If you’ve ever said “I think this video for our internal campaign would land better if it didn’t feel like a corporate ad”… this one’s for you.

Especially on the frontline—where attention is short, screens are small, and nobody has time for a 3-minute video that takes 20 seconds to get to the point. This blog is about rethinking what video looks like when you design it for real-world use. So, let’s break it down—with lessons from Shell and six practical tips to try this week.

Why your internal communication videos might be flopping

Let’s take a step back. How are your frontline employees actually watching video?

• On a personal phone (not a laptop)
• In quick bursts, between tasks
• Without headphones or a quiet room
• With zero patience for 15-second intros

Now compare that to the typical internal comms video: Horizontal layout. Two or three minutes long. Uploaded as a single, big all-in-one update.

See the disconnect?

What works at HQ doesn’t always fly on the floor. If people have to rotate their phone, wait for the branded bumper, and fast-forward to the useful bit… they’re out.

What one company learned (the hard way)

When Shell launched a mobile comms app for its petrol site employees, they stuck with what had worked elsewhere: professional videos, two to three minutes long, well-produced, polished. But after a few months, the data told a different story: People were opening the videos… and dropping off within seconds.

So they switched it up.

• 60-second max videos
• Shot vertically
• One message per video
• No fluff

Result: triple the views. Sometimes thousands of plays in a single day.

Same content. New format. Way better outcome.

5 ways to make video actually work for your frontline

#1 Make it short to make it stick

One-minute videos aren’t just easier to watch. They’re easier to use.

Each video becomes a single source of truth: one message, one update, one takeaway. No overloading. No splitting attention. And no rewinding to find the one thing you needed to remember.

A shorter format also forces clarity. You say less — and people remember more.

#2 Film videos for phones, not for HQ (aka desktops)

If your employees are watching on a phone (which most are), vertical video is non-negotiable.

It’s not just about screen orientation — it’s about attention. People naturally scroll vertically. They don’t flip their phones unless they’re watching Netflix. Every extra step between opening and watching adds friction. Friction kills engagement.

By making videos vertical, teams like Shell removed that barrier — and saw an immediate lift in completion rates.

#3 Ditch the polish, keep it real

Here’s another shift that might feel uncomfortable at first: lower production value can actually help.

Shooting quick videos on a phone, with natural tone and real people, can make content feel more authentic and relevant — especially for teams who are tired of corporate polish.

You’re not trying to impress. You’re trying to connect. Keep it simple, real, and watchable.

#4 Let data shape your internal communications video strategy

If you’re using a platform with analytics, take a hard look at the data:

• Where are people dropping off?
• Are your videos being opened at all?
• Which formats or topics are getting the most engagement?
• What time of day works best?

That’s what Shell did. When something flopped (like festive polls — who knew?), they stopped doing it. When something worked (like “campaign-in-one-minute” videos), they doubled down.

You don’t have to guess. The numbers are already telling you what’s landing — and what’s not.

We used to send long landscape videos. No one watched them. Then we went portrait, under a minute, with titles like ‘This Campaign in 1 Minute’ — and views skyrocketed. It’s not rocket science. It’s just adjusting based on data. Kathy van der Wijden, Communications Coordinator at Shell

#5 Rethink what “engaging” video content looks like

It’s easy to confuse nice looking with effective. But for internal communications — especially on the frontline — your most engaging video might be the one shot in 60 seconds, on someone’s phone, in the stockroom.

Because being “engaging” isn’t about high production value. It’s about:

• Instant clarity
• Visual accessibility
• Contextual relevance
• Emotional proximity (a real voice > a corporate narrator)

When you embrace that, your content becomes part of your audience’s day — not an interruption.

#6 Your audience’s attention isn’t gone — it’s just selective

Let’s be honest. The average attention span hasn’t disappeared — it’s just gotten more selective. People still binge entire Netflix series. But if your internal comms video takes 10 seconds to get to the point, it’s probably too late.

One-minute videos work not because they’re short, but because they respect the clock.

Not ready to overhaul your whole internal comms video strategy? Start small

Try these:

• Turn your next long update into three 60-second clips
• Shoot vertical, not horizontal
• Cut the intro. Get to the message
• Use real people — not just brand spokespeople
• Add captions for silent viewing
• Track what actually gets watched

You’ll know pretty quickly what’s working.

Final thought: Less time, more value

The problem with video in frontline internal communications usually isn’t the content. It’s the context. Don’t spend more time producing better videos. Spend more time understanding how people actually watch them.

Because the best internal comms video isn’t the flashiest — it’s the one that gets seen, remembered, and acted on. And sometimes, all it takes is one good minute.

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