thriving. Don’t just announce a new policy, demonstrate how it works. People remember what they see, not just what they hear.
4. Use Captions and Visuals.
Many employees will watch your video on mute. Subtitles are a must. Also, engaging visuals, animations, and motion graphics will make your video way more watchable.
5. Make It Visually Interesting.
A static talking head for three minutes? Snoozefest. Use different camera angles, add cutaways, include a B-roll, and keep things moving. Attention spans are short so don’t waste them.
6. Use Humor and Emotion.
A little humor goes a long way. So does emotion. If you can make people feel something, whether it’s laughter, pride, or inspiration — they’ll actually remember what you said.
7. Make It Interactive.
Turn passive viewers into active participants. Add questions, clickable links, quizzes, or feedback forms. Get employees involved, and suddenly, your videos aren’t just content. They’re experiences.
The Corporate Video That Actually Works
Not all corporate videos are doomed to fail. Some formats work incredibly well:
1. CEO Messages That Don’t Suck
Your CEO talking to the company can be powerful — if it’s done right. Keep it short, personal, and to the point. No stiff scripts. No corporate buzzwords. Just real talk.
2. Training & Onboarding That Doesn’t Bore People to Death
94% of employees prefer learning via video over text. But if your training videos feel like a hostage situation, you’re doing it wrong. Keep them engaging, interactive, and full of real-world scenarios.
3. Company Culture Videos That Don’t Feel Forced
People want to work somewhere they really like. Showcase real employees, fun events, behind-the-scenes moments… anything that makes your company feel like a great place to be.
4. Compliance Videos That Aren’t a Snoozefest
Yes, policies matter. But nobody wants to sit through a 20-minute compliance lecture. Make these videos engaging with real-life examples, storytelling, and, if possible, a sense of humor.
How to Know If Your Videos Don’t Suck
Make a video? Great. Now measure if it worked.
Key Metrics to Track:
- View Rate: Did people actually press play?
- Completion Rate: Did they watch the whole thing or peace out after 20 seconds?
- Engagement: Likes, shares, comments… does anyone care?
- Retention Rate: How long are people staying engaged?
- Action Rate: Are they doing what you wanted them to do after watching?
Tools to Track Video Engagement:
- Vimeo Enterprise & Vidyard – Analytics and tracking
- Microsoft Stream – Great for internal videos
- YouTube (Unlisted/Internal) – Solid tracking through YouTube Studio
- LMS Platforms – If it’s a training video, measure completion rates
Final Thoughts: Make Corporate Videos Worth Watching
The bottom line? If you’re going to make a corporate video, make it worth watching. Keep it short, engaging, and above all — real. People don’t hate corporate videos because they’re videos. They hate them because they’re bad. So stop making bad videos. Do it right, and your employees might actually start paying attention. Hell, they might even enjoy them. Imagine that.
