To communicate with your audience, several solutions exist. Online, having a solid content strategy is essential. This includes producing content such as articles, podcasts, some infographics and videos.
We will focus on the latter. Indeed, video can be an asset for professionals and especially for local authorities. In addition, the format is easy to view from a smartphone or tablet.
What are the advantages of the video format? In which situations should you offer video?
Here are 8 creative ideas for local authorities!
Why use video in your communication strategy?
Generally speaking, using video as a communication medium allows you to convey your message very effectively. The video format attracts and captures attention.
In just a few seconds your viewers receive the information you wanted to give them.
Having a video format also makes it possible to illustrate and simplify concepts, ideas, or figures that are sometimes difficult to explain and present. It’s a more playful, modern format that allows local authorities to gain the attention and trust of their audience while expanding their reach.
When should local authorities use video?
As you can see, video is an indispensable tool that should be integrated into your communications urgently, if it’s not already. But of course this format does not completely replace all others. So, how can a local authority use video effectively?
Here are some typical examples of how a local authority can use video:
1. To showcase a new initiative or project
Whether you are addressing your residents, your employees, or your elected officials, using video is an excellent idea. This content format is particularly useful if you want to present or explain something new.
Creation of a new service for the population, installation of fiber, redevelopment of a neighborhood… Thanks to video, you simplify your explanations and illustrate them.
This approach allows information to be shared quickly and clearly. In the same spirit, you can use video to present a construction or modernization project.
2. To present statistics
It is often difficult to share a report, especially if it contains many figures.
- In this situation, video is a very practical tool. Thanks to it, you can share the numbers but, above all, create graphics to convey their impact.
- These same charts and animations can also illustrate changes compared with previous months or years, goals achieved, increases and decreases.
- Visualization of the numbers It is more understandable and allows sharing a report with the widest possible audience.
3. To support a change
Changes are often feared by people directly and even indirectly affected. To convince, motivate and even engage your staff, elected officials or residents, you can opt for video.
It will highlight the reasons for the change, the possible motivations and the benefits. It is important to mention the individual benefits as well as the overall ones. The video should be clear and engaging.
4. To highlight a new service
When a new service is introduced, you must explain it to those who will run it as well as to those who will use it. Once again, to showcase this new offering, you should be able to provide a simple, short and very clear video.
If the explanations are complex, you will not be able to bring people together, find your audience, and your new service will struggle to take hold.
5. To simplify administrative procedures
Administrative procedures are sometimes long and tedious.
Yet many of them are very simple today. To make administrative procedures easier, you can create a video that explains step by step how to proceed. Like a tutorial, this video will inform your audience.
6. To present the work of the municipality or the community
Often, town halls and other community organizations carry out multiple actions to improve residents' daily lives. It is not uncommon for these actions to be underappreciated.
7. To involve citizens
A community does not function without its citizens.
- That is why it is highly recommended to call on them regularly.
- Including them is the best way to learn about their needs and respond to them.
- To get them to participate, you can launch a call for projects via a video.
- Thanks to it, you maximize your chances of rallying your community around projects adapted to its needs.
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8. To communicate about your heritage
Like every municipality, department or region, you have historical, cultural and even natural heritage that is unique to you. With a video, you can showcase these assets.
Not only will you attract tourists, but you will also remind local residents that they can enjoy these regional treasures throughout the year. This initiative is particularly valuable because it boosts visitor numbers to these sites outside the high season.
Video is an enjoyable format that is easy to share on social media. It appeals to all audiences and can be very impactful. As a community, you should make use of it!
9. To communicate about different events
Many events punctuate your community's calendar (elections, registrations, festivals, sporting or cultural events…). Videos can be an ideal medium to present and share these different occasions. They create interest and illustrate in more detail the workings, course and organization of these key moments for your community.
During the event, the live video, usually shared on social networks, allows you to show what is happening to those who couldn’t attend.
Video has become essential for communication, including for local authorities. While it doesn’t entirely replace other formats, it often complements them to make information clearer, more modern, and more accessible to everyone.
As you’ve seen from the examples, it offers many possibilities in different situations. Now it’s your turn to include video in your community’s communication!
Need help? Call on the professionals at Redacteur.com to write the content for your community.
