7 Tips for Storytelling Using Social Media

7 Jun 2024 | Social Media

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When we think about stories, we usually know the basics such as the characteristics of the story having a beginning, middle, and end. As we get older, stories prove to have another layer of characteristics but we use different terms such as rising conflict, climax, falling action, and resolution—sometimes even some sort of moral lesson. As we discuss stories, a question arises: how can we link rich storytelling on social media to create great content?

A story isn’t just about words or metaphors or symbolism – a great story makes sure that we get something out of it. Like wisdom, a lesson, or even a blessing about the world and ourselves. And great content marketing doesn’t just create content, but tells compelling stories.

In the present digital age, we witness more innovative uses of storytelling incorporated into brand building as consumers demand more from brands. More people care about authenticity as they want to understand the ethos and mission behind a brand to see if it is dedicated to something meaningful rather than just buying something because it’s “cool” or “trendy”.

So what are the ways to tell a great story on social media? Here are some tips to guide you into crafting the most compelling stories and how you can leverage storytelling for your brand.

1. Crafting Story Arcs

Creating a story involves weaving together a series of events infused with essential elements. With the dynamic landscape of social media, you have various avenues to narrate stories in innovative ways that go beyond the confines of traditional storytelling and advertising. While there may be certain limitations, such as length, you also have a toolkit of options at your disposal.

Before delving into developing your social content as part of a campaign or advertising strategy, it’s crucial to cast your gaze forward towards your ultimate objectives and then work backward. Pose questions like:

- What does your business aspire to achieve one or five years down the line?
- Where do you envision yourself concerning your preferred or target audience?
- What are your demographic and international growth plans?
- How does your performance measure up against competitors?

Each snippet, blog post, video, or image should function as a standalone mini-story. However, why not take your audience and customers on a more extended journey? Considering that every piece of content contributes to your brand and business narrative, there’s an opportunity to captivate people in the long run.

In this light, consider your ‘story arc’ – the inception, progression, and conclusion. This applies not only to each piece of content but also in alignment with your long-term goals and unique selling proposition (USP).

Take, for instance, the beauty brand Dove, which initially started as a soap brand. The company has strategically placed storytelling at the core of its marketing endeavors, focusing on empowering women through messages of self-esteem and self-acceptance.

An excellent illustration is Dove’s #Detox YourFeed campaign, designed to unveil the detrimental effects of toxic beauty advice. Leveraging social media, the campaign effectively disseminated its message as people shared their experiences using the hashtag.

2. The Old ‘Show, Don’t Tell

When it comes to the world of advertising, whether it’s on social media or elsewhere, it’s more effective to show your story rather than just describe it. But what does this really mean?

In the context of social media, this could be as straightforward as crafting a compelling video, designing an engaging infographic, or pairing a striking visual with a catchy title to swiftly convey your message (or the essence of it). Given the brief attention spans online, you only have a few seconds to make an impact, so why not make it crystal clear and visually captivating?

An excellent illustration of this ‘show, don’t tell’ approach is seen in the tactics of the technology company GoPro. While they do have promotional videos to highlight their latest camera features, the majority of their content showcases the practical use of their cameras, yielding truly impressive results. It’s not limited to just the GoPro team; millions of customers also contribute by sharing videos of their own adventurous exploits.

3. Write with the Spirit of a Wordsmith

Whether you’ve dabbled in copywriting, fiction, or nonfiction, the truth is that you don’t need to be a seasoned expert in any particular genre to excel at storytelling on social media.

What truly captures attention is a blend of creativity, audacity, and a message that gets straight to the point or at least provides a tantalizing glimpse of the extraordinary things to come.

Depending on your audience, this may involve weaving a narrative that encompasses some traditional storytelling elements. Consider the hero’s journey, for instance, where an unexpected hero (the protagonist) faces a life-changing situation, often involving the quest to save the world from impending doom.

If you can draw your audience in using the same techniques employed by fiction writers, you’re likely to grab their attention right from the start. And let’s not overlook the significance of SEO writing when it comes to search and social media – using the right keywords ensures that your content reaches the right audience.

Take a cue from the Dollar Shave Club, a brand that burst onto the men’s personal grooming scene with innovative and humorous messaging. An illustrative example is one of their Facebook ads, where they leverage their trademark humor to promote razors by tapping into the topic of personal hygiene.

4. Harness the Power of Influencers and Collaborations

Some of the most cutting-edge social advertising today involves a mix of celebrity or influencer presence, a genuine cause, and a product.

This blend taps into issues that resonate with people, utilizing the influence of a relevant figure or brand. It’s crucial to ensure the influencer or partner aligns with your message; otherwise, your ad might fall flat.

A standout instance is GymShark’s #Gymshark66 campaign, challenging individuals to transform their lives through positive habits. To kick off the campaign, the brand collaborated with fitness influencers, producing a video series titled “Stories of the 66” where individuals shared their transformative journeys. The campaign garnered over 240 million video views and sparked over 750,000 posts under the hashtag.

In the non-profit sector, influencers and partnerships can be particularly effective. By gaining support for a social issue or cause, a charity can raise awareness and generate interest, potentially leading to increased fundraising or volunteer recruitment.

Another great example is Matt Damon’s company, water.org, teaming up with Stella Artois as their spokesperson for a clean water campaign. This partnership seamlessly connects the brand and the cause, creating a memorable association. It’s a triple-win scenario where audiences engage with the cause while also promoting the company’s commitment to providing clean drinking water to underprivileged communities.

5. Forge Genuine Connections with Your Followers

Social media platforms offer abundant tools designed to help you understand which posts resonate the most with your audience, providing valuable insights into the popularity of your content across channels.

Explore your social media data to glean insights and identify what has been most effective. Was it a particular post, a lengthier blog, or an ebook that struck a chord in the past? Maybe a humorous video that garnered numerous shares? Utilize these insights to gauge what resonates with your audience and craft new narratives accordingly.

Explore dynamic avenues such as Facebook Live, tap into TikTok trends, or create clever and amusing videos to convey your mission and message in a refreshing manner. Long-time followers may grow weary of seeing the same content in their feeds, so it’s vital to infuse variety whenever possible.

Take a glance at Scrub Daddy’s TikTok page as an example of how to use humor to captivate and interact with followers (a whopping 3.8 million and counting), all while showcasing and promoting new products.

6. Make It Meaningful

Even if you’ve conducted comprehensive audience research and have a deep understanding of your current customers, the pivotal factor in reaching people is uncovering what makes your product meaningful to them. What resonates with them not just in the short term but also over the long haul?

For example, if an airline is offering discounts on one-way flights, the focus shouldn’t solely be on the cost savings. Instead, tailor the ads towards digital nomads who view such flights as an integral part of their ongoing lifestyle choice of staying “on the road.”

Once you identify what holds deep meaning for your audience, you can craft a storyline – both a brand storyline and a series of snippets – to showcase a need with an underlying emotional foundation.

Consider JetBlue, which experienced a remarkable 48% growth in social media discussion volume in H1 2022, the highest growth rate among the top-mentioned airlines according to Hospitalitynet. Their social posts aim to tap into the diverse needs of travelers and promote offers that drive engagement. Take, for instance, a Facebook post targeting less frequent flyers, encouraging them to explore more about the airline’s loyalty program. This approach emphasizes creating value beyond just cost savings, addressing the meaningful needs of specific segments within their audience.

7. Use Tools for a Personal Touch

Many social media tools can be important in conveying emotion, authenticity, and immediacy in a concise timeframe.

Popular among these tools are Instagram Stories, Snapchat Stories, and TikTok. Each allows you to create real-time videos with a limited duration, catering to the appeal of ephemeral marketing, particularly among the millennial and younger demographic. This format, offering a brief glimpse into real life, resonates with audiences craving authenticity in the digital realm.

The beauty of these tools, including Facebook Stories and Facebook Live, is that there’s no need for anything overly elaborate or text-heavy. Simply allowing audiences to witness a real person talking or engaging in real-time activities is more than sufficient. It’s a golden opportunity to showcase your product or service in an authentic context.

Consider National Geographic’s use of Instagram Stories as an illustration. By leveraging stunning photographs, the brand employs Stories to educate and inform people about various issues related to the natural world and science. The straightforward yet captivating Story encourages individuals to pledge a commitment to reducing the use of single-use plastics. This approach not only provides information but also encourages direct engagement with the audience.

Final Thoughts

Consumers have always wielded the purchasing power, and it has always been to their advantage. However, it can be challenging to the marketers because there are competitions left and right. The silver lining is that there are still a handful of brands and companies that excel in using social media to convey a story that truly connects with their audience. The key is to ensure that your brand is among them.