Storytelling video: planning, optimization, and narration

We have been telling stories since the dawn of time. It's the oldest and most effective way to convey emotions and messages, but while there was the whole night to do it by the fire, today the average viewer's attention span is very low, and every second must be earned. In Social Content Factory we know that times change, that each channel has its own language, and that each target has its own logic, which is why we take care of every aspect of the Videostrategy®, planning, optimizing, and… choosing how to narrate the content each time, based on what the company wants to convey.

We discussed how to tell the perfect story and how to do it through a well-curated video strategy in the third meeting at ALMED (Graduate School in Media Communication and Entertainment), with contributions from our creative director Andrea Stragnitto and Luca Marchesi, Author & Creative Copywriter.

Putting ourselves in the shoes of a company, we know that the first approach to Videostrategy® usually involves many questions and few answers: how many videos are needed to convey the product/service and implicitly transmit the company's values (branded content)? What are the purposes of the video, and what is the best format to achieve them? Is there a recommended publication frequency? What are the costs of a video strategy planned over time? The task of the Videoagency and the Videostrategist is to accurately answer each of these questions, starting with the main element: to create a successful video strategy (social editorial plan, campaign... everything is Videostrategy), it is essential to first conduct a thorough analysis of the current state of the brand, being clear about the short and long-term objectives. In this phase, communication between Client and Agency is very important, as is the development of a relationship based on trust and synergy, which are the foundation of a productive dialogue for both parties.

There are different methods to conduct this analysis, starting with the SWOT analysis, which is an indispensable planning tool to focus the company's coordinates and is the basis for developing an effective video marketing plan. It serves to evaluate the internal and external processes involved in the business model, to make decisions that take into account the objectives to be achieved and the context in which the Videostrategy® project will be developed.

But to create a perfect video strategy, we must not only closely observe the Brand but also know the prospects, who are hidden among all the people who will watch our content. The more we anticipate their behaviors, the more we will be able to transform the audience into clients.

We need to carefully plan and build the Buyer’s Journey, hypothesizing the path our audience will follow from the moment they feel they have a specific need to the moment they decide to satisfy it through a brand/product/service. The next step will be to build the narrative, which must be designed and carefully structured to engage the viewer in the story, developing a plot that encourages identification.

As in great stories, the protagonist must embark on a journey (which in literature we could compare to the archetypal "hero's journey"). The distinctive elements will be the emergence of a problem and the difficulty in managing it (paraphrasing, the target's need), the attempts at resolution, and the presentation of a successful way out, leading to personal and shared growth. Conflict, empathy, and suspense (what Hitchcock differentiates from mystery, because "mystery is when the viewer knows less than the characters, suspense is when the viewer knows more than the film characters") are fundamental elements in any narrative, so in video storytelling, they must be carefully considered and brought on stage at the right moments.

Learn more about Videostrategy to plan quality video content, selecting the best tone of voice to reach specific targets and objectives, optimizing the productive and economic investment.

Article written by Isabella Garanzini, Group Head of Storytelling at The Story Group