Is heavy branding in video the only way to promote your company in the right way? Many marketers are struggling with this balance between taking control and letting the brand speak for itself. The problem is, the decision is not really up to the marketers at all.

We recently had an event with BusinessWire and MediaMobz focusing on online video and branding. Judy Gern, Director of Conversion Marketing at Constant Contact and one of the panelists for the event, spoke about the importance of finding an appropriate level of branding in video.

Marketers are often tempted to intensively brand their videos to ensure that it is portrayed in the best possible way. They use video to reach their audience in an authentic way.

Unfortunately, branding accomplishes just the opposite. The transparency of video allows viewers to see the push for control, and the video’s “authenticity” seems forced. On the other hand, the accessibility of video provides consumers with the power to share their own opinions of your brand.

No matter how meticulously you script your video, there will be other conversations taking place externally that the public will be watching. As Gern explains, “Conversations about our brands are happening outside of our walls. We have to play, but we can’t control it.” It’s important for a company to have a strong presence by promoting and spreading its own content, but it must recognize that its influence may not necessarily be quite as dominating.

If you’re concerned about branding, you want to communicate a message that is as transparent as possible. Video does just that; it’s a lot harder to be vague or wordy when you’re speaking on-camera. So embrace it–and use online to your brand’s advantage to promote authenticity.

A few years ago, so-called “user-generated content” emerged. Today we now accept that blog posts, tweets and other nuggets of insight are trustworthy and, in some cases, highly entertaining. In the realm of video, YouTube not only made digital expression accessible to all, it forever changed the expectation for video content. YouTube proved that simply-produced and authentic video could be as, if not more, engaging than professional content.

Despite the popularity of social media (what is essentially evolved user-generated content), businesses were, until recently, reluctant to adopt the more freewheeling and often spontaneous sensibilities YouTube-style video. Today, however, erstwhile “corporate video,” often highly produced with b-roll, scripted actors and music, can seem disingenuous and inauthentic. Consumers – even buyers of technology and business services – have come to expect a more authentic dialogue. And this is good news for businesses that want to use video to engage and convert – authentic video can be easier and less costly to produce!

So, we are often asked, how much authenticity and simplicity is enough? After all, we’ve got we’ve got a valuable brand here, and we can’t risk undermining it. Although every company is different, we start with three simple rules for an effective video:

• Meet basic expectations for lighting and sound. Make sure that faces aren’t in shadow or direct sunlight, and be sure ambient noise won’t drown voices out. If you’re thinking of buying a digital video camera, consider one that has an external microphone jack.
• Feature real people from your business talking about subjects for which they are truly passionate. Don’t worry if they’re not Al Pacino. Do worry if they don’t convey authentic enthusiasm.
• Make the video more conversational and less scripted. Talking points are better than a formal script. Don’t let message perfection be the enemy of authenticity.

Some companies may have a budding Leonardo DiCaprio or a closet Apple Final Cut Pro editor, but you don’t need that level of talent to get started. You simply need to find your company’s comfort zone for quality versus expediency. It’s best to start small and experiment, proving to yourself – and your management team perhaps – that a simple, authentic video can actually convert online leads into sales. That’s reason enough to give it a try.

To read about other tips for using video to convert online visitors to leads, please download our eBook, Best Practices for Using Video to Convert Visitors to Leads, here.

And be sure to come back to our blog for more tips and tricks.