The Type of Content You Need to Tell Your Brand Story

Brand storytelling has become one of the most impactful marketing tactics in recent years. With the rise in conscious consumerism, people now demand much more than information about the value or features of the products to be convinced to invest in a brand. They want to know the values and visions, the driving forces, the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind brands. Since storytelling is a way to present the brand’s narrative in a thoughtful and immersive way, for people to know and explore, its use has increasingly been gaining momentum.

However, not all brand stories are effective, and in order to create one that influences your audience, you must not forget a few key components.

1. A unique narrative

Your brand is an individual entity, solely the product of your hard work. How you conceived the idea, how it came to be, why it came to be, the purpose, the future goals, etc. comprise your brand’s narrative. This is what will make your brand stand out and allow people to see it the way it is.

Hence, it’s crucial that your brand has an origin story. It’s going to allow you to initiate conversations, plan all kinds of content, launch campaigns if you decide to, and do a lot more.

This narrative is going to follow your brand everywhere, so it’s pivotal you create and use its potential wisely.

2. An audience-centered approach

A predictable yet functional rule of marketing is, “know your target audience”. Your brand is not just about you, it’s also about the consumers. They keep your brand afloat. You must also never forget that there is a sea of content and brands vying for their attention, so unless your brand has something that makes them feel, seen, and heard in a way that stimulates their interest, they won’t pay attention.

To apply this in a storytelling context, you need to be fully informed about your brand’s narrative, which must highlight your values, and who your target audience is, then merge the two by showing how your brand can add value to the consumers’ lives. Don’t just tell, show it. Make it interesting and convincing. The content of all the mediums you use to promote your brand must reflect your story.

3. An authentic and personal take

Your brand story must reflect your personal and authentic identity. It’s one thing to write or create a straightforward narrative, and it’s completely different and comparatively difficult to create content that lets that narrative shine through.

This is why, give your brand a personality and let it be visible in your stories, in whichever way you want it to be. The more original and real you get, the more memorable it will be and the stronger the ensuing emotional connection the consumers will feel.

4. Data can be a good supplementary tool

Research and statistics make your stories more believable and compelling, so it’s always a good option to add them if you can. This type of content appeals to such people whose buying decisions are not solely influenced by their emotions, but also by rational reasoning.

The shared data can be related to something general and how your brand contributes toward it, or it can be specifically related to your brand.

Spotify’s yearly wrap-up is a great example of data-driven storytelling and has been a huge success with the listeners. Spotify analyzes listener data throughout the year and then uses it to take the listeners down the memory lane at the end of the year, consisting of what artists and creators they listened to and when. This procures a personalized story that highlights listener habits and makes them feel how the brand has been a part of all their major moments in the past year.

5. A simple and classic format

There should be a main character that represents your audience, present in a specified setting. Furthermore, the story should have a solid beginning, middle, and ending, which highlight the most significant elements, i.e, a conflict/problem, solution, and success that came to be or can come to be with the help of your brand. If this simple and classic format is nailed, then trust the story to drive your point home.

Storytelling is the future of marketing because, in this fast-paced and super digital world, people crave authenticity and genuine connections, and a profound brand story is how you build and show that. Therefore, if you haven’t been utilizing the potential of this mighty marketing tool with the right types of content, you are missing out.