1. Employees have a low tolerance for and little interest in amateurish video: After all, they see dynamic, fast-paced, visually appealing video all the time on their televisions and computer screens.

“Most people will just tune out if they perceive that video is bad,” says Karen. “And the impact is deeper than lack of interest: Poorly created video also has a negative effect on how credible people think the message is.”

2. Speaking of messages, video is great for creating awareness about big picture concepts, and terrible for sharing a lot of details or supporting data. “Especially when viewed on line, video has just a few minutes to get its point across,” she explains. “The goal is to engage the audience in the idea, not to educate people about every aspect of a topic.”

It’s another case of “right tool for the right job” and video is a bad choice for complicated explanations, according to Karen. “However, it’s a good way to get employees interested enough that they’re willing to go to a web site or read a publication to learn more.”

3. Think outside the box (or screen) to make video compelling. The great thing about video is that, with a strong concept and smart editing, you can take raw footage and turn it into a dynamic segment. Karen’s reel includes a segment based on old still images and footage that has been skillfully interwoven to tell an inspiring story.

“Video has the power to draw people in—but for today’s media-savvy workforce, video needs to be sophisticated, fast-moving and emotionally appealing,” says Karen. “It’s not easy, but it can be very effective.”