So. You've got the leading video automation platform on your side. But what stories are you going to tell? Dip into our community blog for ideas, inspiration and plenty of handy how-tos.
June 10, 2024
June 10, 2024
Here are some expert tips for selecting the best stock assets for your videos and searching for them effectively.
When creating videos, it can be tempting to simply search for assets that match the words you're saying and use the first result, like “marketing person” or “social media feed”.
While this approach might occasionally yield acceptable results, there are several strategies you can employ to enhance the quality of your stock images and significantly improve the storytelling in your videos.
Here are some best practices for using stock assets effectively.
If your video is in the one minute range, aim to use no more than three to four different stock assets. You don't need a new asset for every single topic or point. This helps maintain a cohesive and professional look throughout your video and avoids overwhelming your audience with constant visual changes.
INSTEAD of doing this: Piecing together a lot of different background assets to tell your story...
DO this: Use one or two and drag them across storyboards to create a smooth flow of information.
Select backgrounds and images that are not overly busy. Your visual content should complement your message, not compete with it.
INSTEAD of doing this: Instead of choosing backgrounds with too much action or detail that could distract from the text or main subject of your video...
DO this: Choose calm and serene visuals to help maintain focus and make your content more engaging.
Your assets don’t have to be literal representations of your content. For example, if your video is about the stress of marketing, opt for soothing backgrounds that counterbalance the stressful topic. This contrast can create a more balanced and appealing visual narrative.
INSTEAD of doing this: Using "literal" assets that match what you're saying in your script...
DO this: Choose visuals that support and enhance the story you’re telling. They don’t need to be a literal translation of what you’re saying. They should be consistent with the tone and message of your script.
Always use high-resolution assets to ensure your video looks professional. Poor quality or pixelated images can detract from your credibility and viewer experience.
INSTEAD of doing this: Downloading and inserting low-quality stock assets to your videos...
DO this: Use Storykit's high-resolution stock image library to insert assets directly into your videos, enhancing their visual quality and storytelling impact.
Further reading: Craft engaging videos: The key dos/don'ts for impactful results
To find the best stock assets, use a variety of search terms that align with the themes and aesthetics of your video. Here are some useful keywords to consider:
Adding stock assets to your videos and testing out different ones in normal editing software can be a pain. First, you have to find, download, and save the assets, then you need to upload them and hope they work. If they don’t, you need to start the process all over again. However, Storykit simplifies this process by providing access to a number of high-quality stock libraries, such as:
In Storykit, you can search directly within the tool across all these libraries to find what you are looking for. If an asset is too short in length, it appears in red, so you don’t waste time adding the wrong ones.
Additionally, with Storykit’s AI capabilities, when you generate a video, it will automatically suggest assets that work with your script, saving you from having to start looking from scratch.
Martin Svensson, Communication Manager at Länsförsäkringar, struggled significantly with creating videos due to the lack of readily available assets. They had just started a magazine for their customers, which contained a wealth of material that could be used in educational videos, such as interesting facts about their county and articles to promote Västerbotten. However, the lack of a proper photo library made the process time-consuming and frustrating.
"One of the videos we wanted to make was about snow scooters, but we didn't have any photos of snow scooters in Storuman Municipality. I played with the idea of building a photo library with our photographers, but the IT department warned that it would be difficult to control the security of such a library. At that point, I was almost ready to give up on my video efforts."
That’s when Martin came across Storykit. He explains:
"I received a demo and quickly realized that Storykit had all the features we needed, plus a really good photo library."
Read full case study: How Sweden's largest insurance company increased its video production by 300%
By leveraging tools like Storykit, you can streamline your workflow, ensure high-quality results, and focus more on crafting compelling video content rather than getting bogged down in the technicalities of asset management.
June 10, 2024
June 10, 2024
In a new integration, Storykit, the leading video creation tool, is joining forces with Getty Images, a preeminent global visual content creator and marketplace, to equip content creators with an extraordinary library of over 14 million creative assets.
Getty Images is renowned for its diverse, fully model-released selection of unique and compelling videos.
By integrating Getty Images’ content into Storykit's easy-to-use platform, users can now access this vast library without leaving their workspace, significantly saving time and boosting productivity.
Finding the right assets for your text-driven video is an important ingredient in creating thumb-stopping stories for your audience. This collaboration will help streamline and elevate this process.
– We’re happy to implement Getty Images’ innovative search functionality, that helps both the user and the AI to find the perfect visual assets to accompany every video, ensuring content that resonates with viewers, says Fredrik Strömberg, CPO at Storykit.
– By marrying Storykit's innovative text-to-video technology with Getty Images' impressive catalog, we are setting a new standard for creativity and storytelling. This integration not only streamlines the video creation process but also elevates the quality of content that organizations of any size can produce, proving that with the right tools, everyone has a story worth telling, says Peder Bonnier.
June 3, 2024
June 3, 2024
Welcome to the world of talking head videos. You've seen them all over social media. Now it's your turn to create them, and we’re going to show you how.
Talking head videos are videos that feature a person speaking directly to the camera, typically with little to no visual aids. Talking heads are a common format on professional social media platforms like LinkedIn, where individuals leverage them to showcase expertise, establish thought leadership, share testimonials and connect with their professional networks.
Talking head videos are a great addition to your social media feed for a few reasons:
Overall, incorporating talking head videos into a company's marketing and branding strategy can contribute significantly to brand building efforts, fostering trust, loyalty, and engagement with customers and stakeholders.
Now you are ready to get started. Here’s how you can add talking heads to your videos seamlessly with Storykit.
Forget about transcribing issues, volume inconsistencies, text alignment headaches, and the hassle of adding B-roll. Here’s the secrets.
You can do this in two ways:
1. Repurpose online interviews (webinars, podcasts, etc.): With this method, your footage is obviously already all recorded and ready to go. For example, you could use a podcast recording, webinar footage, etc.
2. Record yourself or another person talking: Other guides might tell you about finding a nice backdrop or using expensive equipment. If you’re into that, feel free to explore those options. But for this guide, just find some nice lighting, grab your phone, and capture a good quote or say something interesting. Forget the complications for now—you can dive into those (not necessarily essential) elements later.
Once you upload your footage to Storykit, the AI will automatically transcribe and edit everything for you. This is a huge relief compared to the pains of traditional editing software. Even though the AI is often impressively accurate, you still have the option to read through your script and correct any misspelled words.
Here comes the real magic: you choose which parts of the text (or the words) you want to include and seamlessly stitch them together, allowing you to craft your narrative effortlessly. Just drag and drop.
Ever heard of B-roll? That's the extra footage in videos that fills out the story, showing scenes and details that aren't the main footage of the person talking but help paint a fuller picture. If you want to add B-roll to your video, you can drop in clips at the places you want them to appear. For instance, while our Community Manager talks about about transcription feature, we can add a video of what she is talking about, adding depth and context to the discussion.
With your talking head clip prepared, you're ready to seamlessly integrate it into your video. Whether you're starting with your logo and a catchy tagline, weaving a dynamic long-form narrative, or concluding with a compelling call to action, Storykit offers dynamic ways to craft your complete story.
If you want to, you can also add a touch of background music to enhance the mood of your video. Don't worry about the volume—Storykit automatically adjusts it for you, ensuring that the music complements the spoken content without overpowering it.
Export your video in the correct dimensions for whichever platform you're using. Whether it's YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or any other, Storykit makes it easy. There’s no need for additional editing or reformatting. Simply choose your platform, and we handle the rest, ensuring your video looks perfect no matter where it’s viewed.
Do you have talking head clips ready to share on social media? Don't wait any longer. We're here to help you get started and make the process smooth and simple. Let's bring your content to life.
June 3, 2024
June 3, 2024
In a time where relationships and authenticity play a significant role in the success of your communication, “talking head” clips, where one or more people are talking, have become increasingly popular.
However, due to the importance of subtitles in videos, using the filmed footage has been time-consuming and challenging.
“Transcribing, editing, and subtitling videos have always been one of the most dreaded tasks in video production, especially if you can’t rely on the playful tools provided by some social platforms. For our customers, a simple, trusted, and on-brand solution for talking head video has been on the wish list for quite some time,” says Peder Bonnier.
And now they’ve been heard. With the new AI-powered feature Transcribe & Edit, adding talking heads to your video is simple and quick. Instead of struggling with timecodes, you edit your subtitles and your clip at the same time, simply by editing the transcribed text.
This opens up possibilities for creating even more brand-building, ROI-making videos.
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“For Storykit, the story is always the core and center of video creation. When making a video, your talking head should often be a part of that overarching story rather than the sole ingredient. With Transcribe & Edit, it’s effortless to enhance your story with talking head clips, add B-rolls, and move seamlessly between the person speaking and your other storytelling,” says Fredrik Strömberg, CPO at Storykit.
Seamlessly adding talking heads allows the Storykit user to leverage their content further.
“Using your filmed thought leadership content, like podcasts, webinars, or interviews, is an unbeatable way to build your brand. And it’s never been easier than now,” says Peder Bonnier.
Further reading: Talking head videos: Your guide to effortless creation for social media
May 20, 2024
May 20, 2024
Do you have a blog?
Do you write press releases?
Do you create informative texts?
Manuals?
All of these can be made into videos. That’s why you should look at your own website, blog, or press releases, and imagine that you are looking at a gold mine. Then you’re ready to go!
Need proof? Here are 22 examples of how you can repurpose your existing content for social media.
→ Try it out now with our free text-to-video generator
You might begin to wonder: is anyone even interested in us? Let’s remember that everyone loves to get behind the scenes.
You want to hear about the people.
The problems.
The solutions.
The benefits.
Here are some employer branding video examples to help show the types of stories that you could be telling.
Making a customer case is naturally a given for most people. Showing off your customers is one of the best advertising tricks you can use for your products and services, so whenever there is the slightest reason to show off customers and tell their stories – do it.
We create multiple videos for every one of our customer cases. You can check them out on our LinkedIn feed or in the right-hand corner of all of our case studies.
When it comes to the company's vision and mission, you often talk about the feeling you want your audience to have. What subjects could you discuss that reinforce this?
Copying the message of the competition straight off is, of course, never a good idea. But letting yourself become inspired by the stories the competition is telling can give you great ideas.
What do they see that you have missed?
Which subjects does their audience love?
How do they formulate their problems and solutions?
If you only want to follow one piece of advice, follow this one.
What are the audience's biggest challenges right now?
What keeps them awake at night?
What are they dreaming of?
That’s where you’ll find your stories.
May 10, 2024
May 10, 2024
Posting a lot and sharing engaging written content, along with stock images and screenshots, is essential for growing your brand's presence on social media.
However, incorporating real, candid insights and experiences from the people who shape your brand can add a layer of authenticity.
And this isn’t just our opinion. It’s no secret that many successful companies on social media enhance their feeds with videos featuring actual people, alongside their core content types.
Are you ready to elevate your brand in a similar way? Keep reading to learn how.
In the fast-paced realm of business, platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook are more than networking sites—they're hubs for professionals seeking to elevate their careers and streamline their workflows.
The quest for valuable content has users digging for gold through the feeds—searching for insights from trusted brands and thought leaders, along with practical tools that promise career advancement and enhanced efficiency.
While traditional content forms like articles, PDFs, and ebooks are the base of your strategy, there's something uniquely compelling about real, face-to-face thought leadership content.
In fact, according to LinkedIn, video content gets 5x more reach, and live video gets 24x more engagement compared to other types of content. This suggests that showcasing real individuals associated with your brand could significantly enhance the efficacy of your marketing efforts, as people tend to connect more deeply with other people rather than with corporate messaging alone.
For example, here are two companies we've discovered on social media that are enhancing their feeds with added authenticity.
Refine Labs' LinkedIn feed has a variety of videos that showcase team members sharing nuggets of knowledge. These snippets, often derived from longer webinars or podcasts, are perfect for on-the-go consumption. With a following of over 40K, it is clear that many professionals like this genuine, human touch that they have added to their brand image.
Similarly, Chili Piper utilizes the expertise and unique personalities of their team members to build trust and credibility with their 66K+ followers. By sharing short clips where team members provide valuable insights about their products or effective strategies for their target audience, Chili Piper creates a more personal connection. This method highlights a key understanding: people form more genuine connections with individuals rather than with faceless corporate brands.
So, what makes these "face-first" formats so compelling? They come with a twofold advantage:
Now comes the fun part. Watching videos with real people is always inspiring, but creating them might seem daunting. Where do you even start?
Fortunately, we're here to simplify the process for you by introducing two effective methods for creating engaging videos with real people for social media using Storykit. Regardless of your comfort level with video, there's a strategy that can work for you.
Talking head videos, like the ones we've showcased above, are incredibly effective for boosting engagement, especially on professional networks like LinkedIn. These videos, featuring direct-to-camera dialogue, are a powerful way to humanize your brand and connect with your audience.
Many professionals create these videos using snippets from webinars or podcasts or by recording brief personal statements. While capturing the footage is straightforward, the real challenge is turning them into more engaging clips for social media. Tasks like accurate transcribing, intros, outros, and layover graphics are essential but can be challenging without editing experience.
That's where Storykit comes in. We make all this easy.
Example: Here is an example of a talking head video our Community Manager, Heidi Bordal, made to promote our webinar series.
For times when you lack talking-head footage or when team members are camera-shy, we have a creative solution: silent interviews. This technique, a favorite at Storykit, is ideal for presenting genuine personas without the need for them to speak on camera.
Consider the scenario where someone, like your CEO, shares a remarkable insight but is reluctant to appear on video or social media. Silent interviews are the perfect workaround.
You can film them in natural, unguarded moments and overlay the video with their meaningful quotes. For example, here we captured our CEO engaging in a casual conversation about poetry and we complemented it with a profound quote to make content that is authentic yet insightful.
Alternatively, if you're aiming to share key takeaways from a webinar without delving into complex editing, simply place a relevant webinar clip as the background and overlay it with the key quotes spoken during the session. This eliminates concerns about subtitling, syncing, or audio quality.
The silent interview format is versatile, suited for any situation where individuals prefer not to be on camera or when you want to capture candid moments without the pressure of a traditional interview setup.
Further reading: Create stress-free thought leadership videos: The power of silent interviews
By integrating real faces and stories into your social media strategy, you not only enhance your brand's narrative but also fosters a deeper, more meaningful connection with your audience. Embracing authenticity resonates strongly with today's consumers, and harnessing the compelling power of video allows you to authentically bring your brand's essence to life.
Discover strategies to save time and maintain consistency, while maximizing your impact across platforms. We'll will share practical tips for automating routine tasks, creating content more effectively, and leveraging tools to engage with your audience.
Need videos for social media, sales, HR, or internal communication? With Storykit, any team can create professional videos. These videos can match their brand and work for any platform, format, or language. No editing skills are needed. Whether for LinkedIn, corporate presentations, or global campaigns, Storykit ensures your videos are engaging and optimised for impact.
It’s that time of year again—when we all start scrambling for ideas and templates to piece together our social media plan for the new year. Trust me, I’ve been there too. The endless Googling, the overcomplicated strategies… it can get overwhelming fast.
That’s why we're here to make it easy for you. We're giving you our social media plan for 2025—complete with all the resources and tips to help you nail it without the stress. Ready to steal it?
Storykit is the leading video automation platform. It helps thousands of clients in automating and optimizing their video production, boosting productivity, efficiency, and return on investment. With Storykit, you can put your video creation on autopilot.
Anyone! Storykit is made for companies and organizations and works great for anyone with communication needs of any kind. The tool is ideal for digital marketing, PR, HR, social media, corporate communication, sales, events, recruitment, customer success – every team.
With Storykit’s text-to-video AI functionality, you don’t need video editing experience or expensive equipment to create unique and amazing videos.
Absolutely not. Storykit’s intuitive AI-powered platform allows anyone to create professional videos quickly and seamlessly, without any video editing experience or special equipment.
Certainly. Storykit is designed to turn any text into eye-catching video, so it’s perfect for everything from social media posts to corporate communication and employer branding.
Whether you're aiming to engage with clients, disseminate information internally, or enhance your brand, Storykit simplifies the process. It helps you create high-quality videos that appeal to your audience.
Yes, they work like magic on your phone, large display screens, and in your keynotes. We even have customers using Storykit to make videos for their coffee machines!
You can create many things. From social media content and ads to employer branding and internal communications – plus educational videos that boost brand awareness, strengthen reputation, build loyalty, and deliver real impact. The possibilities are endless.
Yes, keeping your videos on-brand is a priority for us. Storykit ensures every video matches your brand guidelines, from fonts and colors to logos. For even more customization, simply reach out to us.
Yes, you can upload your own visuals and integrate them seamlessly into your videos. You can also add voiceovers and audio for a more engaging experience – available in Pro and Enterprise plans. Check out our full feature list.
Yes! Producing video content in various languages allows you to engage a worldwide audience.
Creating different videos for different platforms is simple and fast in Storykit. You can easily change the aspect ratio, assets, music, languages, and stories with just a few clicks. This means you can create videos tailored for all major platforms, including LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.
Storykit offers different pricing plans based on your needs. Book a call for a customized quote, tailored to your preferences.
Yes, we offer tailored plans for teams, companies and organisations of all sizes. Book a call to find the best plan for your video content needs.
The Pro and Enterprise plans have advanced features for companies and organizations that want to grow their video marketing. These include voiceovers, custom templates and modules, a premium library of videos, images, and music, and more. Check our feature list for details.
Absolutely, you can start your free trial and create your first video within minutes. No editing skills or credit card needed.
We offer extensive customer support, onboarding help, and useful resources. This way, you can always get the most from Storykit. Our Enterprise solution also includes a dedicated Enterprise Activation Manager to support you every step of the way.
Absolutely! Our API solution allows you to integrate AI-enhanced video generation into your existing tools. Contact us, and we’ll help you build a customized video production system that fits your needs.
Don’t wait to create! Reach out to us for a demo or start a free trial today!
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