How to Use the Power of Storytelling in Explainer Videos

Business video explainers already get 80% of global Internet traffic. According to Cisco, this figure will continue to grow, not fall. Indeed, video content consumption on YouTube alone is growing every year by an average of 100%. This is especially typical of those videos created for business and associated with media, PR, and digital marketing. How come?

Why Storytelling?

So, how to get millions of views of your stories? – use the power of storytelling in your business explainer videos.

Storytelling is all about telling a story the viewer may relate to. When you tell the story, you trigger emotions, and they stick your audience to the business like glue. And those who do not want to trust will trust it. They evoke emotion and desire to share. What kind of stories could it be? – any story created with a professional video production company.

Thus, already sick and tired of direct advertising, the particular audience hardly reacts to flat commercial triggers. Here’s where smart people turn to storytelling, that is, to telling catchy stories in which the reader either recognizes himself or at least sympathizes with the story’s main character.

Storytelling in Video Pros & Cons

Since stories may be used in any genre or length – about people, situations, relationships, products or processes, etc., they need to be upbeat, meaningful, controversial, and catchy. They must hook the viewer. Besides, you need to understand that there are more pros to use it in videos:

Great engagement

The main advantages of storytelling are the involvement and retention of the viewers, as well as creating an emotional connection with them.

The last point is especially important for social media distribution since your business social networks are not just a channel for exchanging information. These are real communities where you may exchange with subscribers not only the news but also stories, memories, opinions, etc.

Brand loyalty

This approach increases brand loyalty. If you manage to create a real community of subscribers, users will willingly share your stories in their accounts. This alignment is interesting for any brand. This is both an organic increase in coverage and an expansion of a loyal audience.

Optimal media length

As for the duration of the video explainers, choose a range from three to five minutes. Optimally if you create your 30 sec video, it will be enough for the business message, but may be too short to touch emotionally. Empirically, we came to the conclusion that it is better to stick to such timing that makes it possible to make the story complete, vivid, and catchy and at the same time not overloaded with unnecessary information.

How you come up with a great story script?

What is included in the classic video story script? Almost any story dwells on to the classical scenario.

Intro

The story may start with a twist. This is an introductory part with a description of the situation, the portrait of the hero, the problem, etc. It is at this moment that we must hook the viewer, arouse the interest so that to go deeper into the story. If there will be no hook at the beginning; the user will simply switch the content to something else.

Dwell on

Then the story sense is being revealed: you need to indicate the solution to the problem, the path of the hero, the difficulties along the way, the experience gained, and the like.

Climax

In the final part, you may talk about the results, plans for the future, and also motivate the viewers to a certain action, carefully using a call-to-action or well-integrated ad.

All parts are united by a single thoughtful script. Another important point: text or video in the power of storytelling always implies some kind of goal. In marketing, this is a key to success.

What should the user do after the story? Reconsider the plans for life, introduce a new habit into everyday life, get in contact, and immediately buy a product, leave the contact information, and so on. Sky’s the limit!

Online Storytelling Tips

The story gives rise to emotions and feelings. People are captivated by the storytelling sincerity, openness, and truthfulness. It affects our subconscious differently from directions, facts, or logical explanations. To unleash the power of storytelling utmost, here are some tips used in multimedia journalism to consider:

1. Avoid faking. The more realistic content you make, the more it will be trusted. 

2. Let your characters laugh, be sad, have fun, or cry if you need it. Let them show their emotions. Encourage it. Be sure your viewers will have the same reactions.

3. Use subtitles in your videos. It will be helpful for those who watch videos without any sound.

4. Choose short but bright headers for your videos and be sure to add descriptions to them.

5. Highlight the key ideas and phrases with large captions.

6. You can add special effects like animations, but it’s important not to overdo it. There’s always a risk that the viewer will get annoyed.

7. Experiment with video length. The era of short videos has just started, so don’t be afraid to vary.

Alas, in times of total lack of time, even videos are looked through quickly, and if anything useful is out there, then a viewer will study it from the beginning to the end. Make sure that your story script is whole and the video explainer made on its basis is sharp and meaningful.

To Sum Up

Do not neglect the power of storytelling for your business marketing. Videos created for business using storytelling online and associated with media, PR, and digital marketing are more viral and get more views in shorter times.

What does storytelling online bring to your business? Today, storytelling is almost the most effective method of turning even the most boring topic into an exciting script & video, which is why it is very actively used in marketing. A well-crafted story can be much more convincing to the reader than just arguments and facts. Mind that!