How to Weave Good Storytelling into Your Videos
Video didn’t just kill the radio star. It has taken over the world.
People not only watch an exorbitant amount of online video a week — an average of 18 hours, according to a recent report from Wyzowl — but they are twice as likely to share videos than any other form of content with friends and family.
Not only is video popular, but it’s also effective. Wyzowl reports 79% of people said they were convinced to purchase or download a piece of software or app after watching a video, and 84% say they were convinced to buy a product or service after watching a brand’s video.
In other words, businesses that want to boost leads and sales ignore video at their peril.
Not Just Any Old Video
Even considering the demand and effectiveness of video, brands can’t produce just any old video and expect results.
As with all forms of content, quality is key — especially when creating a video that draws eyeballs and translates into action (sales, signups, etc.).
Tell Me a Story
The foundation of all good videos is good storytelling.
Why? Because humans live and breathe stories. They help us learn new ideas, take action, make decisions and understand our world.
Let’s explore some critical storytelling elements that will help you elevate the quality of your videos.
- Tell a Complete Story. Whether an explainer video, product overview or social media ad, your video should tell a complete story. Create a narrative through-line that includes a relatable premise, introduces some form of conflict and wraps up with a resolution.
- What’s at the heart of every good story? Emotion. Humans are emotional beings and respond (i.e., take action) to how something makes them feel. Joy. Sadness. Humor. Your video must evoke an emotion that will lead to the action you want the viewer to take — whether that’s visiting your website, making a purchase or even sharing the video. In fact, emotion is the main driver of sharing videos with others. We are more likely to share a video that makes us giggle, feel good or fires us up.
- Show, Don’t Tell. Although a classic adage of good writing, showing rather than telling especially applies to a visual medium. Although some narration and telling may be necessary, focus on the visuals and how best they can be used to convey your video’s story.Product videos are a fantastic example. Rather than recording a talking head ticking off the benefits of your new product, show someone actually using the product in a way that highlights its benefits. You also may want to consider ways of eliminating narration or voiceover altogether, if possible. A 2019 study from Verizon Media found 92% of U.S. consumers view mobile videos with the sound off. If your video relies too heavily on narration or voiceover rather than compelling visuals and footage, most people likely won’t hear it.
- KISS Method. With any video project, it’s easy and natural to pile on or attempt to add more in hopes of driving home another key message, selling point or emotional response. But with increasingly shortened attention spans, ever-busier consumers and customers won’t have the patience or time to sit through a video that’s trying to do too many things. You want to remember to give your video a KISS — Keep It Simple, Silly. One storyline. One message. One call to action. Anything more and you risk confusing and losing your audience.
As demand for video continues to rise, brands and businesses must not neglect video in their marketing efforts. But regardless of the type of video you create, telling a good story is essential.
If you want to expand or create a video strategy for your business, the storytelling experts at Aker Ink can help you craft the perfect story that meets your goals.
By Aker Ink | 2025-11-17T15:41:31-07:00 September 21st, 2021 | Content | Comments Off on How to Weave Good Storytelling into Your VideosRelated Posts
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