She cracked the formula for viral storytelling

Key Concepts

Suspense: The primary driver of viewer retention and engagement in storytelling.
Billion View Formula: A structured approach to creating viral content, comprising a skeletal structure (Hook, Suspense, Payoff) and three "bolt-ons" (Raising the Stakes, Engagement Tactics, Testing).
90% Retention in First 6 Seconds: A critical metric for algorithmic success, indicating high initial engagement.
Curiosity Gap: The psychological principle of creating a gap in knowledge that compels viewers to seek resolution.
Combo Method: A technique for generating novelty and curiosity by combining two disparate elements.
Raising the Stakes: Increasing the perceived importance or risk of a story to make viewers care more.
Missy Elliot Method (Reverse Engineering): Designing content by starting with the desired emotional outcome or comment section, then building the story backward from the viewer's perspective.
Reps Game: The idea that consistent practice and output (repetitions) are more crucial than the amount of time spent, especially in content creation.

The Primacy of Suspense in Storytelling

Ellie Kinsman, a master storyteller with videos garnering over a billion views monthly, identifies suspense as the single most crucial element for viral content. She states, "I really think suspense is the separator between good storytellers and the best storytellers in the world." Suspense allows storytellers to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, making even mundane subjects captivating. Kinsman cites her mother-in-law as an example, who can romanticize everyday moments, making listeners curious about trivial details.

This concept is not new; it's "age-old," evident in biblical narratives, sitcoms, and movies, where a setup of hope, promise, and anticipation is followed by a prolonged wait for resolution. Suspense is what ultimately determines whether a viewer stays engaged or "scrolls away."

Techniques for Building Suspense and Engagement

To effectively build suspense and maintain viewer attention, Kinsman highlights several techniques:

Humor: Incorporating humor "widens the relatability" and makes the suspense enjoyable. It acts as "medicine" and keeps the content interesting.
Curiosity Gap: This goes "hand in hand" with suspense. The goal is to introduce a question or unresolved situation early on and maintain that gap throughout the story, compelling viewers to stay for the answer.
Enthusiasm and Love for the Story: Storytellers should demonstrate genuine enjoyment and passion for their narrative. As Kinsman explains, "You can cause somebody else to love something if you demonstrate love for it first." This "effortless ease" and charisma make the storyteller magnetic, even if the story itself isn't inherently fascinating. This is a learnable skill, not just a natural talent.
Finding Magic in the Ordinary (10x Principle): Kinsman and her husband achieved early viral success by taking "ordinary relatable moments and making them 10x extraordinary." Examples include a prolonged "stupid dad joke" about a "smoking toilet" (using a paper towel roll and toilet paper) or turning an apartment into a "barnyard for a day" to convince a spouse to get a dog. The key is to exaggerate relatable themes to create a "container and a story big enough for other people to see themselves inside."

The "Billion View Formula": Structure for Viral Content

Kinsman's "Billion View Formula" is a content operating system designed for consistent viral success. Its core principle is "Tension equals Retention."

Maintaining Tension and Focus:

North Star: Every story needs a clear "north star" or main point. All narrative beats must "add stakes to the main thing," avoiding irrelevant details that "distract the mind" and "break the tension." If the main "itch" isn't clear, the "payoff" will be meaningless.

The 90% Retention Goal:

First 6 Seconds: A direct insight from TikTok reps, achieving 90% retention in the first six seconds places content in the "top 1% of content being served up on the platform." This is a "lofty goal" but serves as a crucial "mindset and framework."
Subconscious Trigger: Viewers are constantly scrolling, waiting for a "subconscious trigger" that signals, "ooh, this is worth my time."
Meet People Where They're At: Social media users are primarily seeking entertainment, not documentaries. Content must be "widely relatable enough" and entertaining at the top to funnel viewers towards educational or specific messages.

The Combo Method:

This framework involves combining two things that don't belong together to create novelty, curiosity, and suspense.
Example 1 (Matches and Egg): Cracking an egg onto 200 matches with a single match about to light them, implying it will cook the egg. This held tension for 20 minutes.
Example 2 (Physical Therapy): Instead of a talking head on hamstring recovery, a physical therapist could draw a diagram on a patient's knee with a Sharpie, building curiosity before explaining arthritis pain and its origin. This provides a "physical demonstration" that is more memorable and engaging.
Example 3 (Life Coaching): For a life coach discussing trauma, filling a balloon labeled "your brain" with shaving cream, then attaching sticky notes representing life's stressors (family, finances), and finally threatening to pop it with a pin to illustrate how unresolved trauma can ruin aspects of life.
Authenticity: While the combo method can be "silly," Kinsman emphasizes, "you do not have to be silly, but you do have to be interesting." The method can be adapted to any niche by making the passion or message more engaging.

The Power of Visuals and Props:

Adding visuals and props is "huge" for creating "through lines" and hitting "more than one sense."
Example: True crime stories told while doing makeup. The auditory story is compelling, but the visual transformation of makeup application provides an additional "hook point" and "transformation happening visually."

Components of the Billion View Formula (Beyond the Hook)

The formula has a skeletal structure and three "bolt-ons":

Skeleton:
- Hook: Grabs attention immediately.
- Suspense: Maintains curiosity and tension.
- Payoff/Resolve: Delivers the conclusion or answer.
Three Bolt-ons:
- Raising the Stakes: This is crucial for determining "why people care." Kinsman identifies four main ways:
  - Props: Swapping a low-stakes item (quarter over water) for a high-stakes one (wedding ring over acid) instantly increases engagement.
  - Wardrobe: Clothing can subtly communicate context and need. Giving $1000 to someone in scrubs (first responder) or homeless attire (demonstrated by wardrobe) has higher stakes than giving it to someone in a three-piece suit.
  - Casting: Using unexpected characters, like a 9-year-old performing complex tasks (e.g., sales calls), powerfully demonstrates the simplicity or effectiveness of a framework.
  - Location: Changing the setting for an activity. Baking cookies in a kitchen is mundane, but doing it in a Target aisle or a car creates immediate curiosity and tension due to the unusual context.
- Engagement Tactics: (Not detailed in this transcript).
- Testing and Split Testing: (Not detailed in this transcript).

Generating Viral Story Ideas & Reverse Engineering Content

Don't Reinvent the Wheel: Instead of seeking entirely new ideas, study successful creators, understand their frameworks, and adapt them. "Nothing is new under the sun."
Subconscious Promise: Every hook must have a "curiosity gap" and "make people feel something." Viewers stop scrolling because they expect to be entertained, educated, or inspired.
Missy Elliot Method (Reverse Engineering): This involves designing videos backward. Instead of starting with the payoff, begin by defining the desired emotional response or comment section. Then, craft the video's opening by asking, "What are the first three seconds? The next three seconds?" This mimics the viewer's experience and ensures continuous engagement. For example, pitching an egg-cracking video in a kitchen is "boring," but doing it in a Target aisle with a nervous expression and an employee in the background creates immediate tension and curiosity.

AI and Storytelling

Kinsman sees AI primarily as a tool for B-roll and visuals, allowing creators to introduce suspense and interesting visuals without self-filming. For talking-head videos, AI can provide "instantaneously entertaining" graphics or B-roll that surpasses stock footage. Currently, her team still relies on humans for video creation, using AI more for "workflow development and maybe some ideation and and testing things in the research and R&D phase."

Final Tip for Better Storytelling

Kinsman's ultimate advice is that storytelling is a "reps game, not a time game." She references a study suggesting that the average number of uploads before hitting a million subscribers is over a thousand. This highlights the importance of consistent practice and output. "Everybody has at least 100 bad videos in them that they have to put out."

She shares the inspiring example of Katie Facori, who, after using Kinsman's formula, created a video about her fertility struggles that garnered 5.5 million views. This video, combining humor and vulnerability, resonated deeply, leading to a fertility clinic offering to pay for her entire treatment. This demonstrates that "it takes one video to change your life," and consistent effort increases the chances of that breakthrough.

Synthesis/Conclusion

Ellie Kinsman's approach to viral storytelling centers on the strategic application of suspense as the ultimate differentiator. Her "Billion View Formula" provides a comprehensive framework, emphasizing the critical importance of a strong hook that achieves 90% retention in the first six seconds, often through the Combo Method of combining disparate elements. Beyond the hook, the formula stresses raising the stakes through props, wardrobe, casting, and location to make viewers genuinely care. The Missy Elliot Method of reverse engineering content, starting with the desired emotional outcome, ensures that every element is designed to compel and retain. Ultimately, Kinsman underscores that consistent practice and a willingness to produce many videos—a "reps game"—are essential for any storyteller aiming for widespread impact and virality.