The GovGoodies just keep coming this week with another free pass to an event that shouldn’t be anything less than awesome.
The conference (What’s Next DC) is all about optimizing the way we get the word out about stuff so if that’s your bag or you want tips in that area or if you just want to see Mr. GovLoop speak like no other speaker before than this pass it for you. All GovLoopers will get 25% off the registration cost with the code “govloop25”.
The FREE pass will go to whoever shoots us the best answer (in the comments section) to this question:
How can the government use video to better communicate ideas and policies?
Here’s a little more about the conference: There are no sales commercials masquerading as presentations here, orsleepy Q & A sessions where only 1 of 8 questions apply to yourbusiness. What’s Next DC is about brainstorming, case studies, energy, networking, strategy and – best of all – personalized solutions to your company’s most important challenges. This is not just a conference, it is an experience. Come prepared and energized to learn and share with other Marketing, Public Relations, Advertising, and Communication Professionals!
1. Scale your message to your audience… an individual viewer. (If you’re pitching a change in tax code, be clear what that means to a single person that it applies to (at least $300 tax burden reduction) as well as the large-scale impact it’s intended for ($150MM deficit reduction over 10 years)
2. Convey these ideas/policies were built with people in mind, not abstractions. (Talk about moments shared with constituents or affected persons at listening sessions or via email/phone/in-person feedback, and the concerns you heard voiced that led to developing the policies.)
3. Show, don’t tell. (If your message is about an environmental cleanup, footage of both the problems (say, trash accumulation in the Anacoastia) and solutions (community cleanups, enhanced recycling programs, community monitoring programs) help the viewer clearly understand what’s being done.)
4. End w/opportunities for further education/participation (i.e., resources online, social media links, etc.). Don’t let the end of the video be the end of engagement with the viewer.
Steven covered so much…but let me add a few more.
1. Keep it snappy. In most cases, audiences are out the virtual door by the two-minute mark. If you must post the whole hour of a conference, take the time to create a “greatest hits” version, too.
2. Make it a dialog. We are all self-focused creatures. If I post a decent comment to your video, when possible, acknowledge me–respond in the comments, mention me in your blog, and hey…maybe you could comment on my video, too? Or put me on a citizen panel. If I am commenting on your video, I am part of that minority who is participating. You already have my buy-in!
3. Make sure everyone has access. This should be a no-brainer for an official government video, but videos should be captioned, and have decent sound. Do not assume I can see and hear your video.
4. Keep it organized. Create playlists of related videos whenever possible. For example: Not “pets.” Dogs, Cats, Kittens, Puppies. And remember: keywords and useful titles help TREMENDOUSLY. Tell me what year it was created. Tell me where. Help the Internet help me find your very cool video about the dog who teaches little kids to recycle. And if you’ve already done your work in item 2. (see above), I might just help your video go viral.
I think there’s a lot of ways to use video internally to communicate HR information, policies/procedures, and new projects.
Senior government officials (Assistant Director, Director, CEOs) can produce 4 minute telecasts broadcast off of the agency’s intranet. These broadcasts can be informative about policies, cite special acts of service by employees, or be used to illustrate a business challenge the agency is currently engaged in so all employees feel attached (linked) to the mission of the organization. In most cases, these telecasts can be filmed in-house as compressed video for on-demand viewing by employees. Broadcasts can vary and should be updated at least monthly, when the need arises, or on a scheduled basis.
@Bill and @Govloop: Yes, that is very much the way video is being used in my experience. I think that’s why it’s good to have seminars and conferences–so much of the good work is actually happening behind the firewall–for good reason.