Keeping communities informed with local construction projects can help build excitement and highlight successes. Among the most effective ways to keep stakeholders updated and engaged is sharing video content.
Videos are a simple and efficient tool to spread relevant information about chosen projects. More than 75% of global mobile data traffic will be video in 2020. Importantly, over 90% of video consumers want to learn more about a product service featured on a video, and they’re likely to share videos with others. In other words, videos are really effective.
Time-lapse videos are particularly useful for keeping communities informed about local construction projects. They can condense weeks, months and even years worth of work into a few minutes, creating an impressive and sweeping view of a project that demonstrates your firm’s capabilities, without requiring too much time on the part of the viewer. They can be made using the construction cameras you already have on-site, with little or no additional cost. Plus, they’re just cool to watch.
Here are four ways in which time-lapse content can be used engage the public and promote projects:
1. Provide Updates
Construction projects often take a long time to complete and can be disruptive to the surrounding neighborhoods. As a result, people may wonder about the current status of your project and when it will be complete. Construction cameras with time-lapse functionality can be placed around your jobsite to capture the action in a fast-paced, engaging video. Videos from multiple locations can then be showcased on your website or posted on social media to inform the community about the status of your project.
2. Deepen Understanding
During large construction projects, communities can be inconvenienced and even sometimes upset about the disruption. Using time-lapse video enables your firm to paint a clear picture of what’s happening on the jobsite and explain to the public why a complex project takes so long to complete. Communities can gain a better understanding of the construction going on in their neighborhoods and build an appreciation for the effort that goes into it. Seeing the work in action may even encourage tolerance, particularly for projects that may interfere with traffic patterns or cause unwanted noise near residential areas.
3. Build Anticipation
New construction generally brings curiosity and excitement about the changes to come. Sharing multiple time-lapse videos of various stages of construction on your website can keep members of the local community engaged as they anticipate the project’s completion. Offering progress updates via time-lapse footage is more engaging than other methods such as news announcements or signage, and can inspire awe as viewers watch the complex construction process take place before their eyes, from start to finish.
4. Tell a Story
Time-lapse footage can be integrated with marketing outreach to help tell a compelling story about your firm and the quality and scope of your work. For example, a time-lapse video can span the entire project — from breaking ground, to building the superstructure, interior construction activities and all the way to landscaping. This construction video from Georgetown Day School is maybe one of our favorite stories that incorporates several still images from TrueLook cameras as well as time-lapse footage.
Other Benefits of Time-Lapse Video
There are numerous other benefits to using time-lapse video, both internally and externally. Internal applications provide the opportunity to boost morale and improve project organization in a variety of ways. For example, you can:
- Share videos periodically with your team to showcase their hard work and achievements.
- Communicate progress and highlight accomplishments to keep clients updated and excited.
Meanwhile, external applications can garner attention from potential clients and the public to add value to your firm:
- Promote your firm through displaying engaging examples of your its work and efficiency on your website and social media.
- Go beyond images of finished projects to show your process and pitch your work to potential clients.
- Increase website and social media traffic with unique video content that truly shows off your firm’s capabilities.
All of TrueLook cameras include custom time-lapse capabilities. To further explore real applications of TrueLook time-lapse footage, take a look at a live demo.
