Have you ever come across something really profound or relatable, only to later discover that it was an advertisement? This is likely because the advertiser used storytelling, which is a powerful tool to connect people with brands. As Seth Godin, US author and entrepreneur, famously said, “People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories, and magic.”

In my latest three-part series, I wanted to explore the role of video storytelling in Facebook advertising and how to make the best content to reach, engage and convert. If you’re already working with video, bringing out the narrative in your content can dramatically improve ROI and the consumer experience.

If you’re not working with video, what’s holding you back? For many people, video production can seem like a costly and time-consuming venture that’s limited to large production studios. However, telling a story through video doesn’t have to be an expensive and complicated process. Storytelling can be as simple as using your smartphone camera to record an authentic moment in time.

Three tips from a pro

Today, I speak to Jason van Genderen, Founder of Treehouse Creative – a video production and storytelling company based in Terrigal, NSW. Jason reveals his three best tips on how to plan and create smartphone video content to better engage your target audience:

1. Make Sure it Matters

Make sure that whatever you’re going to create a content piece on is valid. Ask yourself, is it meaningful? Does it have purpose? Do people want to know and hear about it? Has it got something of value in it, or is it something that’s just important to you?

2. Invest in a Microphone

When you’re filming, use a lapel microphone to record your voice. For those who have their sound on when watching your video, clear sound in your video is more important than pretty pictures. If you have crappy sound, the audience is far more likely to turn off, and only watch it for three seconds and move on. If they can hear the nice and clear sound, there’s a higher chance they’ll stick with it.

3. Keep it Steady

Think about stability and the frame. If you’re hand-holding, does it look smooth? If you’re zoomed in, and it’s really jerky, it’s hard for people to watch. So either keep your phone steady by balancing it against something such as a pile of books or a window frame or by using a tripod. Or, if you do want to keep it moving, you can pick up a digital gimbal for around $200, such as the DJI Osmo Mobile. With a gimbal, you can film while walking or running and still get a smooth shot.

Are you Ready?

Now you know these three tips for creating killer video content for your Facebook advertising, I look forward to seeing what you create! And, as always, if you have any questions or comments, drop me a line below.