Three tips for unlocking the power of storytelling through video
Sponsored by Bizbio Creative
Video is an incredibly versatile tool. Statistics show a website with a video, just by virtue of having one there with no other data points, is five times more likely to inspire people to act than one without video.
There are three critical components to an effective video storytelling project. It must be focused on the story; memorable; and relatable to the audience.
1. Focus on the Story
One mistake seen in many videos is the overwhelming amount of information being shared with the viewer. It amounts to a “data dump” of facts and figures. While some of this detail is obviously essential to include, the key is to use it within the context of a great story. If, for example, a thriving downtown with filled storefronts is important, then it can be shown in a passing way in a given scene, purposely placed, but not necessarily the focal point of the action.
Be clear about what you want to achieve, and make sure you have a good story hook. The quality must be strong enough to draw viewers in so they will continue to watch. Planning is number one. Make sure everything to be captured is planned out in advance and then delivered according to that plan.
2. Make it Memorable
Your video should be memorable in the same way a compelling melody is essential to a song. You know it’s a good song if people are humming that melody after hearing it once or twice.
Viewers will pick up a lot of the details subconsciously. The key is to keep them watching, and infuse the experience with sounds and images that you want them to recall and that are likely to have a memorable impact.
What you want is a five-minute video where, when people are asked how long it was, they respond with a guess of perhaps two minutes – as opposed to a two-minute video where they say it felt like an hour.
3. Make it Relatable
The first hurdle any organization has is to establish a trust bond with people. And video is bar none the best way to do that en masse. If it is a big organization, a corporation, a municipality, put a human face on it. Feature someone from the frontline staff that people will deal with on the ground to be the face of your organization and tell the story.
Find that human element to the story and share it passionately. Those are the stories that have a huge impact. Those are the stories that get talked about and shared online.
If your video is focused, memorable, and relatable, it will accomplish what you want. And, it won’t need to “go viral” for the benefits in terms of marketing to far outweigh the costs. MW
as published in Municipal World, January 2020
Bryan Bakker is the Founder of Bizbio Creative. He has nearly 20 years of experience as an on-site director and project manager with a specialization in post-production effects, graphic design, storytelling, and creative editing.
