Everyone learns differently. Some of us understood the words “two plus two equals four” when the kindergarten teacher said them out loud, but the rest of us needed toy blocks divided on a desk in front of us to understand the concept.

This idea is globally applicable. Different methods of learning aren’t limited to elementary basics. The way we digest and interpret information varies just as greatly in the digital world. From the moment we check our phones in the morning to the time we’re responding to emails before bed, we’re exposed to hundreds – if not thousands – of messages vying for our attention.

In a digital realm that is crammed with content meticulously designed to sway our opinion and get us thinking, what cuts through the clutter? What is going to resonate with audiences? What information will actually be retained?

There may not be a single answer to these questions, but there is one medium that is becoming increasingly effective in driving messages home in a quick, efficient manner: 60-second videos.

Why do 60-second videos work?
Videos are not an up-and-coming medium by any means, but finding new and innovate ways to leverage them is key to keeping viewers engaged. So why are 60-second videos effective in this regard?

• Nearly two-thirds of consumers prefer videos to be 60 seconds or less.
• After one minute of a video, viewers will drop off. As a video nears the two-minute mark, 60% have stopped watching.
• According to Dr. James McQuivey of Forrester Research, the value of a 60-second video is equivalent to 1.8 million words.

For more proof, look no further than Instagram. From the time the social media platform rolled out its video feature, videos posted to Instagram were limited to 15 seconds. But with more social media platforms becoming increasingly video-centric (think: Snapchat) and with video streaming increasingly on the rise, Instagram made the bold switch to allow for 60-second video spots.

What does this mean for employee communication?
So, what does this move by Instagram and marketers mean for your internal brand and communication? It opens doors and gives you more creative leeway to connect with your employees. Whether or not your brand is on Instagram, 60-second videos may be the exact tool you’ve been looking for to effectively reach your employees.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when creating a 60-second video for your company.

Keep the information bite-sized
Take one moment to think about the amount of tasks you juggle in one day. Perhaps you’re thinking back to this morning when you managed to squeeze in breakfast while someone briefed you on the morning meeting. Regardless, you, and everyone else around you, have become the ultimate multitaskers. If someone needs to grab your attention, they better get straight to the point. Let this principle guide your 60-second video.

• Don’t add any fluff to the main idea or concept you’re trying to communicate.
• Don’t waste any time getting straight to the point, and start with it right out of the gate.
• Don’t bury the lead!

Use it as an opportunity to educate
Many videos floating around in the digital world exist to provide us with pure entertainment, and thank goodness for those. We’re all suckers for the viral videos that give us a much-needed belly laugh. But your brand probably has something more meaningful or time-sensitive to communicate, and 60-second videos are a very effective way to educate and inform your employees. Restricting yourself to a 60-second time frame forces you to decide what is most important, and that notion will guide the framework of your video.

Develop a series
Keeping your messaging consistent is critical to capturing attention and retaining it. You may create a 60-second video that your employees respond very well to, and that’s great. But how long will that information actually resonate with them if you don’t capitalize on that video and create additional content? Creating an identity for your string of 60-second videos will help your employees identify with the messaging, and will even keep them looking for more – you know, because you did such a good job with the first video.

If you think 60-second videos may be the medium your brand needs, you could reach your employees in a new, engaging way that you haven’t been able to tap into before. For best practices, keep your content simple and straight to the point, educate your employees, and keep your messaging consistent and identifiable.