Creating Diverse and Inclusive Video Content

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are no longer viewed as a bonus for video marketers; it is now an essential component of a successful video content strategy.

Diversity is not something you can just tick off a list – adopting inclusive content is difficult. It has various elements both internally and externally in a business, and it involves multiple areas that must be considered when brand and marketing teams develop and produce a diverse digital strategy.

Many marketers are up against legacy applications and ways of working that have been in place for years, if not decades. What can brand and marketing teams do right now to begin establishing successful DEI content strategies?

Findings from Video Reports are Diverse.

Diversity is not limited to race.

Diversity is sometimes considered in terms of race, but our research reveals that variety in video content extends beyond that. Variety has numerous levels, including faith, age, sexual preference, ability, physical type, and more, in addition to racial diversity.

In 2021, the top five keywords and searches by all businesses were: physical variety, elderly, Muslim, general diversity, and African American.

Body diversity, particularly the portrayal of plus-sized bodies, is something that several industries have started highlighting recently. This has been an underrepresented area of diversity, with most advertisements depicting slender body forms. Today, marketers are taking an innovative approach, emphasizing the relevance of body diversity in planning requirements.

There is an increased desire for BIPOC presence in strategy and advertisement.

This surge in desire for BIPOC representation in media is tied to the murder of George Floyd and the huge racial imbalances that led to heightened coverage of the Black Lives Matter movement in the spring of 2020.

This movement led to a global cultural awakening, which had a cascading influence on several aspects of media and industry.

There is a definite demand for diversity, with more than 100% demand in just two years.

Businesses and video marketers are getting a message and responding to consumers’ unmistakable desire for representation. In recent years, several corporations have prioritized inclusivity while creating video content.

What the future of diversified content looks like.

The findings show that DEI is not a trend — there is an increase in the creation and consumption of diverse video content in the media. DEI in video and advertising is becoming a conscious, thought-out process that more firms are investing in and strategizing around.

Best Practices for Creating Diverse Video Content

Study before introducing your business into a group.

When it comes to DEI, the most potent weapon to invest in is research. If a community is “trending” and gaining more media attention for any reason, use caution before your marketing team rushes headfirst into the topic.

Do your research and thoroughly comprehend the community you intend to represent in your material. So many failed DEI projects that have attracted public outrage could have been averted if the research phase had been done properly.

Have a strategy in place.

Set clear and quantifiable DEI goals and targets that are cross-functional and encompass diverse workstreams and teams in your organization. DEI efforts should not be limited to a particular group; instead, DEI should be integrated into your company’s overall strategy.

When a corporation is serious about its DEI efforts and has a results-driven plan, allocating financial resources is critical, like how sales and marketing have quarterly and annual budgets. DEI should be no different.

Diverse representation is required at the decision-making level.

When attempting to develop inclusive content, ensure that the decision-makers represent the people you are speaking to. Recognize when your team is not as inclusive as you would like it to be and seek third-party assistance to compensate for the representation your team lacks.

Final Thoughts

With the information in this report, you should be able to properly create or evaluate your DEI video strategy. A critical component of that accomplishment is your or your company’s ability to tackle DEI carefully. Learn from the triumphs and pitfalls of other businesses, bring in various viewpoints, and understand that this is not something you should rush to implement. Take your time and put thought into your approach.

At Bellevue Public Relations, our ultimate goal is to provide our clients with an online image that helps meet their business goals and allows them to stand out from the competition. Contact us today to discuss Branding that will create the online image you want for your business.