Video brand journalism reaps big results at Virginia Tech
Videos have sparked news media stories. They helped bring an international conference to campus. They even persuaded the bosses to hire another communicator.
But if success is about outcomes, not clicks, then Virginia Tech’s division of Outreach and International Affairs offers a model of video brand journalism—even on some of its not-so-often viewed videos.
Although the division has produced its hits, including a “Mission Impossible”-themed video on cyber security research that drew 3,200 views, some of its greatest successes have views in the low hundreds.
The videos—produced by a journalism-savvy two-person team headed by Communications Director Andrea Brunais—have won media coverage, helped land a major medical conference, and touted PR successes to the bosses.
Outreach and International Affairs’ YouTube channel is closing in on 50,000 views, and reporters seem to like the medium.
“There’s something about them seeing the story built from beginning to end in video,” Brunais says. “I get much quicker response when I send out a video pitch than I get when I send out a traditional ‘Hey, would you do this story?'”
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