The Role of Video in Modern PR, and How to Get Started
9 Jul 2025, Deya Bhattacharya
9 Jul 2025, Deya Bhattacharya
The advent of video has fundamentally changed the way people consume and react to content.
Whether on the go, at home or during work breaks, people naturally gravitate towards video as
a quick and easy way to be educated or entertained or both. Unsurprisingly, brands are
investing heavily in video to broaden their reach and get their messages across.
PR, traditionally, has been largely about press releases and journalistic mentions. And while
those remain important, video content offers a unique opportunity to create a personal
connection with users in an affordable, scalable fashion. Applications of video in PR include:
Let’s walk you through how to get started.
When you’re first dipping your toe into the world of video, it’s important to keep it simple and
treat it as a learning opportunity. The good news is that getting started with video PR is easier
than you think.
● Plan, plan, plan — As with any PR strategy, start by planning what you will be
showcasing in your videos and how that ties back to your broader campaign objectives.
Remember, each and every video you prepare should have a clear purpose. For
instance, if you’re working on a product launch, you can shoot some behind-the-scenes
manufacturing content as well as interviews with early users of the product.
● Keep it basic with the equipment — It is perfectly possible to create effective video
content with just your smartphone camera and basic editing software.
● Prepare a content calendar — You’ll likely have a limited amount of filming time, so plan
to use your sessions to shoot content in multiple formats for repurposing as you go. You
can also shoot a “series” of content at one go and then release it in bits.
● Use formats that your team is comfortable with — Behind-the-scenes videos and CEO
chats work well only when the participants are fully comfortable with speaking on
camera. Other options include using animations to share explainers or give sneak peeks
into how products work.
● Tailor your video content for media dissemination — Make it as easy as possible for
journalists to share your work by providing them with downloadable video assets
formatted for different platforms. You can also offer exclusive video content for specific
media channels, such as unique industry insights or breaking news about your company.
● Put authenticity into every video — Even the most elaborately constructed video will fail
to get the response you seek unless it feels genuine. Embrace the small imperfections
and make sure that you always stay true to your overarching brand values in your video
content.
As you become more confident with video production, it’s important to stay true to certain best
practices that will give you the most chance of success.
● Be mindful of formatting — While every platform has different length limits, short videos
always tend to do better, so keep your videos between 2 and 5 minutes long. Make sure
each adheres to a narrative structure, with a proper beginning and end and a clear
takeaway for the viewer.
● Keep it scripted but flexible — When interviewing speakers for videos, treat it like a
conversation rather than a recitation of a given statement. Agree on key talking points
and a general flow, and then let the speaker bring their natural style and demeanour to
the topic.
● Don’t forget about branding — Use standardised fonts, logos, colour schemes, graphic
elements, and background setups for all your videos.
● Prioritise quality — Even with simple videos, high technical quality goes a long way in
building credibility. Pay attention to details like clear audio quality, the use of natural light
where possible, the use of tripods or stable surfaces to avoid shaking, and post-
processing to remove unwanted background noise.
● Have a plan to repurpose — Your video is only just the beginning. Why not convert stills
from an interview into shareable takeaway graphics? Or divide it into smaller videos for a
week-long series? Or convert key insights from multiple interviews into a value-packed
blog post?
Numbers, as always, do the talking. Here’s how to make sure that you’re getting the data you
need for continuous improvement in your video PR endeavours.
● Pay attention to the right KPIs — In addition to view count or watch completion rate,
keep an eye on KPIs like click-through rates to landing pages, media features of video
assets, or leads generated.
● Keep optimising — Don’t wait until the end of your PR campaign to make changes.
Experiment with different posting times and frequencies, video lengths and topics, titles
and thumbnail images, and so on. An easy way to get started is by measuring what
length of video leads to the highest completion rate.
● Conduct a comparative analysis — Do a comparison of how video PR content compares
against traditional PR content. This will not only demonstrate video’s efficacy to senior
leadership but also give you an honest perspective on how and where video is making a
difference. Use this information to adjust video length and structure or refine distribution
strategies as appropriate. You may also choose to swap out video for a more traditional
option (such as a press release) if the situation calls for it.
● Look to the long term — What are buyers and industry members saying about your
brand. Has your recent content helped attract any new speaking opportunities or
interview mentions? Assess how the needle is moving on exposure opportunities like
these, as well as media relationship improvements before and after your video
campaign.
To put it simply, video is here to stay. And brands that hope to stay relevant need to incorporate
video content into their PR strategy. Even simple videos can have a lot of impact when backed
by a clear intent and supported by a razor-sharp distribution strategy. We’ve seen it for
ourselves, and we actively encourage our client brands to invest in video. If you’re looking to do
the same for your next PR campaign, drop us a line. We’d be delighted to help.
