Every day we’re bombarded with ads, banners, pop-ups and emails—all designed to grab our focus and drive action. With so much noise, how can your brand break through and connect with your audience on a deeper level?
The answer: Storytelling.
Storytelling isn’t just a buzzword. It’s one of the most powerful strategies for building genuine connections with your audience. Think about it—stories captivate us, make us feel something and stick in our memory.
By utilizing storytelling in marketing, you’re not just promoting products. You’re creating experiences and building a brand people care about.
So, what exactly is storytelling in marketing, what are the benefits and how can you add it to your marketing strategy? Keep reading to find out!
What is storytelling in marketing?
Good question! It’s exactly what it sounds like. Storytelling in marketing is simply using a narrative format to share your brand’s message with your audience. Stories can come in many forms: standard narrative, testimonials, trending themes and thought leadership.
Add storytelling to your marketing
So, you want in? Great! Now, you need a story that will stand out. And how exactly do you make your story worthy of your audiences’ attention? Just like any other good story! Make sure that it’s entertaining, authentic and captivating. It could be laugh-out-loud funny, thoughtful, touching or even scary, but it should always interest your audience.
You’ll obviously want to highlight your brand but be sure to do so in a relatable way. Think about your characters. Hint, hint: You’ll probably want to tell the story from the point of view of your audience to make the connection extra meaningful.
Another important component of storytelling in marketing is to include a strong call to action (CTA) so that your audience knows what you want them to do. Your story could be fantastic, but if you just leave the end hanging, you won’t get the response or results you want.
What’s the best medium to tell your story? That’s easy! Find out where your target audience consumes the most media—i.e. where they hang out online—and tell your story there. Blogs, social media, videos, games, images or any other format is acceptable, as long as your audience can find your story.
Here are some helpful dos and don’ts from HubSpot:
Benefits of storytelling in marketing
Storytelling in marketing seems like it might be a lot of work, right? Well, it is.
But is it worth it? Absolutely!
Here are some benefits of engaging storytelling in marketing for your brand:
- Connection – You can create a community and an emotional connection with your target audience through storytelling. This type of marketing humanizes your brand and cultivates loyal customers that advocate on your behalf to others.
- Trust – A strong connection built on shared experiences and values will bolster trust with your customer. This can also lead to brand loyalty and increased sales.
- Memorable – Facts and information are about 22 times more likely to be remembered when part of a story.
- Conversions – Storytelling can boost conversion rates by an impressive 30%.
- Shareable – Stories, particularly good ones, are shareable! Your audience will share your message through their own digital platforms.
- Value – A story that provides helpful information is another avenue to give value to your customer.
Examples of great storytelling in marketing
CGP Grey
We love how CGP Grey uses storytelling to explain complicated topics. It’s entertaining and can help you remember complex information and facts. Let’s be honest, if we’re going to engage with educational content in our free time – it better be interesting!
Video credit: CGP Grey
Goldfish Crackers
Campbell’s Goldfish used the trending news of declining attention spans (9 seconds!) to challenge teens to essentially a staring game while simultaneously promoting their Kravin’ Ketchup flavored Goldfish. Its Focus Face Off Lens on Snapchat tries to distract players from a Kravin’ Ketchup Goldfish slowly falling out of a ketchup bottle. Hilarious!
Video credit: Ads of the World and Campbell’s
Rivian
The electric car manufacturer uses an employee testimonial to show off features of the new R1T and R1S. By asking employees what their favorite thing is about the car, it allows Rivian to highlight vehicle features while also feeling down-to-earth and authentic. Smart!
Video credit: Rivian
That’s the story
Storytelling can be a brand’s superpower. Creating deeper connections and lasting impressions by weaving a narrative around a product means brands aren’t just selling—they’re building relationships, fostering loyalty and resonating on an emotional level.
As you think about your own marketing strategy, remember that a good story can bridge the gap between a product and its people. Embrace storytelling in marketing to humanize your brand, connect with audiences and leave a lasting impact.
Start telling your brand’s story! Connect with the experts at Beyond Fifteen.
