The Power of Storytelling in Video Marketing

Storytelling is the foundation of communication and human connection. It has been used throughout mankind to share information, record history, reflect culture and identity, and entertain. Cave drawings, artwork, music, and theatre all bring to life characters, events, and ideas that reflect our world through narratives. Today, storytelling has evolved to include creative video technology, and its impact is far-reaching, particularly for marketers and their audience.

Video storytelling is an impactful way to weave a narrative. It excels in a way that no other form of art or media can. Separate from static works of art, written stories, and musical melodies- video combines moving visuals, audio effects, musical scores, subjects and characters, and editing techniques like graphic animation and special effects. Each of these characteristics has a unique job to do within a narrative: They convey information while eliciting emotions.

When it comes to branding and marketing videos, you can tell your story in a profound and compelling way that allows the viewer to invest in your brand and deepen their connection.

Harness the Power of Emotion

Great stories make such a lasting impression on us because they draw out emotional responses. When we follow a hero on their journey, we witness them change. They overcome obstacles, endure hardships, celebrate triumph, and learn lessons about life. Put more simply, we witness them being human, and we experience their emotions just as we do our own. This impact allows us to relate to ourselves, each other, and the world around us more deeply.

Since consumers are compelled to action based on their feelings, that means emotion is a crucial ingredient for brand storytelling. Whose journey we follow (however brief or epic) may be the company’s founder, the customer, or even the product or concept itself. Experiencing that story provides viewers an opportunity to relate to them and, by extension, your brand.

Show (Don’t Tell) Information

When we learn facts, figures, and other particularly static information, we retain them better in the context of a story. A narrative setting allows us to cognitively understand the information provided in a well-rounded manner. This allows the mind to relax and emotion to make its powerful impact. For example, we can be told that the ocean is huge, deep, and mysterious, but perhaps we don’t fully take that in unless it’s illustrated for us. Think about Pixar’s Finding Nemo, or in a radically different context, the epic film Titanic. Illustrating information through the context of a story gives us the opportunity to understand in a more comprehensive way.

Every brand offers something tangible that makes a measurable impact on people’s lives. Whether it’s a product that makes daily activities easier, or a service that solves a unique problem, brands need to convey the information of what they offer to their specific audience. Storytelling gives brands a chance to illustrate that. Through the lens of a narrative, the audience is able to witness the products impact themselves and fully understand the necessity of the service being offered. Your brand can leave an incredible impression when paired with narrative story elements and structure.

Deepen Your Connection

Perhaps one of the most important functions of stories is obvious: They entertain us! We love stories because they allow us to leave our current reality for a little and become lost in a different world. Stories activate our imaginations, can make us laugh, comfort us, remind us that we’re not alone, convey a message someone’s been needing to hear, or introduce a brand new perspective.

Today, we live in a media-saturated landscape, and keeping the attention of audiences can be a tricky challenge. There are many ways to entertain ourselves through different forms of technology, which only emphasizes the need for brands to create engaging content. A sure-fire way to prevent tune-out is to return to the foundation of humankind’s communication. Harnessing the power of storytelling through video can fuel those efforts and help you maintain a loyal consumer and client base. If you can entertain them and create narrative content that will delight and entertain, you’ve tapped into the ever-reliable impact of stories.

The Numbers Don't Lie

Storytelling offers tremendous potential for brands. Video, in particular, is the only form of media technology that utilizes visuals, music, sound effects, animation, and editing to enhance your storytelling abilities. In 2019, Wyzowl surveyed 656 marketers and consumers and found that 88% of video marketers expressed a positive return-on-impact with their video marketing strategies, which is a far cry from the 33% positivity rate from 2015. Take a look at even more interesting Wyzowl statistics that prove video storytelling shows no signs of slowing down:

95% of respondents say video has helped increase user understanding of their product or service
87% of respondents say video increased traffic to their website
80% of respondents say video has directly helped increase sales

Narratives have been an essential tool for connection since humans first roamed the earth. We cannot help but draw ourselves into the worlds of stories. You have the power to tap into this instinct in many meaningful ways, and through video, you have more technological techniques at your fingertips than any other form of media.

Go ahead and tell us a story. We cannot wait to experience it.