As a society, we’re inherently drawn to good stories. Whether it’s through watching an emotional movie, getting lost in a great book, or scrolling through TikTok videos, stories can capture our attention and make us feel something.
As a result, savvy marketers have taken notice of this phenomenon and started to craft engaging storylines through social media to attract and retain customers.
Industry expert Thomas Peter Maletta will explore why this approach is so effective and how various brands successfully implement it.
Contents
- Social Media’s Power To Create Brand Awareness
- Storytelling Is A Natural Way To Convey Information
- Social Media Encourages Customer Engagement
- Social Media’s Ability To Create Shareable Content
- Engaging Storylines Foster Emotional Connections
- Social Media Provides Ample Opportunities For Creativity
- The Rise Of Influencer Marketing
- Examples Of Great Social Media Storytelling
Social Media’s Power To Create Brand Awareness
Marketers first create engaging storylines through social media to build brand awareness. Social media has already become a great tool for businesses to attract potential customers and promote their products.
As a result, all the major social media platforms offer various advertising options, such as boosted posts and sponsored ads, to help businesses reach their target audience.
When businesses use these options effectively, they can create engaging storylines that capture their customers’ attention and eventually turn them into loyal customers.
Storytelling Is A Natural Way To Convey Information
At its core, marketing is about telling a story. Whether explaining a product’s benefits or highlighting a particular brand experience, marketers are masters at crafting a narrative that resonates with their target audience.
Social media is the perfect platform for this storytelling, allowing companies to convey complex ideas and messaging concisely and relatable.
By sharing customer success stories, behind-the-scenes glimpses of company culture, or relatable anecdotes, businesses can help customers connect with their brand on a deeper level.
Social Media Encourages Customer Engagement
The second reason businesses should focus on creating engaging storylines through social media is to promote customer engagement. Creating a humanized brand image and engaging with customers in a relatable way can go a long way in solidifying customer loyalty.
Through social media, businesses can start conversations with their customers, listen to their feedback, and respond to their concerns. This is an effective way of building a relationship with customers and will lead to more engagement in the future.
The third reason businesses should focus on creating engaging storylines through social media is to craft shareable content. In today’s digital age, interesting and sharable content has the power to go viral.
When businesses create engaging storylines, they create content that is more likely to be shared by social media users, thus increasing their overall reach.
Furthermore, with the help of influencers, businesses can leverage their reach to create even more shareable content.
Engaging Storylines Foster Emotional Connections
One of the main reasons why storytelling is such an effective marketing strategy is because it has the power to elicit emotional responses from customers.
By crafting a compelling storyline, businesses can make customers feel excited, inspired, or empathetic, which can help build trust and loyalty over time.
Some brands take this further by creating more comprehensive storylines across multiple platforms. For example, a company might launch a social media campaign that tells a story through various Instagram posts, blog articles, and promotional videos over several weeks.
This approach can help keep customers engaged and invested in the brand over an extended period.
Social Media Provides Ample Opportunities For Creativity
Another reason marketers are drawn to social media storytelling is because it allows for immense creativity. Companies can experiment with different formats, from short and sweet Twitter threads to long-form Facebook posts that delve into more detail.
Brands can also play around with different visual elements, such as incorporating GIFs, memes, or user-generated content into their posts. The possibilities are endless, and businesses can tap into an endless well of inspiration with the right approach.
The Rise Of Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing has exploded in popularity in recent years, partly because it’s an effective way to leverage storytelling on social media. By partnering with influencers with a large and engaged following, businesses can tap into their storytelling abilities and use their brand to promote their products or services.
The key to successful influencer marketing is to find an influencer whose values align with the brand’s and who has an audience likely to be receptive to the messaging.
Examples Of Great Social Media Storytelling
Some of the most successful social media campaigns in recent years have relied heavily on storytelling. One example is the “Share a Coke” campaign launched by Coca-Cola in 2014.
The campaign featured personalized Coca-Cola cans and bottles with customer names, creating a personal connection between the brand and its customers.
Another example is the “Dilly Dilly” campaign launched by Bud Light in 2017, which used a medieval-themed storyline to promote its products and garnered widespread attention on social media.
Final Thoughts
According to Thomas Peter Maletta, storytelling through social media has become a powerful tool for businesses of all shapes and sizes.
By crafting engaging storylines, companies can create emotional connections with customers, convey complex messaging, and stand out in an increasingly crowded digital marketplace.
Whether partnering with influencers, experimenting with new content formats, or launching comprehensive campaigns, businesses can leverage social media to tell their unique story and attract and retain customers.