A storytime is a video where you tell something that happened to you, usually talking to camera and in order: how it started, what went wrong or what you didn't expect, and how it ended. It works because a good story makes people want to know the ending, and that keeps them watching.
What is a storytime video?
It's a talking-to-camera format with a story structure. The difference from a tip is that you don't explain an idea: you tell it through what happened to you. It often runs longer than other formats, and sometimes gets split into parts.
The effort is low: you, your phone and a story. The hard part isn't filming but shaping the story so it doesn't get lost in detail. If you don't feel comfortable talking to camera yet, start there.
When does storytime work?
It works when the story has three things: something at stake, a twist and an ending that leaves the viewer something. Examples by type of account:
- A freelancer: the client who asked for "a tiny change" that turned into another project.
- A shop: the strangest order they ever got and how they handled it.
- A teacher: the day a student taught them something.
- Any business: how it started, told from the moment it nearly folded.
It works less well if the story has no twist, or only makes sense with lots of background. If, telling it out loud, you hear yourself saying "well, so you understand…" more than once, cut it down.
Which hooks suit a storytime?
The natural hook is the story type, out of the seven types of hook, but starting at the tensest moment:
- In the middle of the action: "I was about to send the invoice when I spotted the mistake."
- The ending first: "This is how I lost my best client in a single email", then you tell how.
- The question: "Has a client ever asked you to work without pay?", followed by your story.
Avoid opening with "Let me tell you a story" or "This happened a while ago": they delay the thing that makes people stay.
A script template for a storytime
For a forty to sixty-second video. Change what's in brackets:
- Hook (0–3 s): [the tensest moment or the ending, in one line].
- Background (3–10 s): [the bare minimum to know who, where and what was at stake].
- Build-up (10–35 s): [what happened, in order, with two or three specific details; cut the rest].
- Twist (35–45 s): [what you didn't expect, or what changed everything].
- Close (45–60 s): [what you learnt or what you'd do differently; to get comments, ask whether something similar happened to them].
If the story doesn't fit in a minute, split it into two parts and say so at the start: "Part 1". End part one right after the twist.
Before you film, tell the story out loud to someone, or to your phone, once. You'll notice which parts drag and which line makes people react. Then film it without reading: a storytime that sounds read loses the closeness that makes it work. Cut the pauses in the edit, and add a line of on-screen text with the hook for people watching on mute.
How I'd measure it
Storytimes tend to run longer than your other videos, so compare views with your normal video, but also check the retention curve: it tells you whether people stay until the twist or leave during the background.
Example
Your normal video has 400 views at 24 hours. Your first three storytimes land at 380, 700 and 520. On the curve for the 380 one, half the viewers leave before second ten: the background was too long. With these made-up numbers, the format looks promising, but the opening needs work.
If you're doing a series and part one is above your normal video, part two is worth it. If it's below, don't force it: tell another story.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a storytime be?
As long as the story takes to tell without padding. If it runs past a minute, try splitting it into parts.
Does it have to be a true story?
Yes. Storytime runs on trust: if you make things up, it shows, and the people who follow you stop believing you.
Can I tell my clients' stories?
Yes, if they can't be recognised or they've given you permission. Change any details that could identify them.
Your next step: write the story of how you started in three lines, beginning at the moment you nearly gave up.