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.
Storykit News
Preem leads with groundbreaking press release-to-video automation technologyDecember 11, 2024
Discover how Storykit's groundbreaking Feeds feature is revolutionizing video automation, with Preem, Sweden's largest fuel company.
Marketing Strategy
Real faces, real impact: Why businesses need to show real faces on social mediaDecember 12, 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.
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Marketing Strategy
Report distribution: How to get more eyes on your reports with videoDecember 13, 2024
April 26, 2024
Reports are crucial for businesses and organizations of all sizes.
Most companies produce quarterly or annual reports to update their investors, colleagues, and stakeholders on their progress. Marketing teams often conduct surveys and compile benchmarking reports tailored to their industry or target audience.
While these reports contain valuable insights and narratives, their true value only emerges when they reach—and engage—the right audience. However, their lengthy nature, such as 200 pages, can make them overwhelming to read.
This is where distribution comes in.
Keep reading for proven strategies to distribute your reports effectively and ensure your insights receive the attention they deserve.
Reports often include dense chapters and lengthy sections full of information, which can be overwhelming and time-consuming for many readers. Moreover, not all information is relevant to everyone.
Strategic distribution and repurposing can highlight the most important points, making the content more accessible and appealing to your audience. For instance, in a 2024 state of marketing report covering a broad range of topics, a social media manager might overlook a crucial section about Facebook that could be highly relevant to them.
Instead of distributing the report as a single document, breaking it down into separate stories for each topic proves more effective in capturing the attention of the right audiences.
Additionally, many reports are treasure troves of free content and contain compelling narratives for brand building. For example, if your sustainability efforts have reduced your carbon footprint by 20%, this statistic could significantly appeal to investors or future colleagues. Such impactful elements deserve their own spotlight to ensure they resonate with and reach the appropriate audience.
If you’re not getting enough people to read your reports, you might be making these mistakes:
Ready to get more eyes on your report? Here are some examples of videos inspired by The Swedes and the internet in 2023 report that you can replicate to elevate your report distribution efforts.
Spotlight a compelling statistic to instantly grab your audience's attention. This approach entices viewers to delve deeper and seek more information.
As mentioned earlier, delivering an entire report might not always be the most effective approach. Instead, highlight the five most pivotal insights to make your report more accessible, ensuring your audience captures its core essence.
For those who want to get an overview of the entire report, give them an alternative method of doing that with a video. Offering a video summary ensures your key messages are both captivating and memorable.
Break down the content into focused stories for each subject or chapter discussed. By creating bite-sized content that addresses specific topics, you can attract a broader audience and cater to varying interests within your target audience.
Showcase quotes from your CEO or other represented individuals in your report with quote videos.
If you want to turn your report into videos like these quickly, then you should Storykit it.
Here’s a screen recording of us creating a report summary video in just 2 minutes with Storykit AI.
And here is the final result:
As the digital age continues to shape how information is consumed, ensuring your reports are both engaging and accessible will be paramount.
By adopting these modern distribution techniques and having a clear strategy, you not only ensure your audience grasps the essence of your findings but also position your organization as a forward-thinking leader in effective communication.
Video Creation Tips
The power of silent interviews: Create stress-free thought leadership videosDecember 12, 2024
April 11, 2024
Thought leadership is key in social media branding, setting your company up as the go-to for insights and expertise. But, traditional video interviews, webinars and podcasts can be intimidating for speakers and a pain to edit for social media.
We're bringing in a simpler, easier method: silent interviews. By using strong quotes, static images, and background footage, you can craft impactful thought leadership content that connects with your audience and lifts your brand.
Thought leadership is more than expertise; it's about shaping perceptions and building trust. On platforms like LinkedIn, where insights are exchanged daily, being a familiar, reliable source elevates your presence.
If you look at the feeds of companies like Chili Piper and Refine Labs, for example, you can see various individuals from their teams sharing expertise about their niche, helping to build their brand's reputation.
This approach not only positions you as an authority but also strengthens connections within your network, making thought leadership an indispensable component of personal and brand development.
The types of thought leadership videos often seen on social media include repurposed clips from podcasts and webinars, as well as professionals speaking directly to the camera. While these methods are great and highly effective, selecting and editing the footage you want to use, and adding subtitles and transitions, all require skill and time
In addition, not everyone is comfortable being filmed, which can make gathering content a challenge. Even if someone has valuable insights to share, the process of filming them can be stressful for both parties.
However, the thing is, these methods aren't the only effective ways to share knowledge and portray your company or team members as thought leaders.
Why?
Because a large percentage of videos on social media are watched without sound anyways.
So, what you really need is just the text. Remember, the main goal of thought leadership is to disseminate knowledge. And we're going to show you an alternative and equally effective way to do that through silent text-based video.
At Storykit, we've coined the term “silent interviews” because it's one of our favorite methods to showcase thought leadership.
Ever heard someone say something brilliant, like your CEO sharing profound insights, but they're hesitant to be filmed or speak on social media? Silent interviews can solve this dilemma.
Or do you have a webinar that you did with a lot of great insights but don’t have time to add subtitles and edit the best clips? Silent interviews can solve this dilemma.
Here are all of the ways you can promote your thought leadership with silent interviews:
1. Quote only: When you have someone who's shared something profound but you lack a picture or footage of them, you can still make their words stand out. Simply display their quote on your brand's color. This straightforward approach ensures that their message shines through even without visual elements.
2. Quote and stock imagery: If you're looking to enhance your video with visuals but lack original footage, stock images can be a valuable resource. Incorporating relevant stock imagery can help illustrate the story being told, adding depth and context to your thought leadership content.
3. Quote and a real image: Let's say you've conducted an insightful interview, but unfortunately, it wasn't filmed. Don't worry; you can still leverage the valuable insights shared and show off the person who said them. This method not only makes the content visually engaging but also ensures that the essence of the interview is effectively conveyed to your audience.
4. Quote, a real image, and stock imagery: In scenarios where you lack filmed footage but still want to create visually compelling content, combining an image with stock footage can be highly effective. For example, consider one of our case interview videos below, where we seamlessly blend an image of the interviewee with relevant stock footage. This approach not only enhances the storytelling but also maintains viewer engagement throughout the video.
5. Quote with separately filmed footage: Sometimes, the most authentic moments aren’t captured on camera. If you have a great quote you want to share, just recreate the moment in a fun way. For instance, in the video below we filmed our CEO having a casual discussion about poetry but overlaid an insightful quote that he said. This method captures the authenticity but also emphasizes the depth of their expertise.
6. Quote with the filmed footage: When you have someone speaking on camera, aligning text with the moment can sometimes be challenging. However, there's a simple solution: place the footage in the background and overlay insightful text over the top. Then when the text doesn't perfectly sync with the audio, it doesn’t matter. Take a look at this clip from one of our webinars as an example.
7. Quote, the filmed footage and stock imagery: The final way to get your story across is use a quote with the filmed footage and add in some stock imagery to help tell the story. Here is an example from a podcast our Communications Director, Jonna Ekman was on showcasing all three.
With innovative techniques like silent interviews and creative use of text and visuals, anyone can effectively engage their audience and establish themselves as a trusted authority in their field. Start experimenting with these methods and start making a lasting impact in the digital landscape, fostering connections and inspiring meaningful conversations.
HR & Employer Branding
Attract candidates with these 3 AI video templates for recruitmentDecember 16, 2024
April 2, 2024
Got open job roles lurking on your careers page for a little too long? Let’s capture those recruitment leads.
The bad news: posting a link on LinkedIn isn’t enough to get people banging down the door for a job anymore (and it probably never was).
The good news?
We’ve got a full guide on how to optimize your recruitment marketing with video, including which types to use and how to create them. Let's fill those empty desk seats.
Spoiler alert: After reading this guide you'll never want to use anything BUT VIDEO for your recruitment strategy ever again.
Recruitment is often in a totally different part of the office to marketing, but we’ve never understood that.
After all, finding the right recruit is a huge marketing job in itself;
And since candidates have more places than ever to find their new role, it’s the right time to adopt unique and creative ways to drive demand when advertising new roles—specifically, through video.
“How’s video going to help me with my recruiting?”, we hear your weary HR department ask.
We'll first off, 70% of job seekers will watch a video job post resulting in engagement rates that are 8X higher than traditional text job ads. But if that's not enough to convince you, here are a few more key reasons why recruitment and video are the perfect pair according to Stories Inc.:
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The stats don't lie. Video is proven to help attract the right candidates at the right time.
A one size fits all approach no longer works when marketing your open roles.
Social media and video platforms will only show audiences what they truly want to see, and your content needs to reflect this: today, you can’t assume your content will be seen—that is why you need to create a lot of videos that spark different emotions in your candidate pool.
Think outside the box and ask yourself, “What would convince the right hire to take this role?”.
Chances are you have a million awesome benefits written in your job description and in other places. The more you pull the curtain back, the more the right hire will get seriously excited about your role.
Now finally, the fun part! Hopefully by this point the wheels are starting to turn and you are getting exciting about the types of videos that you can make.
However, you may be thinking where do I even start?
The answer... Storykit. Why? Because Storykit has AI capabilities that enable you to turn any text into engaging video.
This means, once you have your job description ready, all you have to do is:
See exactly how easy it is to create recruitment videos in Storykit below.
As a recruiter we know you have a lot to do. So why work harder when you could work smarter?
Here are three reasons why using Storykit to craft your videos is a great idea…
Go post something about the job ad”. Sound familiar? Chances are your creative department or agency doesn't have time to help with recruiting content. Meaning that you need to be able to do it yourself, and now you can (thanks, Storykit!).
Stuck waiting for the green light again? Approval processes can really jam things up. But here’s the game-changer: with Storykit, you can let your HR or talent acquisition team take the reins on making the recruitment videos they need. No need to hover and double-check every frame. Why? Because your brand’s whole identity – we’re talking "visual branding" – it’s already locked and loaded in your account. And get this, Storykit’s AI? It crafts videos based on just the words you input. So you can relax, knowing your brand’s voice isn’t just being heard; it’s being amplified, all without you needing to peek over someone’s shoulder. Trust the process, trust the tech, and let the magic happen.
Remember when we talked about needing a ton of video content? Well now you can create it no problem. Use Storykit to create a bunch of videos so you can zero in on the good stuff - your unique culture, those great benefits, and all the cool reasons people are lining up to join your team. Storykit’s not just about making videos; it’s about spotlighting what makes your place the place to be.
Get ready to be wowed. Below, you'll find a collection of recruitment videos that we've conjured up using nothing more than a job description and the magic of Storykit's AI.
When it comes to recruitment specifically, Storykit offers four specialized AI templates, which means it can take your job description and transform it into videos using three unique angles. Now you have engaging content to market your job opening.
Want to create all three in just one go? Simply input the URL and utilize the multi-create functionality. With just one click, you can create all three videos at once. Check them out below.
→ Storykit's text-to-video AI is free to start using now.
This recruitment video lists the requirements and skills needed – and the benefits of the position. It’s an information-dense format but relatively light in its presentation.
This short recruitment video focuses on the characteristics of the position and makes it into an easy-to-digest question-based format. Short and effective.
This short recruitment video focuses on the applicant’s needs and wants and tries to address them directly with a question and three statements. Short, sweet, and nice to mix with other formats.
Today, even recruiters can step into the world of professional video creation without any special skills. So, why not take the leap and discover how easy it is to create engaging visual content for your brand and enhance your recruitment process just by turning text into polished videos.
Marketing Strategy
Social media localization: Mastering the art of content translationDecember 12, 2024
March 21, 2024
Entering new territories without a localization strategy is a wasted effort. Keep reading to learn why translating your social media content is pivotal for global reach and how to make content translation swift and impactful, setting you up for success in the diverse and dynamic world of social media.
Social media localization involves tailoring your social media content and strategies to meet the cultural and linguistic preferences of different regions. This practice is crucial for brands striving for global reach, ensuring that your content resonates with people across various cultural contexts.
For example, a SaaS company selling email marketing software would benefit from translating their social media campaigns into Spanish to target Spanish-speaking markets. By providing content in the local language, they can effectively communicate the benefits of their product to a wider audience and increase engagement among Spanish-speaking users.
Localized content significantly boosts engagement, reach, and market effectiveness on a global scale. Here are key reasons why it's vital for businesses:
In summary, tailoring your content to different linguistic and cultural contexts is not just strategic; it's a necessity in today's global market.
For example, SKF, the world’s largest bearing manufacturer, localizes their social media content into over 12 languages for brand building purposes, to maintain a strong relationship with their customers, to attract new workforce, and to reach out to new potential customers.
Now that you understand the critical importance of translating your content for different markets, the next step is figuring out how to do this efficiently and in a way that maximizes value.
To make localization more effective, focus on the content that works best on social platforms, such as video. Video outperforms plain text on almost all social platforms. So, by putting resources into translating video content, you're concentrating on what works best, which makes your localization efforts more impactful.
However, localizing video content presents several challenges, including:
Achieving harmony between the visuals and the translated text can be particularly challenging, especially when using traditional editing software. This may result in the feeling of creating an entirely new video, which is not efficient.
This is why it is so important to have the right tools on hand to successfully navigate the localization process.
Enter Storykit, a game-changer in simplifying the localization of social media video content.
Here’s how it works.
Once you've crafted your video in your native language in Storykit, simply click on the "translate script" option.
Storykit instantly generates a new script in your target language, seamlessly integrating the translated text with the right timing, appropriate length assets, and correct formatting in the generated video.
It's a hassle-free process that eliminates the need for manual editing. See how easy it is below.
Understanding the importance of localizing social media content and achieving success is best illustrated through real-world examples, such as SKF's localization journey.
Faced with the challenge of making an impact across 130 markets in 10-12 languages, Sarah Larsson Bernhardt, Head of Social at SKF, realized the power of video to stand out on social media. However, the prospect of localizing this content seemed daunting.
“It used to be hard to localize our video content. It was just too difficult and tedious. We tried using agencies for translations, mainly for subtitles in different languages. It was both expensive and time-consuming, and therefore we only produced a few videos that could be used in several markets.” says Sarah.
Sarah and her team initially toyed with the idea of keeping all their social content in English, considering it an easier route. However, they quickly grasped the necessity of catering to local languages.
“In Latin America, for example, the audience is mainly Hispanic, and therefore the content needs to be in Spanish. The same goes for countries like France and the Czech Republic because they want videos in their native languages.”
Moreover, SKF understood the value of adapting visual assets to resonate with diverse cultural contexts. For instance, when creating a Christmas greeting for all markets, they noticed the Brazilian office swapping snowy images for more suitable visuals, given the lack of snow during Christmas in Brazil.
Customizing content in this manner significantly enhances engagement and with the adoption of Storykit, SKF can do this and more. In fact, with Storykit, SKF was able to churn out 300 localized videos in just a year.
This case study highlights the importance of adapting content to meet the linguistic and cultural preferences of diverse markets, showcasing how SKF's localization journey has led to enhanced engagement and global reach.
For more insights, dive into the full case study detailing SKF's localization success or book a demo with one of our experts and discover how easy it is to localize your own content.
Marketing Strategy
Easy event promotion ideas you can do with these 4 video AI templatesDecember 16, 2024
March 15, 2024
In a world where attention is the currency, how do you capture those elusive eyeballs? The answer lies in the digital marketplace of our time: social media. And what's the golden key to social media's heart? Video.
In this article, we'll show you how to leverage the power of video to promote your event successfully in this new digital age, equipping you with the innovative tools and strategies needed to turn viewers into attendees and make your event the must-attend occasion of the season.
At its core, event promotion is all about generating excitement and building anticipation around your event with the goal of attracting attendees. Whether you're planning a music festival, a business conference, or a webinar, event promotion is about capturing people's attention and convincing them that your event is the place to be.
The best way to promote an event is through social media—no surprise there, especially considering that over 3.6 billion people use social media worldwide, offering unmatched reach and engagement opportunities.
The platform you choose can, however, vary based on the nature of your event: LinkedIn for a business webinar, Instagram for a music festival, and perhaps all of the above for a TED Talk-style event.
And, as mentioned before, the key to capturing attention on these platforms is through video content. Social media platforms have a big appetite for video, and for a good reason. Not only do social platforms boost videos because they keep users on the feeds for longer, but they also have the unique ability to convey emotion, information, and a call to action all within a few engaging moments.
Promoting an event effectively on social media can be approached through a multi-layered strategy, combining organic content with strategic paid ads to maximize reach and engagement.
Start by crafting and sharing a series of organic posts that highlight the unique aspects of your event. This content can range from teaser videos, speaker quotes, behind-the-scenes looks, or user-generated content from past events. The aim is to tell a compelling story about your event that resonates with your audience, making them interested in learning more. Organic content helps in building a community around your event, fostering engagement through likes, comments, and shares.
Expand your reach by crafting intriguing paid ads aimed at cold audiences who haven’t interacted with your brand yet. Utilize eye-catching visuals, compelling headlines, and a clear call-to-action to spark interest among potential attendees. Target these ads based on interests and demographics relevant to your event, ensuring your message reaches those most likely to be intrigued by what you have to offer.
Once you've captured the interest of your audience through organic and paid content, leverage retargeting ads to stay at the forefront of their minds. Retargeting ads are a powerful tool to re-engage individuals who have interacted with your content but haven't taken the next step of registering or expressing direct interest. By targeting these ads based on previous interactions, you ensure that your event remains visible to a warmed-up audience, increasing the likelihood of conversion.
Consistency is key in keeping your event top of mind. Regular updates, countdowns to the event date, and sneak peeks keep the momentum going. This approach ensures that your event stays relevant and continues to capture interest as the date approaches. Pairing consistent organic content with strategic retargeting ads creates a comprehensive promotion strategy that not only draws attention but also maintains it, guiding your audience from initial interest to actual attendance.
Now that you know how to promote an event on social media successfully, you need the videos to do it. Below, we've put together examples of event promotion videos using just event details and Storykit's AI templates.
Storykit has four AI video templates ready to turn your event info into engaging videos.
Want to make multiple videos quickly? Just enter your event information and use our multi-create feature. With one click, you can make all four videos simultaneously, each offering a unique angle to spotlight your event. Check out the examples below.
→ Storykit's text-to-video AI is free to start using now.
Dive into the heart of your event with an AI-crafted video that doesn't just list your agenda but brings it to life. This template smartly sifts through the entire program, spotlighting key themes, handpicking three standout speakers, and three engaging presentations or panels. But it doesn't stop there—it adds even more enticing details from your packed agenda to captivate your audience.
This succinct AI template shines the spotlight on the crème de la crème of your event—your main speakers. It delves into their unparalleled expertise, tying their insights directly to your audience's interests. Wrapped up with the essential when and where, and a clear call to action, this video is a beacon for those eager to learn from the best.
Zeroing in on the challenges your audience faces, this template speaks directly to their "pain-points", offering your event as the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s a focused narrative that bypasses the agenda specifics, instead emphasizing the where and when, and inviting action with a simple yet effective call to join.
Begin with the promise your event holds and let this template guide your audience to the heart of the matter with a captivating introduction to your keynote speaker. Highlighting the event's theme and the speaker's unique perspective, this video weaves in crucial event details and wraps up with a straightforward call to action, setting the stage for an event not to be missed.
Now that you have your social media promotion under control, here are some creative ideas to take your event sign-ups to the next level.
Encourage people to register early for your event by offering a discounted rate or other incentives. This not only helps you generate revenue early on, but it also creates a sense of urgency and excitement around your event.
Use a unique hashtag for your event to make it easy for attendees to share photos, updates, and feedback on social media. This helps increase engagement and can even attract new attendees.
Use social media or email to run a contest for a chance to win a free ticket or other prize related to your event. This can be a fun and interactive way to build excitement and engagement leading up to your event.
Partner with social media influencers, bloggers, or other relevant personalities to promote your event to their followers. This can help you reach a new audience and generate buzz around your event.
Build an email list and send your awesome content as well as regular updates and reminders about your event to keep it top of mind for potential attendees. You can also use email to share valuable content and resources related to your event's theme or industry.
Secure sponsorships from companies and organizations in your industry to help promote your event. This not only helps with promotion, but it can also provide additional resources and support to enhance the attendee experience.
If you have hosted events in the past, consider promoting positive feedback and testimonials from previous attendees. You can share these testimonials on your social media channels, website, and email campaigns.
Not sure how to format your testimonials? Don’t overthink it. Just use the “I Was There” video template.
To keep your event fresh, exciting, and packed with enthusiastic attendees, you need to create a promotion strategy that's just as awesome as your event itself! By constantly promoting your brand and building a loyal following of fans, you'll create a buzz that lasts long after the event is over, so people will be counting down the days until the next one.
