Hajra Naz
Long before people could write, sharing tales was big for us. Our old folks would chat around the fire, telling what happened to them and teaching others things.
We still use stories to connect now. Think about talks with your loved ones over food or all those times you laughed with a friend on your phone.
Almost everyone has a story to share, and everyone needs someone to listen.
So, what does this mean for selling things?
I help people sell stuff on the internet. I work with all sorts of businesses, from doctors to house sellers to computer people. I write web pages, make posts for social sites, and think up ways to tell people about things.
Every business has a story to tell.
Businesses can tell stories in many ways. They can write about themselves on their website or give talks to new customers.
This post is about telling stories on social sites. Why is this good for selling things, and how can you do it this year?
Read More: 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Building Your Brand
Social media brand storytelling’s powerful advantages
Capture (and hold) your audience’s attention.
People today are always online. They use the web to find things, buy stuff, talk with friends, listen to music, watch the news, find fun things to do, and more. You know what I mean.
A 2022 study found that every 60 seconds:
- Globally, there are 5.9 million Google searches conducted.
- 510,000 comments are posted on Facebook.
- 231 million emails are sent.
- 3.67 million YouTube videos are watched.
- 174,000 apps are downloaded.
With lots of stuff to see, do, and buy, it’s easy for people to lose focus fast.
This makes it hard for companies to stand out.
To grab and keep people’s attention, telling a good story about your brand is the best way.
People’s minds work this way.
Try talking numbers and facts to someone over coffee. They’ll get bored quickly.
But tell a story with those numbers, and they’ll listen longer. Share how you got those numbers, how you became top in your field, and how you care about helping people.
The best stories are fun and interesting, plus they teach you things.Â
Read More: Why Visual Marketing Matters: How Brands Can Connect Through Images
Make an emotional impact that lasts.
People like to think they think with their heads, not their hearts. But the truth is, we feel things strongly. Our feelings push us to do things. Scientists say our feelings are built into us, and they make us act in certain ways.
You don’t need to be a smart person to know feelings are powerful. People who sell things use stories to make you feel things and want to buy their stuff.
When people you like tell you about something good, you’re more likely to do it too. It’s like copying someone you trust.
Imagine making a lot of effort to reduce weight but not seeing progress. You’ve tried a variety of exercise regimens and diets.
Now, think about seeing a poster for a diet helper. It tells the story of someone just like you who lost weight with this helper. They eat better and feel healthier.
This story can make you want to lose weight too. You see how the helper changed someone’s life, not just a claim.
Social Media Brand Storytelling: How to Use It
We talked about why telling your brand’s story is important. Now, let’s put this into action on your social media. Here are easy ways to change your social media plan this year.
1: Share your brand story.
It’s not good enough for folks to just know what you do. With lots of people on social sites, you must show who you are.
What’s your brand story? Where did you start and where will you go?
Don’t just say what you sell. Tell people how your stuff helps them live better.
Say something like, “We help you be number one on Google so more people find you,” rather than, “We do SEO.”
People now care what companies think. They like brands that share their ideas.
So, show what you believe in and help people. This can make folks like you more.
2: Present your business’s real-life employees.
People like to know about real people, not just big companies. It’s easier to connect with real people.
Show your workers to people. Let them see who works for you.
This is called sharing about your workers. You can do this in many ways.
You can talk to your workers, put them in your posts, or make short videos of their work. Special days like Worker Thanks Day, Helper Week, or even Women’s Day and Rainbow Month are good times to do this.
When you take care of your workers, you show others how to care for your customers.
3: Be flexible when it comes to your content type.
Sharing things on social media is not just about pretty pictures and funny words. Try using different ways to tell your brand’s story.
Lots of people use TikTok now, so many businesses are making short videos there. You could also make a talk show with you and other people in your work area, or draw a picture that shows how your things work.
Asking questions, voting, giving free books, and other fun things can help people like your posts more.
4: Encourage user-generated content.
As we said before, when people share good things about your stuff, it helps new people want to try it too. It’s like word-of-mouth, but better.
Lots of people say they find new things to buy because of what other people say. Almost half of them trust online chats about stuff as much as asking their friends and family.
You can use these chats to help your posts on social sites. Ask people to share good things about you. Give them a fun thing or a discount if they win.
Read More: From Blogging to Storytelling: 6 Creative Content Types Writers Need
5: Be authentic.
In the end, your online friends want to feel close to your brand.
It’s easy to spot when you’re not being real online.
Don’t think of your online friends as just numbers. Consider them as a group.
Be real by trying to make friends with them, asking them to talk to you, and making them feel heard and understood.
Conclusion
Telling your brand’s story can be a strong way to grab and keep people’s attention, and also leave a good feeling.
Try different ways to tell your brand’s story on places like Facebook and Instagram. The key is to try to talk to people and get them involved.
I hope this writing gave you some ideas on how to make your posts on social sites fresh this year.
