The Art of Video Storytelling: Crafting Compelling Narratives

By combining visual storytelling techniques – from camera angles to sound design – with an emotionally compelling narrative, storytelling videos create lasting impressions. Brand storytelling videos serve as versatile tools for promoting values, introducing products, or explaining services in ways that engage viewers and keep them invested.

How to Create a Compelling Video Narrative

 Creating an effective video narrative starts with understanding the target audience and crafting a story that reflects their pain points or desires. A strong video project has a clear structure: beginning, middle, and end, which guides plot development and directs audience attention toward the brand’s message. Using universal themes like overcoming obstacles or achieving success helps create compelling narratives that leave a lasting impression.

After the video story unfolds, include a call to action that aligns with your brand goals, whether prompting the audience to visit a site, learn more, or share the video. The video length should align with audience viewing habits on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. For example, short videos perform well on mobile platforms, where attention spans are brief.

Visual Storytelling Techniques

Effective visual storytelling involves strategic use of camera angles, scenery, and high-quality visuals to bring an engaging narrative to life. The right camera angles can enhance emotion, build tension, or highlight key moments within a storytelling video, strengthening the video’s impact.

In addition to visuals, audio elements such as music and sound effects are vital for creating an emotional connection between the audience and the story. Background music or dramatic sound cues can set a mood or emphasize moments, adding richness to the video storytelling experience.

Adding live actors brings realism and relatability, as it introduces authentic human emotions and expressions into the narrative. On the other hand, original animations can provide a unique, creative touch to the video, distinguishing the content and making it intriguing for viewers. Both live actors and animations are powerful tools that amplify a compelling narrative and resonate with the target audience.

The Power of Emotional Connection

Theoretically, emotional stories embedded in storytelling videos have the power to drive deeper audience engagement by relating to the personal lives of target audiences. An emotional connection helps brands establish long-lasting relationships with viewers, as a study by Harvard Business Review shows, emotionally connected customers can be up to 52% more valuable than merely satisfied ones. This proves how powerful emotionally driven storytelling can be in building brand loyalty and long-term connections.

Videos that evoke positive emotions such as happiness, nostalgia, or even sadness often create better recall and a deeper sense of connection. These emotional triggers prompt viewers to reflect on their own lives and personal memories, leading to an instant attachment – not just to the video content but to the brand itself.

When a brand can share a story from the heart, it shows they understand their audience’s needs and builds trust, ultimately boosting brand loyalty. A brand that evokes genuine feelings leaves a lasting impression, making individuals more likely to remember and even share the experience with others. For example, 86% of highly emotionally engaged consumers are more likely to consider a brand when they need something, underscoring how emotional stories can lead to long-term loyalty. Research from Harvard Business Review also supports that an emotionally connected customer is worth 52% more to a brand than a merely satisfied one.

Video Storytelling

Emotional storytelling reaches its peak effectiveness during the holiday season, with themes of family, giving, and togetherness aligning perfectly with viewers’ sentiments at this time. Brands leverage these universal themes to build a strong emotional connection with their target audience by sharing compelling narratives that resonate deeply. One standout example is John Lewis’ holiday ads, which consistently tell heartwarming stories filled with feelings of love, generosity, and nostalgia. These videos capture the essence of the season, making John Lewis an anticipated part of many viewers’ holiday experiences and reinforcing brand loyalty year after year.

Through emotional stories, brands not only capture attention but also create lasting memories. When a storytelling video is crafted with relatable emotional elements, it transforms content into an immersive experience that stays with viewers long after the video ends. In this way, holiday videos go beyond brand storytelling by building emotional bonds that ensure the brand remains top-of-mind each season.

Best Practices for Storytelling Videos

Creating effective storytelling videos requires a thoughtful blend of creativity, strategy, and technical expertise. Here are some tips for crafting video storytelling that captivates your target audience and enhances brand storytelling:

  1. Keep Videos Short: Video length should match the platform and align with viewers’ short attention spans. On platforms like Instagram and TikTok, brief, engaging videos perform well. Wistia reports that videos under two minutes garner higher engagement, emphasizing the need to tell your story clearly and concisely.
  2. Use High-Quality Visuals: High-quality visuals and animations are essential for creating a cohesive storytelling video. Professional-grade video content holds viewers’ attention and enhances brand perception. With clear camera angles, dynamic motion graphics, and vibrant visual elements, your video can make a lasting impact.
  3. Develop Engaging Plots: The video narrative is the core of any successful storytelling format. Whether it’s sharing a brand story, a customer testimonial, or a behind-the-scenes look, ensure the plot is engaging and relevant. The best storytelling videos use universal emotions like joy, fear, or excitement to foster emotional connections that resonate with viewers’ own lives.
  4. Optimize for Platform and Audience: Tailor your video content to suit the platform and its audience. Short, action-packed videos perform well on Instagram, while platforms like YouTube can accommodate longer, more detailed narratives. Consider factors like aspect ratio, video length, and subtitles for sound-off viewing on social media.
  5. Precise Distribution Strategy: Ensure your storytelling video reaches the target audience at the right time. A distribution strategy involving social media, paid ads, and SEO can maximize visibility, ensuring your video reaches a wider audience.

Video Storytelling Examples

 Video storytelling is a powerful tool for brands to engage audiences, from explaining complex topics to making emotionally resonant statements. Below are examples of our work, designed using various storytelling techniques, particularly explainer videos that often blend animation with clear narratives to simplify complicated subjects:

1. Whiteboard Animation on Internet Addiction

This explainer video uses whiteboard animation to address youth behavioral issues, focusing on internet addiction and other compulsions like gambling and excessive gaming. By combining light drawings with engaging narration, the video makes a complex topic accessible, delivering key messages about risk awareness and personal responsibility. High-quality visuals keep the tone both informal and educational, creating an emotional connection with viewers.

2. GoNextStage Corporate Digitization Video

This video on corporate digitization uses minimalist animation to break down digital transformation for medium to large enterprises. By highlighting statistics, like the fact that “78% of companies are pursuing digital strategies,” alongside simple visuals, it communicates technical business processes without overwhelming viewers. This approach showcases GoNextStage’s expertise while keeping the narrative accessible and engaging.

3. Sharp Plasmacluster Technology Explainer Video

Using vector animation, this explainer video describes the Plasmacluster technology in Sharp’s air purifiers, visually demonstrating its ability to neutralize viruses. The storytelling here is structured in a clear sequence, simplifying a scientific process for viewers, while effectively conveying the technology’s benefits. This visual format is ideal for technically complex products, as it builds viewer understanding and interest.

These videos exemplify how explainer videos can tackle complex topics and present them in a visually engaging and accessible way. By combining relatable storytelling with educative content and dynamic visuals, brands ensure their messages resonate with the intended audience.

Interactive Video: Engaging Viewers in New Ways

Interactive video is an emerging media format that engages viewers in active interactions with content rather than passive consumption. By introducing clickable elements like buttons or choices within the video, it allows viewers to shape the story or acquire additional information. This transformation makes watching much more experiential – it’s a shift from passive viewing to interactive engagement.

The ability for viewers to provide input or control aspects of the narrative enhances their engagement with the content. Viewers move from passive information receivers to active participants in the storytelling process. This level of interaction not only captures attention but also fosters a deeper emotional connection with the brand or message being conveyed.

With brands increasingly aiming to stand out, interactive storytelling is quickly becoming a strong player. This approach lets audiences navigate their own “paths” within a video, creating memorable experiences that resonate long after viewing. By addressing the challenge of short attention spans, interactive video keeps viewers invested in the story being told.

Developing a Video Storytelling Strategy

 Creating an effective video storytelling strategy involves several key steps that align with your brand’s objectives and audience needs.

  1. Identify the Target Audience: Understanding who your audience is will help shape your video project. Consider demographics, interests, and viewing habits to create content that resonates with them.
  2. Define the Video Project Goals: Establish clear video storytelling goals that you want to achieve with your content. These could include raising brand awareness, driving sales, or educating your audience.
  3. Choose the Right Video Format: Based on your goals and audience, select the appropriate video format. Whether it’s a short social media clip, an explainer video, or a longer documentary-style piece, the format should align with both your message and the platform.
  4. Develop a Distribution Strategy: Identify where your target audience consumes video content. Tailoring your distribution strategy to platforms like YouTube, Instagram, or a dedicated video production company website ensures you reach your viewers effectively.
  5. Optimize the Video for Each Platform: Each platform has its own requirements and audience expectations. Optimize your video by adjusting aspects like length, resolution, and format to enhance viewer experience across various channels.
  6. Collaborate with a Production Team: If necessary, work with a skilled production team to ensure your video project meets high-quality standards and achieves your storytelling objectives.

Working with a Production Team or Studio

 Selecting the right video production company or studio is crucial for effectively conveying your brand story. Here are some tips to help you find a suitable partner for your video project:

  1. Define Your Needs: Before searching for a production team, clarify what you want to achieve with your video. Understanding your goals will help you find a company that specializes in your desired style and format.
  2. Review Portfolios: Take the time to review the portfolios of potential production companies. This is essential to ensure that their previous work aligns with your vision and meets your quality standards. Look for diversity in their projects and consistency in storytelling to confirm they can effectively capture your brand’s message.
  3. Seek Recommendations: Ask for referrals from industry peers or colleagues who have successfully worked with a production team. Personal recommendations can provide insights into a company’s reliability, creativity, and professionalism.
  4. Assess Communication Skills: Effective collaboration is key to delivering a great story. During initial discussions, pay attention to how well the production team communicates. A good partner will listen to your ideas, provide constructive feedback, and be open to collaboration.
  5. Establish Clear Expectations: Once you’ve selected a video production company, establish clear expectations regarding project timelines, budgets, and deliverables. Having a shared understanding from the outset will help streamline the process and avoid misunderstandings.
  6. Stay Engaged Throughout the Process: To ensure your brand story is accurately portrayed, stay involved during the production stages. Regular check-ins can help align the project with your vision and allow for any necessary adjustments along the way.

Measuring Success

To measure video marketing performance effectively, a variety of different engagement metrics should be put to work. The most important ones include views, shares, and click-through rate (CTR), which all provide insight into how well your target audience is accepting your storytelling videos. A high view count or share rate can reveal strong initial interest, while click-through rates can show how well your videos drive traffic to your website or landing pages.

Added to these will be the analysis of broader brand awareness and brand loyalty impacts. Observe the change in audience perception through surveys or sentiment analysis on social media, or track repeated engagement with your content. By understanding how storytelling videos deepen the customer relationship, one may gain insight into how effective storytelling is at creating a deeper connection with one’s audience.

Use insights from performance data to further iterate on your marketing approach. See which types of content perform well, which platforms engage viewers most, and where there may be opportunities for improvement. By constantly adjusting your approach based on these insights, you can help future video content be more effective in meeting your audience’s needs and strengthening your overall brand narrative.

It’s all about monitoring success and making continuous adjustments to your strategy in real time to ensure maximum ROI on your video marketing efforts, creating a sustained, gradual rise in brand awareness that ultimately leads to brand loyalty.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

 When creating storytelling videos, it’s essential to steer clear of several common pitfalls:

  1. Low-Quality Visuals or Audio: Avoid using poor-quality visuals or sound. High-quality production is vital for maintaining viewer interest and conveying professionalism. A well-produced video enhances the storytelling experience and evokes positive emotions.
  2. Complicated Narratives: Ensure that the video tells a simple and engaging story. Complex plots can confuse viewers and detract from the main message. Focus on clarity and coherence to make your storytelling impactful.
  3. Neglecting Platform Optimization: Don’t overlook the importance of optimizing the video for the target platform. Different platforms have varying audience preferences and technical requirements. Tailor your content accordingly to maximize engagement.
  4. Inappropriate Video Length: Keep the video length appropriate to hold viewer’s interest. Studies suggest that shorter videos tend to perform better on social media, while longer formats may be suitable for in-depth storytelling on platforms like YouTube. Strike a balance that suits your audience and content type.
  5. Overlooking Emotional Connections: Effective storytelling often draws on relatable characters or well-known elements, such as a well-known comedy character, to foster emotional connections. This approach can enhance viewer engagement and make your story more memorable.

Conclusion

In conclusion, video storytelling stands as a powerful medium for creating emotional connections and enhancing audience engagement. Through a good story and effective narrative techniques, brands can forge deeper relationships with viewers, fostering brand loyalty and making a lasting impression.

At Explain Visually, we specialize in transforming complex ideas into clear and engaging visual narratives. We help businesses convey their offerings effectively, educate employees on procedures, and illustrate company strategies in a way that speaks to teams. With over 500 successful projects completed in 19 languages, our expertise includes creating animations, infographics, and presentations that not only look good but also drive results.

Our focus is on ensuring that your audience remembers your message long after viewing, making every video an impactful tool in your marketing arsenal. As we often say, a picture is worth a thousand words, and we believe that a compelling video can be even more powerful.

If you’re ready to elevate your brand storytelling through engaging video content, contact us at Explain Visually. We’re here to help you create videos that captivate and inform. Contact us today!

Sources (statistics):

  1. https://martech.org/7-ways-to-boost-customers-emotional-connection-and-loyalty-with-your-brand/
  2. https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2725516/Fully_Connected_Customer_2020.pdf
  3. https://herodigital.com/insights/emotional-brand-connections/
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About the author

Kamila Ołdakowska

I possess 3 years of experience in marketing, which I have been actively cultivating since the beginning of my second year of undergraduate studies, starting with a role at a consulting company. Currently, as a Marketing Specialist at Explain Visually, I apply my knowledge to devise strategies that enable companies to effectively communicate their core values through animations. My experience also encompasses content creation that drives companies toward their strategic goals. I am presently pursuing a master’s degree in project management, enhancing my ability to organize and execute complex marketing projects. I continually refine my skills by keeping up with the latest marketing trends, ensuring that my experience and contributions to each project are of the highest caliber.

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How we helped Israeli startup to win a 1,000,000$

About the company: Seegnature (now Reach): Israeli startup that creates an application for remote discussion and signing of contracts. Department: Company Founders. Problem: Seegnature entered the competition for the best insurance startup in Israel. The company...

How did Michelin sell tires in a country with no cars? Three examples of big brand content marketing that shows the power of good content

Before 1900, there were only 3,000 cars in France. At that time, brothers André and Édouard Michelin decided to start a company that sold tires.[1] Sound like a recipe for failure? Probably many people thought so, as how do you sell tires to people who don't need...

6 things without which your sales support and sales materials will be ineffective

You know the scenario? The conversation is going well, and the customer is interested. Finally, the potential customer says to the salesperson: "Then please send an offer. I'm having a meeting with my boss/team/partner and I'll let you know what the response is." The...

Content marketing that supports sales – what is a content funnel and how to use it

After publishing an article about content marketing of three global giants: Michelin, Pirelli and Guinness, our subscribers were strongly surprised as not many knew the stories.   The artice has not yet been translated to English, but in a shortcut: - When...

How to maximize ROI of your explainer video (22 non-bullshit practical tips)

These are the insights we got after producing hundreds of explainer videos.  Before you start 1) Check if the ROI numbers add up. Sometimes they don’t.   The easiest formula to calculate ROI is: Predicted Reach (i.e. 10 000 people) x Avg. deal size (i.e. 100$) x...

Animation versus illustration: which is more effective [based on research]

Walt Disney said: "Animation can represent anything the human mind can imagine. This ability makes it the most versatile and direct form of communication. At the same time, it is created to be appreciated by mass audiences."[1] Although this quote comes from one of...

Whiteboard animation: Best Business Cases

Whiteboard animation videos are special animated films, which educate customers about a company, a brand or its products. They have been used by marketing, sales and HR departments of the biggest companies for 10 years, but only just starting to gain popularity in...

13 ideas for using animation in business – practical videomarketing

Well-crafted animation can help in many elements of business. Most often, it supports companies in acquiring leads, training employees, presenting a product or service to customers, implementing procedures, or increasing conversions. Since you've already invested in...

How to sell when your product is not much different from the competition?

"If there is no difference, there is only indifference" said Louis Nizer Customers may think the same when your products are not much different from the competition. Of course you can lower the price but this may start a price war. Thousands of companies have faced a...

Vegan food market in Poland

Imagine that you go to Facebook and there are pictures of sausages, kabanos to be exact, everywhere. They are posted by your friends, the fan pages you like, and strangers on groups you belong to. Sounds like science fiction? Meanwhile, it is reality as kabanos are...

Veganism, vegetarianism and marketing: how to advertise and sell vegan products?

Veganism is on the rise. There is no question about it. To give you just a few recent examples... New vegan product a sales hit The first example is the British bakery chain Gregg. I first heard of its existence when it released vegan sausage rolls and I read about it...

How our animation helped the „Wiecej niż LEK” website earn their first 100 000 EUR

About the project:  “Więcej niż LEK” is a Medical Information Portal which is used to run high quality e-learning courses for students and graduates of medical colleges, which prepare them for, among other things, for the Final Medical Examination and the Final...

How to calculate if the explainer video will pay off?

As we wrote earlier in the text about explainer video, the production of such an animation usually costs from 2 000 to 7 000 EUR. How to calculate whether this expense will pay off? And how to estimate the explainer video's possible results?   In this text, we...

7 examples of explainer video, which provided companies with leads and increased sales

Rypple, which provides cloud services, wanted to show that its solution increases the efficiency of managers and employees. The B2B business was showing more and more interest in modern ways of storing data, but the competition was not idle and more and more similar...

Product videos—types, prices, advantages and disadvantages (classic film, whiteboard animation, vector animation, and 3D animation)

Product videos are becoming more and more popular because they help to tell about the product in a few minutes. Thanks to them, the customer does not have to read a wall of text on the website or in the brochure. Sellers also feel relieved because they don't have to...

11 tips and tricks that will make it easier for you to make an explainer video

You want to commission a explainer video production. It is an important project because you need to talk about a strategic initiative, generate more leads, or implement a new procedure. You gave the company a general idea and...wait until they hit your vision? This is...

Our Team

Claudia Together with the late Michael (my fiancé at the time), I am a co-founder of ExplainVisually. At the beginning of the company's existence, I was a creative 3-in-1: I wrote scripts, storyboards, and drew films. This was the case with the first 84 films, but in...

The cooperation between TESCO and ExplainVisually has been extended to the Czech Republic and Slovakia

The shelves of supermarkets bend under the food. But what happens to food that is not bought? The last project in cooperation with TESCO brought us the answer to this question. We got a call from Gosia Tokarz, who asked us if we can prepare 7 by 2 meters infographics...

How did Millenium Bank educate its employees on standards of customer service? [Case Study]

About the company: Millenium Bank – one of the main banks in Poland, part of Banco Commercial Portuges. Department: Department of Quality–responsible for providing equal and high level of customer and sales service in the bank’s facilities.   Problem: Keeping the...

4 unobvious reasons that make your offer land in the basket

Thank you for the offer, we have decided to cooperate with another supplier;At this point we have suspended the project, we will contact you when we get back to it;Unfortunately, we are not interested. Every salesperson has heard these answers. Often, the reason for...

Our video telling a story about the most creative Polish School

Among dozens of projects that we have carried out this year, the film for the Kornel Makuszyński Elementary School in Radowo Małe is one of our favourites. And not only our favourite: the video scored over 1300 shares on Facebook. Why this project is so important to...

How did Orange tell their employees about the Continuous Improvement? [Case Study]

About the company: Orange – the biggest telecommunication operator in Poland and one of the main companies in the world, made it to the Fortune Global 500 list. Department: Customer Experience, trying to design the ideal customer experience and supporting the...

What is Graphic Recording (and Graphic Facilitation)?

When the lecturer starts his speech on the stage, the atmosphere of concentration fills the lecture hall. It is his name that brought the crowd to this conference. The slides complete his words, and hundreds of people are focused on him and try to remember as much as...

What is whiteboard animation (and how your business can benefit from it)?

Whiteboard animation is becoming more and more popular in business because of the clear and transparent way it provides information. Research shows that it has an advantage over text messages, and often also over static images and ordinary films. That is why it is...

What is explainer video (and how your business can benefit from it)?

  Explainer videos are short movies which explain complicated issues in an easy way. Typically they deliver information about companies, products and services. Today, explainer videos are used by thousands of companies around the world, including the largest...

The curse of knowledge: How it affects managers & marketers

Klątwa wiedzy jest efektem psychologicznym, który w ogromnym stopniu wpływa na naszą pracę oraz życie osobiste. W wielu wypadkach niestety negatywnie. Szczególnie narażone na jego skutki są osoby odpowiedzialne za komunikację w firmie – managerowanie, marketerzy,...

Goodbye to the best boss I’ve ever had

“I heard that you quit your job,” the words echoed in my ears. It was a call from Michał. How on earth did he already know?, I thought. It must have been our Lebanese friend who told him. He was the only person who knew. “Yes, that’s true. The message was being...

Klaudia Tolman of ExplainVisually in the jury of 50 Top Creative list

Klaudia Tolman, our Creative Director, is going to be one of the jurors in the 9th edition of the ranking of 50 Top Creative in Business. The ranking aims to honour companies and people: put their money on innovations and out-of-the-box solutions in their businesses,...

We got the results of the first nationwide research on Visual Thinking

Last year we co-created the very first nationwide research on Visual Thinking. Why did we decide to take part in reliable research on the effectiveness of visual thinking? For years now we have been hearing from our clients, that what we do, works. But it’s one thing...

Maciej Budkowski and Klaudia Tolman to host an “Expert” cycle meeting for Brief.pl

For the last 5 years, we have been building and developing our know-how. During that time we’ve carried out over 200 projects in 19 languages for dozens of corporations, startups and GOs. But never before have we publicly spoken about our agency experiences. This time...

Maciej Budkowski and Klaudia Tolman in the #agencja podcast

Just released, there’s an #agencja podcast featuring our managing team, Klaudia and Maciek. In the podcast we’re telling about our daily work. Link to the podcast –...

ExplainVisually’s film about European Funds submitted to Camerimage

In 2015 we made a film with the Mazovian Unit of EU Programmes Implementation in Warsaw. Its aim was to tell in a simple way how to gain European Funds. The project went very well and many organisations associated with European Funds considered it to set a good...

ExplainVisually’s infographics to support Polish Football Association

Maciek, our Managing Director, has been a huge fan of football for over 20 years and he’s always been dreaming about cooperation with the Polish Football Association. So when they actually called us to say that they needed to explain to football coaches complex...

ExplainVisually a laureate of the competition 50 Most Creative in Polish Business!

We are a laureate of this year’s ranking of 50 Most Creative in Business. 50 Creative is the biggest competition in its field in Poland. The ranking is carried out each year by Brief.pl. Amongst former laureates are CD Project, Brand24, iTaxi, LifeTube, Booksy or...

How to spend money to be happy? Our infographic in “Głos Mordoru” (“Voice of Mordor”)

“Money doesn’t bring happiness” or “You cannot have too much of a good thing”? Turns out, it depends on what you do with it. Those are the conclusions of Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton, Professors of British Columbia University and Harvard University. In their book...

Summary 2017

Christmas time has passed, so it’s time for some summary. We can’t describe this year with one word. 2017 was demanding, tragic, developing, successful, sad and joyful. In the period of 12 months we made over 70 films, which means we scored almost 200 total since the...

Our video helped to win 1,000,000$ in a Israeli’s startup competition

A week ago Seegnature, an Israeli InsurTech start-up, used our whiteboard animation during a pitch - presentation to the investors. The stake was high. Pitch is a key moment for a start-up. Several minutes of presentation may determine the company’s future. Especially...

HR Case Study: recruitment video

It was the end of May 2016, when we realized we could not put it off any longer. Everybody took their place, and we started the meeting. “We have to recruit new drawing artists! I can’t do it by myself any longer! We won’t manage when the new projects come…!” Klaudia...

Explainer video production process

Explainer video production process typically takes a few weeks (3-8). The production time depends on the film's duration, its complexity, the flow of works, communication between both parties (or three parties if an Agency also takes part in the discussion), work...