Part 2: Storytelling, Specifics, and Saying it Your Way
In Part 1 of this series, I shared how creating 30 YouTube videos taught me just as much about websites as it did about video.
Knowing your strategy, keeping things simple, and starting with what you already have? All of that applies whether you’re building a channel or a homepage.
But some of the most interesting lessons came once I started pressing “record” more often. The more I tried to get my thoughts across clearly - and in a way that felt like me - the more I started noticing what worked and what didn’t.
I'm not in any way a YouTube expert at this point.
I just know I stayed intimidated by YouTube for a long time, and if there are things I've learned that can you get started - with YouTube OR a website - then writing these posts has been worth it.
So from that perspective, here are three more things I’ve learned (and re-learned) that apply to both video and websites.
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Work From an Outline, Not a Script
At first, I tried scripting every word of my videos.
And what I found was that - at least in getting started with videos - it didn’t work for me.
Reading word-for-word made it harder to connect.
I’d forget a line, or the phrasing would trip me up, or I’d start over halfway through because it didn’t sound like how I actually talk.
The words got in the way of the message.
So I shifted. Now, I plan with an outline instead.
Usually, I know what I want to say. I’ll write down the hook, a few key points, and maybe a phrase or two that I want to get just right. And then I just talk.
I know the ideas, and I trust that if I’ve thought them through, I can say them clearly enough. It might not be perfect, but it’s real - and that helps me actually finish and publish the thing.
Will I go back to scripts at some point?
Maybe. Some people do well with them, especially using teleprompters or when their content is super technical. But for now, this approach has helped me keep going.
The same goes for websites.
Templates are helpful. Best practices are helpful.
But the words on your homepage don’t have to sound like they were copy-pasted from someone else’s idea of what a homepage should say.
You don’t need to follow a script, you need to follow your own message.
Let structure guide you, not silence you.
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Say What You Actually Do (Specifically)
One of the biggest changes I’ve made over the past year - on video, on my website, and in client projects - is being more specific.
And not just with product details or SEO keywords, but with the language we use to describe what we do. Because here’s the thing:
Specificity builds connection.
I see a lot of websites and video intros where people say things like:
- “Helping you live your best life.”
- “Tools to support your journey.”
- “Reach your goals with confidence.”
Okay, sure - but what does that mean?
If you're a coach, say you’re a coach.
If you help artists get organized, say that.
If you sell boots and denim, say "boots and denim," not “stylish staples.”
(Can you describe them as stylish staples? Yes, absolutely. But don't forget to be clear too - and usually first.)
This is something I’ve had to work on in my own messaging, too.
Being clear and specific helps your people say, “Oh, this is for me.”
And if your audience can’t say that quickly, they’ll probably move on.
It’s not personal. It’s just the reality of short attention spans and too many open tabs.
So when I plan my videos now - or help my clients with content - I try to ask:
Would someone seeing this for the first time actually understand what I do, who it’s for, and how I can help?
And even more importantly: Would they recognize themselves in it?
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Share Just Enough Story
This one is still a work in progress. Ok, to be clear - they all are.
I love stories. I love examples. And when I’m planning a video, I often come up with several that could fit a topic.
In fact, there are times I’ve recorded entire stories about a past client or a situation that perfectly illustrates the point I’m trying to make.
Like the client who had multiple audiences and needed their website to speak to each one clearly - I’ll start describing all the different segments, all the details about their needs, and how we worked through that.
And then, when I go back to edit, I end up cutting most of it.
Not because the story’s wrong, but because long stories can weigh a video down.
The best ones are short, to the point, and make a clear connection to what you’re trying to teach or explain.
So I’ve started asking:
What’s the essential part of this story?
What’s the moment or quote or outcome that drives the point home?
The rest can go.
Websites work the same way. You may have an amazing backstory, or years of experience, or a unique journey that led to your work, but your About page doesn’t need to be your autobiography.
Your homepage doesn’t need your whole origin story.
Just share what your audience needs to know - enough for them to connect, understand, and take the next step.
Coming Up in Part 3:
In the final part of this series, I’ll be sharing three more things I’m still learning:
- How to think about flow and pacing, both on video and in your website navigation
- Why it helps to check your data (even if you’re not a “numbers” person)
- And a lesson I didn’t want to learn
If you’re curious about the YouTube series that kicked off this whole reflection, you can catch all 10 videos from Back to Website School here:
Watch the full playlist
