This article comes from Dan Gable’s insightful talk at our Customer Marketing Summit in Boston, check out his full presentation.
Revolutionizing storytelling through video is about more than just crafting compelling content—it’s about connection, authenticity, and relevance.
I’m Dan Gable, the Founder of ShoutOut, and my experience in video production and customer storytelling has given me a deep understanding of how to create videos that truly resonate.
In this article, I’ll share insights and practical tips on using video as a powerful storytelling tool. From leveraging authenticity and relevance to embracing the power of formats, these strategies will help you create content that leaves a lasting impact.
Let’s explore how to craft videos that engage, educate, and inspire audiences in meaningful ways.
Why video is a powerful tool for storytelling
Video holds a unique position in storytelling because it combines two critical elements: sight and sound.
Video provides information in a way that's immediate and impactful. This dual-channel delivery makes it an unparalleled medium for communication. Beyond information, video connects us on a personal level.
Think about it: when you watch a video of someone you've never met, you instinctively form opinions about them. That's the power of microexpressions and body language, which video captures so effectively.
This capability makes video an extraordinary tool for scaling communication. It allows individuals and businesses to reach audiences far and wide while maintaining a sense of personal connection.
Bookmark: https://www.customermarketingalliance.com/4-case-study-video-templates-you-can-start-using-today/
The shift to discovery platforms
We’re living in a fascinating time for video, particularly on social media.
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are changing how content reaches audiences. These platforms are “discovery platforms,” meaning success is no longer dependent on having a massive follower count. Instead, it’s all about creating high-quality, relevant content.
Your video can go viral and reach thousands—even millions—of people organically, purely based on its value or appeal.
This shift has also transformed who influences us. It’s no longer just celebrities or social media stars; everyday people and subject matter experts are now shaping opinions and creating impactful content. This democratization of influence is something brands and individuals alike can harness.
Leveraging video in new ways
For brands, this new era of video content opens up exciting opportunities.
UGC doesn’t just have to be about traditional customer stories; it can extend to empowering your advocates to build their personal brands on social media.
Imagine your most passionate customers or employees creating authentic, branded content that not only promotes your organization but also enhances their own credibility and reach.
This is where collaboration between advocacy practitioners and social media teams is vital. Your social team is likely hungry for content, and as someone connected to your organization’s advocates, you hold the key to unlocking a trove of potential video creators.
A framework for impactful content: ARSE
As we explore how to maximize the potential of video storytelling, I want to share a simple framework that has guided my approach: Authentic, Relevant, Short, Episodic (ARSE).
This framework applies to both UGC and traditional customer stories. In the sections to come, I’ll break down each element and share practical tips to help you create content that resonates, engages, and delivers value. Stay tuned!
Authenticity
Authenticity is a buzzword in content creation, especially in video.
Everyone claims to make “authentic content,” but let’s be honest—constructed video is one of the least authentic mediums out there. Every element, from lighting to framing, is designed and orchestrated. It’s an illusion, albeit a carefully crafted one.
Great films and Netflix shows, for example, aren’t authentic in the literal sense—they’re just made to look authentic. And achieving that illusion is no easy feat.
For brands, this challenge is amplified because most of us aren’t working with Leonardo DiCaprio or Martin Scorsese. So, how can we create authentic-feeling videos? The key lies in the voice of the customer. Their genuine perspective adds a layer of authenticity that no amount of cinematic polish can replicate.
Capturing the X factor
Not all customer stories are created equal. Think about a singing competition like The X Factor. Several contestants might perform the same song, hitting every note perfectly, but only one truly moves you. That’s the X factor. It’s the intangible quality that makes a story memorable and impactful.
When interviewing customers, your goal should be nothing less than capturing that spark. Here are some ways to get there:
Focus on presence, not the perfect message
Don’t get too hung up on aligning every word with your marketing message. Sometimes the most compelling moments come when customers speak from the heart, even if their phrasing isn’t perfect. The sincerity of their delivery often outweighs a meticulously crafted script.
Ditch the rigid interview questions
Traditional interview questions have limited use—if any at all. Instead of asking a question and hoping for a golden response, frame the answers you want.
For example, rather than asking, “What do you like about our product?” prompt them by saying, “Tell me about a time when our product solved a big problem for you.” This change gives them clear direction while still leaving room for genuine responses.
Be present in the moment
If you’re conducting the interview yourself, the most important thing you can do is be with them. Make eye contact, stay fully engaged, and leave your notes aside. When you’re present, customers sense it, and they often relax and open up, sharing more authentic stories.
If you’re working with an agency, focus entirely on the monitor during the shoot. Watching the screen closely is the best way to spot those X factor moments in real time.
Don’t shy away from humor
Authenticity often thrives in humor. It’s a sign of a close relationship and makes your content more relatable. If a lighthearted moment arises naturally, embrace it—it can make your video stand out in a sea of overly serious corporate content.
Finding their passion
One of the most effective ways to create authentic and engaging content is to connect with your customer’s passions. Here’s a quick example:
I once worked on a customer story that seemed destined to be dull. The customer suggested filming against a white wall with a pull-up banner in the background—not exactly riveting. But right at the end of our planning call, they casually mentioned they couldn’t shoot on a certain day because they’d be cycling. That little comment changed everything.
We scrapped the white-wall plan and instead built the video around their love of cycling, tying it back to the product’s key attributes—speed, agility, and freedom. It turned a low-budget shoot into something memorable and meaningful.
Story first, production second
No amount of production value can save a video with a weak story. While drone shots, shallow depth of field, and fancy edits can enhance a great narrative, they can’t replace it. Focus on getting the story right before you worry about aesthetics.
Remember, your goal isn’t to create a showreel for your agency—it’s to tell a story that resonates. When you prioritize authenticity and storytelling, the rest will fall into place.
Relevant
Let’s get real—nobody cares about your video. Not your product, not your customer story, and certainly not your logo in the corner. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it’s also the best place to start when creating relevant content.
To illustrate this, I like to compare customer stories to a school play. Parents pack the auditorium, thrilled to watch their kids perform. For them, it’s a captivating event, deserving of a standing ovation. But outside that room? No one else cares. That school play isn’t going to Broadway, no matter how enthusiastic the parents are.
This dynamic often mirrors how we, as brands, feel about our own stories. We’re deeply invested in our products and customers, but if we fail to think about the value our content brings to the audience, we’re just shouting into the void.
Start with value: Educate and entertain
To make your video resonate, you need to offer something meaningful. The key is to educate and entertain.
- Educating is relatively straightforward. Teach your audience something they didn’t know. Whether it’s an insight, a solution to a problem, or a new way to use your product, education adds tangible value.
- Entertaining is more challenging, but it’s equally important. A dry video, no matter how informative, is unlikely to hold anyone’s attention. Inject personality, storytelling, or humor—whatever fits your brand voice—to keep your audience engaged.
Think beyond the obvious
Videos are a significant investment, so they need to do more than just sit on your website as a static showcase. Yes, customer testimonials are valuable, but if that’s the sole purpose of your video, you’re not reaching its full potential.
Ask yourself:
- What unique value does this story provide?
- How does it educate, entertain, or inspire the audience?
Write down your answers. If you can’t articulate the value, you risk creating content that amounts to little more than corporate name-dropping.
Relevance as a foundation
Ultimately, relevance is the cornerstone of any impactful video. When you prioritize your audience’s interests over your own agenda, you create content that not only engages but also builds trust and loyalty.
Short
We hear a lot about shrinking attention spans, but I don’t buy it.
Think about it—if people truly couldn’t focus, shows like Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones wouldn’t have captivated millions. Netflix wouldn’t commission eight-hour series like Ripley based on two-hour films.
People still love long-form content when it’s compelling; the challenge is grabbing their attention in the first place.
It’s not a decrease in attention spans, its an increase in demand for attention. Our world is now saturated with content, so it’s the competition for attention that you should be worrying about. This distinction is critical.
It means your video doesn’t have to be short for the sake of being short. Instead, focus on making it engaging from the very beginning. If your audience is invested, they’ll stick around, whether it’s for a 30-second clip or a 15-minute deep dive.
Don’t feel pressured to cut your video down to its bare bones. Instead, aim for the right length to serve the story. You can start with a concise “hero” video of two to three minutes, then repurpose the raw material for extended versions, like a 15-minute in-depth interview. A truly interested audience will appreciate having more to explore.
Making space for your audience
A brilliant example of storytelling that engages the audience is the Barbie movie. It’s essentially a customer story but with a twist—the customer is the audience.
The film invites you to step into the narrative and experience it through the eyes of others. That’s the genius of its storytelling: it makes space for you, the viewer, to see yourself in the story.
This idea—leaving room for your audience—applies to any form of storytelling. Shakespeare mastered it, leaving his plays open to interpretation.
Similarly, great customer stories don’t spell everything out; they invite viewers to project their own emotions, experiences, and interpretations onto the narrative.
Evoking emotion by leaving space
We all love those heartstring-tugging stories—think hospitals or other scenarios with inherent emotional weight. The secret isn’t in the story itself, though; it’s in the audience’s reaction to it.
The emotions don’t live in the story—they live in the viewer’s connection to it. By leaving space in your narrative, you allow the audience to bring their own emotions to the experience.
This isn’t limited to heavy, emotive topics. TV shows, for example, can make you care deeply about something as mundane as a broken photocopier. The key is creating space for the audience to get involved, to feel invested in resolving the tension or filling the gaps.
Keeping it jagged: Rough edges invite engagement
One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned is to resist smoothing out all the rough edges in a video. Early in my career, I’d always notice that the moments I thought were most compelling were often flagged during sign-off as needing adjustment.
It baffled me until I realized: those “jagged” moments are what make the story feel alive. They stick out, inviting the audience to lean in and engage.
Videos shouldn’t be perfectly polished to the point where they’re “finished.” If a story feels complete, it leaves no room for curiosity. You want your audience to feel like there’s more to discover—to leave them with an itch they can’t quite scratch. This sense of incompletion is what drives them to take action, learn more, or engage with your brand.
Embedding the call to action into the story
A traditional call to action—“Visit our website” or “Learn more”—is fine, but the most powerful CTAs are woven into the narrative itself. The story should naturally lead viewers to want more. That might feel uncomfortable when reviewing a video.
You might worry it seems unfinished. But that’s exactly the point—leaving your audience wanting more is what makes your story truly compelling.
When you embrace the idea of leaving space and keeping things slightly rough around the edges, you create stories that don’t just communicate—they captivate.
Episodic
One of the most valuable lessons from television production is the power of formats. In TV, the first episode of a series sets the tone, structure, and style.
Once that’s nailed down, producing subsequent episodes becomes significantly easier. Each one feels unique but still connected to the larger series. Think of the Kardashians: every episode is different, but they all belong to the same family.
The same principle applies to customer stories. By developing a format—a consistent structure, visual style, and tone—you streamline the production process while creating a recognizable identity for your content. Your videos become part of a cohesive family, rather than standalone pieces that feel disconnected.
Invest in the format upfront
Take the time to refine your format at the beginning. Consider the elements that will tie your stories together, such as:
- A consistent intro and outro
- A recurring visual style or branding elements
- A unified tone or narrative approach
Once you’ve established these foundations, you’ll be able to produce multiple videos efficiently while maintaining a high-quality, branded look and feel.
Why formats matter
Formats save time, reduce costs, and ensure consistency. More importantly, they create familiarity for your audience. When viewers recognize your style, they’re more likely to engage with your content and associate it with your brand.
Each new video reinforces the identity of your series and strengthens your storytelling impact.
So, think of your customer stories like episodes in a series. Different stories, different customers—but all part of the same, unified family.
