Top 8 Things to Look for in Healthcare Video Production Services
You know how important video is to healthcare communications. Whether it’s internal or external, if you want to get your message across, video is the way to go.
Sure, you can do-it-yourself for small projects like vertical videos, but if you need something more… something really good… you’re probably going to turn to professionals. The big question? How do you find the healthcare video production services that are best for you and your project?
A well-chosen partner will not only capture your organization's values but also translate complex information into engaging stories that resonate with your audiences, from patients and healthcare professionals to policymakers.
By choosing wisely, your healthcare organization will get impactful, results-driven video content that informs, educates, and inspires your audience.
A lot of what follows is focused on marketing messages, but almost all of it applies to internal communications videos as well.
Remember, internal comms videos are marketing videos. Only the audience is made up of team members, and you’re not looking to get them to buy something… we want them to buy-in something.
What to Consider While Searching for Healthcare Video Production Services
Expertise in Healthcare Content: When choosing a video production service, one of the first things you should look at is the production companies experience in healthcare.
The healthcare sector has specific challenges that require specialized knowledge, making this expertise invaluable. Here's why:
HIPAA Compliance: Understanding patient privacy and ensuring the video adheres to HIPAA guidelines is critical. Production teams need to know how to film and edit videos without revealing private patient information. This expertise ensures that your organization remains compliant and protects patients' sensitive data.
Medical Accuracy: Healthcare content should accurately represent medical procedures, terminologies, and protocols. A knowledgeable production team can identify potential inaccuracies that could lead to misunderstandings or misinformation. They can help distill complex medical information into clear and concise messaging suitable for your target audience.
Sensitive Topics: Healthcare videos often touch on sensitive subjects like illness, mental health, and medical treatments. A team experienced in healthcare will approach these topics with empathy and tact, ensuring content is both informative and respectful.
Audience Understanding: Healthcare audiences are diverse, including patients, medical staff, and administrators. The production team must understand each group's unique concerns and interests, tailoring messages that resonate across demographics.
Advocacy and Awareness: Video production teams knowledgeable in healthcare can support advocacy efforts and raise awareness around specific health issues or campaigns. Their experience helps them craft messages that effectively drive action, whether it's promoting preventive care or supporting fundraising efforts.
Choosing a team with deep expertise in healthcare ensures that your video content is accurate, compliant, and crafted with an understanding of the sector's unique requirements. The more experience the production team has in healthcare, the more likely you’ll get a good story.
Storytelling Ability: Did someone just say, “story?” Video isn’t about facts and figures. Video is about emotion, and the quickest way to tap emotion is through storytelling.
Here’s what makes storytelling so important in healthcare communication:
Emotional Connection: Effective storytelling resonates emotionally with viewers. In healthcare, stories about recovery, hope, and perseverance can inspire patients and families while building trust in your organization. A skilled production team can tell emotional stories that highlight the human side of healthcare, making complex subjects relatable.
People-Centered Narratives: Patients and team members often seek information that relates to their personal experiences. By focusing on people stories, a production team can convey empathy and show how your message, treatments, and/or products make a tangible difference in their lives. These stories can encourage your audience to buy or but into what you’re communicating.
Clear Messaging: Healthcare concepts can be intricate and technical. A good storyteller breaks things down into easily digestible messages without oversimplifying. They understand why plain language is so important to the industry. They can craft stories that clarify your organization’s goals, highlight the benefits of medical advancements, or explain treatment processes in a way that resonates with a non-medical audience.
Diverse Perspectives: Healthcare audiences vary significantly, from employees to patients to policymakers. A versatile storytelling team ensures that stories are adaptable to different audiences. They can create patient education videos, internal training videos, or awareness campaigns that align with the audience’s needs.
Solution-Oriented: Great storytelling presents your healthcare organization as a solution provider. Instead of focusing solely on problems, strong stories emphasize how your organization innovates and solves challenges, whether through groundbreaking treatments, exceptional patient care, or community outreach.
Structured Storytelling: Every story needs a clear beginning, middle, and end to maintain viewer engagement. Healthcare stories often begin with a challenge or medical issue and progress toward a hopeful resolution, such as recovery or improved health outcomes. Storytelling structure ensures that your video has a logical flow that keeps viewers invested until the end.
A video production service with strong storytelling skills will ensure your healthcare content is not just informative but also captivating. By focusing on the emotional and human aspects of healthcare, they can create videos that resonate deeply with your target audience and convey your organization’s message effectively.
Portfolio Quality: Assessing a video production service's portfolio is crucial because it reveals their creative style, technical proficiency, and ability to convey messages that resonate. Here's what to look for when evaluating a healthcare video production team’s portfolio quality:
Variety of Work: A strong portfolio showcases a diverse range of projects. This diversity can include patient testimonials, educational content, explainer videos, fundraising campaigns, and more. A team that has tackled varied formats and storytelling styles will likely have the versatility to meet your specific needs.
Technical Excellence: High-quality visuals, clear audio, and seamless editing are non-negotiable. A good rule of thumb here? If you casually watch the videos and nothing technically bad jumps out, that’s a good start. Then, make sue the videos have sharp, well-composed images and smooth transitions. Clear audio ensures that your messages are easily understood, while post-production effects like color grading and graphics enhance the overall quality.
Creativity and Originality: A portfolio should reflect creativity that stands out from typical healthcare videos. Look for inventive storytelling techniques that make content unique and memorable. Maybe it’s how their stories include an element of surprise, or a videography technique that grabs your attention.
Alignment with Healthcare Goals: Videos should reflect key healthcare communication goals. Do they simplify complex medical information effectively? Are patient stories presented with empathy and accuracy? Does the video motivate viewers to take action, like seeking treatment or supporting a health initiative? These factors indicate how well the production team can achieve healthcare-specific objectives.
Brand Consistency: The portfolio should demonstrate an ability to integrate a healthcare organization’s brand identity seamlessly into video content. Pay attention to how logos, color schemes, messaging, and overall tone align with your brand.
Audience Engagement: Analyze the storytelling techniques used to engage viewers emotionally and intellectually. A good portfolio will show how the team maintains viewer interest throughout the video, whether through compelling patient stories, expert insights, or including people with engaging personalities.
Success Stories: Look for projects that achieved meaningful results, whether it’s increased patient engagement, fundraising growth, or improved awareness. If the production service provides case studies, check how they solved specific challenges with their storytelling strategies.
A portfolio review offers a comprehensive glimpse into a team’s capabilities, demonstrating whether they can translate your healthcare messaging into compelling video content. Choose a team whose previous work inspires confidence in their ability to deliver high-quality, effective results for your organization.
Customization and Flexibility: Customization and flexibility are key attributes when selecting a video production service for your healthcare organization because every organization has unique messaging needs. Here’s why customization and flexibility are essential:
Tailored Messaging: Healthcare organizations serve a wide variety of audiences, each with distinct informational needs. Some videos must be patient-centric, providing clarity and empathy, while others may focus on industry stakeholders or internal staff. A flexible production team will adapt their messaging approach based on your specific audience, ensuring that content resonates with its intended viewers.
Varied Video Styles: Whether you need explainer videos to demystify a medical procedure, heartfelt patient testimonials, or videos to motivate your team, a production service should be adept in multiple styles. The ability to switch between approaches ensures that your organization can diversify its video content to align with different campaign goals.
Adapting to Brand Guidelines: Your organization likely has specific brand guidelines, from color schemes and logos to the overall tone of messaging. A customizable video production service will ensure every project aligns seamlessly with these guidelines, maintaining consistent brand representation across all videos.
Collaborative Storytelling: Customization requires a collaborative approach to storytelling. The production team should be open to your input, incorporating your organization’s key messages and feedback into the script while offering their creative expertise to refine the story.
Adjusting for Different Budgets: Healthcare organizations vary in size, budget, and scope of work. A flexible video production team can offer scalable solutions to fit within your budget constraints. They might suggest a leaner, more efficient shooting schedule or propose alternatives that deliver quality without overspending.
On-Location or Remote Production: Flexibility means adapting to your location needs, whether it’s on-site in your facilities or remotely for events or conferences. Some organizations might require a hybrid approach, and an adaptable production service will accommodate these logistics.
Timeline Management: The production process can sometimes involve unexpected challenges or tight deadlines. A flexible team will have contingency plans to meet timelines, adjusting the scope of work without compromising quality.
Content Repurposing: An effective video production service will plan with repurposing in mind, creating modular content that can be easily adapted for different platforms or campaigns. This flexibility maximizes your investment by creating reusable material for future marketing or educational efforts.
A production service that offers customization and flexibility will be able to deliver high-quality, tailored videos that align with your brand, engage your audience, and meet your specific objectives.
Production Process Transparency: Transparency in the video production process is essential for fostering trust and ensuring the final product aligns with your expectations. Here’s why a transparent production process matters and how it can enhance your collaboration:
Clear Budgeting: A transparent production service provides a detailed breakdown of costs, allowing you to understand where your budget is going. This breakdown includes pre-production planning, filming costs, post-production editing, and additional expenses like travel or equipment rentals. Knowing these details upfront helps you allocate resources efficiently and avoid unexpected costs.
Defined Timelines: Production timelines can be complex, with multiple stages like scripting, shooting, and editing. A transparent team will outline clear milestones for each stage, providing a timeline that helps you track progress and anticipate key review periods. This also enables you to coordinate the video's launch with other marketing or communication efforts.
Collaborative Planning: Transparency means involving you in pre-production planning. From the initial creative brainstorming to finalizing the storyboard and script, the production team should encourage your input. This ensures the project reflects your vision and that expectations are set early.
Shooting Schedules and Logistics: The production team should provide a detailed shooting schedule, informing you of when and where filming will occur. This minimizes disruptions in healthcare facilities and ensures availability for interviews. Transparency about logistics helps your team prepare the necessary locations and participants.
Post-Production Workflow: Editing is a significant part of video production. A transparent team will keep you informed during this stage, sharing progress updates and rough cuts so you can provide timely feedback. They should clarify how many revisions are included, what additional edits might cost, and the final delivery format.
Review and Approval Process: Ensure there’s a clear review and approval process, specifying when and how you will review drafts. A production team should incorporate your feedback into the video while providing expert guidance on editing and finalizing the content.
Contingency Plans: Production can be unpredictable, especially with tight deadlines or logistical challenges. The team should have contingency plans for potential disruptions, like weather changes or sudden unavailability of locations. This planning minimizes delays and ensures the project stays on track.
Post-Delivery Support: Even after the video is delivered, you may require assistance with distribution, subtitling, or repurposing for different platforms. A transparent team will clearly explain the scope of post-delivery support and provide ongoing assistance if needed.
Transparent production processes establish a collaborative working relationship, ensuring you’re informed, prepared, and aligned throughout the project. This clarity results in a smoother production journey and a final video that meets your healthcare organization’s goals.
Post-Production Services: Post-production services are essential for transforming raw footage into polished, high-quality healthcare videos that captivate your audience. These services encompass a range of technical and creative processes that enhance storytelling and ensure your message is conveyed clearly. Here's an overview of key post-production services and their impact:
Video Editing: Editing is the foundation of post-production, where the best takes are selected and arranged to form a cohesive narrative. Skilled editors trim unnecessary footage, maintain pacing, and blend visuals to keep viewers engaged. They ensure that your video flows logically and aligns with your messaging goals.
Sound Design and Mixing: High-quality audio is crucial for a healthcare video. Sound design involves adding or enhancing sound effects, background music, and ambient sounds to create a more immersive experience. Sound mixing balances dialogue, music, and effects, ensuring clear communication without overwhelming the viewer.
Color Correction and Grading: Raw footage often requires adjustments to ensure a consistent look. Color correction fixes exposure issues and balances colors, while grading adds artistic touches to create a specific mood. For instance, bright, warm colors evoke optimism, while cooler tones convey calmness or professionalism.
Motion Graphics and Animation: Motion graphics can visually represent complex healthcare data, making it easier for viewers to understand. Animated infographics, logos, and titles can clarify intricate processes, while 2D or 3D animations create visual interest and enhance storytelling.
Subtitles and Accessibility: Adding subtitles and closed captions makes your video accessible to a wider audience, including those with hearing impairments or non-native English speakers. Accessibility also improves engagement on social media, where videos often autoplay without sound.
Special Effects (VFX): Special effects, or VFX, can add creative flair to your video. Techniques like green screen compositing or CGI can create unique visual environments or illustrate healthcare innovations that may be hard to capture on camera.
Review and Revisions: The review process ensures that the final video meets your expectations. Production teams often provide rough cuts for feedback and refine them based on your input. Clarify how many revision rounds are included and set deadlines for each review stage.
Final Delivery: Once the video is complete, it's rendered in formats optimized for different platforms, whether it's your website, social media, or internal networks. The team should provide multiple file formats and resolutions, ensuring the video looks great wherever it's shown.
Archiving and Asset Management: Post-production services may also include archiving raw footage and project files for future use. Having an organized archive allows you to repurpose footage for new videos, saving time and production costs.
Investing in comprehensive post-production services is essential for delivering a professional, impactful healthcare video. These services enhance the storytelling, improve viewer engagement, and ensure your organization's message is communicated effectively.
Client Testimonials: Client testimonials are powerful tools in healthcare video marketing, offering authentic endorsements that build trust and credibility. These videos serve as social proof, influencing potential clients by showcasing the positive experiences of others. Here's why testimonials matter and how to leverage them effectively:
Authenticity and Trust: Testimonials provide an authentic voice, allowing satisfied clients to speak directly to potential clients. This peer-to-peer endorsement is perceived as more credible than brand messaging alone, reducing skepticism and building trust in your organization.
Emotional Impact: Patient stories or client experiences often involve strong emotions, such as relief, gratitude, or hope. Capturing these emotions on video creates a powerful, relatable narrative that resonates deeply with viewers. When clients describe how your organization improved their lives, it leaves a lasting impression.
Highlighting Benefits: Testimonials emphasize the real-world benefits your organization provides, such as improved health outcomes, exceptional patient care, or innovative solutions. They can highlight specific services or treatments that are more persuasive coming from a client than from your marketing materials.
Addressing Common Concerns: Clients often share concerns or challenges they faced before choosing your healthcare service. Their testimonials can address common objections and demonstrate how your organization provides effective solutions, helping potential clients overcome hesitation.
Diverse Perspectives: Healthcare serves a wide range of demographics. Including testimonials from clients of different backgrounds, ages, and needs allows viewers to see themselves in the stories. This diversity helps establish that your organization can cater to various needs.
Structured Storytelling: Create a structure for testimonial videos that guides clients through a coherent story. Begin by establishing their initial challenges, followed by the solution your organization provided, and conclude with their improved outcomes. This storytelling structure keeps viewers engaged and provides a clear narrative.
Professional Production: While authenticity is crucial, production quality should not be overlooked. High-quality visuals, clear audio, and thoughtful editing make testimonials more professional and easier to watch. This professional approach also reflects positively on your organization's brand.
Strategic Placement: Integrate testimonials into various touchpoints, such as your website's homepage, service pages, email newsletters, and social media channels. Tailor each testimonial to align with the relevant platform and audience for maximum impact.
Legal and Ethical Considerations: In healthcare, ensure testimonials comply with patient privacy regulations like HIPAA. Obtain proper consent, anonymize sensitive information if needed, and avoid making misleading claims.
Continuous Updates: Refresh testimonial content regularly to reflect new client experiences and services. Keeping testimonials up-to-date ensures they remain relevant and resonate with potential clients seeking the latest solutions.
Client testimonials are highly persuasive, leveraging real-world experiences to build credibility and trust. By strategically using testimonials, your healthcare organization can create powerful narratives that reassure and influence potential clients.
Because It’s Not About You
At the end of the day, the video you’re producing isn’t for you. It’s not for managers. It’s not for the company per se. The video is for your audience.
Every decision you make regarding the video, from the content to the look and feel, needs to take your audience into account. Here are some guiding questions to keep you on track:
What does the audience really need or want to know?
How would they like to receive the information?
What should the tone be? Loose? Buttoned up?
And brace yourself because the answers to some of those questions might not align with your wants and desires. You might have to set your ego aside or worse, have to tell someone higher up that they need to set their ego aside.
But that's okay. Remember, the ultimate goal is to create video content that resonates with your audience, whether they are patients, healthcare professionals, or internal team members. By focusing on what they need and how they prefer to consume information, you will produce videos that are not only watched but also remembered and acted upon.
Producing high-quality healthcare videos requires more than just technical skills. It demands an understanding of your audience, a knack for storytelling, and the ability to translate complex information into engaging content. By choosing a video production service that excels in these areas, you ensure that your videos will not only meet but exceed your communication goals.
Whether you're creating an About Us video, product/service video, testimonial, or HR video, the principles of effective video production remain the same. Keep your audience at the forefront of your planning, and don't be afraid to infuse your content with emotion and creativity. The result will be videos that truly make an impact, driving awareness, engagement, and action.
