Why Storytelling is the ‘Special Sauce’ for any Brand’s Digital Marketing Success
A cohesive brand narrative that you can sell in a logo, a photo, a video, and in your marketing materials starts with finding the story you want to tell.
Storytelling is so important as it allows consumers to connect as human beings to the products, services, and brands which surround them. A brand has little value, in this day and age, if all they are is a faceless corporation. Consumers want a story, meaning, and to know when they buy from you, they’re putting their money in a good place.
Think of your brand and its values, what makes it special, and who your customers are. Before circulating any SEO-driven content marketing or putting out your first social media post, know what impression you want to leave. Outside of what you sell or the industry in which you operate, a brand should aspire to be something of meaning to their customers or community. Nike’s an example, representing aspiration, inspiration, innovation, and inclusion for athletes. Nike’s tagline is ‘Just do it’ and it has nothing to do with shoes and merchandise, and yet it’s somehow so appropriate for the brand.
In telling stories, you’re certainly going to want to know who your target audience is. Different audiences appreciate different narratives. Segment your audience into personas, to develop targeted approaches. The better you know your customer, the more power you’re going to have in telling the right story to the right people. Utilize social media marketing tools and analytics to learn who is interested in your brand. Look for mentions, which type of content is getting views, and where your conversions are coming from. Every brand-consumer interaction is more information for you to use, with age, income level, interests, location, and needs all important.
The most effective way to use storytelling in digital marketing is through video marketing. More than 85 percent of online brands have a video marketing strategy of some kind. Video is one of the best formats to achieve brand awareness, and in an era of binge-watching and YouTube, it’s the perfect way to sell storytelling to your target audience. Video works well because it can convey so much. Consider videos like customer testimonials, how-to videos, and anything to humanize your brand. Telling your brand’s story is what’s important. Show how your products or services help your consumers, focus on how they feel, and focus in on the people you’re doing business with rather than the product itself.
Brand building takes time however if you focus on strategic storytelling, you can generate momentum faster. Take away storytelling and it can be very difficult to find what’s unique about a website, company, or brand. Too many marketers try to communicate brand identity and position a video or blog to sell, sell, and sell. Time and time again, this doesn’t work. It used to, evidently. It doesn’t anymore, though. Consumers are demanding more from brands and the responsibility is on them to meet the standard.
For more information on how to elevate your brand’s digital marketing, contact Unlimited Exposure. A compelling brand story has always been our ‘secret sauce’ to getting our clients to where they need to be. It helps to establish meaning and value in the eyes of the consumer, something which is key to growth in sales and revenues. See your results with Unlimited Exposure today.
