Facts tell but stories sell! How does this work for video marketing?

Well, I can’t give you an exact answer, but I can share my perspective and how vital both are in creating a video that promotes your business or nonprofit, your products, your services, and your place in the community.

Facts are, well.facts. They are statistics and information derived from research and study that are typically emotionless and not open for debate. The world is round, and gravity exists. We know these to be true due to the science and research that verifies it. Not all facts are widely accepted, yet they remain facts.

Facts can be interesting and are invaluable in decision making. So, when we say “facts tell” we are simply stating the information provided is real and you can use it to make an informed decision.

Stories on the other hand provide a picture into a world that utilizes people, emotion, history, humor, and imagery to convey the message. It’s quality content that is unique to you. So instead of a focus on facts, stories create a more carefree, less direct description that wins the viewer over with the unique virtues of its subjects. It’s known in the movie industry as character development.

Another way to look at it from the film making perspective is the difference between documentaries and major motion pictures. A documentary is a film based on facts that the producer makes entertaining. A major motion picture is a story that can be fictional or non-fictional that the producers make entertaining. Key word entertaining.

The two, however have completely different effects on the viewer. A person watching the fact-based documentary will have a more serious look on their face, lips pursed, head slightly cocked in one direction and typically nodding on occasion. If watching with another person, they will occasionally look at them and say, “can you believe that?” The person watching a movie that is story-based is totally different. Their facial expression will reflect the nature of the story, be it sad, funny, mind bending, etc. Typically, people are not processing thought while hearing a story. They shut down the thinking mind and get lost in the adventure.

In terms of a video that promotes a business, weaving facts into a story creates a powerful one-two punch that can provide revenue generating benefits for years.

So, before we go any further, allow me to share some facts with you on how video can benefit your business compliments of Vidyard.

1. With over a billion users who watch over 250 million hours of video each day, YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world. It’s where your potential buyers are searching, so you’d better be there. “How-to” searches are among the most popular on YouTube, making educational content a strategic opportunity in this space.
2. While YouTube is the second largest search engine, Google is the first. Adding video to your website can increase your search rankings on Google (and others like Bing and Yahoo) significantly.
3. Adding a video to your website increases your chances of ranking on the first page of Google results by 50x. That makes it well worth the effort-especially when 75% of people never venture past that first page!
4. Products can be complex, and it’s essential that your audience understands yours before they make a purchase. Website visitors are 64 to 85% more likely to purchase after watching a product video.
5. Video traffic will account for 80% of all consumer internet traffic in the world by 2021! On top of that, 4x as many consumers would rather watch a video about a product than read about it, according to eMarketer.
6. Including the word video in an email subject line can boost open rates by 19% and click-through rates by 65%. According to Martech Advisor, including video in emails can boost click rates by 300%!
7. Social media feeds (Facebook and Instagram, specifically) do a great job of showing people what they want to see. Algorithms based on users’ previous activity, make it hard for small businesses to be discovered by new audiences.
8. There’s no better way to reel buyers in than with a compelling story.

I could share so many more facts with you, but we would then be teetering on boredom. But there are a few more from You Tube that merit your attention:

• 73%of U.S. adults use YouTube.
• 77% of 15-25-year-olds in the U.S. use YouTube.
• 62%of businesses use YouTube.
• 51%of people over 75 watch videos on YouTube.
• 51%of YouTube users say they visit the site daily.
• 37%of Millennials aged 18 34 are binge-watching YouTube daily.
• 71%of 26-35-year-olds from the U.S. use YouTube.

What’s crazy about this is that when we first started our production company back in 2006, most clients were distributing their videos via.wait for it.VHS tapes! In 2006, having a video was a luxury, today it’s a necessity. With social media, SEO, online shopping and buying, and a growing audience that demands their information come to them via video, not having one can be death knell for many small businesses.

Great. But what now?

I suggest engaging with professional video production company, and this may take some time and research to find the right company for your objectives. Video production companies vary in offerings, price, process, and capabilities. And if by chance the first company you talk to is far beyond your budget or can’t produce the look you are seeking, keep looking and you’re bound to find one that will fit your needs and budget.

The benefits of using an established production team are numerous, but none more vital than the ability to do handle the heavy lifting and create a video that tells your story, to your audience.

Your video should blend some facts (think years in business, locations, accomplishments, etc.) in with a carefully crafted story. Video allows you to begin the always important relationship development with viewers and they begin to know you. They begin to like you. And they realize what it is that makes you different than the other guys.

People will forget facts, but they’ll most likely remember your story. How your business and staff are involved with community projects. How you overcame a major hurdle to get your business started. The rich history of the business and the family bond that made it work. The core philosophies and approach to doing business. How you came up with the idea for one of your fabulous products or services. The innovations you and your team created that changed the course of the company. Or how your business or nonprofit touched the lives of the people you employ or serve.

Every business can tell you how long they’ve been in business, what they do, how happy their clients are, yada, yada, yada. But every business can’t tell your story.

Yes, facts do tell. But it is your story that sells.

Blog Post by Joe Stout