Everybody knows that stories are an important part of the way our minds work. From the very start of our lives, our minds filled with stories, from the simplest children’s picture books to fairy tales, cartoons, novels, and movies.
So, it’s no surprise that we come to interpret the world in the same way.
The effect of storytelling on branding and marketing
We try to fit the actions we take into the narrative of our lives and respond to those who do the same. We interpret facts we hear from others into stories, too, to help us understand and process them.
In this blog, we will analyze the power of storytelling in content marketing, but also with a bit of science thrown in. As we’ll see, companies that learn how to tell stories are often the ones who live ‘happily ever after’. Let’s find out more.
What Is Storytelling?
Storytelling is the ancient art of interactive human expression that communicates the narrative and reveals thousands of images and situations while stringing the listener’s imagination.
Art behind Storytelling
Storytelling is an art as much as a science. A scientific explanation of our admiration of stories is that it activates the hormone oxytocin that boosts trust and empathy when we hear a moving story. Thus, compelling stories act as motivators and positively influence people’s behavior. The art and power of storytelling can change human behaviors develop a sense of loyalty or push them to take concrete actions.
Individuals live through stories – everyone loves to settle with friends and listen to their compelling stories. Also, people enjoy thinking about their memories and turning them into interactive narratives.
The importance of storytelling in marketing businesses
As brands face overloaded competition, it is becoming extremely tough to grasp an audience’s attention. Customers are exposed to thousands of content and ads per day, causing a decrease in attention spans.
We all read content with our eyes but connect with our hearts. The best way to make customers feel like that is by integrating stories into your content marketing strategy.
Yes, that is right! You can use the power of stories to boost your engagement efforts and construct customer relationships. Instead of stating typical features and sales pitchy details, try to produce value-driven content decorated with stories.
Stories capture attention
Did you know that 5.3 trillion ads are displayed to customers each year? Okay, let us amaze you even more! Over four million blogs are published daily! So, in this super-competitive environment, you need to stand out.
One of the most important reasons to use stories in marketing is that it drives attention. People are naturally drawn to stories as it helps them understand a concept, like math problems or complex data.
Stories provide a way around confusion when trying to understand new ideas. They can also humanize brands and make them more relatable. Apple has used stories extensively in their marketing, describing how their products benefit customers and can be understood even by not tech-savvy customers too.
Stories are more memorable
Recent studies have shown that stories make information more memorable. Moreover, we are 22 times more likely to remember the facts delivered in story form.
Humans are hard-wired to pay more attention to stories. Stories allow us to connect with the community personally as brands become more human to customers.
Stories showcase your human element
When it comes to marketing, story detail can humanize brands and make them more relatable. People connect with stories on an emotional level, and they also provide a way to understand concepts better.
Stories provide a “meme” that spreads as people retell the story. Think of how Apple. Apple fits into people’s thinking of “I am a productive, successful, creative type that means business! The key takeaway is that if you cannot craft appealing stories, your content marketing likely won’t hit the spot.
Conclusion
Always have a goal in mind while writing a piece. Thus, every content writer should define the aim behind their activity.
The story’s core message unfolds in the introduction, which grabs the reader’s instant attention. If you walk in the customer’s shoes and build your introduction around a challenge that resonates with your audience, you will draw attention.
