This article comes from Dan Gable’s insightful talk at our 2023 Customer Marketing Summit in London, check out his full presentation.

Creating impactful customer story videos is more than just hitting record—it's about connecting with your audience on a deeper level. 

I'm Dan Gable, founder of ShoutOut, an automated video creation platform, and Sprat, a traditional video production company. With nearly 40 years in the content creation industry, I’ve seen firsthand how the right approach to video can drive meaningful engagement. 

In this article, I'll share my personal framework for video success, focusing on authenticity, relevance, video length, and the power of episodic content. I'll guide you through strategies that turn ordinary videos into compelling narratives that truly connect with your audience. 

The power of video in customer stories

The first question I often get is, "Why video?" It's a big question, and a good one. 

Sometimes, in customer story conversations, it feels like we start with the answer and then look for the question. But the reality is that video isn't always the solution. However, I believe video holds a unique importance when it comes to customer stories.

Video allows you to form relationships with people easily, even with those you’ve never met in person. Think about all the people you feel like you know because you've seen them on video—you’ve likely developed opinions about them based solely on what you’ve seen and heard. 

That's the beauty of video. It combines both visual and auditory information simultaneously, allowing you to connect with others quickly.

With video, you can really get a sense of who someone is. You can see their expressions, hear their tone of voice, and even gauge their authenticity—things that are much harder to discern through written communication alone. This makes video an incredibly powerful tool for building trust and understanding in a way that other mediums simply can't match.

From influencers to experts

There are many types of video content—live, traditional (what I call "constructed" videos), edited videos, and user-generated content. I want to focus on the shift we're seeing in constructed videos and user-generated content.

A massive shift is happening in social media that everyone should be aware of. Social media algorithms are changing; it used to be that you could go viral based on the number of followers you had, which is where the idea of the "influencer" was born. 

But now, that’s changing. The concept of the influencer is actually fading away, replaced by the "content creator." Social platforms have realized that a large follower count doesn’t necessarily mean good content. If the content is poor, people won’t stay on the platform. 

These platforms are now favoring quality content over follower numbers. This is a hugely important shift that not enough people are talking about.

Another interesting trend is the change in who holds influence. It used to be celebrities and famous influencers who drove trends. But now, the real power is shifting to subject matter experts and nano-influencers—people like you and me.

These changes aren’t just about creating traditional customer stories anymore. It’s also about the rise of bite-sized content, which is exploding thanks to platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. These platforms are no longer just for kids; they’re for adults, too. 

The algorithms are designed to feed you content that’s relevant to you, which makes it an incredibly powerful tool for reaching specific audiences.

The really exciting thing is that this shift opens up new possibilities for how you can use video. Instead of just focusing on telling your customers' stories, you can facilitate their stories. You can invite your customers to show up on social media and provide value to others. 

They’re all experts in their own right, and they have their own captive audiences. Whether this content is branded by you or simply facilitated by you, it’s an interesting opportunity to expand your reach and influence.

One of the challenges with customer advocacy is that you can exhaust your advocates by constantly asking for customer stories. But now, with the changes in social algorithms, there’s a new way to build their brand by enabling them to create their own content. It’s probably the best ever time to do this. 

Your social team should be your best friends because they’re always looking for great content, and you’re in a perfect position to provide it.