Science of storytelling
Marketers have been moving away from the usual selling tactics of TV commercials for some time now. It’s no longer enough to tell viewers that your product or service is the best, and that they should patronize your business. Storytelling is the new buzzword that has characterized the shift from traditional selling.
Stories help us build personal connections and create feelings of trust, empathy, and compassion. In addition to the fact that people process videos 60,000 times more than text content, it is clear why video storytelling is a trend right now, and it’ll not give up its position anytime soon.
More people now prefer videos over words because attention spans are decreasing. Marketers understand this and are investing more time and resources in telling compelling stories through videos. This is why you need to master the pillars of video storytelling because it is one of the essential steps in creating content that can set your brand apart from the others.
What is video storytelling?
This marketing method uses the naturally engaging video format to tell a story about a product, service, business, or company.
Video storytelling guides the audience through narrative-based content that they can relate to and gets into their hearts, ignites emotions, and presents a satisfying solution to their problems.
The viewers can get pulled into what’s happening because of certain key factors, including camera angles, soundtrack, characters, and the story’s emotional arc.
Benefits of video storytelling
1. Everyone can relate to a good story
It’s rooted in our tradition. We have used storytelling o pass information from generation to generation. Examples are the visual storytelling found in pictures painted on cave walls and verbal storytelling, as seen in several epics and myths that have survived for centuries. It then took the form of books, with the invention of the printing machine. And today, with technology evolving, in the form of audio-visual – the video.
2. Storytelling is concise
People who don’t have enough experience with videos will probably want to use the video to say as much as possible about their brand. However, they don’t realize that a viewer can quickly switch off
due to being bombarded with unnecessary information.
The best solution to this is to use storytelling that’s concise. This is an exciting technique of communicating a lot of information quickly and effectively – provided it’s short and to the point.
3. It is cost-effective
Storytelling is one easy and inexpensive way to convey your message using video. But you shouldn’t take this option just because it is less expensive. It’s also because telling stories is also a highly efficient way to communicate.
As you produce a storytelling video, you need to consider these important factors that’ll guide the rest of the process:
Plot: What story are you going to tell? Do you have a structure? Remember that a powerful story should have an introduction, conflict or complication, and a resolution.
Purpose: Why do you want to tell this story, and what do you want them to do after watching the video?
People: Will your story have some central characters? If yes, how can they relate to your audience?
Location: Where will the video be based, and how does that location shape the video’s narrative?
Audience: Who are you making the video for? Are they new clients, potential clients, employees, or others?
Delivery method: How do you intend to share the video? Where will it be hosted? Will it be on YouTube, your website, or elsewhere?
After you figure out the answers to these questions, you’ll have an excellent framework to operate from. Consider ways to connect with your audience, the techniques that’ll make the video memorable to viewers, and if it’ll be shareable enough to go viral.
Best video storytelling techniques
The most efficient video storytelling techniques vary depending on your primary aim. For instance, if you intend to make an explainer video, you might rely on animation or statistics to state your points. However, if the story mainly focuses on selling a new product or service, you can use actors to tell a story related to the audience’s pain points. Actors can strengthen the human element more than animated videos and can increase customer engagement.
Here are some video storytelling techniques that can turn a simple story into a powerful marketing tool:
Have a strong arc:
A strong arc will make it easier for your viewers to follow along with the storyline, get immersed in the twists and turns, and keep on watching through to the end.
Ensure that your characters are lovable and relatable:
Your audience should see parts of themselves in the characters of your video. Don’t use polarizing characters because they may be a turn-off to some audiences and prevent them from appreciating the
message.
Edit the video well:
If there are parts of the redundant video that don’t align with the story you’re telling, cut them out. It may be best to have a seasoned editor do the job. Share it with someone who has a lot in common with your target audience to get feedback.
Your video has to be visually appealing:
It would be best if you considered camera angles, scenery, and eye-catching fonts. These could help your video stick in the audience’s mind and make them want to watch it repeatedly.
Repurpose and promote your content:
You’ve already done the difficult task of researching, writing, editing, and designing to create your story. Now’s the time to reach your audiences.
Think about your target audience:
Most business owners are aware that the first step of every campaign is to know the target audience. No matter your role, whether as a marketer, a business owner, or an independent creator, you must know who you’re catering to. Put time and effort into understanding them, their interests, and their problems.
This knowledge will help you to build your narrative so that they engage better with your videos and watch them closely in the hope that your story will teach them how to solve their issues and change their views on specific topics.
Appeal to emotions
Stories are very compelling and easily resonate with viewers because they appeal to emotions. To do this, focus on the feelings you intend to pass across as you develop your video idea.
You can convey emotions by focusing on other vital elements of video storytelling such as colors, composition, plot, story development, and background music, as they all come together to communicate an emotion effectively. Select an emotion to evoke – joy, sadness, warmth, or hope, and share it during the storytelling process.
Show a process
If you’re still looking for ideas, create a video that shows a step-by-step guideline. You can either create a how-to video that educates your audience, or you could go behind the scenes and share a step-by-step video about how you made a product and how best can use it.
Conclusion
Storytelling can be compelling. It draws people in, holds their attention spans, and makes them feel invested in the story being told. Stories can be educational, just as it is with explainer videos, or not have a lot of dialogue but speak volumes visually and with the right colors and sound.
It’ll take a lot of time and effort to make video storytelling work for you, which is why at Liwa, we’ve simplified the process for you. We can create a storyline that will earn you thousands of views, more brand recognition, and more revenue.
