How to become visual storytelling masters

It seems like the biggest concern everyone on social media has is how do I produce an interesting post and engage with the online community?

There are two obvious ways of ensuring this: tell stories and use catchy images.

This actually makes a tonne of sense. For example, will you be more drawn to a really good novel or a textbook? If you still aren’t convinced, listen to this great podcast by the CBC called Vestigial Tale which explains in evolutionary terms why ‘humans such suckers for a good story’.

As for catchy images, well let’s be honest: between a post filled plain text and a post with a super flashy image, you will click on the image even if the content of the text is extremely interesting.

So what’s the best way of marrying digital storytelling and eye-catching images? 

VIDEOS.

According to Mashable’s ‘future of digital storytelling, according to industry professionals’, 2014 was the year of videos. Follow these 4 tips to make a catchy video!

1.       Choose your platform

Different platforms have different types of followers. Choose the platform where your target audience is sure to be hanging out and adapt your video content and style to this audience. Here is Social Media Week’s shortlist of the best social media video platforms:

• Youtube
• Vimeo
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Vine

2.       Choose  snappy title and work on your SEO

Most people view a video because they actively went looking for its content. If your potential audience can’t find you, they won’t watch you. That being said, one of the first things you have to concentrate on to improve your SEO is your video title. Not only does a powerful title incite viewers to click on the link, it will also help people looking for the content you are covering to stumble upon your video if you put the right keywords in the title.

3.       Tailor the length of a video to its genre

The optimal length for a video depends on what the content is. Research shows that, aside from entertainment videos, viewers prefer watching longer videos ranging from 16 to 20 minutes. That being said, it is still crucial to insert your message very early in the video because your audience will often stop watching before the end of it.

The ideal video length also depends on which platform you decide to use. For example, the best lengths for Vimeo and YouTube are usually between 3 and 10 minutes. Successful videos for Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are usually much shorter: from 6 seconds to 2 minutes. Why so much shorter? The content on these platforms is usually viewed on mobile devices.

4.       Keep it interesting

Humour, good music and professional content will keep your audience hooked and engaged. Of course, make sure that what you are adding in your video is what your public is actually interested in!

With all the real-life distractions and social media chaos out there, it is essential to make your content is interesting and engaging because viewers are generally multitasking (usually eating apparently) while viewing your video. Cut through the clutter with a flashy video your viewers will stay hooked on!

 

 

Although Alexandra didn’t know much about conference production before first coming across this opportunity with Akolade, she has quickly become passionate about her job. Gaining in-depth knowledge in a variety of new fields without going through exam stress? Who could ask for more? If ever you speak to Alexandra and wonder what that funny accent is, it is from Quebec, French-speaking Canada. Do not hesitate to ask Alexandra about her former life on the 47^th parallel; she will be thrilled to talk to you about snow storms, skiing and -35⁰c!