By JHANE CAGO
Global Business Journalism reporter
As short-form videos gain traction in news production, more news audiences are turning to platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram Reels for news consumption, as noted in the 2024 Reuters Institute Digital News Report.
This trend underscores the necessity for journalists to adapt their storytelling techniques across various media formats.
To thrive in this evolving landscape, journalists can draw inspiration from successful content creators who have mastered the art of creating an engaging and concise content.
Here are seven strategies, complete with examples, that can help transform traditional reporting into compelling short-form videos:
1. Capture attention in the first three seconds
The first three seconds of your video reel function as your lead paragraph in newswriting. A strong "hook" can determine whether viewers stay or scroll through your content.
How can you hook the viewers? Here are some ideas.
Use Stickers: News outlets like Radio Free Asia (@radiofreeasia) use text overlays at the start of their videos, immediately informing viewers of the topic.
Start with the action: Videos published in Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros’ (@senrisahontiveros) TikTok account jump straight into the most pressing arguments from congressional hearings on human trafficking in the Philippines within the first few seconds of the video to draw viewers in. Those dramatic moments providing compelling drama and convinced viewers to continue watching.
Senator Risa Hontiveros’ TikTok video from a congressional hearing on human trafficking in the Philippines Employ rising audio: Platforms like Vice News (@vicenews) rely on mysterious and escalating background music in the video to ensure viewers remain captivated from start to finish. Combining dramatic text, visually arresting images and a soundtrack that rises in volume overloads the senses and is difficult to turn away from.
After hooking the audience, the video must rely on sound storytelling tools to keep the viewers' attention.
This audio technique has become a hallmark of Vice News’ across all its videos.
2. Prioritize visual storytelling
In the realm of reels, visuals often speak louder than words. Unlike in traditional broadcast journalism where the anchor is the focal point, audiences on TikTok and Instagram prioritize the compelling background elements that enhance the narrative. Here are a few options:
Animated explainers: Creators like Zack Films (@zackfilms) employ vibrant animations to tell a story in a simple and visually appealing manner.
Dynamic backgrounds: A Chinese content creator known for her narration of Chinese culture, Dr. Candise Lin (@candiselin), blends her on-camera presence with a rich array of supporting images and video clips to keep her Vice News TikTok Video using mysterious audio backgroundaudience engaged.
Animated graphs: Vox News (@vox) animates the graphics in this their explainer videos to make complex data more engaging and easier for the audience to understand.
3. Add a skit for relatability
Traditional journalism might resist skits, but social media thrives on creativity. Journalists can take creative cues from content creators like Omar Agamy (@Omaragammy), who presents news in engaging and entertaining ways.
He kicks off his videos with a simple yet effective question: “How are you?”
By personifying countries or events in playful yet informative ways, he simplifies complex issues and creates a sense of relatability with his audience.
4. Emphasize emotions and imagination
Emotions are powerful storytelling tools. You can draw viewers into engaging videos by appealing to their feelings. Two examples:
Relate the story back to them: Connect the story to your audience by explaining its relevance to them, and think about ending with a moral or key takeaway. Nuseir Yassin, known as "Nas Daily" (@nasdaily), creates simple, engaging videos that evoke emotions by using words like "sad" and "angry." He also often ends his videos by asking questions that encourage audience interaction.
Play with their imagination: Let your audience think in the same world as you. Cleo Abram (@cleoabram) creates engaging videos on science and technology that prompt viewers to think about the world’s scientific advancements. This approach adds authenticity and helps viewers connect more deeply with the content.
5. End with a strong call to action
Engagement doesn’t stop at the content itself — it's about fostering dialogue. Reader engagement in traditional reporting often ends when the story is published, leaving the interaction one-sided. But in social media, your audience are your collaborators in the story.
Conclude your video by inviting viewers to participate.
Ask for Insights: Encourage your audience to share their thoughts, tips, or personal stories related to the topic in the comments.
Direct them to additional resources: Guide your audience to related resources, such as blog posts, articles, or previous videos that expand on the topic. Dylan Page (@dylanpage), known as "News Daddy," often shows the sources he used for his news stories in the background, allowing viewers to explore the full articles later.
Journalists can effectively transform traditional news reporting into dynamic short-form videos that resonate with modern audiences through these strategies.
Embracing creativity and engagement will foster the viewer’s deeper understanding of the issues at hand, ensuring that important stories reach and impact a wider audience.
Maintaining journalistic integrity while adapting to the informal nature of social media is essential. As Tsinghua University Professor Lee Miller emphasizes, “Give them a reason to click on your story.”
Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that the news stories we present are easily understood by the audience. While creating engaging content is crucial for capturing attention, it is equally important to uphold clarity and integrity in our reporting.
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