Are You Using Storytelling on Social Media – Tap into Emotion and Self-Need

From an early age, we are told stories. Those that resonate with us at an emotional level are remembered and they come to transcend into something more meaningful. When we’re discussing social media marketing strategies, and in particular those that work the best, it’s storytelling which plays a key role in many of them.

The ability to tell a story can involve many things. For some, it’s a simple beginning, middle, and end. For others, it’s about introducing a conflict and resolving. It can be a moral lesson, entertainment, abstract, or strongly emotional. When you’re building a brand on social media, your ability to tell a story should be front and center. When a user sees a brand as more than commerce and a representation of something with true meaning – that’s when they click, convert, and start to associate themselves with a brand.

What’s the best storytelling strategy for social media marketing?

You social media posts should deliver a rich message, delivered in a story. Seeing the same sort of sales pitch that every other brand like yours has isn’t going to win you as much attention as telling a story. But what story do you tell – well, one that resonates and that hinges on who your audience is. Your story also must be authentic which relies on you and what your company represents. The best stories connect a real, truthful company message to the interests and emotions of the intended user.

What type of social media marketing content can I use to tell a story?

Social media posts comprise of written posts, blogs, video, images, infographics, and more. Everything you post should have its own mini-story to it. Think about how a piece of content supports or represents your brand. If you can hook people with a story or a series of stories surrounding a product, service, or focal point of your brand, you’re already on the way to accomplishing your goal which is ultimately to get their click, whether that’s in the form of a comment, follow, like, share, or otherwise.

What’s the most effective piece of social content to post?

Video receives the most likes, shares, and comments of any type of content on social media. Analyzing why, one very quickly comes to the conclusion that two things are happening. First, consumers want video. For most, it’s their preferred content type. Secondly, video shows storytelling, it doesn’t tell it or dictate it. Video communicates a level of emotion in an interpretation that a written post or blog cannot match. Although you should use a diverse collection of post types when working on your company’s social media, don’t be shocked at video consistently outperforming other content.

How do I know my social media content is good enough?

If every second counted, would you write or create content any differently – an important question only because every second does count. Assume your customer is ready to click elsewhere when they land on your social media post. Do you have enough excitement to effectively capture their attention and keep it there – with every post, aim to be better. Every second in a video and every word on a post counts. Make it clear, inviting, engaging, and encouraging a click.

How can I inspire my own creativity as a social media storyteller?

On the spot, you might not be able to come up with a story that delivers your message. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of inspiration out there, especially if you’re an established company. Here are some areas to look for, on what storytelling devices to use on social media.

 What’s the story of your company? How did your company come to be? Outside of successful sales and revenues, a brand has got to stand for something. Tell the origin story behind you, your company, where the idea came from, and the good it puts into the world.
 How does your product or service cure a problem – that’s your story. Can you write a mini story of 3 lines or less around the concept? It can be pure fiction as long as it’s communicating the right message. In a sense, you’re drafting a script for your user to see themselves in.
 What is the true meaning of a product or service? Ask yourself how a product was initially created and for what purpose. Connect with the bare essential idea that motivated the invention of a product or service.
 What’s your genuine cause? If your brand is partnered with a charity organization or initiative, this sort of philanthropy is a strong brand-building strategy. Share the true stories behind the good you’re putting out in the world through your products, services, or donations to a cause of your choosing.
 How does your product or service fit into the lifestyle of your consumer? If you know your audience well enough, you should have a firm grasp on their wants, needs, and lifestyle choices. Whether they are parents, families, athletes, pet owners, homeowners, businesspersons, students, or otherwise, write a story that fits you into their lives.

How do I know my social media marketing is working?

Look at your social media analytics page. You should see the amount of likes, shares, and comments there. If there are a certain category of posts that are generating more activity than others, you know that it may serve you better to put future posts under that category. Comparatively, if you find that no social media marketing posts are getting clicks and you don’t know what to do, your entire strategy may need an overhaul. If this is the case, don’t be discouraged. Success comes and goes on social media, with even the most successful brands eventually having to pivot to new approaches. This just becomes your latest transition.

How can I use storytelling on social media to get me more followers?

If you really want to make an impact with storytelling, don’t keep it to the usual channels. As wonderful as short, succinctly worded social posts are, you also want to occasionally share pictures and graphics, engage in more dynamic features like launching a live stream, or promoting a social media contest. Anyone who wants new followers should look at fresh ways to connect with your existing user base because it’s your current followers that are your most effective strategy at growing that base. If there’s passion and fun in your fan base, others won’t think twice about engaging with these sort of messages either.

What’s the best way to be authentic on social media?

Although we wouldn’t advocate for anyone to focus exclusively on ephemeral content, it receives high points on the authenticity scale. If you feel like you want to go the extra mile in providing your user base with authenticity, one of the best ways is through unrehearsed momentary storytelling on live video or through content opportunities like Snapchat Stories, Facebook Stories, Instagram Stories, and elsewhere. This content disappears after a certain time which means you can be a little looser with it. Being a live video, you also don’t need to invest much in a professional production. Ultimately, this is a fine way to create social media user relationships and foster intimacy on a limited budget.

How can I get users attention with a social media marketing campaign?

Be interesting. No one likes dull, boring content. They want something that’s going to cause laughter, make them shed a tear, or get them to think. If you can reach your users at a base emotional level, you increase the likelihood of a click many times over. Look at the feeds of companies that use social media well. A lot of it is storytelling. Find your unique voice and tell stories with it that make a true connection to your audience.