Compelling Storytelling – Crafting Video Ads

When you begin to think about what you want your brand’s video ad to be, stay away from what you used to see on TV in 2005. What came on your TV between episodes of Friends in the early 2000’s is not what is catching user attention in 20 years later. User behavior has changed! Instead of being forced to sit through a commercial break in order to find out if Rachel and Ross were really on a break, users can simply swipe up and scroll far, far, away from your content. Our biggest goal is to make video content that is compelling and easy to watch.

In order to make an impact with your video content, here are our key considerations:

1. Quality of Content.
2. Engage-ability.
3. Does it make sense for your brand?

Let’s get into it:

You’re scrolling through your app of choice, looking at videos during your 30 minute lunch break. Will you take 30 seconds of your precious time to watch a video that looks like it was shot on a potato? Probably not. The visual quality of your content is precious.

• When you are starting to shoot video for your brand, make sure you are using a video taking device that has good camera quality. The one on your phone is great! Make sure the lens isn’t dirty, or the microphone isn’t obstructed.
• You may be nervous (or have drank too much coffee), but try not to be unstable or shaky. A tripod or gimbal can be a great investment for taking quality content.
• Before you begin rolling, take a “test shot” and review it! Make sure there is enough lighting coming from the right direction. If not, adjust your position or open a window blind. Check to see how well you can hear the person talking (if applicable). Make sure there isn’t ambient noise that could be distracting to a viewer.
• Remember, we want to make this video as easy as possible for someone to watch. If they have to touch their volume button or adjust their screen brightness, it is much easier for them to scroll away.

The other type of quality that is critical when making a video ad, is the actual content you are putting out. Think for a second, about what kinds of videos you have seen that have you watching until the end, or, dare I say, clicking on their profile for more. Are they straightforward oxi-clean ads? Or do they have some element of storytelling that is particularly compelling?

When you google Mohawk Chevrolet, the second search result that pops up (beside their website) is their Tiktok account. How can a car dealership have such successful content? Why do more than 150 thousand users care about a Chevrolet dealer in upstate New York? They innovated the brand space and created a series that people care about. Their video views average higher than the actual Chevrolet Tiktok, with a quarter of the followers.

Mohawk Chevrolet took a risk and got creative. They gave us an insight into their team, and a reason to care about each and every one of them. They decided to make an Office-like spinoff of their workspace.

Users are eager for each new video that comes out. Mohawk Chevrolet has been featured in online news articles for their work, and has reported exponential foot traffic growth. All because they shot engaging content with good storytelling.

When you google Mohawk Chevrolet, the second search result that pops up (beside their website) is their Tiktok account. How can a car dealership have such successful content? Why do more than 150 thousand users care about a Chevrolet dealer in upstate New York? They innovated the brand space and created a series that people care about. Their video views average higher than the actual Chevrolet Tiktok, with a quarter of the followers.

Mohawk Chevrolet took a risk and got creative. They gave us an insight into their team, and a reason to care about each and every one of them. They decided to make an Office-like spinoff of their workspace.

Users are eager for each new video that comes out. Mohawk Chevrolet has been featured in online news articles for their work, and has reported exponential foot traffic growth. All because they shot engaging content with good storytelling.

Your content quality matters. From the way you write your scripts, the lighting you use, and even the direction you take your videos.

You’ve put together your first video, put it up on tiktok/reels/shorts, and… got 15 views and a like from your social media manager’s personal account. Why isn’t it taking off?? Engagement is the reason. Algorithms boost videos where people are viewing for more than 3 seconds, liking, sharing, and commenting. Is your content garnering engagement from the people that are taking the chance to view it? Here are a few reasons you may not be getting the engagement you are looking for, and how to optimize in each case:

1. You Have a Brand New Account. This can be frustrating, but your first video on a brand new account is not likely to get as many views as your 10th, 20th, 200th. You will need to grow your account over time to get those views and followers you want.
2. You Aren’t Optimizing For Attention. User behavior dictates how your videos will do. User’s want to be compelled within the first 3 seconds. Start with a hook on your videos that compels the viewer to want to finish the video. “5 of my favorite items from Target” may not be as compelling as “5 items from Target that you NEED!”. Another user behavior that may surprise you is that the vast majority (74%) of Facebook videos are watched without sound (Sproutsocial). A great way to optimize this is by making sure your videos have captions so that users can watch your content volume down.
3. You Aren’t Utilizing Trends and Trending Audios. This is something that should not be overlooked. Using trending songs in brand content significantly captures the community’s attention, with 67% of TikTok users preferring brand videos featuring popular or trending songs (House of Marketers)!

Engagement is like rolling a boulder down the hill. It needs a “push” in order to get going. When you post your video, send it to your teammates, coworkers, siblings, and friends. Their likes and comments can help the algorithms to know that people are interested in your videos! Manufacturing engagement can sometimes lead to more engagement, it just needs that push.

An important consideration when doing any kind of content, is that it makes sense for what your brand or company does. I may not want to hire a financial advisor who does the cinnamon challenge. It doesn’t build trust for me. You want to make sure you are thinking about your consumers and the way that you want them to see you.

You can utilize compelling storytelling without straying from your values. Not every company needs a murderous mascot like the duolingo owl. Think about the stories you want your brand to tell, and the most compelling ways to tell them.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself when beginning to build your brand’s story:

• What is the most interesting thing about my brand/company?
• Why do people like what we do?
• How do I want people to see my brand/company?
• What sets what we do apart from anyone else?
• What do my competitors do that work, and do not work?

Sometimes, watching what your competitors do can be a great signal to what you should – or should not- do. When critically thinking about the voice and persona of your brand/company in video storytelling, don’t think you just need to do one thing. Trial and error can be great indicators as to what may work. Maybe narrative storytelling isn’t hitting for your brand, but tutorials and product demonstrations might! Take chances, get creative, and don’t quit.

Social video ads can be a game changer for brands and businesses. In the last 5 years, we have seen companies make innovative use cases for video across platforms that fully diverge from the commercials we see on TV. You don’t need much to start, you just need to give it a shot.