Want to learn more about social media storytelling?
You probably already knew that Facebook has over 2 billion active users, but they’re not the only platform on the social media landscape. Other platforms, like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, each have hundreds of millions of active users. If you want to increase your profits, take advantage of these other marketing channels.
But how?
Well, that’s the best part about building your brand story. Once you’ve done the work, you can reuse it on multiple platforms. You’ll only need to make small adjustments to the content as you move from one platform to the next.
When you’re ready to create your brand story and become a social media sensation, read on.
Social Media Storytelling 101
Did you know that 66% of adults in the US use at least one social media site? There are 252 million adults in the US. That means that if you market across all social media sites, you’ll be targeting a staggering 169 million adults in the US alone.
Now you know why marketing across multiple channels is so important. But first, you have to create a story that resonates with your audience. One that showcases the human side of your business and increases brand awareness.
Begin by understanding your audience. The better you know them, the higher chance you have to create a story which resonates with them. Are they teachers? Retired couples? Overseas military personnel?
Who they are will give you a better understanding of what they like. When you perform your audience research, pay close attention to your potential reader’s word choices and speaking style. You can use both to emulate their tone of voice which will help you speak directly to them.
Also, when you Facebook your story, focus on your customers. When you make them the hero of your story, it’s more likely to create emotion. The more your reader feels, the stronger the bond your story will create.
Focus on Connection Rather than Sales
Novice marketers often mistake the purpose of building social media stories. They think the stories lead to an increase in sales. Unfortunately, they’re only partially right.
Expert marketers will tell you that the goal of creating such stories isn’t to increase your sales. At least not directly. Instead, the goal is to improve trust and authority.
The more your customers read your blogs on creating a custom website, the more they trust that you can build one for them. Similarly, the more they read about your story, the more of an emotional bond you create with them. The stronger the bond, the more trustworthy you become.
Keep Platforms in Mind
Can you tell the same story across multiple channels? Definitely, but you may want to consider the medium. Is it going to be text based? Image-based? Video-based?
When you build your story, think about how it’ll come through on each medium. Jot down notes along the way, so you can remember how to best implement your strategy.
What’s Next?
It’s time to take your social media storytelling to new heights. Write your ideas down on flash cards with one main idea on each card. Now order your cards.
For each card, write down how you can tell the story through text, images, and video. Pick out your favorites and choose an appropriate platform. Voilà! You’re ready to tell your story.
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