A good story is powerful. We understand stories, we relate to stories, and we connect with stories on an emotional level. Storytelling connects everyone. It’s one of our most basic forms of communication. There’s a reason your child always wants you to read them a story before bed. There’s a reason you’re captivated listening to your friend or co-worker telling a story of what happened to them over the weekend.
Storytelling is universal. Every country, every culture has had storytellers. Stories make us stronger and brings us together. This is why it’s so important for you to use storytelling to develop your brand. Here are four ways to do just that.
1. Use video.
6 out of 10 people would rather watch videos online than watch television, according to Google. As Hubspot reports, 55% of people watch videos online every day. Telling even the simplest story through video can have a big impact. Who doesn’t love the “Year in Search” videos that Google puts out at the end of every year? This is a great example of the power of brand storytelling.
Tell a story about what your products or services do to help people. Or you can tell the actual story of your brand from your perspective through the power of video. There’s a reason so many people watch the Superbowl every year to see the commercials. The best commercials tell a story. There are many ways to use the power of video to tell a story.
2. Tell your brand narrative on your website.
Your website is a great place to tell your brand narrative. Tell the story of how your brand got started on your “about” page. Talk about any obstacles that were overcome to get you where you are now. If you’re part of a small business or startup, I bet your company has a fascinating origin story. This is the kind of thing people want to know.
Another great place to tell the story of your brand is in blog posts. You can begin a blog post with a story, insert a story into the middle when attention starts wandering, or close out your blog post with an effective story. Perhaps you don’t want to tell the whole story in one post. The story could be ongoing.
3. Have your customers tell your story.
Customer testimonials are a powerful thing, especially if they involve storytelling, which they almost always do. Your customers are telling the story of how your product or service helped them. They can do this in reviews, on your website, or even in video or audio form. Customer testimonials really speak to people because they are relatable. They can personalize your brand and show how you are providing products and services that people actually need.
Having customer testimonials in video form can be an especially powerful way to tell a story. You can tell the story of your brand and how it helps people through one person’s example. Having the person speak in a video makes it feel more personal, like they are speaking directly to the viewer. This can be a great way to communicate with potential customers.
4. Use social media platforms in creative ways.
Each social media platform features a different kind of storytelling. Both Instagram and Pinterest are great places to tell a story through images. You might also want to tell a story entirely in short sentences, like on Twitter. Or share long form content in posts on LinkedIn.
Every day, new social media apps are becoming more and more popular. TikTok and Muiscal.y are two video apps that are extremely popular among teens. If your brand appeals to this demographic, you may want to consider trying these platforms out and seeing what they have to offer. There are so many options. And every day, brands are finding new ways to leverage the power of social media to tell their stories. Get creative and see what you can come up with.
5. Use the unexpected.
Stories can be a lot more powerful when they surprise the audience. You want to use something unexpected in your story. Turn stereotypes on their heads. Give the audience the opposite of what they would naturally think should happen.
You don’t want to just throw something surprising in there for shock value, however. You want to still be relevant to your product or service. A good example of this is Panda Cheese’s “Never Say No to Panda” campaign. There are individuals deciding whether or not they want to try cheese. And then a giant panda comes to annoy those who were not willing to try it. Is this unexpected? Definitely. But because the name is “Panda Cheese,” the panda is still relevant.
6. Tell a story across multiple mediums.
Stories can be told in blogs, videos, print, on social media channels, anywhere. It’s exciting when a brand tells a story across multiple mediums. You can release a video that is connected to a Twitter campaign that is connected to a series of billboards that is connected to blog posts. This way, the story reaches as many people as possible, and those who have seen multiple versions of the same story will feel special, like they are in on a secret.
Storytelling can be a powerful thing, especially for brands. Telling the story of your brand gives you a chance to explain why your potential customers need your products or services. It gives you a chance to share your own perspective and frame the narrative surrounding your brand.
These are just some of the ways that you can use storytelling in your brand. The important thing is that you tell your story in a way that people can relate and connect with it and that you share the story with as many people as possible.