3 Storytelling Hacks to Strengthen Your Brand on Social Media

How many times have you been impressed by a great movie or a book? You know how powerful a good narrative can be. Scientists discovered that stories enhanced the production of oxytocin, a hormone that awakens our sense of empathy. When someone tells a good story, we experience the emotions they want to convey. It’s like we’re getting in a character’s mindset and we understand them. When they are happy, we’re happy for them and we even imagine ourselves in the same situations. When they struggle, we wish we could support them.

Business people have already acknowledged the power of storytelling to awaken people’s emotions. Try to name your favorite TV commercials. You’ll probably realize that the stories are what makes them so awesome.

When done properly, storytelling allows you to give some personality to your brand and associate emotions to it. You will achieve the ultimate goal of marketing: the consumers developing a personal connection with your brand. They will feel you understand them and they will support your brand in return. Your stories have to be real, though. You mustn’t fake sympathy just because you want to sell more products. They will know when you fake it.
How exactly do you tell successful stories through content writing? That’s what we’re here for today.

Involve People in Sharing Stories

Reviews and testimonials are among the best ways to use storytelling in favor of your brand. Thanks to social media, you have an opportunity to inspire real people to spread your message. You can do that in two ways:

1. Encourage your customers to share reviews once they get a product or service from you. You can give them a discount code for a review they share. However, you should encourage them to share their honest opinions and impressions. If you’re providing great products or services, you have nothing to be afraid of; the positive stories will prevail.

2. Connect with influencers. Find social media personalities who post authoritative opinions on things related to your industry. You can offer them to try your products for free, so they will share the experience with their followers.

Listen! Then, Place a Story in Relevant Context

When you write content with the purpose to tell a story about your brand, you don’t make it about the brand. It has to be about the audience. You should present situations the readers can identify themselves with, so they will understand how exactly your products or services can make their lives better.

Listening brands are huge on social media. It’s a whole new category of marketing, based on communicating with the audience through social media. These brands listen to their users and understand what the target audience needs. Then, they place a story in context with which the readers can identify.

MAC Cosmetics is a nice example of a listening brand. This is a makeup brand that attracts all ages, all races, and all sexes with no discrimination. It has a special kind of audience, so it often places its stories into context. These brands know what their audience is struggling with. When people feel supported by the brand, they are willing to support it, too.
Storytelling is not easy. If you’re not a masterful writer, it will be difficult for you to think of such scenarios that relate to the issues your audience faces. If that’s the case, you can always get work with professional writers from services like BestEssays. Together, you’ll easily come up with a concept for the overall marketing campaign.

Promote Your Brand’s Values through Stories

Let’s go back to MAC Cosmetics and other listening brands for a moment. They make their stories all about the audience, but the brand’s vibe is consistently present. Dove is another great example of such brand. Their marketing campaigns promote the real beauty concept. However, we are aware that the brand is not just telling stories to us. It’s making a sales pitch.
When you manage to communicate your brand’s values through real stories and experiences, you’re doing that because you want to sell more products. That’s what marketing is all about. However, you have to make those values strong. The stories have to be believable, so the audience will know you believe in the principles you stand for.

Stories Are the Real Deal

When people see themselves in the scenarios you created, they will know you understand them. They will get the impression that your brand offers exactly what they need in their lives. Needless to say, this strategy will help you boost sales.
However, you need to be careful not to get stuck in a story. Continue monitoring the needs and wants of your audience, and always make sure to convey your brand’s heritage through each and every marketing story you present. When the campaign needs an upgrade or a complete makeover, you need to recognize the moment and act.

Brenda Savoie is a content marketer at BestEssays, private English tutor, and desperate dreamer. Writing her first romance novel. Seeking contentment through mindfulness. Find her on Twitter and Facebook