Let’s think about
how we got here.
When the Internet first hit marketing
we did what people always do when
they start playing with new media.
We took what we were good
at doing in old media and then
ported it over to the web.
So our
eBooks
look
like
books.
Our slideshares
look like presentations.
And our
whitepapers
look like,
well,
whitepapers.
What we didn’t do was get good
at using digital media to do the
things only digital media can do.
So just when we need new
ways to tell our stories,
it’s important we realize…
Our ‘better way of doing
things’ is staring us right
in the face.
Because a screen is so much
more than just digital paper.
A screen is
a window.
It has height.
It has breadth.
It has
depth.
A screen can suck you in.
It has physical character
when we want it.
And digital freedom
when we need it.
It can send
different readers in
different directions.
Pick a route
So you can say one thing to
one group and another thing
to another group.
It can follow your
story all the way down
into the weeds.
So you can let some of
your readers drill deeper.
That might seem like
a nice-to-have.
But when you tell your reader they
can drill deeper, you’re telling them
your story’s worth a deeper dive.
And rewarding them
for wanting more.
A screen can even make
the marketers behind it a
whole lot smarter.
This is all the
data generated
by you, right now.
Cool, right?
Go on, move
your mouse around.
Mouse-X: 000
Mouse-Y: 000
Elapsed time: 0
Total slides read: 0
Total unique slides read: 0
Slide child position: 0
Slide clicks – random: 0
Slide clicks – targeted: 0
Slide position: 0
Slide url: 0
Time on previous slide: 0
Average time on slides: 0
Put simply, a screen gives us
everything we need to blow our
reader’s socks off.
Make no mistake:
our listicles and whitepapers
and blog posts and eBooks
and slideshares and case
studies all do important jobs.
But in our bid to standardize
and industrialize content
marketing – we’ve fallen into
a dangerous trap.
We’ve made it predictable.
And
predictable
will
never
beat
surprising.
If we want our stories
to be surprising,
our storytelling needs
to be surprising too.
So let’s use screens
to do what only screens
can do.
So our audiences
can appreciate what
only we can do.
"The old way of doing things made sense.
Until the world changed.
Now there’s a new way of doing things.
And it makes a lot more sense."
This is a Velocity String.
It’s a format we’ve been working on
to tell more engaging B2B technology stories.
We’re pretty excited about it.
Tell me more
Beam me back up
It’s based on the open source framework
Reveal.js and it combines deep interactivity
with granular measurability to give B2B
marketers the swagger their stories deserve.
Tell us what you think.
(We can even get a
form in this thing.)
Opt in to our crap?
Some strings we’ve done for clients
Some strings we’ve done for clients
Thanks for stringing.
Go on… share this sucker.
(make our day)
Overview
There was a time when just telling your innovation story was enough. But when the world’s drowning in a flood of innovation stories, we need to start thinking about new ways to tell them.
It’s an example of a new format we’ve developed called a Velocity String. You can read all about it here, when you’re done: A New Content Format.
We’d love to hear what you think – comments welcome. (And extra karma points for sharing.)
Enjoyed this article?
Take part in the discusion
We will send the latest stuff written just for B2B content marketers exactly like you. Sound good?
A step-by-step, fill-in-the-blanks guide to a new, unified Go-To-Market that slam-dunks your wildest KPIs
The new B2B GTM playbook unites brand and performance into one glorious revenue engine. Here are 8 essential rules for B2B’s brand-driven era.
Drinking the Kool-Aid may be the single most undermining dynamic in B2B marketing. Let’s fix that.
Hey look: a teeny-tiny cookie request. Would you mind? It’d help us out. Click here to read our privacy policy to see why. Or hit “customize” if you’re fancy like that.
Some of these cookies are essential, while others help us to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used.
For more detailed information on the cookies we use, please check our privacy policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.
Analytical cookies help us to improve our website by collecting and reporting information on its usage.
Avertising cookies help us to understand if you visited our site after seeing or clicking an online advert.
Personanlization cookies help us to provide you with a personalized browsing experience.
Comments
Renato Kestener Wunderman April 11th, 2017
Following Velocity for a while already and I can say that your job is the best out there (specially considering the B2B approach). Keep going!
Cheers!
Harendra Kapur April 11th, 2017
Ah jeez that’s lovely, thanks Renato. 🙂
Laurie Wood Manitou Springs School District 14 April 11th, 2017
Schools, bastion of traditional delivery systems, talk about using technology and educating next generation on use of technology yet we are woefully behind the curve in both areas.
Shared this with our leadership and tech department, good timing as we are revamping our web presence and deciding on new marketing tools.
Always learn something when Kessler is around!!
Harendra Kapur April 11th, 2017
Thanks so much for the comment, Laurie! I’m sure you guys will do great things with the new tools.
Lee Kessler Analytic Partners. April 11th, 2017
This is great! I’m still dubious about String Theory, but string practice is exciting as hell.
Harendra Kapur April 12th, 2017
Cheers, Lee!
Tamas Torok April 12th, 2017
This is the best content I have seen so far this year! Great job.
Quick question: is this content indexed by search engines or is it worth putting a transcript below the presentation?
Harendra Kapur April 12th, 2017
That is high praise! 🙂
Every page is indexed so the format’s great for SEO too.
Harendra Kapur April 13th, 2017
Tamas, my bad, I described that inaccurately. Google doesn’t index every page – it’s more like one big page with live text (so they do index it just not on separate pages).
Asif Ideas Without Borders April 12th, 2017
As always, excellent stuf,f, guys. You never fail to engage and inspire with your content. Keeping a keen eye on my Inbox for the next big thing from Velocity. Cheers.
Harendra Kapur April 12th, 2017
That means a lot, thanks so much Asif. 🙂
Paul Typeform April 12th, 2017
You guys are always inspiring me. Shared with the team and one of our product owners loved the stats slide. Very clever.
Looking forward to more next-level content.
Harendra Kapur April 12th, 2017
Paul, this has totally made our day – we’re all huge Typeform fans in the office so to get a compliment from you guys means loads. Thanks so much.
Michael Curzon-Berners April 12th, 2017
Velocity, you continue to blow my mind.
Harendra Kapur April 13th, 2017
Cheers, Michael.
D Smulevich May 2nd, 2017
EPIC! Absolutely love both the format and the content
Harendra Kapur May 3rd, 2017
Daniele! Cheers, man.
Nandor Polymorph Studios May 18th, 2017
Just curious about the code used for the presentation. Its very flexible – visually engaging and not as cumbersome as a slideshow sometimes can be.
Was it a custom script, or is it based on an already existing snippet?
Love your work,
Doug Kessler May 22nd, 2017
Hi Nandor
Thanks!
The String format is based on a framework called reveal.js.
Check it out!
Genna Lot 86 Media May 18th, 2017
Love your style and innovation!
One suggestion: second last slide: “Opt in to our crap” – “Opt in” should be hyphenated: Opt-in 🙂 Sorry, it’s a ‘grammar nerd’ thing… I can’t help myself.
Doug Kessler May 22nd, 2017
Thanks Genna!
Much appreciated.
(We’ll have to agree to disagree about “opt in”, though… ).
Renae Gregoire The Write Idea / The Yes Advantage May 18th, 2017
Several years ago, your B2B Marketing Manifesto changed the way I thought about information delivery; I share it as an example of a kick-ass content format with all of my clients! I’m now starting to share your “string” idea, too, despite my worry that you’ll steal my clients 🙂 Your stuff inspires me, and is too good not to share. Keep it coming!
Doug Kessler May 22nd, 2017
So… exactly which clients?
(Kidding: thanks for your kind words. Made our day!)
Pooja Mehra ChaaiPani May 25th, 2017
Thanks for this amazing article.
Doug Kessler June 13th, 2017
Thank YOU for an amazing comment!
Rebecca LPUK June 8th, 2017
Flippin’ marvelous!
Nick Nick Hill Consultancy July 2nd, 2017
This all sounds great. Do you have suggestions for how non-marketing industries could embrace the new kind of media messaging?
Doug Kessler July 25th, 2017
Thanks Nick.
The concept is exactly the same.
We’ve used this new format for five or six tech companies (there are some links at the end of the piece) and it’s working really well.
No reason it shouldn’t work in any market!
Sarah August 17th, 2017
As I was watching, I was thinking “How did they do this? I want to do this!” And they you told me. Great work – exciting project!
Sarah August 17th, 2017
then^
Doug Kessler August 21st, 2017
Thanks, Sarah! We talk more about the Strong format in this post: https://velocitypartners.com/blog/new-content-format-velocity-string/
Sheikh Connected Pictures August 30th, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this Doug! Appreciate the effort that went into making it and absolutely loved the reminders that we need to think of in the B2B space.
Gary John McGeown Ni SEO Company February 26th, 2018
Like you work Doug, and firmly agree that to hold any attention or position that you to STAND OUT!
😉
Gary
Doug Kessler February 27th, 2018
Thanks, Gary! Harry Kapur wrote this one (And Dan Buxton designed it).
Jonny allum Savage Spanner August 21st, 2019
Guys, my business partner put me onto your site and I have to say I’m blown away. Reading through this site for hours now, have not been bored at any stage. I’ve been doing our brand marketing and learning every day, today I have learnt so much. We will be in touch in the future and would absolutely love to work with you. Hopefully you can help us take over the world!
Thanks Guys..best website I’ve visited
Harendra Kapur August 21st, 2019
That’s just made our week! Thanks so much Jonny
Mayank Gulati ContentNinja October 5th, 2021
This is so insanely good that I’m sad.
“Why didn’t I come across this earlier?”
“Why didn’t we think of this?”
“Who do I need to sell my soul to for ideas this great?”
Phenomenal. Can’t wait to try it out.