5 top tips for video storytelling

We’re all aware of the potential video has for brands and marketers on social media. Audiences are consuming more and more short-form video content and there’s no doubt that it’s here to stay. However, the greater challenge is capturing the consumer’s attention for long enough so that they commit to watching the video in full, and ideally take something away from it. If your audience aren’t entertained or engaged they will switch off. This is where excellent storytelling comes into play…

Video execution is key and unless you’re telling an engaging story with your short-form video, the content won’t cut it.

Here are some tips to get you started:

  1. Your story needs to resonate with your audience. Think about it like this – is your audience simply viewing your content, or does it make them feel or want to do something?
  2. Find your key message and get straight to the point. Keep your story concise. Consider “What is the most important message I need to deliver in this video?”
  3. Consider why you’re producing the video and stick to the purpose. Make sure the ‘why’ is clear in your head and this should resonate on camera.
  4. Match your video to your audio. It requires thought and detail, but the end result will look far more professional and polished if you take this into consideration.
  5. Storyboard for success. With a solid plan you can think about the flow of the video and identify the most important aspects. Storyboards help you to visualise what each shot might look like, which should make recording the video easier.

Above all, storytelling in your short-form video content is a great way to show your brand’s personality on social.  Social video will continue evolving, but, as marketers, we have the ability to experiment with what will resonate with our audience the most. Keep the five steps to success in mind when creating your video!

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