How to Use Behind-the-Scenes Videos to Build Authenticity

What is Authenticity?

Authenticity refers to the quality of being genuine, sincere, and true to oneself or one's values. In the context of business and marketing, authenticity means being transparent, honest, and real in all interactions with customers. Authenticity is essential because it builds trust, loyalty, and ultimately, drives business success.

Why Behind-the-Scenes Videos?

Behind-the-scenes videos are an excellent way to build authenticity because they provide a glimpse into the inner workings of your organization. They humanize your brand, showcase your expertise, and demonstrate your values. By sharing the behind-the-scenes stories of your business, you can:

1. Humanize your brand: Behind-the-scenes videos show that your brand is made up of real people who care about their work.
2. Build trust: When you're transparent about your processes and challenges, you build trust with your audience.
3. Create emotional connections: Behind-the-scenes videos can evoke emotions like empathy, excitement, and admiration.
4. Showcase expertise: Share your knowledge and expertise to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.
5. Demonstrate values: Highlight your company's values and mission to attract like-minded customers.

Types of Behind-the-Scenes Videos

There are many types of behind-the-scenes videos that can help you build authenticity. Here are a few examples:

1. Studio or office tours: Give your audience a tour of your workspace or studio to show them where the magic happens.
2. Meet-the-team videos: Introduce your team members and share their stories to humanize your brand.
3. Product development process: Document the process of creating a new product or service to showcase your expertise.
4. Challenge-solving videos: Show how you overcome challenges and obstacles to demonstrate your problem-solving skills.
5. Q&A sessions: Host Q&A sessions with experts or team members to share knowledge and insights.
6. Day-in-the-life vlogs: Document a day in the life of a team member or employee to give your audience a glimpse into what it's like to work with your company.
7. Company events: Share footage from company events, such as conferences, parties, or volunteer days, to showcase your company culture.

How to Use Behind-the-Scenes Videos to Build Authenticity

Now that you know the benefits and types of behind-the-scenes videos, let's dive into actionable tips on how to use them to build authenticity:

1. Be authentic: The most important thing is to be genuine in your behind-the-scenes videos. Share stories that are true and meaningful to your audience.
2. Keep it real: Avoid scripted or staged content that looks fake or manufactured. Your audience will appreciate the authenticity.
3. Use storytelling techniques: Use storytelling techniques like conflict-resolution, character development, or emotional connections to make your videos more engaging.
4. Keep it concise: Keep your videos short and sweet, ideally between 3-5 minutes long.
5. Use high-quality equipment: Invest in good camera equipment and editing software to ensure high-quality video production.
6. Optimize for SEO: Optimize your video titles, descriptions, and tags for search engines to increase visibility.
7. Share across channels: Share your behind-the-scenes videos across multiple channels, including social media, YouTube, and email newsletters.
8. Encourage engagement: Encourage engagement by asking questions or requesting feedback from viewers.
9. Monitor analytics: Monitor analytics to see how your audience is responding to your behind-the-scenes videos and adjust accordingly.
10. Consistency is key: Consistency is key when it comes to building authenticity through behind-the-scenes videos. Regularly post new content to keep your audience engaged.

Best Practices for Creating Behind-the-Scenes Videos

Here are some best practices for creating high-quality behind-the-scenes videos:

1. Plan ahead: Plan ahead by scripting out what you want to cover in your video.
2. Use a mix of footage: Use a mix of footage types, such as interviews, b-roll footage, and time-lapse sequences.
3. Invest in good lighting: Invest in good lighting equipment to ensure high-quality visuals.
4. Use captions and subtitles: Use captions and subtitles to make your videos more accessible and easy to consume.
5. Edit with purpose: Edit your video with purpose by focusing on key messages and storylines.
6. Add music wisely: Add music wisely by choosing tracks that complement the tone of your video.
7. Keep it visually appealing: Keep it visually appealing by using colorful graphics and animations.

Real-Life Examples of Behind-the-Scenes Videos

Here are some real-life examples of behind-the-scenes videos that showcase their authenticity:

1. Patagonia's "The Responsible Economy" series: Patagonia's "The Responsible Economy" series showcases their commitment to environmental responsibility through behind-the-scenes videos of their sustainable practices.
2. Red Bull's "Stratos Jump" documentary: Red Bull's "Stratos Jump" documentary showcases the preparation and execution of Felix Baumgartner's record-breaking jump from space.
3. Warby Parker's "A Day in the Life" series: Warby Parker's "A Day in the Life" series showcases the daily lives of their employees through vlogs and interviews.
4. Airbnb's "One Less Stranger" series: Airbnb's "One Less Stranger" series showcases the experiences of travelers who have stayed in unique Airbnb listings around the world.

Behind-the-scenes videos are an excellent way to build authenticity with your audience by showcasing your brand's human side, expertise, values, and challenges overcome. By following the tips outlined in this guide, you can create high-quality behind-the-scenes videos that engage and inspire your audience.

Remember:

• Be authentic
• Keep it real
• Use storytelling techniques
• Keep it concise
• Use high-quality equipment
• Optimize for SEO
• Share across channels
• Encourage engagement
• Monitor analytics
• Consistency is key

By following these best practices and incorporating behind-the-scenes videos into your content strategy, you'll be well on your way to building a strong foundation of authenticity with your audience.

Additional Resources

If you're looking for additional resources on building authenticity through behind-the-scenes videos or marketing strategy in general, here are some recommended resources:

1. HubSpot's "The Ultimate Guide to Building Authenticity"
2. Moz's "The Ultimate Guide to Content Marketing"
3. Copyblogger's "The Ultimate Guide to Storytelling"
4. Social Media Examiner's "The Ultimate Guide to Social Media Marketing"
5. YouTube's "Creator Academy" course on video production