A Gamer’s Guide to Twisting Videos on YouTube (2E)

How to Rotate YouTube Videos by Any Angle

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube is compatible to all devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers. However, when the screen is too small, so does the video, which makes the watching experience full of inconvenience.

Sometimes, you may need to rotate the video left/right 90 degrees or 180 degrees. To rotate the YouTube video when you watching it, you can move your devices in order for you to get the perfect angle and make your watching fun and smooth.

Yet, did you know that you could possibly rotate YouTube videos either downloaded or before uploading, to the angle you are comfortable watching? Here is how.

• Method 1: Using YouTube Video Editor to Rotate Videos After Uploading
• Method 2: Rotate YouTube Videos by Advanced YouTube Video Editor Alternatives

Method 1: Using YouTube Video Editor to Rotate Videos [Not available after 2017]

Note: After updating in 2017 September, you cannot rotate a video on YouTube Enhancement. If you need to rotate a video, you should rotate the video before uploading it to YouTube.

YouTube has a built-in video editor where you can rotate YouTube video. Here are the ways on how you can successfully rotate a YouTube video online.

• Log in to your YouTube account.
• Click the dropdown located beside your profile’s thumbnail that can be found in your dashboard.
• Once you have successfully clicked the dropdown menu, you can now search for the video that you want to rotate.
• When you have already found the video, you can now click the Edit button that can easily be found under the thumbnail of the video.
• In the Edit section, choose the Enhancements tab.
• You can find in the lower right part of the video preview the arrows for rotate right and rotate left.

• [Not Recommended] There is a hacky way to show Rotate button on 2021. Right click on the Trim button and click inspect in the pop-up menu. A DevTools window will open with HTML codes of the Trim button highlighted as you can see it in the below image. Find enhance-rotate-buttons on the html codes, and delete the hiddden=”true”, then press the Enter button.

• Then, after choosing, you have successfully rotated the video.

Check this video tutorial to know how to rotate/flip YouTube video with YouTube Video Editor

Cons of YouTube Video Editor

However, using YouTube Video Editor is not the best way to rotate or flip a YouTube video.

• Obviously, one of its disadvantages is that the features are very basic. You can’t use more advanced functions for better edition.
• In addition, since you are doing it online, you need to keep on refreshing the page whenever you are making some changes in your video, which eats a lot of time.
• Another disadvantage of YouTube Video Editor is that you have to get access to internet, or you can’t edit the videos. But it’s headache when you forget to save your work or the internet crashes.

Method 2: Easier Ways to Rotate YouTube Videos by Any Angle

It is recommended to rotate the video before uploading to YouTube. But when you have downloaded a YouTube video, you can also change the rotation by making use of software made for video editing.

Som of the most popular video editors include Wondershare Filmora , Windows Movie Maker, Sony Vegas Movie Studio and Adobe Premiere. These softwares are perfect for editing your videos either you want to enhance it or change the rotation.

1. Wondershare Filmora: Best Video Editor for Beginners and Semi-Pros

Wondershare Filmora video editor is one of the best video editor for PC and perfect for YouTube beginners and semi-pros. You can use on both Windows and Mac you would want to rotate or edit videos to make it look interesting.

It not only allows you to cut, crop, rotate, reverse videos, but also offers your advanced features like PIP, Green Screen, or audio mixing. What’s more, you can find lots of effects for Fashion, gaming, education, tutorial, sports, etc.

How to Rotate YouTube Videos with Filmora Video Editor?

• Import the video.

• To rotate the video, double click it on the timeline.

• The editing panel will appear and you will be able to see the rotation options.
• There are four buttons. You can rotate the videos in 90 degrees, 180 degrees and 270 degrees.

• Export the video that you have rotated.

2. Windows Movie Maker

For windows users who have Windows Movie Maker already installed on the computer, you can rotate the YouTube video with it with ease for Free. Besides rotating, you can edit the YouTube video with more features in Windows Movie Maker, such as combine several clips into one video, mirror and flip video, and reverse videos. For the detailed information, check our guide of How to Edit YouTube videos in Windows Movie Maker.

The steps of rotating a video in Windows Movie Maker is easy:

• Import the video.
• Click the video then select the rotate button that is found at the toolbar.

• Save the video after rotating on the right angle.

3. Sony Vegas Movie Studio

Sony Vegas Movie Studio is video editing software made for PC. Before it is knows as Sonic Foundry VideoFactory and Sony Screenblast Movie Studio.

• Click the square box that can be found on the video, which is situated at its end.
• The pan pop up will appear and you will be able to see the slider bar.
• At the slider bar, you can see the options rotation, position and key frame inter.
• Under the rotation section, you can enter the angle that you want to rotate the video then hit enter once you have entered the word angle.

4. Adobe Premiere: Best video editing software for professionals to rotate YouTube videos

Adobe Premier is video editing software that is time-line based and is included in the Adobe Creative Cloud.

• Launch Adobe Premiere.
• Start or open a project.
• Import the video.
• Drag the video to the timeline.
• Then, access Effects Control Lab.
• Find the option for rotation, which is located under the Motion option.
• Rotate the video to your desired angle.

For the detailed information, check How to Rotate videos in Premiere?

Have You Known How to Rotate a YouTube Video?

Whether you are watching YouTube videos online or you have downloaded it, you can feasibly rotate the videos on the angle that you want and it will be successful if you know how to do it. If you feel it helpful, share with your friends.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube is compatible to all devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers. However, when the screen is too small, so does the video, which makes the watching experience full of inconvenience.

Sometimes, you may need to rotate the video left/right 90 degrees or 180 degrees. To rotate the YouTube video when you watching it, you can move your devices in order for you to get the perfect angle and make your watching fun and smooth.

Yet, did you know that you could possibly rotate YouTube videos either downloaded or before uploading, to the angle you are comfortable watching? Here is how.

• Method 1: Using YouTube Video Editor to Rotate Videos After Uploading
• Method 2: Rotate YouTube Videos by Advanced YouTube Video Editor Alternatives

Method 1: Using YouTube Video Editor to Rotate Videos [Not available after 2017]

Note: After updating in 2017 September, you cannot rotate a video on YouTube Enhancement. If you need to rotate a video, you should rotate the video before uploading it to YouTube.

YouTube has a built-in video editor where you can rotate YouTube video. Here are the ways on how you can successfully rotate a YouTube video online.

• Log in to your YouTube account.
• Click the dropdown located beside your profile’s thumbnail that can be found in your dashboard.
• Once you have successfully clicked the dropdown menu, you can now search for the video that you want to rotate.
• When you have already found the video, you can now click the Edit button that can easily be found under the thumbnail of the video.
• In the Edit section, choose the Enhancements tab.
• You can find in the lower right part of the video preview the arrows for rotate right and rotate left.

• [Not Recommended] There is a hacky way to show Rotate button on 2021. Right click on the Trim button and click inspect in the pop-up menu. A DevTools window will open with HTML codes of the Trim button highlighted as you can see it in the below image. Find enhance-rotate-buttons on the html codes, and delete the hiddden=”true”, then press the Enter button.

• Then, after choosing, you have successfully rotated the video.

Check this video tutorial to know how to rotate/flip YouTube video with YouTube Video Editor

Cons of YouTube Video Editor

However, using YouTube Video Editor is not the best way to rotate or flip a YouTube video.

• Obviously, one of its disadvantages is that the features are very basic. You can’t use more advanced functions for better edition.
• In addition, since you are doing it online, you need to keep on refreshing the page whenever you are making some changes in your video, which eats a lot of time.
• Another disadvantage of YouTube Video Editor is that you have to get access to internet, or you can’t edit the videos. But it’s headache when you forget to save your work or the internet crashes.

Method 2: Easier Ways to Rotate YouTube Videos by Any Angle

It is recommended to rotate the video before uploading to YouTube. But when you have downloaded a YouTube video, you can also change the rotation by making use of software made for video editing.

Som of the most popular video editors include Wondershare Filmora , Windows Movie Maker, Sony Vegas Movie Studio and Adobe Premiere. These softwares are perfect for editing your videos either you want to enhance it or change the rotation.

1. Wondershare Filmora: Best Video Editor for Beginners and Semi-Pros

Wondershare Filmora video editor is one of the best video editor for PC and perfect for YouTube beginners and semi-pros. You can use on both Windows and Mac you would want to rotate or edit videos to make it look interesting.

It not only allows you to cut, crop, rotate, reverse videos, but also offers your advanced features like PIP, Green Screen, or audio mixing. What’s more, you can find lots of effects for Fashion, gaming, education, tutorial, sports, etc.

How to Rotate YouTube Videos with Filmora Video Editor?

• Import the video.

• To rotate the video, double click it on the timeline.

• The editing panel will appear and you will be able to see the rotation options.
• There are four buttons. You can rotate the videos in 90 degrees, 180 degrees and 270 degrees.

• Export the video that you have rotated.

2. Windows Movie Maker

For windows users who have Windows Movie Maker already installed on the computer, you can rotate the YouTube video with it with ease for Free. Besides rotating, you can edit the YouTube video with more features in Windows Movie Maker, such as combine several clips into one video, mirror and flip video, and reverse videos. For the detailed information, check our guide of How to Edit YouTube videos in Windows Movie Maker.

The steps of rotating a video in Windows Movie Maker is easy:

• Import the video.
• Click the video then select the rotate button that is found at the toolbar.

• Save the video after rotating on the right angle.

3. Sony Vegas Movie Studio

Sony Vegas Movie Studio is video editing software made for PC. Before it is knows as Sonic Foundry VideoFactory and Sony Screenblast Movie Studio.

• Click the square box that can be found on the video, which is situated at its end.
• The pan pop up will appear and you will be able to see the slider bar.
• At the slider bar, you can see the options rotation, position and key frame inter.
• Under the rotation section, you can enter the angle that you want to rotate the video then hit enter once you have entered the word angle.

4. Adobe Premiere: Best video editing software for professionals to rotate YouTube videos

Adobe Premier is video editing software that is time-line based and is included in the Adobe Creative Cloud.

• Launch Adobe Premiere.
• Start or open a project.
• Import the video.
• Drag the video to the timeline.
• Then, access Effects Control Lab.
• Find the option for rotation, which is located under the Motion option.
• Rotate the video to your desired angle.

For the detailed information, check How to Rotate videos in Premiere?

Have You Known How to Rotate a YouTube Video?

Whether you are watching YouTube videos online or you have downloaded it, you can feasibly rotate the videos on the angle that you want and it will be successful if you know how to do it. If you feel it helpful, share with your friends.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube is compatible to all devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers. However, when the screen is too small, so does the video, which makes the watching experience full of inconvenience.

Sometimes, you may need to rotate the video left/right 90 degrees or 180 degrees. To rotate the YouTube video when you watching it, you can move your devices in order for you to get the perfect angle and make your watching fun and smooth.

Yet, did you know that you could possibly rotate YouTube videos either downloaded or before uploading, to the angle you are comfortable watching? Here is how.

• Method 1: Using YouTube Video Editor to Rotate Videos After Uploading
• Method 2: Rotate YouTube Videos by Advanced YouTube Video Editor Alternatives

Method 1: Using YouTube Video Editor to Rotate Videos [Not available after 2017]

Note: After updating in 2017 September, you cannot rotate a video on YouTube Enhancement. If you need to rotate a video, you should rotate the video before uploading it to YouTube.

YouTube has a built-in video editor where you can rotate YouTube video. Here are the ways on how you can successfully rotate a YouTube video online.

• Log in to your YouTube account.
• Click the dropdown located beside your profile’s thumbnail that can be found in your dashboard.
• Once you have successfully clicked the dropdown menu, you can now search for the video that you want to rotate.
• When you have already found the video, you can now click the Edit button that can easily be found under the thumbnail of the video.
• In the Edit section, choose the Enhancements tab.
• You can find in the lower right part of the video preview the arrows for rotate right and rotate left.

• [Not Recommended] There is a hacky way to show Rotate button on 2021. Right click on the Trim button and click inspect in the pop-up menu. A DevTools window will open with HTML codes of the Trim button highlighted as you can see it in the below image. Find enhance-rotate-buttons on the html codes, and delete the hiddden=”true”, then press the Enter button.

• Then, after choosing, you have successfully rotated the video.

Check this video tutorial to know how to rotate/flip YouTube video with YouTube Video Editor

Cons of YouTube Video Editor

However, using YouTube Video Editor is not the best way to rotate or flip a YouTube video.

• Obviously, one of its disadvantages is that the features are very basic. You can’t use more advanced functions for better edition.
• In addition, since you are doing it online, you need to keep on refreshing the page whenever you are making some changes in your video, which eats a lot of time.
• Another disadvantage of YouTube Video Editor is that you have to get access to internet, or you can’t edit the videos. But it’s headache when you forget to save your work or the internet crashes.

Method 2: Easier Ways to Rotate YouTube Videos by Any Angle

It is recommended to rotate the video before uploading to YouTube. But when you have downloaded a YouTube video, you can also change the rotation by making use of software made for video editing.

Som of the most popular video editors include Wondershare Filmora , Windows Movie Maker, Sony Vegas Movie Studio and Adobe Premiere. These softwares are perfect for editing your videos either you want to enhance it or change the rotation.

1. Wondershare Filmora: Best Video Editor for Beginners and Semi-Pros

Wondershare Filmora video editor is one of the best video editor for PC and perfect for YouTube beginners and semi-pros. You can use on both Windows and Mac you would want to rotate or edit videos to make it look interesting.

It not only allows you to cut, crop, rotate, reverse videos, but also offers your advanced features like PIP, Green Screen, or audio mixing. What’s more, you can find lots of effects for Fashion, gaming, education, tutorial, sports, etc.

How to Rotate YouTube Videos with Filmora Video Editor?

• Import the video.

• To rotate the video, double click it on the timeline.

• The editing panel will appear and you will be able to see the rotation options.
• There are four buttons. You can rotate the videos in 90 degrees, 180 degrees and 270 degrees.

• Export the video that you have rotated.

2. Windows Movie Maker

For windows users who have Windows Movie Maker already installed on the computer, you can rotate the YouTube video with it with ease for Free. Besides rotating, you can edit the YouTube video with more features in Windows Movie Maker, such as combine several clips into one video, mirror and flip video, and reverse videos. For the detailed information, check our guide of How to Edit YouTube videos in Windows Movie Maker.

The steps of rotating a video in Windows Movie Maker is easy:

• Import the video.
• Click the video then select the rotate button that is found at the toolbar.

• Save the video after rotating on the right angle.

3. Sony Vegas Movie Studio

Sony Vegas Movie Studio is video editing software made for PC. Before it is knows as Sonic Foundry VideoFactory and Sony Screenblast Movie Studio.

• Click the square box that can be found on the video, which is situated at its end.
• The pan pop up will appear and you will be able to see the slider bar.
• At the slider bar, you can see the options rotation, position and key frame inter.
• Under the rotation section, you can enter the angle that you want to rotate the video then hit enter once you have entered the word angle.

4. Adobe Premiere: Best video editing software for professionals to rotate YouTube videos

Adobe Premier is video editing software that is time-line based and is included in the Adobe Creative Cloud.

• Launch Adobe Premiere.
• Start or open a project.
• Import the video.
• Drag the video to the timeline.
• Then, access Effects Control Lab.
• Find the option for rotation, which is located under the Motion option.
• Rotate the video to your desired angle.

For the detailed information, check How to Rotate videos in Premiere?

Have You Known How to Rotate a YouTube Video?

Whether you are watching YouTube videos online or you have downloaded it, you can feasibly rotate the videos on the angle that you want and it will be successful if you know how to do it. If you feel it helpful, share with your friends.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube is compatible to all devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers. However, when the screen is too small, so does the video, which makes the watching experience full of inconvenience.

Sometimes, you may need to rotate the video left/right 90 degrees or 180 degrees. To rotate the YouTube video when you watching it, you can move your devices in order for you to get the perfect angle and make your watching fun and smooth.

Yet, did you know that you could possibly rotate YouTube videos either downloaded or before uploading, to the angle you are comfortable watching? Here is how.

• Method 1: Using YouTube Video Editor to Rotate Videos After Uploading
• Method 2: Rotate YouTube Videos by Advanced YouTube Video Editor Alternatives

Method 1: Using YouTube Video Editor to Rotate Videos [Not available after 2017]

Note: After updating in 2017 September, you cannot rotate a video on YouTube Enhancement. If you need to rotate a video, you should rotate the video before uploading it to YouTube.

YouTube has a built-in video editor where you can rotate YouTube video. Here are the ways on how you can successfully rotate a YouTube video online.

• Log in to your YouTube account.
• Click the dropdown located beside your profile’s thumbnail that can be found in your dashboard.
• Once you have successfully clicked the dropdown menu, you can now search for the video that you want to rotate.
• When you have already found the video, you can now click the Edit button that can easily be found under the thumbnail of the video.
• In the Edit section, choose the Enhancements tab.
• You can find in the lower right part of the video preview the arrows for rotate right and rotate left.

• [Not Recommended] There is a hacky way to show Rotate button on 2021. Right click on the Trim button and click inspect in the pop-up menu. A DevTools window will open with HTML codes of the Trim button highlighted as you can see it in the below image. Find enhance-rotate-buttons on the html codes, and delete the hiddden=”true”, then press the Enter button.

• Then, after choosing, you have successfully rotated the video.

Check this video tutorial to know how to rotate/flip YouTube video with YouTube Video Editor

Cons of YouTube Video Editor

However, using YouTube Video Editor is not the best way to rotate or flip a YouTube video.

• Obviously, one of its disadvantages is that the features are very basic. You can’t use more advanced functions for better edition.
• In addition, since you are doing it online, you need to keep on refreshing the page whenever you are making some changes in your video, which eats a lot of time.
• Another disadvantage of YouTube Video Editor is that you have to get access to internet, or you can’t edit the videos. But it’s headache when you forget to save your work or the internet crashes.

Method 2: Easier Ways to Rotate YouTube Videos by Any Angle

It is recommended to rotate the video before uploading to YouTube. But when you have downloaded a YouTube video, you can also change the rotation by making use of software made for video editing.

Som of the most popular video editors include Wondershare Filmora , Windows Movie Maker, Sony Vegas Movie Studio and Adobe Premiere. These softwares are perfect for editing your videos either you want to enhance it or change the rotation.

1. Wondershare Filmora: Best Video Editor for Beginners and Semi-Pros

Wondershare Filmora video editor is one of the best video editor for PC and perfect for YouTube beginners and semi-pros. You can use on both Windows and Mac you would want to rotate or edit videos to make it look interesting.

It not only allows you to cut, crop, rotate, reverse videos, but also offers your advanced features like PIP, Green Screen, or audio mixing. What’s more, you can find lots of effects for Fashion, gaming, education, tutorial, sports, etc.

How to Rotate YouTube Videos with Filmora Video Editor?

• Import the video.

• To rotate the video, double click it on the timeline.

• The editing panel will appear and you will be able to see the rotation options.
• There are four buttons. You can rotate the videos in 90 degrees, 180 degrees and 270 degrees.

• Export the video that you have rotated.

2. Windows Movie Maker

For windows users who have Windows Movie Maker already installed on the computer, you can rotate the YouTube video with it with ease for Free. Besides rotating, you can edit the YouTube video with more features in Windows Movie Maker, such as combine several clips into one video, mirror and flip video, and reverse videos. For the detailed information, check our guide of How to Edit YouTube videos in Windows Movie Maker.

The steps of rotating a video in Windows Movie Maker is easy:

• Import the video.
• Click the video then select the rotate button that is found at the toolbar.

• Save the video after rotating on the right angle.

3. Sony Vegas Movie Studio

Sony Vegas Movie Studio is video editing software made for PC. Before it is knows as Sonic Foundry VideoFactory and Sony Screenblast Movie Studio.

• Click the square box that can be found on the video, which is situated at its end.
• The pan pop up will appear and you will be able to see the slider bar.
• At the slider bar, you can see the options rotation, position and key frame inter.
• Under the rotation section, you can enter the angle that you want to rotate the video then hit enter once you have entered the word angle.

4. Adobe Premiere: Best video editing software for professionals to rotate YouTube videos

Adobe Premier is video editing software that is time-line based and is included in the Adobe Creative Cloud.

• Launch Adobe Premiere.
• Start or open a project.
• Import the video.
• Drag the video to the timeline.
• Then, access Effects Control Lab.
• Find the option for rotation, which is located under the Motion option.
• Rotate the video to your desired angle.

For the detailed information, check How to Rotate videos in Premiere?

Have You Known How to Rotate a YouTube Video?

Whether you are watching YouTube videos online or you have downloaded it, you can feasibly rotate the videos on the angle that you want and it will be successful if you know how to do it. If you feel it helpful, share with your friends.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Storytelling Steps for YouTube Ascension

The Best Storytelling Techniques to Grow Your YouTube Channel

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

In the distracting world, we live in, you need to be a good storyteller to grow your YouTube channel. Your audience is not going to stick around to watch your whole video if your content isn’t enticing or relatable. If you want to get people to watch all your videos, you need to get them emotionally invested with your stories.

Here are 3 methods for creating an awesome story:

• Method 1: CREATE SUSPENSE
• Method 2: USE EMPATHY
• Method 3: TAKE THE AUDIENCE ON A MEANINGFUL JOURNEY

1. Create Suspense

The hero has an objective, but the plan might fail.

The likelihood of something going wrong is what makes a story suspenseful. When you tell a suspenseful story, your audience will have a heightened focus and a strong motivation to continue listening. They want to know if the hero succeeds. Keep the audience waiting and expecting. Don’t give away the ending right away.

What Does a Suspenseful Story Sound Like?

When we talk about a story that is dragging on, it is because there is no suspense. There is nothing at stake, there are no obstacles, there is no problem and, with no problem, there is no promise of resolution.

Here are a few examples you can use to pump more suspense into your story:

- Address a fear (example: being alone for the prom)

- An objective (example: asking the crush out to the dance)

- Consequences of failing (example: being embarrassed in front of the whole school)

- Limited time (example: prom is next week)

- Obstacles (example: the crush has an aggressive ex.)

You can feel your heart rate speeding up simply thinking about the character’s story in the example. Does it have a happy ending or not? We want to know!

Raise Questions After Questions

A good storyteller knows that as soon as they answer a question for their audience, they need to present another one. The audience will always need to have a puzzle in their mind, one that needs to be solved. That is what will keep their interest.

For example: If the hero ends up going to the prom with his crush, the next big question can be: Will they kiss at the last dance?

This continues building on the tension and increasing the stakes evermore.

Check out the suspenseful story from YouTuber, MissRemiAshten . The way she tells the story, we discover more and about her psycho neighbor and the incident gradually. A little bit of information about the neighbor is revealed at a time… not all at once.

Include a Cliffhanger

We’ve all had those moments at the end of an intense television show where we are shouting at the screen because it suddenly cut to black as the main characters were left in a precarious position. That emotional outburst is brought to us by a good cliffhanger, and a good cliffhanger can assure us that the audience will return for more.

But there needs to be more! A cliffhanger is a promise to the viewer that eventually they will be rewarded for their patience and it will be satisfying.

In this cliffhanger from Casey Neistat, he simply asks us a question, “Was that good?” This calls upon us to recall all the awesome YouTube videos we have seen created by filmmakers that aren’t considered “prestigious.” A cliffhanger does not have to end with an epic reveal; it can wrap up with loose ends and allow the audience to tie it up themselves.

How to Deliver a Good Cliffhanger

Applying good cliffhangers to your YouTube videos is a balancing act. You want to draw your audience in, but you also need to have a payoff that is worth the wait.

Done well, a cliffhanger will leave your audience wanting more. Done poorly, a cliffhanger will leave your audience feeling to mislead and a little ripped off, hesitant to listen to more stories from you.

A good cliffhanger does not have to be life or death, but it does have to be the moment the story has been leading up to.

Before you start telling your story, consider the key details that are most impactful.

Once you have the points you want to hit, plan out the reveal. Weave the story together, but withhold the pivotal details until the cliffhanger. Thendeliver it on camera confidently .

Here are two ways you can present your cliffhanger for amplified effect:

1. Slow Down and Have Pauses

As your story intensifies, bring the pace down — or stop completely. The silence becomes the cliffhanger. It can last a second or more, depending on how confident you are in the tension you have built.

Your next words or shots can be the reveal. If you are skilled enough, you can lead into another story one that connects to the previous. If you are trying this, make sure that in the end, the payoff has double the impact. The reveal needs to be twice as powerful if you are going to take the audience on another journey before wrapping up and answering the long-awaited questions.

2. Use Repetition

Whether you want to misdirect your audience or hammer home a point, using repetition throughout your story will help you build the tension you need to establish the cliffhanger.

In this example, we see YouTuber, A little bit of Monika uses both pace and repetition in her storytelling method.

The video starts off at a speedy pace, all the way until the last scene where the confrontation occurs. That’s her slowing down the story so that we are all anticipating the reveal. Is she or is she not actor, Saoirse Ronan?

Through this short video, the repetition of the name is used to show her confidence that her roommate is not who she said it is. The more affirming she becomes, the more likely we as the viewers are going to side with her. This is a simple example of misdirection.

The more you say something or show something, the more important it becomes for the audience — at least, you want it to appear important.

2. Use Empathy

A storyteller must be empathetic.

If your audience cannot empathize with what you are communicating, it would not have the intended effect. Storytelling is all about taking people out of their bodies and putting them in someone else’s.

If you are telling a story about the time your car broke down, you want people to empathize and feel the helplessness of being stuck on a highway, waving cars down to help.

Empathy makes people feel more human. Telling a story people can relate to, even if it didn’t happen to them, is a sign of a quality storyteller.

Don’t Use Too Many Facts and Figures

If you began your story by saying that 1/1,000 cars on the highway break down, that doesn’t evoke any major emotion. There is nothing human about it.

It’s an interesting stat, sure, but the audience is unsure how they should respond. Is that a lot? Is that because of the highway? Is it because of the drivers? Nobody knows… it’s numbered with no context.

However, if you told the story about that time you had to abandon your vehicle and walk down the highway in order to make your important appointment. Suddenly, the audience can empathize with the tribulations you have gone through.

Facts and figures are useful in reports, but not as much in compelling stories.

Evoke the Senses

If I talk about hot melting chocolate, standing in the rain, or the smell of your grandmother’s bedroom, your senses are activated. From all your life experiences, your brain is able to form familiar sensations without any physical changes to your surrounding. That’s the power of storytelling.

Good storytellers use these sensory details and descriptive imagery to spice up a story. This draws the audience in and gives them a more immersive experience when listening to your stories.

Ask yourself these questions:

- What does it smell like?

- What can you hear?

- What do you see?

- What can you physically feel?

This example from YouTuber, Kiril Dobrev perfectly exemplifies what sensory igniting storytelling can do. He illustrates the sensation of being in Hong Kong, not simply through visuals but physical motions and audio effects.

Use Metaphors

As a YouTube storyteller, sometimes you will have to communicate complex ideas. When that happens, use a metaphor to increase the impact.

If you are telling a story about how much you dislike your teacher, you can list off all the ways she is unlikable or you can sum it up with a line like this: “My teacher makes the school a prison.”

That is a metaphor comparing school to prison. Most people haven’t been to prison, but understand what the metaphor is insinuating. School is not a fun place to be because of that teacher.

By connecting two different things, you allow the audience to paint the image in their mind quickly. It doesn’t take a lot of words to create a memorable metaphor. I encourage you to use metaphors anytime you need to address something complicated.

3. Take the Audience on a Meaningful Journey

Perhaps the most important element of a good story is that the journey is meaningful.

- Is it educational?

- Is it entertaining?

- Is it motivational or inspiring?

Knowing how you want to leave your audience feeling is foresight that will improve your YouTube storytelling abilities. Before you start telling your tale, ask: How do I want to change my audience?

YouTuber, Jamie Windsor tells a few stories connected to creativity and plagiarism. Anyone who has ever created anything can relate to his story and thus his audience can empathize.

It is also clear as a viewer that at the end of this 15-minute long video, his audience will have gone on a meaningful journey with him.

His story is a cautionary tale. He wants to educate us so that we can avoid making the same mistakes he did. He used his real-life experience to teach us and that makes it a meaningful video to watch. That was a good story.

Are there any YouTubers that you consider to be fantastic storytellers? Please share it in the comments box below.

Select a Versatile Video Editing Software to Stand Up from Numerous YouTubers

Users worldwide highly recommend Filmora because it comes loaded with various features, which helps to discover the editing skills, add an image to the imagination, and empower creativity.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

In the distracting world, we live in, you need to be a good storyteller to grow your YouTube channel. Your audience is not going to stick around to watch your whole video if your content isn’t enticing or relatable. If you want to get people to watch all your videos, you need to get them emotionally invested with your stories.

Here are 3 methods for creating an awesome story:

• Method 1: CREATE SUSPENSE
• Method 2: USE EMPATHY
• Method 3: TAKE THE AUDIENCE ON A MEANINGFUL JOURNEY

1. Create Suspense

The hero has an objective, but the plan might fail.

The likelihood of something going wrong is what makes a story suspenseful. When you tell a suspenseful story, your audience will have a heightened focus and a strong motivation to continue listening. They want to know if the hero succeeds. Keep the audience waiting and expecting. Don’t give away the ending right away.

What Does a Suspenseful Story Sound Like?

When we talk about a story that is dragging on, it is because there is no suspense. There is nothing at stake, there are no obstacles, there is no problem and, with no problem, there is no promise of resolution.

Here are a few examples you can use to pump more suspense into your story:

- Address a fear (example: being alone for the prom)

- An objective (example: asking the crush out to the dance)

- Consequences of failing (example: being embarrassed in front of the whole school)

- Limited time (example: prom is next week)

- Obstacles (example: the crush has an aggressive ex.)

You can feel your heart rate speeding up simply thinking about the character’s story in the example. Does it have a happy ending or not? We want to know!

Raise Questions After Questions

A good storyteller knows that as soon as they answer a question for their audience, they need to present another one. The audience will always need to have a puzzle in their mind, one that needs to be solved. That is what will keep their interest.

For example: If the hero ends up going to the prom with his crush, the next big question can be: Will they kiss at the last dance?

This continues building on the tension and increasing the stakes evermore.

Check out the suspenseful story from YouTuber, MissRemiAshten . The way she tells the story, we discover more and about her psycho neighbor and the incident gradually. A little bit of information about the neighbor is revealed at a time… not all at once.

Include a Cliffhanger

We’ve all had those moments at the end of an intense television show where we are shouting at the screen because it suddenly cut to black as the main characters were left in a precarious position. That emotional outburst is brought to us by a good cliffhanger, and a good cliffhanger can assure us that the audience will return for more.

But there needs to be more! A cliffhanger is a promise to the viewer that eventually they will be rewarded for their patience and it will be satisfying.

In this cliffhanger from Casey Neistat, he simply asks us a question, “Was that good?” This calls upon us to recall all the awesome YouTube videos we have seen created by filmmakers that aren’t considered “prestigious.” A cliffhanger does not have to end with an epic reveal; it can wrap up with loose ends and allow the audience to tie it up themselves.

How to Deliver a Good Cliffhanger

Applying good cliffhangers to your YouTube videos is a balancing act. You want to draw your audience in, but you also need to have a payoff that is worth the wait.

Done well, a cliffhanger will leave your audience wanting more. Done poorly, a cliffhanger will leave your audience feeling to mislead and a little ripped off, hesitant to listen to more stories from you.

A good cliffhanger does not have to be life or death, but it does have to be the moment the story has been leading up to.

Before you start telling your story, consider the key details that are most impactful.

Once you have the points you want to hit, plan out the reveal. Weave the story together, but withhold the pivotal details until the cliffhanger. Thendeliver it on camera confidently .

Here are two ways you can present your cliffhanger for amplified effect:

1. Slow Down and Have Pauses

As your story intensifies, bring the pace down — or stop completely. The silence becomes the cliffhanger. It can last a second or more, depending on how confident you are in the tension you have built.

Your next words or shots can be the reveal. If you are skilled enough, you can lead into another story one that connects to the previous. If you are trying this, make sure that in the end, the payoff has double the impact. The reveal needs to be twice as powerful if you are going to take the audience on another journey before wrapping up and answering the long-awaited questions.

2. Use Repetition

Whether you want to misdirect your audience or hammer home a point, using repetition throughout your story will help you build the tension you need to establish the cliffhanger.

In this example, we see YouTuber, A little bit of Monika uses both pace and repetition in her storytelling method.

The video starts off at a speedy pace, all the way until the last scene where the confrontation occurs. That’s her slowing down the story so that we are all anticipating the reveal. Is she or is she not actor, Saoirse Ronan?

Through this short video, the repetition of the name is used to show her confidence that her roommate is not who she said it is. The more affirming she becomes, the more likely we as the viewers are going to side with her. This is a simple example of misdirection.

The more you say something or show something, the more important it becomes for the audience — at least, you want it to appear important.

2. Use Empathy

A storyteller must be empathetic.

If your audience cannot empathize with what you are communicating, it would not have the intended effect. Storytelling is all about taking people out of their bodies and putting them in someone else’s.

If you are telling a story about the time your car broke down, you want people to empathize and feel the helplessness of being stuck on a highway, waving cars down to help.

Empathy makes people feel more human. Telling a story people can relate to, even if it didn’t happen to them, is a sign of a quality storyteller.

Don’t Use Too Many Facts and Figures

If you began your story by saying that 1/1,000 cars on the highway break down, that doesn’t evoke any major emotion. There is nothing human about it.

It’s an interesting stat, sure, but the audience is unsure how they should respond. Is that a lot? Is that because of the highway? Is it because of the drivers? Nobody knows… it’s numbered with no context.

However, if you told the story about that time you had to abandon your vehicle and walk down the highway in order to make your important appointment. Suddenly, the audience can empathize with the tribulations you have gone through.

Facts and figures are useful in reports, but not as much in compelling stories.

Evoke the Senses

If I talk about hot melting chocolate, standing in the rain, or the smell of your grandmother’s bedroom, your senses are activated. From all your life experiences, your brain is able to form familiar sensations without any physical changes to your surrounding. That’s the power of storytelling.

Good storytellers use these sensory details and descriptive imagery to spice up a story. This draws the audience in and gives them a more immersive experience when listening to your stories.

Ask yourself these questions:

- What does it smell like?

- What can you hear?

- What do you see?

- What can you physically feel?

This example from YouTuber, Kiril Dobrev perfectly exemplifies what sensory igniting storytelling can do. He illustrates the sensation of being in Hong Kong, not simply through visuals but physical motions and audio effects.

Use Metaphors

As a YouTube storyteller, sometimes you will have to communicate complex ideas. When that happens, use a metaphor to increase the impact.

If you are telling a story about how much you dislike your teacher, you can list off all the ways she is unlikable or you can sum it up with a line like this: “My teacher makes the school a prison.”

That is a metaphor comparing school to prison. Most people haven’t been to prison, but understand what the metaphor is insinuating. School is not a fun place to be because of that teacher.

By connecting two different things, you allow the audience to paint the image in their mind quickly. It doesn’t take a lot of words to create a memorable metaphor. I encourage you to use metaphors anytime you need to address something complicated.

3. Take the Audience on a Meaningful Journey

Perhaps the most important element of a good story is that the journey is meaningful.

- Is it educational?

- Is it entertaining?

- Is it motivational or inspiring?

Knowing how you want to leave your audience feeling is foresight that will improve your YouTube storytelling abilities. Before you start telling your tale, ask: How do I want to change my audience?

YouTuber, Jamie Windsor tells a few stories connected to creativity and plagiarism. Anyone who has ever created anything can relate to his story and thus his audience can empathize.

It is also clear as a viewer that at the end of this 15-minute long video, his audience will have gone on a meaningful journey with him.

His story is a cautionary tale. He wants to educate us so that we can avoid making the same mistakes he did. He used his real-life experience to teach us and that makes it a meaningful video to watch. That was a good story.

Are there any YouTubers that you consider to be fantastic storytellers? Please share it in the comments box below.

Select a Versatile Video Editing Software to Stand Up from Numerous YouTubers

Users worldwide highly recommend Filmora because it comes loaded with various features, which helps to discover the editing skills, add an image to the imagination, and empower creativity.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

In the distracting world, we live in, you need to be a good storyteller to grow your YouTube channel. Your audience is not going to stick around to watch your whole video if your content isn’t enticing or relatable. If you want to get people to watch all your videos, you need to get them emotionally invested with your stories.

Here are 3 methods for creating an awesome story:

• Method 1: CREATE SUSPENSE
• Method 2: USE EMPATHY
• Method 3: TAKE THE AUDIENCE ON A MEANINGFUL JOURNEY

1. Create Suspense

The hero has an objective, but the plan might fail.

The likelihood of something going wrong is what makes a story suspenseful. When you tell a suspenseful story, your audience will have a heightened focus and a strong motivation to continue listening. They want to know if the hero succeeds. Keep the audience waiting and expecting. Don’t give away the ending right away.

What Does a Suspenseful Story Sound Like?

When we talk about a story that is dragging on, it is because there is no suspense. There is nothing at stake, there are no obstacles, there is no problem and, with no problem, there is no promise of resolution.

Here are a few examples you can use to pump more suspense into your story:

- Address a fear (example: being alone for the prom)

- An objective (example: asking the crush out to the dance)

- Consequences of failing (example: being embarrassed in front of the whole school)

- Limited time (example: prom is next week)

- Obstacles (example: the crush has an aggressive ex.)

You can feel your heart rate speeding up simply thinking about the character’s story in the example. Does it have a happy ending or not? We want to know!

Raise Questions After Questions

A good storyteller knows that as soon as they answer a question for their audience, they need to present another one. The audience will always need to have a puzzle in their mind, one that needs to be solved. That is what will keep their interest.

For example: If the hero ends up going to the prom with his crush, the next big question can be: Will they kiss at the last dance?

This continues building on the tension and increasing the stakes evermore.

Check out the suspenseful story from YouTuber, MissRemiAshten . The way she tells the story, we discover more and about her psycho neighbor and the incident gradually. A little bit of information about the neighbor is revealed at a time… not all at once.

Include a Cliffhanger

We’ve all had those moments at the end of an intense television show where we are shouting at the screen because it suddenly cut to black as the main characters were left in a precarious position. That emotional outburst is brought to us by a good cliffhanger, and a good cliffhanger can assure us that the audience will return for more.

But there needs to be more! A cliffhanger is a promise to the viewer that eventually they will be rewarded for their patience and it will be satisfying.

In this cliffhanger from Casey Neistat, he simply asks us a question, “Was that good?” This calls upon us to recall all the awesome YouTube videos we have seen created by filmmakers that aren’t considered “prestigious.” A cliffhanger does not have to end with an epic reveal; it can wrap up with loose ends and allow the audience to tie it up themselves.

How to Deliver a Good Cliffhanger

Applying good cliffhangers to your YouTube videos is a balancing act. You want to draw your audience in, but you also need to have a payoff that is worth the wait.

Done well, a cliffhanger will leave your audience wanting more. Done poorly, a cliffhanger will leave your audience feeling to mislead and a little ripped off, hesitant to listen to more stories from you.

A good cliffhanger does not have to be life or death, but it does have to be the moment the story has been leading up to.

Before you start telling your story, consider the key details that are most impactful.

Once you have the points you want to hit, plan out the reveal. Weave the story together, but withhold the pivotal details until the cliffhanger. Thendeliver it on camera confidently .

Here are two ways you can present your cliffhanger for amplified effect:

1. Slow Down and Have Pauses

As your story intensifies, bring the pace down — or stop completely. The silence becomes the cliffhanger. It can last a second or more, depending on how confident you are in the tension you have built.

Your next words or shots can be the reveal. If you are skilled enough, you can lead into another story one that connects to the previous. If you are trying this, make sure that in the end, the payoff has double the impact. The reveal needs to be twice as powerful if you are going to take the audience on another journey before wrapping up and answering the long-awaited questions.

2. Use Repetition

Whether you want to misdirect your audience or hammer home a point, using repetition throughout your story will help you build the tension you need to establish the cliffhanger.

In this example, we see YouTuber, A little bit of Monika uses both pace and repetition in her storytelling method.

The video starts off at a speedy pace, all the way until the last scene where the confrontation occurs. That’s her slowing down the story so that we are all anticipating the reveal. Is she or is she not actor, Saoirse Ronan?

Through this short video, the repetition of the name is used to show her confidence that her roommate is not who she said it is. The more affirming she becomes, the more likely we as the viewers are going to side with her. This is a simple example of misdirection.

The more you say something or show something, the more important it becomes for the audience — at least, you want it to appear important.

2. Use Empathy

A storyteller must be empathetic.

If your audience cannot empathize with what you are communicating, it would not have the intended effect. Storytelling is all about taking people out of their bodies and putting them in someone else’s.

If you are telling a story about the time your car broke down, you want people to empathize and feel the helplessness of being stuck on a highway, waving cars down to help.

Empathy makes people feel more human. Telling a story people can relate to, even if it didn’t happen to them, is a sign of a quality storyteller.

Don’t Use Too Many Facts and Figures

If you began your story by saying that 1/1,000 cars on the highway break down, that doesn’t evoke any major emotion. There is nothing human about it.

It’s an interesting stat, sure, but the audience is unsure how they should respond. Is that a lot? Is that because of the highway? Is it because of the drivers? Nobody knows… it’s numbered with no context.

However, if you told the story about that time you had to abandon your vehicle and walk down the highway in order to make your important appointment. Suddenly, the audience can empathize with the tribulations you have gone through.

Facts and figures are useful in reports, but not as much in compelling stories.

Evoke the Senses

If I talk about hot melting chocolate, standing in the rain, or the smell of your grandmother’s bedroom, your senses are activated. From all your life experiences, your brain is able to form familiar sensations without any physical changes to your surrounding. That’s the power of storytelling.

Good storytellers use these sensory details and descriptive imagery to spice up a story. This draws the audience in and gives them a more immersive experience when listening to your stories.

Ask yourself these questions:

- What does it smell like?

- What can you hear?

- What do you see?

- What can you physically feel?

This example from YouTuber, Kiril Dobrev perfectly exemplifies what sensory igniting storytelling can do. He illustrates the sensation of being in Hong Kong, not simply through visuals but physical motions and audio effects.

Use Metaphors

As a YouTube storyteller, sometimes you will have to communicate complex ideas. When that happens, use a metaphor to increase the impact.

If you are telling a story about how much you dislike your teacher, you can list off all the ways she is unlikable or you can sum it up with a line like this: “My teacher makes the school a prison.”

That is a metaphor comparing school to prison. Most people haven’t been to prison, but understand what the metaphor is insinuating. School is not a fun place to be because of that teacher.

By connecting two different things, you allow the audience to paint the image in their mind quickly. It doesn’t take a lot of words to create a memorable metaphor. I encourage you to use metaphors anytime you need to address something complicated.

3. Take the Audience on a Meaningful Journey

Perhaps the most important element of a good story is that the journey is meaningful.

- Is it educational?

- Is it entertaining?

- Is it motivational or inspiring?

Knowing how you want to leave your audience feeling is foresight that will improve your YouTube storytelling abilities. Before you start telling your tale, ask: How do I want to change my audience?

YouTuber, Jamie Windsor tells a few stories connected to creativity and plagiarism. Anyone who has ever created anything can relate to his story and thus his audience can empathize.

It is also clear as a viewer that at the end of this 15-minute long video, his audience will have gone on a meaningful journey with him.

His story is a cautionary tale. He wants to educate us so that we can avoid making the same mistakes he did. He used his real-life experience to teach us and that makes it a meaningful video to watch. That was a good story.

Are there any YouTubers that you consider to be fantastic storytellers? Please share it in the comments box below.

Select a Versatile Video Editing Software to Stand Up from Numerous YouTubers

Users worldwide highly recommend Filmora because it comes loaded with various features, which helps to discover the editing skills, add an image to the imagination, and empower creativity.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

In the distracting world, we live in, you need to be a good storyteller to grow your YouTube channel. Your audience is not going to stick around to watch your whole video if your content isn’t enticing or relatable. If you want to get people to watch all your videos, you need to get them emotionally invested with your stories.

Here are 3 methods for creating an awesome story:

• Method 1: CREATE SUSPENSE
• Method 2: USE EMPATHY
• Method 3: TAKE THE AUDIENCE ON A MEANINGFUL JOURNEY

1. Create Suspense

The hero has an objective, but the plan might fail.

The likelihood of something going wrong is what makes a story suspenseful. When you tell a suspenseful story, your audience will have a heightened focus and a strong motivation to continue listening. They want to know if the hero succeeds. Keep the audience waiting and expecting. Don’t give away the ending right away.

What Does a Suspenseful Story Sound Like?

When we talk about a story that is dragging on, it is because there is no suspense. There is nothing at stake, there are no obstacles, there is no problem and, with no problem, there is no promise of resolution.

Here are a few examples you can use to pump more suspense into your story:

- Address a fear (example: being alone for the prom)

- An objective (example: asking the crush out to the dance)

- Consequences of failing (example: being embarrassed in front of the whole school)

- Limited time (example: prom is next week)

- Obstacles (example: the crush has an aggressive ex.)

You can feel your heart rate speeding up simply thinking about the character’s story in the example. Does it have a happy ending or not? We want to know!

Raise Questions After Questions

A good storyteller knows that as soon as they answer a question for their audience, they need to present another one. The audience will always need to have a puzzle in their mind, one that needs to be solved. That is what will keep their interest.

For example: If the hero ends up going to the prom with his crush, the next big question can be: Will they kiss at the last dance?

This continues building on the tension and increasing the stakes evermore.

Check out the suspenseful story from YouTuber, MissRemiAshten . The way she tells the story, we discover more and about her psycho neighbor and the incident gradually. A little bit of information about the neighbor is revealed at a time… not all at once.

Include a Cliffhanger

We’ve all had those moments at the end of an intense television show where we are shouting at the screen because it suddenly cut to black as the main characters were left in a precarious position. That emotional outburst is brought to us by a good cliffhanger, and a good cliffhanger can assure us that the audience will return for more.

But there needs to be more! A cliffhanger is a promise to the viewer that eventually they will be rewarded for their patience and it will be satisfying.

In this cliffhanger from Casey Neistat, he simply asks us a question, “Was that good?” This calls upon us to recall all the awesome YouTube videos we have seen created by filmmakers that aren’t considered “prestigious.” A cliffhanger does not have to end with an epic reveal; it can wrap up with loose ends and allow the audience to tie it up themselves.

How to Deliver a Good Cliffhanger

Applying good cliffhangers to your YouTube videos is a balancing act. You want to draw your audience in, but you also need to have a payoff that is worth the wait.

Done well, a cliffhanger will leave your audience wanting more. Done poorly, a cliffhanger will leave your audience feeling to mislead and a little ripped off, hesitant to listen to more stories from you.

A good cliffhanger does not have to be life or death, but it does have to be the moment the story has been leading up to.

Before you start telling your story, consider the key details that are most impactful.

Once you have the points you want to hit, plan out the reveal. Weave the story together, but withhold the pivotal details until the cliffhanger. Thendeliver it on camera confidently .

Here are two ways you can present your cliffhanger for amplified effect:

1. Slow Down and Have Pauses

As your story intensifies, bring the pace down — or stop completely. The silence becomes the cliffhanger. It can last a second or more, depending on how confident you are in the tension you have built.

Your next words or shots can be the reveal. If you are skilled enough, you can lead into another story one that connects to the previous. If you are trying this, make sure that in the end, the payoff has double the impact. The reveal needs to be twice as powerful if you are going to take the audience on another journey before wrapping up and answering the long-awaited questions.

2. Use Repetition

Whether you want to misdirect your audience or hammer home a point, using repetition throughout your story will help you build the tension you need to establish the cliffhanger.

In this example, we see YouTuber, A little bit of Monika uses both pace and repetition in her storytelling method.

The video starts off at a speedy pace, all the way until the last scene where the confrontation occurs. That’s her slowing down the story so that we are all anticipating the reveal. Is she or is she not actor, Saoirse Ronan?

Through this short video, the repetition of the name is used to show her confidence that her roommate is not who she said it is. The more affirming she becomes, the more likely we as the viewers are going to side with her. This is a simple example of misdirection.

The more you say something or show something, the more important it becomes for the audience — at least, you want it to appear important.

2. Use Empathy

A storyteller must be empathetic.

If your audience cannot empathize with what you are communicating, it would not have the intended effect. Storytelling is all about taking people out of their bodies and putting them in someone else’s.

If you are telling a story about the time your car broke down, you want people to empathize and feel the helplessness of being stuck on a highway, waving cars down to help.

Empathy makes people feel more human. Telling a story people can relate to, even if it didn’t happen to them, is a sign of a quality storyteller.

Don’t Use Too Many Facts and Figures

If you began your story by saying that 1/1,000 cars on the highway break down, that doesn’t evoke any major emotion. There is nothing human about it.

It’s an interesting stat, sure, but the audience is unsure how they should respond. Is that a lot? Is that because of the highway? Is it because of the drivers? Nobody knows… it’s numbered with no context.

However, if you told the story about that time you had to abandon your vehicle and walk down the highway in order to make your important appointment. Suddenly, the audience can empathize with the tribulations you have gone through.

Facts and figures are useful in reports, but not as much in compelling stories.

Evoke the Senses

If I talk about hot melting chocolate, standing in the rain, or the smell of your grandmother’s bedroom, your senses are activated. From all your life experiences, your brain is able to form familiar sensations without any physical changes to your surrounding. That’s the power of storytelling.

Good storytellers use these sensory details and descriptive imagery to spice up a story. This draws the audience in and gives them a more immersive experience when listening to your stories.

Ask yourself these questions:

- What does it smell like?

- What can you hear?

- What do you see?

- What can you physically feel?

This example from YouTuber, Kiril Dobrev perfectly exemplifies what sensory igniting storytelling can do. He illustrates the sensation of being in Hong Kong, not simply through visuals but physical motions and audio effects.

Use Metaphors

As a YouTube storyteller, sometimes you will have to communicate complex ideas. When that happens, use a metaphor to increase the impact.

If you are telling a story about how much you dislike your teacher, you can list off all the ways she is unlikable or you can sum it up with a line like this: “My teacher makes the school a prison.”

That is a metaphor comparing school to prison. Most people haven’t been to prison, but understand what the metaphor is insinuating. School is not a fun place to be because of that teacher.

By connecting two different things, you allow the audience to paint the image in their mind quickly. It doesn’t take a lot of words to create a memorable metaphor. I encourage you to use metaphors anytime you need to address something complicated.

3. Take the Audience on a Meaningful Journey

Perhaps the most important element of a good story is that the journey is meaningful.

- Is it educational?

- Is it entertaining?

- Is it motivational or inspiring?

Knowing how you want to leave your audience feeling is foresight that will improve your YouTube storytelling abilities. Before you start telling your tale, ask: How do I want to change my audience?

YouTuber, Jamie Windsor tells a few stories connected to creativity and plagiarism. Anyone who has ever created anything can relate to his story and thus his audience can empathize.

It is also clear as a viewer that at the end of this 15-minute long video, his audience will have gone on a meaningful journey with him.

His story is a cautionary tale. He wants to educate us so that we can avoid making the same mistakes he did. He used his real-life experience to teach us and that makes it a meaningful video to watch. That was a good story.

Are there any YouTubers that you consider to be fantastic storytellers? Please share it in the comments box below.

Select a Versatile Video Editing Software to Stand Up from Numerous YouTubers

Users worldwide highly recommend Filmora because it comes loaded with various features, which helps to discover the editing skills, add an image to the imagination, and empower creativity.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett