Short-form video skyrocketed in popularity following the pandemic. People were at home, killing time on social media, and enjoyed consuming videos. However, once the world got back to normal, videos still captured attention, leading to the rise of TikTok and short-form video features like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.

If you want to get traction for your brand, you have to share your story – and there’s no better way to do it than with video content marketing. A lot of strategy goes into short-form videos that are engaging and impactful, however, especially when you have to tell your story in under a minute.

The Value of Storytelling

Humans are visual. A captivating image or video is more likely to grab our attention than an article or blog post, but you still need to say something interesting. Visual appeal on its own isn’t enough, but combined with a great story, it can keep the viewer hooked.

Here are some benefits to storytelling in bite-sized video formats:

Capturing Attention

Capturing the attention of a social media user is increasingly difficult. There’s no shortage of content online, and it can be really difficult to get a social media user to stop scrolling to actually read a post. With video, there’s a hook from the start that gets them to stop and see what you have to say.

Retaining Information

Stories are often used for entertainment and connection, but they can also be used to educate, inform, inspire, explain, and more. Better yet, viewers are more likely to remember what they heard in a video compared to what they read in an article, giving you a unique edge with a message that lasts.

Humanizing Your Brand

Consumers have no shortage of choice, so they’re looking to support brands that align with their values and the human behind the brand name. Storytelling gives you a competitive edge that builds trust and connection with your audience.

How to Tell Your Brand Story in Short-Form Video

Building a Story Around the 4 Ps

The 4 Ps of storytelling are a storytelling framework that structures your narrative and message. These are the principles:

●     Plot, or what happens in the story you’re telling

●     Purpose, or the goal of the story and what you want the audience to experience

●     People, or the characters and their traits that make them relatable to the audience

●     Place, or the location of the story and how it affects the story

Use the 4 Ps to develop your story and condense into a short-form video.

Keeping the Message Short and Sweet

Marketing messaging should always be concise, even when it’s brand storytelling. Get to the point and focus on just one message, which is not only more effective but easier when you’re working with a 30- to 60-second video. Your core message should also be tailored to your audience segments, such as viewers just discovering your brand, recent customers, or long-time repeat customers.

Preparing the Story Arc

All stories have a beginning, middle, and end. Short-form videos are no different, but they’re just covering that arc in a much shorter time frame. Most stories follow these arcs:

●     Three-act stories that have a beginning or introduction, a middle that highlights the conflict, and an end that brings the resolution.

●     Two-act stories that focus on a problem and its solution, such as a customer pain point and how the product solves it.

●     Hero’s journey stories that are used in entertainment and feature a relatable character undertaking a challenge or quest.

Bringing Emotion into the Story

Emotions are a driver of customer decision making as much as logic, and they’re strongly tied to memory. Viewers are more likely to remember stories that made them feel something, whether it’s anger, happiness, sadness, or joy. The emotions you evoke should align with your brand, however, such as showing how your product helps customers realize their dreams or solve an embarrassing or frustrating problem.

Building Story Series

Condensing a story into a short video is a great way to deliver an impactful message, but not all stories can be told effectively in under a minute. Micro-stories, or smaller, digestible videos that have an overarching narrative, can tell your story without forcing you into a short format. Micro-stories are a good choice for video series that introduce your brand, your team, your products, and customer success stories.

Leverage Bite-Sized Videos to Build Your Brand

Storytelling with short-form video is a popular way to tell brand stories, capture audience attention, and build trust and credibility. These tips can help you create impactful stories that are great for short-form video and captivate your audience.