July 23, 2024
I’ve analyzed hundreds of videos from the most successful creators on the planet and discovered a 5-step formula they use to keep viewers watching.
This formula will help you tell great stories on YouTube.
To make it practical, we’ll dive into an example of youtube storytelling from one of the best storytellers out there:
Niklas Christl.
His channel has exploded, reaching 1 million subscribers with only a few uploads.
Niklas’ Story:
Niklas starts his story by sharing his goal: “I commit to the hardest challenge of my whole life: running a marathon.”
This immediately raises a question in his viewers’ minds: “Will he be able to finish the marathon?”
We keep watching to find out the answer.
Your Story:
For your videos, think: Is there a big goal you want to reach or a big problem you want to solve?
Share it upfront to hook your listeners.
Niklas’ Story:
Instead of diving straight into his story, Niklas takes a step back to give context.
He provides background information, explaining why this goal is so important to him and what triggered him to sign up for the marathon.
After sharing what prompted him to pursue this big goal, he outlines his rough plan to achieve it.
Your Story:
For your story, think about the essential context you need to provide.
After giving some context, let the story unfold.
Niklas’ Story:
In this part, Niklas documents his journey towards reaching his goal.
Initially, everything is good—he’s happy, excited, and ready to start the challenge.
But soon, he introduces the first obstacles, making it difficult to complete the marathon.
Throughout the rising action, he shares highs and lows, like his excitement at the start and his exhaustion later.
These obstacles grow bigger and bigger, from bad weather during training to not being able to buy a marathon ticket, and even an injury before the marathon.
Your Story:
For your video, think about the highs and lows you can share on your way to achieving your goal.
Lows can include:
Share these highs and lows until the last and most crucial part of your story.
Niklas’ Story:
Here, all the pressure, conflict, and tension reach their peak.
This is the final moment when the listener finds out if you reached your goal.
Niklas builds up to this moment by showing shots of the event starting.
We sense the excitement and are on the edge of our seats, wanting to know if he makes it.
He still throws in a few last obstacles, but we’re now very close to the finish line.
Spoiler: He finishes the marathon and beats his brother’s time.
Your Story:
This is the final moment of your story where you show the transformation.
For example,
Show the transformation.
Even though the tension is released after the climax, you still want to do one final thing before ending your video.
Niklas’ Story:
Up to this point, the video has been mostly about himself.
He ends by sharing his final takeaway or reflection from the experience—something his viewers should take away.
Your Story:
In the last part, share the one takeaway—the one thing you learned from the experience.
The one thing that will make your viewers take action or think differently.
That’s it. If you want to tell great stories on YouTube, try out this 5-step formula.
Today, we covered the techniques Niklas and other creators use for youtube storytelling.
But there are a few more juicy techniques we haven’t covered yet.
Check out the next article where I share some of my favorite storytelling techniques.
Enjoy!
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