Top Tips for Effective Storytelling Using Videos

Brand storytelling is a great approach to use in order to introduce and market your business. Stories cut through all the communication pathos and to the soul. Science proves that storytelling can cut through the neocortex of our brains, hitting us where it matters, in the limbic brain, which houses memories, visualizations, and feelings. Storytelling is a great marketing tool in that it elicits emotion. Stories are ideal in making sense of complication information, and the king of storytelling is video. If you need any convincing, check how much Hollywood is making in a year or even check the visitor statistics of YouTube. 

Video has become a significant avenue in marketing. However, it is not as impactful if you do not have a clear purpose or direction in mind for the video. You can only benefit from telling a great story via effective videos. The ideal videos for marketing should evoke emotions, target and address the audience’s needs, desires, and pain points, as well as offer an actionable solution. Here are a few tips to give you ideas about how to use videos successfully to tell your brand’s stories. 

1. Follow a definite video storytelling process

A successful video story follows a definite process. It should have a plot, purpose, people, place, audience, and distribution channel. The plot sets out the storyline that you will follow. In determining your purpose, focus on the reaction you want to get from the audience. A great story should involve characters that your audience can relate to emotionally and understand on some level. Also, choose a distribution channel that has a higher probability of reaching a broader audience.

2.Choose your story idea wisely

Many marketers’ videos fail to tell stories that resonate with the audience, while also providing or marketing a solution the audience craves. Contrary to popular belief, if you want your video to be effective and in high-demand among your target audience it’s not enough to have a good distribution channel and the right settings. The story you share must relate to info, issues, and solutions your audience wants. In addition, it should also be presented in a way that motivates them to follow one of your action suggestions, which is based on a goal you set for the video and your business. 

3. Showcase brand’s expertise

Your prospects and customers come to you to help them solve a problem related to the topics you cover. Sharing expert information in your field not only educates your audience; but, it can also help to establish your authority status in the industry. However, it is important to talk to your audience on their current level of understanding, without talking down to them or so far beyond them that you overwhelm or confuse them. In either of these instances, you may lose viewers and/or sales, if you misjudge the audience’s level of knowledge or what they want.

4. Offer a better explanation to a trend

Is there a trend in your industry that is creating a buzz? If so, take the opportunity to start a conversation. Find out what they think and feel about the subject. You could provide a more in-depth explanation about the trend as well as how it relates to the audience and your brand. 

5. Create inspirational videos

Creating an inspirational story is a great way to engage with your audience. It gives them interesting info, while providing the opportunity to share it with friends, family, and others in their broad circle of acquaintances. This is a wonderful way to address difficult or complex issues, which have a high level of negative experiences and feelings associated with a problem. Provide hope and inspiration in the form of tips, role models, and more, in order help your audience make it through the tough parts to find success and happiness. 

There are several ways to use your storytelling ideas in a video to convey information. Regardless of the idea you choose, it is important to create a relatable experience. In addition, make sure that you get personal in your video storytelling; it will boost your audience’s feeling of connectedness.