Six tips for creating better stories

Recording good stories is not that hard if you know what to watch out for. Here are some practical tips on how to use gear you already have at the office to create stunning stories.

Before we begin, check out these four examples on how Gobi Stories can be used for several use cases. Here, we have four different approaches to finding a new candidate for a job position.

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1. Choosing the right aspect ratio

When you are recording your story, always make sure you film vertically. This is the main difference between traditional, horizontal video and the vertical story format.

If possible, use the 9:16 format. This is what Instagram and Snapchat stories are using, and can be found in most phone’s camera settings. This makes the video cover the entire screen.

2. Choosing the location

Before starting to record your first story, one of the most important things to figure out is the location of the shoot. No matter where you shoot, wheter it’s in a meeting room, the cantine or at home, lightning is absolutely key.

The best (and most cost-efficient) tricks is to use natural lighting to produce a soft and natural image. Standing in front of a window can be used to your advantage, but remember to face towards the light source. Natural lighting should always be coming from behind your camera, and not behind you.

If you’re in a room with no windows and spotlights pointing straight down at your head, a great way to get good lightning is by having someone point towards your face with a smartphone flashlight. Make sure they don’t stand too close to you, but this can create a similar effect at the natural light coming from windows.

3. Choosing the background

Once the perfect spot with good lighting is found, make sure the background is not full of distractions to the viewers. A visually appealing background makes your audience focus on the message you’re trying to deliver.

Remove any clutter that might be distracting and try to move things around to balance the frame. A good background can help you look more professional.

4. Framing the subject

Having proper spacing above your head is important for a good composition. Avoid cropping your head, but don’t overdo it to leave too much empty space.

A general rule of thumb is to place your head about ⅔’s up the frame. In addition, if your want to look really professional, try to stand a bit away from the background to add depth and make sure you are the primary focus in the frame.

5. Video quality

Having good video quality is alpha and omega, but you don’t need expensive camera gear to create great stories. Almost every smartphone can record good videos in terms of quality, so we recommend using the phone you carry around in your pocket.

Pro tip if you’re really in to the technical stuff: filming in HD (1080:1920) is the preferred format. Make sure to set the frame rate to somewhere between 24 and 30 frames per second to record natural movement in the videos. Most phones have this as standard values.

6. Audio quality

Almost just as important as video quality, having good audio quality can make a huge difference. Most smartphones have a decent microphone built in, so this will 9/10 times do the job. Just make sure you don’t hold your hand over the microphone and you should be good.

If you want even better audio quality, you can always buy an external microphone to be plugged into your phone through the headphone jack.

How to create a good intro

Now that you have covered the technical things to get high quality videos, the next thing to think about is how to create a good intro to get the viewers excited about your story.

Avoid using logo intros and get straight to the point. Stories are short and simple videos, so skip the small talk and fluffy stuff.

Try to start the video with a hook to grab your viewers attention. Here are some examples of that you can do:

1. Start with a fascinating fact. Piquing one’s curiosity is a surefire way of grabbing their attention.
2. What if…  Bringing up a hypothetical situation is one of the easiest ways to engage your audience.
3. Surprise them. Seeing something unexpected will incite a reaction.
4. In medias res. Cut to the chase and get straight to the point.
5. Start with a problem and offer a solution. People care about how what you’re offering can help them.
6. Open with a joke. Cracking a joke or throwing a pun is the perfect way to break the ice.
7. Ask a questions. Asking a question is particularly useful if you combine it with solving a viewer’s problem.
8. Hint at a story. It is in human nature not to wish to leave things unfinished.

Three bonus tips for creating entertaining stories

1. 15x15 as a rule of thumb. Try to film each clip for a maximum of 15 seconds, with no more than 15 clips in total. This will help the viewers being engaged for the entire story.

2. Use text, stickers and links. The video editor in Gobi’s dashboard can be useful in plenty of ways. Try to include some text elements to introduce the name and position of the person in front of the camera. Stickers can be used to create more excitement, and links are super useful if you have a clear call to action for the viewers. Link to your webpage, job advertisements or somewhere you want the audience to go next.

3. Be passionate. If you aren’t passionate about your work, it’s going to be visible to your viewers. Your personality and enthusiasm need to resonate with your audience, so make sure you showcase your passion for your work.

Now you have everything you need to succeed in creating great stories. If you want any more tips or a demo of the Gobi platform, feel free to reach out to our customer success manager Emilie at emilie@gobistories.com.

Happy filming!

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