Tell Your Brand’s Stories With Video
Storytelling has been a part of human history long before the Romans and the ancient Greeks. We like to believe our storytelling abilities play a part in how the human race has evolved to where we are today.
The same concept can be applied to modern day brands. A brand with a compelling origin story is more likely to be successful. Consumers are more likely to bring their business to a brand they feel a connection with.
Why Use Video To Tell Your Brand Story?
There are various ways a company can tell their brand story. Video has stood the test of time and has proven to be the most engaging format to date. Research from Cisco is projecting by the year 2021 over 80% of all traffic will consist of video. Investing in online video is a smart choice. Stories compel viewers to connect with a brand.
Develop a narrative, not a sales pitch
Don’t be another company with creatives acting creative, it’s been done before and it’s the new elevator sales pitch. Instead, develop a narrative that is personality centric, purposeful, and that people will care about. Think back in school when you learned about narrative arc. The incident, the rising action, climax, falling action, and bang! Resolution – your brand. No one tells stories about widgets unless something interesting happens, or somebody does something with it, or it takes on a life or personality of its own.
So how can brands use storytelling in their videos? Storytelling happens when identifying the narratives that parallel and intersect with the brand, product, or service.
Uncover parallel narratives
Chronological narrative runs parallel to your brand. It tells who you are, where you’ve been and where you’re headed. Here are a few questions to ask yourself to help you identify the stories to tell in your business videos:
- How did we start? What first inspired us?
- What are we doing right now? How do we fit into the lives of our target audiences? What’s unique about us?
- Where are we going? How do we plan on getting there?
- Why do our customers care? How are we making their lives better?
By answering these questions about your brand you begin to create a connection with your consumer. People will be able to relate and connect with your brand once it takes on a humanistic persona. Before you begin, it’s important to identify your audience. This will determine the voice of your brand and whether your tone will be serious, emotional, witty or charismatic.
Discover intersecting narratives
Additionally, there are stories that intersect with your brand along the way. These types of stories can be highly effective. Some example questions to ask:
- Who has our brand, product, or service helped recently? How did that happen?
- Do our customers know how to use our product or service? How can it be explained in a way that is relatable, not just informational?
- What’s the most effective way for our intended audience to connect with us? How do we get them there?
- What does our brand look like through the eyes of our employees? What stories would they tell?
- What are the most commonly asked questions about your brand, product, or service?
Answer unanswered questions
There are so many other questions that can be asked to help inform the type of story you’re trying to tell. The key is to identify the most compelling narratives that allow your brand to stand apart. Be genuine, concise, and engaging. Yours is not the only brand that your audience will encounter today.
Information is a commodity, but a good story is always easy to remember—especially through video.
Written by Bob Cody
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