Covid-19 Content Ideas
With all campuses closed, there is a void of organic content for educational institutions. With a complete lack of on-site shooting opportunities, and with most subjects unable or unwilling to record with a production team (even with strict protocols in place), you must adapt to the reality of the day. So, how do you get your message across?
In this article, we share three different types of videos that can be self-shot by members of your community and subsequently edited and shared across your various platforms. Because, after all, while it has challenged and forced you to adapt on the fly, covid-19 also presents new opportunities to show empathy and flexibility, and to establish your institution as a compassionate thought-leader in trying times. Here are three ways to create crisis-appropriate content.
I. Expert Opinion Videos
This type of video might be of interest to the broader community, as it provides a chance for your institution to become a key distributor of credible, timely information. The idea is to tap into your network and find expert individuals to talk about a single, specific topic; for example, a doctor discussing the frontline situation, or a business leader envisioning supply chain challenges and solutions in the post-covid world.
There are two ways to approach the creation of Expert Opinion Videos:
- The expert can self-shoot the video, following guidelines the institution has provided (more on this at the end of the post).
OR
- An interview can be conducted remotely via Zoom, either by a member of your institution, or by a video content provider such as ED_PARA.
In both cases, we recommend a run time of 3-4 minutes - enough to be thoroughly informational, but not so long that your audience loses interest.
You don’t want to shy away from the current moment and all of the challenges humanity is facing. If done well, this approach can help cement your place as a school that is able to prepare students for the real world. Plus, it places your grads as part of a global effort and highlights them as people who are knowledgeable, caring leaders.
Source: The New York Times
II. WFH (Work From Home) Lifestyle Showcases
Recommended Frequency & Format / 1x per week, 2 mins, montage style
It is also important to have a sense of playfulness about the times we live in. In fact, the internet is full of heartwarming stories about teachers finding fun and innovative ways to employ technology (many a class has broken into dance), and of folks who have built unusual (and often comical) workplace setups (that may or may not involve children and dogs). This is all good stuff, and it can help create organic engagement, since members of your community, now more than ever, need a dose of positive news.
From a content creation standpoint, WFH Lifestyle Showcases are easy to produce. The main idea is to solicit entries from the community, have people shoot the content themselves and submit their entries to you. Video content providers like us can then help you make those stories more dynamic by tightening the messaging, adding music and titles, and integrating assets where relevant.
WFH Lifestyle Showcases may include, for example: My Work From Home Setup / What I Cooked Today / Staying Fit, Indoors / Yoga-Meditation-Breathing / Staying Creative at Home
Source: Branksome Hall School (produced by ED_PARA)
III. Things We’re Doing Features
Recommended Frequency & Format / create as available, 2 mins, edited ‘feature’ w/ provided assets
Things We’re Doing features are designed to highlight specific projects community members are undertaking. The idea is to focus on action with a Case Study approach.
The best way to create TWD features is to ask community members to record 1-3-min segments about what they're doing. We can then integrate any relevant photographs and/or videos (custom or stock) to enhance the message, where applicable.
The idea with this type of content is to focus on a single initiative per video and use it to showcase that the work doesn't stop and that your community members are still doing inspiring, important things beyond your (now closed) campus.
Case Study Example: Deloitte’s Everyday Impact Stories, in which they do a great job highlighting initiatives led by employees.
Source: Deloitte
Video Guidelines
As you request content from individuals who aren’t content creators, it is important to give them some idea of what you are looking for. While your project has specific needs that you may want to highlight, we have come up with some general tips & tricks, which you can find here.