One of the most effective ways that public social networks, like Facebook and Twitter, have been able to garner massive following is because they encourage users to share and interact with images and videos. An image is worth a thousand words, and according to experts, a video is worth 1.8 million words. They are powerful ways to communicate an idea, a thought, or a process.
So, when it comes to your intranet software platform, is it possible to increase engagement and improve communication using multimedia?
Absolutely.
Video and images offer a way to liven up an otherwise boring social intranet. Concepts that would have been conveyed using plain text can be explored more broadly and in a more entertaining way. Let’s take a look at how to improve intranet communication and increase engagement with images and videos.
Table of Contents
How to Improve Intranet Communication with Images and Videos
Most organizations, if not all, have some sort of internal communication problems. Not everybody reads memos or has the time to go through every report sent by their managers. They are either too busy or simply don’t care. Sometimes, the problem may not be with the employees, but with the communicator. Their message may not be effectively imparted, or they may fail to help their audience understand what is expected. A lack of clarity and trust is a big problem with corporate communication.
To improve intranet communication, a new approach may be necessary. It’s hard enough to catch an employee’s attention and maintain it, so if you want to increase their understanding, build trust, and encourage engagement, plain text is obviously not the answer. Start getting visual with images and videos.
Using images and videos is a powerful way to holding a viewer’s interest. This content not only communicates a verbal message, but also includes other messages; such as environment, color, and depth … and in the case of video; facial expressions, movements, and tone of voice. Videos also demonstrate steps on how to do something. They can show a product or people in action. It’s not just telling what to do, but showing how to do it.
Why Images are More Engaging for Intranet Communication
90% of all the information transmitted to the brain is visual. Visual images are processed 60,000x faster than text. As a result, it has been shown that 40% of people will respond better to visual information than using plain text. In addition, websites that use infographics grow in traffic 12% more on average than those that don’t. The stats are clear. Images offer better engagement and improved communication.
When it comes to your business, most of your workers are likely using public social networks. So it’s no surprise that what they find most engaging there would also work for your company intranet. Think of the information overload your users are facing … long wordy reports and boring DIY charts take too long to read and interpret. Images and infographics, on the other hand, are easier to comprehend. Only 20% of what they read is remembered.
Interestingly, 83% of learning occurs visually. Why is this the case? Images are easier to digest, are more memorable, more appealing, and more shareable. Infographics can transform plain facts into visuals that explain data more clearly. The use of color, contrast, rhythm and shapes make content easy to remember and hard to forget. Clever visuals also attract your eye and arouse interest. Such visuals compel users to absorb data subconsciously. It’s no wonder that visuals are the most shared forms of content on websites, blogs, and social media. This all generates valuable brand awareness.
Why Videos are More Engaging for Intranet Communication
Did you know that posts with videos attract 3 times more inbound links than plain text posts? And did you know that viewers spend 100% more time on pages with videos than those without? The statistics get even heavier when you consider usage on smartphones. As high as 75% of smartphone owners watch videos on their phones with 26% of those doing that at least once a day.
There are many ways you can employ video across your intranet using the built-in internal communications software. Trainings, disseminating corporate policies, and other important information can all be supplemented using video. Imagine getting an announcement from the CEO via video and another via plain memo text. Which do you think would have more of an impact?
When managing remote employees, video can also be used to keep in touch or communicate project requirements and expectations. Video can also be used to document the progress of a project and ensure everybody is kept up to date. Even using just a splash of video is enough to boost engagement and improve communication whenever the need arises.
In Conclusion
If you want to change your team’s knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and actions, you need to capture their interest, inspire, and motivate. Plain text is not enough to accomplish your objectives, but with the right mix of images and video, your messages will improve intranet communication and have more impact across the board.
