In the realm of digital marketing, the creation of the perfect corporate video is a quest undertaken by many, yet mastered by few. This elusive feat isn’t governed by superior tech or extravagant budgets. Instead, the secret for perfect corporate videos resides in a profoundly human domain: the understanding and skillful manipulation of cognitive biases.
Cognitive Biases: The Unsung Hero of Corporate Videos
Cognitive biases, the systematic errors in our thinking affecting the decisions and judgments that people make, are powerful tools when utilised correctly in corporate videos. When your narrative gently pushes these inbuilt buttons within the human mind, it triggers subconscious responses that can enhance the effectiveness of your message.
The Power of the ‘Halo Effect’
The ‘Halo Effect’ is a cognitive bias where an audience’s impression of you, your product or your company, influences their thoughts about its other attributes. If they perceive one aspect positively, this can colour their view of everything else.
By ensuring that the initial interaction your audience has with your video is positive – be it through a visually pleasing first frame, an engaging opening line, or an authoritative speaker – you set the tone for everything that follows.
Leveraging the ‘Bandwagon Effect’
The ‘Bandwagon Effect’ is a psychological phenomenon where people tend to do things because others are doing them, regardless of their own beliefs. In the context of corporate videos, this could be as simple as emphasising the number of satisfied customers, high sales volumes, or sharing testimonials and endorsements from respected figures in the industry.
Utilising the ‘Anchoring Bias’
The ‘Anchoring Bias’ is another cognitive bias where people rely heavily on the first piece of information (the ‘anchor’) they receive when making decisions. To use this in your corporate video, start by showcasing your strongest selling point or most impressive statistic. This ‘anchor’ will influence how they perceive the rest of your video.
Engaging with the ‘Confirmation Bias’
‘Confirmation Bias’ is the tendency to seek, interpret and remember information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs. To leverage this in your corporate video, do your research to understand your audience’s existing perceptions and beliefs, and create a narrative that aligns with and confirms these.
Conclusion
The unexpected secret to perfect corporate videos lies not in costly equipment or glamorous effects, but in understanding and leveraging the inbuilt cognitive biases of your viewers. By mastering these psychological quirks – the Halo Effect, the Bandwagon Effect, the Anchoring Bias and the Confirmation Bias – you can create corporate videos that genuinely connect, engage, and resonate with your audience.
