Your Healthcare Videos Are Being Ignored. Union Productions Explains Why.

Healthcare marketers spend thousands of dollars producing videos, only to watch engagement metrics flatline. Why? Because the audience is likely watching while answering emails in another browser tab. Keeping audience attention means a whole new approach to visual storytelling.

Swaay.Health sat down with Dustin Schultz, Executive Producer at Union Productions, to discuss the realities of modern video marketing. The conversation explored how aligning production styles with distribution channels and embracing the distractions of the modern buyer can keep audiences engaged.

• Match production to platform. Slicing a polished brand video into short clips does not guarantee social media success. Marketers must tailor the creative story and production quality to the specific channel.
• Use story loops to hold attention. B2B videos still need tension to keep audience attention. Presenting an unspoken question triggers human curiosity and keeps multitasking executives hooked until the end.
• Design for the “other tab” reality. Viewers are highly distracted, often listening while working in a different browser window. Creating content that anticipates this behavior helps pull their eyes back to the screen.

It seems very logical and practical to take a video you filmed and cut it into 30-second segments for social media. According to Schultz, this approach ignores the reality of how different platforms operate.

“Making the right type of video for your channel is a critical best practice,” advised Schultz. “The production that is for an OTT or CTV placements needs a premium look which is not want someone wants to engaged with on TikTok.”

In other words, painting with the same brush across all channels is a recipe for poor performance.

In the B2B world, buyers usually know your product is the ultimate punchline of the video. However, that does not mean you can abandon narrative tension.

“Tension creates dynamic,” said Schultz. “Even though you’re on the company’s website or social media channel, and you know the solution is their product, there should still be a little curiosity/tension as to whether they will solve the problem.”

To create tension, Schultz recommends using story loops – think story-within-a-story. Each of these loops should have an element of tension or a nemesis/challenge to overcome. This tension keeps the audience interested and multiple loops in a single video addresses the short attention spans of modern viewers.

Speaking of modern viewers, today’s audience is likely listening to your video while digging through their inbox in a separate window. Instead of fighting this distracted reality, Schultz urges video creators to lean into it.

To combat this Schultz suggests using verbal repetition or sudden audio cues to break through the noise: “Don’t be afraid to say ‘Hey, I’m over here on the other tab’ – that’s an interesting way to breakthrough and could help you draw someone back in.”

Repeating a point also helps to engage distracted viewers. When we hear something a second time, our brains “perk up” when it senses something is important.

Creating an effective video requires more than a high definition camera and a script. It requires a deep understanding of where the video will live and how the audience will actually consume it. When marketers respect the platform and acknowledge the distractions of their viewers, they move from simply creating content and start telling stories that stick.

How do story loops improve B2B video engagement? Story loops introduce narrative tension by presenting an unspoken question or problem early in the video. Even when the audience knows the company’s product is the ultimate solution, this technique taps into human curiosity. Viewers naturally want to see exactly how the problem is resolved, which keeps them watching longer.

Why do high production videos perform poorly on social media? Social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram prioritize authentic, raw content over highly polished corporate productions. Taking an expensive, documentary style brand film and slicing it into shorter clips usually feels out of place on these channels. Videos must match the specific visual expectations and user behavior of the platform where they are posted.

How can videos capture attention when viewers are multitasking? Viewers frequently listen to videos while working in another browser tab. Marketers can pull attention back to the screen by using specific audio cues, distinct typography for muted environments, or sudden visual shifts. Acknowledging the distraction directly in the audio can also act as a breakthrough moment that reengages the audience.

Learn more about Union Productions at https://www.theunionproductions.com/