5 Rules for Making a Video That People Actually Want to Watch

If No One Wants to Watch Your Corporate Video… What’s the Point?

Corporate videos have a bad reputation. And, honestly? They deserve it.

Most of them feel like PowerPoint presentations that accidentally became sentient. They’re packed with stock footage, scripted buzzwords, and awkward shots of employees nodding enthusiastically at each other in a conference room.

The worst part? They don’t accomplish anything.

Businesses keep making these videos, but the end result is always the same:

No one watches.
No one shares.
And the video sits on your website… doing nothing.

But here’s the thing: Corporate videos can work—if they’re made the right way.

A great corporate video should:

Grab attention in the first few seconds.
Tell a compelling story, not just list company achievements.
Feel authentic—no forced scripting or generic stock footage.
Serve a clear business goal (sales, recruiting, credibility).

Let’s break down five simple rules to make sure your corporate video actually gets watched and remembered.

If you’ve ever sat through a painfully long corporate video, you already know what not to do.

The biggest mistake? Corporate videos are often made for the company, not the audience.

A bad corporate video usually includes:

A slow-motion handshake in the first five seconds.
A voiceover packed with words like “synergy” and “cutting-edge solutions.”
A long, dramatic history lesson that nobody asked for.

Reality check: Your audience doesn’t care about your company’s 50-year journey. They care about how you can help them.

2. Get Out of the Office—Show Your Work in Action

Listen, nobody is watching your corporate video to see your conference room.

If your video includes a group of employees staring at a whiteboard, you have officially lost the plot.

Instead, take the camera where the action is:

Manufacturing? Show the machines running, not the CEO talking about them.
Service-based? Show real customer interactions, not staged employee high-fives.
Nonprofit? Show the actual impact of your work, not a mission statement on a screen.

Example: A construction company wanted to make a video featuring executives in suits. We convinced them to film on-site instead—where the real work was happening. Way more engaging.

Pro Tip: If you must film in the office, at least do it somewhere interesting—like an R&D lab or production floor.

3. Ditch the Stock Footage and Buzzwords

Corporate videos love stock footage. And honestly? It’s making them unwatchable.

Things to avoid at all costs:

Slow-motion footage of businessmen shaking hands.
Dramatic employee high-fives.
A voiceover saying, “We are committed to innovation and excellence.” (Are you, though?)

Instead:

Use real employees, real customers, and real interactions.
Show what actually makes your company different.

Example: A B2B company insisted on using stock footage. When we convinced them to use real footage from their own operations, engagement doubled.

4. Keep It Under 3 Minutes

Nobody is sitting down to watch a 7-minute corporate video.

In fact, most people decide within 10 seconds whether they’re staying or clicking away.

Ideal lengths for different types of corporate videos:

Brand Awareness Video: 60–90 seconds.
Sales Video: 2–3 minutes.
Recruitment Video: 90–120 seconds.
Case Study Video: 2–3 minutes.

Example: A client came to us with a 6-minute corporate video. No one was watching it. We trimmed it down to 2 minutes, focusing only on the most compelling parts. Engagement shot up by 70%.

Pro Tip: If you have a lot to cover, consider making a video series instead of one long, bloated video.

5. Use Music and Visuals With Intention

Music isn’t just background noise—it sets the tone of your video.

Pick music that actually fits your brand’s personality.
Let the rhythm guide your edits and pacing.
Avoid the generic “corporate inspiration” track that’s been used in 1,000 other videos.

Pro Tip: Sometimes, silence or natural sound is more powerful than music. Use it intentionally.