Storytelling: How Advertisers Compare with Content Marketers

The core of content marketing is the content, and good content requires a story. Not only is a story essential for content marketers, but other marketers and advertisers are following the “story” model as well.

Even large tech companies like Google are favoring the power of emotions over search terms in their advertising. The best practices of storytelling are already innate for content marketers.

How so? All forms of content require a story.

Jim Signorelli shares on Marketing Daily 5 Things Marketers Can Learn From Stories. Content marketers should be more than familiar with these tips already, but a reminder is always nice.

Here are Signorelli’s tips:

1. Stories clothe facts with meaning
How can something be both informational and inspirational? Content marketers knows that even data can be inspirational if it can be visualized.

2. We are more drawn to stories that leave the meaning to us
Traditional advertising forces people to attach values and emotions to certain products. One of Andrew Stanton’s principles of storytelling that has guided him as creator of “Toy Story” and “Wall-e”is his “unifying theory of 2+2.” Audiences do not want to be told the answer is 4, but would rather figure out the problem.

3. Audiences are drawn to meaning that arouses identification
Stories should allow audiences to see themselves and relate. While it might be difficult to do so for b2b content, discussing topics audiences can relate to will suffice.

4. Storytellers don’t use focus groups to decide what their meaning should be
Consumers are smart. They feel advertising lacks authenticity. Online content marketers have an advantage since they are tuned in to their audiences through social.

5. Great storytellers always give us something to look forward to
Audiences stayed tuned to a source of content because they like it: the tone is consistent, they know what to expect and don’t expect to be disappointed.

Content marketers also have an advantage since they know a continuous feed of content created consistently from the same content strategy becomes a staple.

Image courtesy of Brian A Jackson/shutterstock