Throughout history, storytelling has been the vehicle of all those who want to convey ideas, thoughts, and emotions. For instance, just imagine trying to narrate an incident to someone with only facts, without any hint of a strong feeling that produces attention. The latter would certainly sound like an incredibly dull piece of information, which failed to capture the audience’s interest. If those same events had a more exciting context, they would consequently be received in a better way by your target audiences.
Storytelling within content marketing is like an art perfected with lots of practice, requiring skill, creativity, and vision. Above all, stories have the power to move us, and they make us feel identified with certain characters or themes. In other words, these are the inevitable stories, which force us to go back to them again and again.
Storytelling in content marketing
Content marketing has adopted storytelling as the primary tool to connect with customers. As a result, it´s a trend that has transformed the traditional way of advertising. Brands are now willing to tell their own stories to their customers to build a relationship with them beforehand. Therefore, many brands have increasingly adopted this strategy for B2B or B2C marketing. The different ways of telling stories in digital platforms are, without a doubt, reshaping the campaigns carried out by brands. Good stories come from an assertive selection of facts and a narrative that sparks readers’ imagination.
Businesses have widely accepted that storytelling within content marketing has filled the gap between producers and consumers. Those stories that relate to our daily lives can make strong emotional connections. Knowing how to tell the facts will generate recollection from the audiences since they often reflect their struggles. These stories do not sell products directly, but they can determine why the customer decides to buy your products.
Why is storytelling important in business?
Each story has a motivation and a message which must remain in the client’s head.
Make a complicated message simple
Every time a new idea is born, it takes some time for everyone to absorb it, based on just facts and data. Stories provide an ideal environment to avoid all that noise and help us smooth over complexities with an engaging narrative.
Promote integration
Stories have no borders, and they speak to us in a universal language. No matter where they were born, all human beings react to feelings like hope, fear, anger, or despair. That’s why we can all relate to the story of a hero. Or a romance that ends in broken hearts. Stories give us a feeling that we are alike or that there is something that unites us all.
They promote loyalty towards your brand
When a good storyteller manages to create a strong narrative around your brand or your product, this transfers human traits to it, helping people connect on a deeper level. A good story penetrates deep into the minds of consumers and allows us to better relate to them.
Some key ingredients to tell memorable stories
There are many components to a narrative that you cannot ignore if the goal is to be memorable.
Universal
Good stories must have the ability to captivate many readers and also leave an emotional mark on them.
Entertaining
Each reader should be able to relate to the story. Good stories are like a magnet to which the reader has to return.
Organized
Your narration’s coherence is fundamental to take advantage of all the elements of the story in the best possible way. It’s also essential to convey the right message, with the appropriate tone.
Memorable
Stories capable of generating emotions such as anger, fear, glory, etc., are easy to remember.
Educational
Good stories should provide us with more knowledge and should be able to generate curiosity.
