How Pictory.ai leverages Storyblocks to drive user growth and expand upmarket

Pictory.ai is a cutting-edge video creation platform that enables users to create highly engaging videos in minutes using the power of AI. Founded in 2019, they prides themselves on delivering a fast, scalable, and affordable tool for all users from content creators to creative professionals. Their biggest value proposition lies in Pictory.ai’s ability to repurpose existing content into a short-form video format.

To deliver this value, Pictory.ai integrates with the Storyblocks API to provide users access to Storyblocks’ curated library of over three million videos, through both a two-week free trial experience and the various paid subscriptions they offer to individuals and businesses. 

Pictory.ai first came to Storyblocks in 2019 when they were building the first version of their product, looking for a reliable, affordable, and high-quality stock media library that could serve as the backbone of their entire product offering.

The key thing we were looking for at the time was a library that offered an ‘all-you-can-eat subscription.’ Everything else was a per video license model, so the comprehensiveness of the Storyblocks subscription is what made it stand out.

Vikram Chalana

CEO of Pictory.ai

Since integrating with Storyblocks, Pictory.ai has built a premium product that continues to lead at the forefront of AI-powered video creation. The Storyblocks API integration has also enabled Pictory.ai to scale their user base exponentially, drive business success, and ultimately expand into larger markets as the use cases for the platform continue to grow.

How the Storyblocks API integration works

There are two main ways that Pictory.ai integrates with the Storyblocks API. Abid Ali, the Co-Founder and CPO of Pictory.ai, says those ways hinge on the four essential components of video creation. Pictory’s AI leverages the API 
to bring an extensive library of relevant visuals directly into users’ projects, streamlining the process of generating compelling videos without the need for manual searches.

Whenever a customer inputs their content in the form of a script on Pictory, our AI goes through that content, the context of that content, and then finds the best matching visuals for that script. Then, it creates a storyboard for the user in a matter of a few seconds.

Abid Ali

Co-Founder and CPO of Pictory.ai

The second way Pictory integrates with Storyblocks is in cases where the 
AI may not select the most suitable visual. In that scenario, Pictory.ai offers users a user-friendly search and filtering option that allows users to easily browse through Storyblocks’ content and choose specific visuals that align with their desired aesthetic and messaging.

This combination of automated curation and user-driven search ensures a seamless and satisfying experience for Pictory’s users – one that drives customer satisfaction 
and keeps users coming back for more.

Proven value drives user growth

Currently, Pictory.ai has paying customers that use their platform, with a wide range of different use cases and segments. But the road to achieving user growth wasn’t easy. While Pictory.ai initially offered customers unlimited Storyblocks content via the API, they tried switching to a pay-per-asset offering for a while to see if the variable pricing could reduce overall costs. However, after the change was met with strong customer dissatisfaction, the team quickly reverted to Storyblocks.

“We went from 50 customers to 5,000 customers in just three months. A consistent thing that we kept hearing was that they want Storyblocks. That was such a resounding message from our customer community that we had to bring Storyblocks back.” – Vikram Chalana, CEO of Pictory.ai

Ali notes that the user growth was also driven by people who migrated to Pictory.ai from another competitor who had also used Storyblocks as part of their core product offering. That meant there was the continued expectation to deliver the same level of quality content – and Storyblocks was the only solution.

“Those customers who were using that software were in love with it and the offering that they got through Storyblocks. They wanted to have a similar experience in Pictory because they love Pictory, too. The missing piece was Storyblocks.” – Abid Ali, Co-Founder and CPO of Pictory.ai

Business success enables upmarket expansion

Integrating Storyblocks’ library has proven vital for Pictory’s growth, supporting key metrics like ongoing user engagement. The extensive selection of stock content helps Pictory convert trial users into paid subscribers faster by letting them achieve professional-quality videos from day one.

“Over the past three years, we’ve had customers generate about 15 million videos. I would say each one of them has had at least one Storyblocks asset in there.” – Vikram Chalana, CEO of Pictory.ai

This access to Storyblocks’ media has also enabled Pictory’s move upmarket, particularly 
in industries such as education and corporate training where quality visuals are key. Both Chalana and Ali told a story about a professor who created a podcast for an educational course and had his students listen to it. But the students didn’t pay attention, forcing the professor to find a creative way to adapt his material. Using Pictory.ai, he instantly converted that podcast into an engaging video, and as Chalana notes, the professor reported that students were immediately “glued to the screen.”

“In education, it’s all about engagement. That’s how you can keep your audience hooked to the content that you’re creating. The role a partner like Storyblocks plays is invaluable.” – Abid Ali, Co-Founder and CPO of Pictory.ai

A reliable resource for continued innovation

Storyblocks has been a powerful ally in helping Pictory.ai drive product innovation and give users a seamless way to create standout video content. With new features like PowerPoint 
to video, Pictory.ai is redefining what’s possible in video creation. As they expand with features like screen recording, Pictory.ai is on track to deliver faster, smarter content solutions for every user. “We are very excited about our product roadmap,” Ali says. With Storyblocks as a trusted partner, Pictory.ai is fully prepared to continue innovating across 
the video creation landscape.